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Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah book home•Chapter 11 of 13•36 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Nehemiah 11 Overview

Jerusalem’s restored walls surround a city that still needs residents. The leaders live there, and lots are used so one out of ten from the wider population will also move into Jerusalem. The chapter records those who dwell in the holy city and those settled throughout Judah, showing restoration becoming a lived community rather than only a construction project.

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11Chapter

36Verses

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Before you read Nehemiah 11

Coming from

Chapter 10 committed the post-exilic community to specific covenant practices, including sustained support for the house of God.

In this chapter

The population is redistributed so Jerusalem has enough residents, while genealogical records identify leaders, priests, Levites, gatekeepers, and other inhabitants.

Leads into

Chapter 12 records priestly and Levitical lines and then celebrates the completed wall with a major public dedication.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Living in Jerusalem brought responsibility as well as honor. The city needed enough people for defense, administration, temple support, and ordinary life. The lot system distributes that burden across the wider community, while volunteers are publicly blessed.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Physical restoration must become sustainable community life; empty walls alone do not make a functioning city.

Truth 2

The people share responsibility for Jerusalem’s future rather than leaving the burden only to leaders.

Truth 3

Named residents and service groups show that post-exilic restoration includes households, worship personnel, and civic order together.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Nehemiah 7 first identified the problem that Jerusalem was large but sparsely populated.

Connection 2

Joshua 18 used lots in a different context to distribute tribal inheritance; Nehemiah uses lots here to distribute residency responsibility.

Connection 3

Psalm 122 celebrates Jerusalem as the place of gathered worship and communal identity, though from an earlier period.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

The title “holy city” reflects Jerusalem’s covenant and worship significance; it does not imply that every resident is personally righteous.

Keep this clear 2

Casting lots here is an administrative method in this historical setting, not a universal command for making modern decisions.

Keep this clear 3

The population lists are functional records, not filler.

Read Nehemiah 11 watching for…

Why additional people need to move into Jerusalem.

How the one-in-ten arrangement works.

The distinction between leaders, volunteers, and those selected by lot.

The different service groups living in the city.

How surrounding towns remain part of Judah’s restored life.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-2Lots and willing volunteers provide residents for Jerusalem 3-9Families of Judah and Benjamin living in Jerusalem are listed 10-24Priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and officials in Jerusalem are listed 25-36The villages and settlements of Judah and Benjamin are listed

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.

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

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.

And 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;

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 Shiloni.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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,

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,

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjatharba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof,

And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Bethphelet,

And at Hazarshual, and at Beersheba, and in the villages thereof,

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

And at Enrimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,

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

The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel, and in their villages,

And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.

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

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Nehemiah 11:1

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