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Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah11

American Standard Version · Public Domain

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1 And the princes of the people dwelt in Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.

2 And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

3 Now these are the chiefs of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants.

4 And in Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez;

5 and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite.

6 All the sons of Perez that dwelt in Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men.

7 And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah.

8 And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.

9 And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.

10 Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin,

11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God,

12 and their brethren that did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty and two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah,

13 and his brethren, chiefs of fathers’ houses, two hundred forty and two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

14 and their brethren, mighty men of valor, a hundred twenty and eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.

15 And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;

16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God;

17 and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four.

19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, that kept watch at the gates, were a hundred seventy and two.

20 And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.

21 But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim.

22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God.

23 For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.

24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.

25 And as for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kiriath-arba and the towns thereof, and in Dibon and the towns thereof, and in Jekabzeel and the villages thereof,

26 and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth-pelet,

27 and in Hazar-shual, and in Beer-sheba and the towns thereof,

28 and in Ziklag, and in Meconah and in the towns thereof,

29 and in En-rimmon, and in Zorah, and in Jarmuth,

30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and the fields thereof, Azekah and the towns thereof. So they encamped from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom.

31 The children of Benjamin also dwelt from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, and at Beth-el and the towns thereof,

32 at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.

36 And of the Levites, certain courses in Judah were joined to Benjamin.

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Nehemiah 11

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Nehemiah 11. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The distribution of the people. (1-36).

vv1-36

In all ages, men have preferred their own ease and advantage to the public good. Even the professors of religion too commonly seek their own, and not the things of Christ. Few have had such attachment to holy things and holy places, as to renounce pleasure for their sake. Yet surely, our souls should delight to dwell where holy persons and opportunities of spiritual improvement most abound. If we have not this love to the city of our God, and to every thing that assists our communion with the Saviour, how shall we be willing to depart hence; to be absent from the body, that we may be present with the Lord? To the carnal-minded, the perfect holiness of the New Jerusalem would be still harder to bear than the holiness of God's church on earth. Let us seek first the favour of God, and his glory; let us study to be patient, contented, and useful in our several stations, and wait, with cheerful hope, for admission into the holy city of God.

Cross References

Nehemiah 11

Direct parallel list of the first post-exilic settlers from Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

Parallel designation of the ruler of the house of God under the high priest's administration.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

Identifies the outward business of the Levites, managing external duties and administrative collection.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Proverbs 18:18thematic

Illustrates the practice of using lots to decide difficult and critical civic distributions.

Supported by JFB

v1Isaiah 52:1thematic

Identifies Jerusalem by its formal biblical title: the holy city.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Parallel list identifying the specific priestly families (Jedaiah, Joiarib, Jachin) who settled in Jerusalem.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v11Numbers 3:32thematic

Provides the Pentateuchal precedent of chief priests acting as rulers over the house of God.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Matthew 27:53thematic

New Testament usage of the term 'the holy city' in reference to Jerusalem.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v2Judges 5:9thematic

Echoes the blessing given to leaders and citizens who willingly offered themselves for service.

Supported by JFB

Details the hierarchy of rulers and officers established over the house of the Lord.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v21Nehemiah 3:26thematic

Corroborates Ophel as the specific residential quarter of the temple-serving Nethinim.

Supported by JFB

v3Ezra 2:70thematic

Confirms the pattern of priests, Levites, and Nethinim residing in their own ancestral cities.

Supported by JFB

Parallels the Levitical lineage of Mattaniah, son of Micah, descendant of Asaph.

Supported by JFB

Parallels the identity of Abda (Obadiah) and the descendants of Jeduthun.

Supported by JFB

Identifies the Shilonites as descendants of Perez who dwelt in Jerusalem.

Supported by JFB