Resettling Jerusalem

11 Now the leaders of the people stayed in Jerusalem,(A) and the rest of the people cast lots(B) for one out of ten to come and live in Jerusalem, the holy city,(C) while the other nine-tenths remained in their towns.(D) The people praised all the men who volunteered(E) to live in Jerusalem.

These are the heads of the province who stayed in Jerusalem(F) (but in the villages of Judah each lived on his own property in their towns(G)—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants(H) while some of the descendants of Judah and Benjamin settled in Jerusalem):

Judah’s(I) descendants:

Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of Perez’s descendants; and Maaseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, a descendant of the Shilonite. The total number of Perez’s descendants, who settled in Jerusalem, was 468 capable men.

These were Benjamin’s descendants:

Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, and after him Gabbai and Sallai: 928. Joel son of Zichri was the officer over them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second in command over the city.

10 The priests:

Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jachin, and 11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the chief official of God’s temple, 12 and their relatives who did the work at the temple: 822. Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah 13 and his relatives, the leaders of families: 242. Amashsai son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, 14 and their relatives, capable men: 128. Zabdiel son of Haggedolim, was their chief.

15 The Levites:

Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; 16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the leaders of the Levites, who supervised the work outside the house of God; 17 Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, the leader who began the thanksgiving in prayer;(J) Bakbukiah, second among his relatives; and Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.(K) 18 All the Levites in the holy city:(L) 284.

19 The gatekeepers:

Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives, who guarded the gates: 172.

20 The rest of Israel, the priests, and the Levites were in all the villages of Judah, each on his own inherited property.(M) 21 The temple servants lived on Ophel;[a](N) Ziha and Gishpa supervised the temple servants.

The Levites and Priests

22 The leader of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the descendants of Asaph, who were singers for the service of God’s house. 23 There was, in fact, a command of the king regarding them, and an ordinance regulating[b] the singers’(O) daily tasks. 24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, of the descendants of Zerah(P) son of Judah, was the king’s(Q) agent[c] in every matter concerning the people.

25 As for the farming settlements with their fields:

Some of Judah’s descendants lived in Kiriath-arba(R) and its villages,
Dibon(S) and its villages, and Jekabzeel and its villages;
26 in Jeshua, Moladah,(T) Beth-pelet,
27 Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba(U) and its villages;
28 in Ziklag(V) and Meconah and its villages;
29 in En-rimmon, Zorah,(W) Jarmuth,(X) and
30 Zanoah(Y) and Adullam with their villages;
in Lachish(Z) with its fields and Azekah(AA) and its villages.
So they settled from Beer-sheba(AB) to the Valley of Hinnom.(AC)

31 Benjamin’s descendants:
from Geba,[d](AD) Michmash,(AE) Aija,
and Bethel(AF)—and its villages,
32 Anathoth,(AG) Nob,(AH) Ananiah,
33 Hazor,(AI) Ramah,(AJ) Gittaim,(AK)
34 Hadid, Zeboim,(AL) Neballat,
35 Lod, and Ono,(AM) the Valley of Craftsmen.
36 Some of the Judean divisions of Levites were in Benjamin.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 11:21 = a hill in Jerusalem
  2. Nehemiah 11:23 Lit for
  3. Nehemiah 11:24 Lit was at the king’s hand
  4. Nehemiah 11:31 Or descendants from Geba [lived in]

The People Occupy Jerusalem

11 The leaders of the people were living in Jerusalem, the holy city. A tenth of the people from the other towns of Judah and Benjamin were chosen by sacred lots to live there, too, while the rest stayed where they were. And the people commended everyone who volunteered to resettle in Jerusalem.

Here is a list of the names of the provincial officials who came to live in Jerusalem. (Most of the people, priests, Levites, Temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants continued to live in their own homes in the various towns of Judah, but some of the people from Judah and Benjamin resettled in Jerusalem.)

From the tribe of Judah:

Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of the family of Perez. Also Maaseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, of the family of Shelah.[a] There were 468 descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem—all outstanding men.

From the tribe of Benjamin:

Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah. After him were Gabbai and Sallai and a total of 928 relatives. Their chief officer was Joel son of Zicri, who was assisted by Judah son of Hassenuah, second-in-command over the city.

10 From the priests:

Jedaiah son of Joiarib; Jakin; 11 and Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the supervisor of the Temple of God. 12 Also 822 of their associates, who worked at the Temple. Also Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah, 13 along with 242 of his associates, who were heads of their families. Also Amashsai son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, 14 and 128 of his[b] outstanding associates. Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.

15 From the Levites:

Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni. 16 Also Shabbethai and Jozabad, who were in charge of the work outside the Temple of God. 17 Also Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zabdi, a descendant of Asaph, who led in thanksgiving and prayer. Also Bakbukiah, who was Mattaniah’s assistant, and Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. 18 In all, there were 284 Levites in the holy city.

19 From the gatekeepers:

Akkub, Talmon, and 172 of their associates, who guarded the gates.

20 The other priests, Levites, and the rest of the Israelites lived wherever their family inheritance was located in any of the towns of Judah. 21 The Temple servants, however, whose leaders were Ziha and Gishpa, all lived on the hill of Ophel.

22 The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, a descendant of Asaph, whose family served as singers at God’s Temple. 23 Their daily responsibilities were carried out according to the terms of a royal command.

24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah son of Judah, was the royal adviser in all matters of public administration.

25 As for the surrounding villages with their open fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba with its settlements, Dibon with its settlements, and Jekabzeel with its villages. 26 They also lived in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth-pelet, 27 Hazar-shual, Beersheba with its settlements, 28 Ziklag, and Meconah with its settlements. 29 They also lived in En-rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, and Adullam with their surrounding villages. They also lived in Lachish with its nearby fields and Azekah with its surrounding villages. So the people of Judah were living all the way from Beersheba in the south to the valley of Hinnom.

31 Some of the people of Benjamin lived at Geba, Micmash, Aija, and Bethel with its settlements. 32 They also lived in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, Ono, and the Valley of Craftsmen.[c] 36 Some of the Levites who lived in Judah were sent to live with the tribe of Benjamin.

Footnotes

  1. 11:5 Hebrew son of the Shilonite.
  2. 11:14 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads their.
  3. 11:35 Or and Ge-harashim.