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The Histories · Old Testament

Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah 11: peopling Jerusalem by lot and the settlements of Judah and Benjamin

General context

The rulers of the people live in Jerusalem, and the rest cast lots so that one in ten will live in Jerusalem the holy city and nine parts in other cities; the people bless those who willingly offer to live there. The narrator lists the chief of the province who dwell in Jerusalem while the rest live in their possessions in the cities of Judah. From Judah come Athaiah of the children of Perez and Maaseiah, with four hundred sixty-eight valiant men of Perez. From Benjamin come Sallu and others, nine hundred twenty-eight, with Joel as overseer and Judah the son of Senuah second over the city. Among the priests are Jedaiah, Jachin and Seraiah, ruler of the house of God, with eight hundred twenty-two who do the work of the house, Adaiah with two hundred forty-two, and Amashai with one hundred twenty-eight mighty men under the overseer Zabdiel. Levites include Shabbethai and Jozabad over the outward business of the house and Mattaniah who leads the thanksgiving in prayer, two hundred eighty-four in all; the porters number one hundred seventy-two. The residue of Israel live in the cities of Judah, the Nethinims in Ophel under Ziha and Gispa, and Uzzi oversees the Levites in Jerusalem, with singers of Asaph supported by the king's commandment of a daily portion. Pethahiah of the children of Zerah is at the king's hand in matters concerning the people. The chapter closes with the villages of Judah from Kirjath-arba to Beer-sheba and the valley of Hinnom, the towns of Benjamin from Geba to Lod and Ono, and Levite divisions in both.

Cited passages: Nehemiah 11:1, Nehemiah 11:2, Nehemiah 11:3, Nehemiah 11:4, Nehemiah 11:6, Nehemiah 11:7, Nehemiah 11:8, Nehemiah 11:9, Nehemiah 11:11, Nehemiah 11:12, Nehemiah 11:14, Nehemiah 11:16, Nehemiah 11:17, Nehemiah 11:18, Nehemiah 11:19, Nehemiah 11:21, Nehemiah 11:23, Nehemiah 11:24, Nehemiah 11:25, Nehemiah 11:30, Nehemiah 11:31, Nehemiah 11:35, Nehemiah 11:36

Nehemiah 11 (KJV)

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

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

3Now these are the chief 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 Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants.

4And at 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 Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez;

5And 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 Shiloni.

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

7And 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 Jesaiah.

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

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

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

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

12And their brethren that did the work of the house were 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 Pashur, the son of Malchiah,

13And his brethren, chief of the fathers, two hundred forty and two: and Amashai the son of Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

14And their brethren, mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men.

15Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;

16And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.

17And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal 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.

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

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

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

21But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims.

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

23For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.

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

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

26And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,

27And at Hazar-shual, and at Beer-sheba, and in the villages thereof,

28And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof,

29And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,

30Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom.

31The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Beth-el, and in their villages,

32And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

33Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

34Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

35Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.

36And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

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Historical context

The chapter picks up the problem stated in chapter 7, that the city was large and the people few, and answers it with a lottery; the text does not say who administered the lot or when. Jerusalem is twice called the holy city, a title not used earlier in the book. The king whose commandment provides the singers' daily portion is not named. Seraiah the son of Hilkiah is called ruler of the house of God; Ezra 7 gives Ezra's father as Seraiah the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, a different chain of descent, and the text does not connect the two. The chapter counts men by group but gives no total for Jerusalem's population, and the figures for priests come in three separate bodies. Two Judahite lines, Perez and Zerah, are named; the Zerahite Pethahiah holds an office at the king's hand that the text does not define. The list of Judah's villages reaches as far as Beer-sheba and Lachish, but the chapter does not say whether these places were under Nehemiah's governorship or how they relate to the province mentioned in chapter 1. The chapter names overseers and seconds in command but does not mention Nehemiah, Ezra or Eliashib.

Cited passages: Nehemiah 7:4, Nehemiah 11:1, Nehemiah 11:18, Nehemiah 11:23, Nehemiah 11:11, Ezra 7:1, Nehemiah 11:12, Nehemiah 11:13, Nehemiah 11:24, Nehemiah 11:27, Nehemiah 11:30, Nehemiah 1:3

Literary context

The chapter moves from the city outward. It opens with the mechanism of the lot and the blessing of volunteers, then arranges Jerusalem's residents by tribe and office, Judah, Benjamin, priests, Levites, porters, Nethinims, singers, and ends with the ring of villages in Judah and Benjamin. Long chains of the son of give the leading men their lineage, in the manner of the register in chapter 7, while the counts attach to groups rather than individuals. Descriptive titles such as valiant men, mighty men of valour and ruler of the house of God give the list a sense of a garrison and staff for the holy city. The brief note that the people blessed those who willingly offered themselves is the chapter's one glimpse of feeling, and it recalls the freewill offerings of the returns in Ezra. The chapter has no speech, and after the lot and the blessing it records no events, only names, counts and places; it prepares for chapter 12, where the priests and Levites now settled are gathered for the dedication of the wall.

Cited passages: Nehemiah 11:1, Nehemiah 11:2, Nehemiah 11:5, Nehemiah 11:6, Nehemiah 11:14, Nehemiah 11:11, Ezra 1:4, Nehemiah 11:25, Nehemiah 12:27

Key moments

  1. One in ten by lot (Nehemiah 11:1). Lots decide who will move into Jerusalem the holy city.
  2. Volunteers blessed (Nehemiah 11:2). The people bless those who willingly offer to live in Jerusalem.
  3. Judah and Benjamin in the city (Nehemiah 11:4). Named heads of Judah and Benjamin settle in Jerusalem with their counts.
  4. Ruler of the house of God (Nehemiah 11:11). Seraiah is named as ruler of the house with hundreds who do its work.
  5. Leader of thanksgiving (Nehemiah 11:17). Mattaniah of Asaph is principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer.
  6. Nethinims in Ophel (Nehemiah 11:21). The temple servants live in Ophel under Ziha and Gispa.
  7. Villages from Beer-sheba to Hinnom (Nehemiah 11:30). The narrator lists Judah's settlements across the land.

For reflection

One in ten is chosen by lot to live inside the walls, and the people bless those who volunteer. What does the pairing of compulsion and willingness suggest about what it cost to live in the rebuilt city?

People in this chapter

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