Nehemiah 11
New Residents of Jerusalem and Judah
The Second Reform Under Nehemiah1
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The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.
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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;
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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.
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All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were four hundred sixty-eight valiant men.
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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.
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After him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty-eight.
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Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.
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Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin,
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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,
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and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred 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,
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and his brothers, chiefs of fathers' households, two hundred forty-two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,
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and their brothers, mighty men of valor, one hundred twenty-eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.
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Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
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and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of God's house;
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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 brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
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All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four.
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Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two.
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The residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.
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But the temple servants lived in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.
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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.
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For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.
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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,
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in Jeshua, in Moladah, Beth Pelet,
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in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its towns,
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in Ziklag, in Meconah and in its towns,
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in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth,
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at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
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Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
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Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
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Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
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Of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah settled in Benjamin's territory.
Ne 11:1, 2. THE RULERS, VOLUNTARY MEN, AND EVERY TENTH MAN CHOSEN BY LOT, DWELL AT JERUSALEM.
1. the rulers . . . dwelt at Jerusalem--That city being the metropolis of the country, it was right and proper that the seat of government should be there. But the exigency of the times required that special measures should be taken to insure the residence of an adequate population for the custody of the buildings and the defense of the city. From the annoyances of restless and malignant enemies, who tried every means to demolish the rising fortifications, there was some danger attending a settlement in Jerusalem. Hence the greater part of the returned exiles, in order to earn as well as secure the rewards of their duty, preferred to remain in the country or the provincial towns. To remedy this state of things, it was resolved to select every tenth man of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin by lot, to become a permanent inhabitant of the capital. The necessity of such an expedient commended it to the general approval. It was the more readily submitted to because the lot was resorted to on all the most critical conjunctures of the Jewish history, and regarded by the people as a divine decision (Pr 18:18). This awakened strongly the national spirit; and patriotic volunteers came forward readily to meet the wishes of the authorities, a service which, implying great self-denial as well as courage, was reckoned in the circumstances of so much importance as entitled them to the public gratitude. No wonder that the conduct of these volunteers drew forth the tribute of public admiration; for they sacrificed their personal safety and comfort for the interests of the community because Jerusalem was at that time a place against which the enemies of the Jews were directing a thousand plots. Therefore, residence in it at such a juncture was attended with expense and various annoyances from which a country life was entirely free.