Nehemiah 11

[1] And 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.

·         This goes with what Nehemiah had in mind to do earlier, when they called the celebration.

·         Getting people to serve in the city requires people to live in the city

·         The rulers were already in the city and ruled from here, but it was thinly inhabited.

·         It’s called the holy city elsewhere Joel 3:17, Isaiah 48:2

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

·         First they called for volunteers, and they were happy for them

[3] Now 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.

·         Now the record is going to count who was spiritual enough or chosen by lot to live in Jerusalem

[4] And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin.

·         There were the two southern tribes: Benjamin and Judah, the other 10 were made up of the northern tribes, and were deported by the Assyrians.

·         Thus only the two tribes resettled, and it was a great honor to be from those tribes.

·         Verses 4-24 have the record of the head of the people who 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 Mahalaleel, 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 Shiloni.

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

·         Athaiah and Maaseiah are unknown outside of this, although care is taken to point to their heritage. (Also see 1 Chron 9:5)

·         468 men total who are the heads of the families of Perez.

[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 Jesaiah.

[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 Senuah was second over the city.

·         Joel is the chief, his assistant was Judah.

·         Don’t be too scared of the huge list of names, there are only a few people mentioned here.

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

·         The phrase ‘the son of’ is probably a clerical error, (it’s one Jewish symbol) compare this list to 1 Chronicles 9:10 which has all three of them as priests. This likely means there were three divisions of priests.

·         Jedaiah was one of the original settlers, so the priest caste was growing.

[11] Seraiah 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.

·         Seraiah was over all the temple, and he comes from the line of Zadok, the high priestly line.

[12] And 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,
[13] And 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,

·         These are the fathers of families.

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

·         These were the mighty men, warriors who safeguarded the city.

[15] Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
[16] And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.

·         Likely the cleaning, the furniture, preservation of the building, seeing that the sheep were ready, that the water in the bronze sea was full, etc.

[17] And 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.
[18] All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four.

·         These were the three men responsible for leading in prayer

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

·         They were appointed by Nehemiah to secure the gates of the city against the Samarian armies, and they are numbered here as a large number of families.

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

·         The rules for inheritance were restored once they got back their land.

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

·         The ones who did the manual labor lived outside the city and had their own dedicated rulers in Gispa and Ziha.

[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 Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God.

·         Asaph was the great singer and songwriter during David’s day. Uzzi was over the Levites and the singers were over the regular maintenance.

·         The overseer, or captian, or chief, is found also in Numbers 3:32, 1 & 2 Chronicles 9:11

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

·         This was the command of the king to Zerubabbel all the way back in Ezra 1, that they were to worship and pray for the king and his sons. That they would worship God in whatever way was required.

[24] And 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.

·         The viceroy or secretary of state as it were was Pethahiah.

·         Now the record has where the people who did not live in Jerusalem settled.

[25] And 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,
[26] And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,
[27] And at Hazar-shual, and at Beer-sheba, and in the villages thereof,
[28] And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof,
[29] And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,
[30] Zanoah, 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.

·         These were the Judeans

[31] The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel, and in their villages,
[32] And 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 were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.