Nehemiah Chapter 11
1 The princes of the people lived 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 The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.
3 Now these are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the cities of Judah everyone lived in his possession in their cities: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the children of Solomon's servants.
4 Some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. 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 Colhozeh, 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 who lived in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men.
7 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 After him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred and twenty-eight.
9 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 God's house,
12 and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred and twenty-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 brothers, chiefs of fathers' households, two hundred and forty-two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,
14 and their brothers, mighty men of valour, one hundred and twenty-eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.
15 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 God's house;
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 amongst his brothers; 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 and eighty-four.
19 Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred and seventy-two.
20 The residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.
21 But the temple servants lived in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.
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 God's house.
23 For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.
24 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 As for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its towns, in Dibon and its towns, in Jekabzeel and its villages,
26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, Beth Pelet,
27 in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its towns,
28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and in its towns,
29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth,
30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its towns. So they encamped from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom.
31 The children of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, and at Bethel and its towns,
32 at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
36 Of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah settled in Benjamin's territory.
Footnotes
Version: World English Bible
- About World English Bible (WEB)
- WEB Glossary
- WEB Web Site (source documents)
- Bible on one web page
- Download WEB (for MS Word)
Audio
To Listen to this Chapter
The mp3 Audio File should start to play in a new Tab. Then return to this Tab to follow the text whilst listening.
Nehemiah Chapter 11 Guide
We now begin the third and final division of the Book, in which is set forth the arrangements made for settlement of the cities. It is the last piece of history which the Old Testament contains. Some revelation of later conditions is obtainable from the study of the prophets, but nothing more is directly written until, after a lapse of four centuries, the history is resumed in the New Testament.
In this chapter begins the account of the settlement of Jerusalem particularly. Perhaps not more than fifty thousand of the people, all told, had returned from captivity. By no means all of these had come to Jerusalem. Many of them were scattered through the surrounding cities. Jerusalem was peculiarly difficult of settlement, in that it was the centre of danger and of possible attack. It was therefore arranged that the princes should dwell in the city, and that ten per cent of the people, selected by lot, must take up their abode there. In addition to these, some voluntarily came forward to dwell in the place of danger. These were especially honoured by all the people (11:2).
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Nehemiah Chapter 11 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The distribution of the people.
Verses 1-36
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.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.