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The Population of Jerusalem

11 So the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to settle in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine[a] remained in other cities. The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem.

These are the provincial leaders[b] who settled in Jerusalem. (While other Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple attendants, and the sons of the servants of Solomon settled in the cities of Judah, each on his own property in their cities, some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.)

Of the descendants of Judah:

Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez; and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, from the descendants of Shelah.[c] The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men.

These are the descendants of Benjamin:

Sallu 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, and his followers,[d] Gabbai and Sallai—928 in all. Joel son of Zicri was the officer in charge of them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second-in-command over the city.

10 From the priests:

Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin, 11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, supervisor in the temple of God, 12 and their colleagues[e] who were carrying out work for the temple—822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 13 and his colleagues who were heads of families[f]—242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14 and his colleagues[g] who were exceptional men—128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.

15 From the Levites:

Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, leaders[h] of the Levites, were in charge of the external work for the temple of God; 17 Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the praise[i] leader who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his colleagues; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18 The sum total of the Levites in the holy city was 284.

19 And the gatekeepers:

Akkub, Talmon and their colleagues who were guarding the gates—172.

20 And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.

21 The temple attendants were living on Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them.[j]

22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. He was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the singers responsible for the service of the temple of God. 23 For they were under royal orders[k] which determined their activity day by day.[l]

24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was an adviser to the king[m] in every matter pertaining to the people.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 11:1 tn Heb “nine of the hands.” The word “hand” is used here in the sense or a part or portion.
  2. Nehemiah 11:3 tn Heb “the heads of the province.”
  3. Nehemiah 11:5 tc The translation reads מִן־הַשֵּׁלָנִי (min hashelani, “from the Shelahite”) rather than the MT reading בֶּן־הַשִּׁלֹנִי (ben hashiloni, “the son of the Shilionite”). See 1 Chr 9:5.
  4. Nehemiah 11:8 tn Heb “those behind him.” Some scholars emend the text to וְאֶחָיו (veʾekhayv, “his brothers”).
  5. Nehemiah 11:12 tn Heb “brothers” (also in vv. 13, 14, 17, 19).
  6. Nehemiah 11:13 tn Heb “heads of fathers.”
  7. Nehemiah 11:14 tc The translation reads with the LXX וְאֶחָיו (veʾekhayv, “and his brothers”) rather than the MT reading וַאֲחֵיהֶם (vaʾakhehem, “and their brothers”).
  8. Nehemiah 11:16 tn Heb “who were of the heads.”
  9. Nehemiah 11:17 tc The translation reads with the Lucianic Greek recension and Vulgate הַתְּהִלָּה (hattehillah, “the praise”) rather than the MT reading הַתְּחִלָּה (hattekhillah, “the beginning”).
  10. Nehemiah 11:21 tn Heb “the temple attendants.” The pronoun “them” has been substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  11. Nehemiah 11:23 tn Heb “the commandment of the king was over them.”
  12. Nehemiah 11:23 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
  13. Nehemiah 11:24 tn Heb “to the hand of the king.”

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.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:5 Hebrew son of the Shilonite.
  2. 11:14 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads their.