Nehemiah 11

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.

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.

Around Nehemiah 11

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

Nehemiah 11 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

A city with a wall but few people needs people in it. The leaders of the people live in Jerusalem. The rest cast lots, so that one in ten will move to the holy city, and the other nine stay in their towns.

The chapter adds a note about those who step forward: the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

Then names and numbers fill the page. Families of Judah and Benjamin settle there, four hundred sixty-eight valiant men from Perez and nine hundred twenty-eight from Benjamin. Priests number eight hundred twenty-two in the temple work, and the Levites two hundred eighty-four. Gatekeepers, singers and temple servants each have their places.

The chapter ends by tracing where the rest lived, in villages from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom in the south, and from Geba to Ono in the north.

Background

Nehemiah had said in Nehemiah 7 that the city was large but the people few. Casting lots was a recognized way of making a fair decision in the Old Testament, as in Proverbs 16. Settling in Jerusalem was a sacrifice, since it meant leaving family land. The lists tie the people to tribal territories of Judah and Benjamin. They prepare for the dedication of the wall in Nehemiah 12.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 3 November 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes