Nehemiah
Nehemiah 11
Big idea: The problem of chapter 7 is solved by lottery: one family in ten moves into Jerusalem, and the people bless the volunteers who offer without being drawn. What follows is a list of who ended up living where, in the city and in the villages.
The lists of who lives where set up chapter 12's dedication, which needs singers gathered from the villages around the capital.
11:1–24 — One out of ten
The mechanism is stated in one verse: the leaders already lived in Jerusalem, and the rest cast lots to bring one in ten to live in the holy city, nine parts staying in the other towns. It is conscription by chance, and the next verse records that the people blessed the men who volunteered — which tells you that being drawn was not considered good news.
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 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 and Sallai, nine hundred 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 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 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 valor, one hundred 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 among 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 eighty-four. 19 Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two. 20 The residue of Israel, of the priests, and 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 responsible for the service 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.
11:25–36 — The villages with their fields
A gazetteer of where everyone else lived, and its function is territorial: Judah's settlements run south to Beersheba, Benjamin's north from Geba, and the list includes places from the conquest narratives and from David's story — Kiriath Arba, Lachish, Adullam, Ziklag, Anathoth, Nob.
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.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).