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More Nehemiah commentaries
Nehemiah 8:1-12
Nehemiah Called for a “Bible conference”
Nehemiah 8:13-18
The Feast of Tabernacles
Nehemiah 9:1-8
The Greatness of God
Nehemiah 9:9-25
The Goodness of God When they Didn’t Deserve it
Nehemiah 9:26-31
The Results of Rebellion
Nehemiah 9:32-39
Slaves in Their Own Land
Nehemiah 10:1-31
The Agreement of The People
Nehemiah 10:32-39
Importance of Giving The First Fruits to God
Nehemiah 11:1-19
People Asked to Move Inside The City
Nehemiah 11:20-36
The Israelites Who Lived Outside The City
Nehemiah 12:1-26
Priests and Levites Serving in The Temple
Nehemiah 12:27-47
Nehemiah Dedicates the Wall
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People Asked to Move Inside The City
Nehemiah 11:1–19
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
Dr. Thomas Lambie went to Ethiopia as a medical missionary. He wanted to buy land for a mission station. An Ethiopian law said that no land could be sold to foreigners. Because Dr. Lambie had great love for Christ and the Ethiopians, he gave up his American citizenship and became … More
Since Jerusalem’s walls had been rebuilt, it was necessary for a sufficient number of people to inhabit the city. Perhaps this included people to defend the city, carry on business, etc. People already dwelt in the city, but it was decided that they needed one tenth of the population, so they cast lots to decide which people would live there. The other nine tenths were to dwell in the other cities of the land. Since this required many people to make sacrifices (such as moving and perhaps leaving their inherited possession in the land) they decided to draw lots.
The following verses list the different kinds of people who lived in Jerusalem. Many were descendants of Judah, others were of the tribe of Benjamin (vv 1-3). There is a list of leaders of the tribe of Judah who lived in Jerusalem (vv. 4-6). A total of 468 valiant men lived there. Then there is a list of leaders of the people of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Jerusalem (vv. 7-9). The total men of the tribe of Benjamin was 928. Also there is a list of leaders of the priests who lived in Jerusalem (vv. 10-14). The numbers in this case are 822, 242, and 128, but I am not sure exactly what the distinction was between these different numbers. The priests, of course, had to be descendants of Aaron, and they led in the worship in the temple (v. 11). Following this is a list of the leaders of the Levites who lived in Jerusalem (vv. 15-18). These had oversight of the business outside the temple (v16). In addition Mattaniah is named as leading the thanksgiving in prayer (v. 17). The total Levites were 284. If the tallies are followed (vv. 6,8,12,13,14,18,19), we have 3,044, so that, including wives and children, one could estimate a population between 10,000-12,000.
Application
All of the above would involve in some cases a change of work, of means of livelihood, etc. Anyway, a sacrifice was made for the people of God. This poses a question: If I am ever called on to make a move like this, where self-denial must take precedence would I be willing to do it?
Nehemiah 11:1-19 (English Standard Version)
Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. These are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his property in their towns: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants. And in Jerusalem lived certain of the sons of Judah and of the sons of Benjamin. Of the sons of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of the sons of Perez; and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite. All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 valiant men. And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, and his brothers, men of valor, 928. Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city. Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, ruler of the house of God, and their brothers who did the work of the house, 822; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, and his brothers, heads of fathers' houses, 242; and Amashsai, the son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, and their brothers, mighty men of valor, 128; their overseer was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim. And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who were over the outside work of the house of God; and Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader of the praise, who gave thanks, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city were 284. The gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were 172.
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