Nehemiah 11

1 Now the leaders [rulers, princes] of the people settled [dwelt, lived] in Jerusalem, and the rest [remnant] of the people cast [threw, drew] lots [allotted portions] to bring one [a single individual] out of ten to live [dwell, reside] in the holy [set-apart, sacred] city of Jerusalem, while the remaining [other] nine were to dwell [stay, remain] in their own [other] towns [cities]. word study 2 And the people [a nation] blessed [praised, gave thanks to] all the men [individuals, persons] who volunteered [willingly offered themselves, freely gave] to live [dwell, take up residence] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine]. word study 3 These [the leaders, chiefs] are the heads [rulers, princes] of the provinces [districts, regions] who settled [lived, dwelt] in Jerusalem [the city of peace]. (In the villages [towns, cities] of Judah [the tribe of Judah], however, each lived [resided, stayed] on his own property [inheritance, possession] in their towns [cities, villages]—the Israelites [God’s chosen people], priests [spiritual leaders], Levites [assistants to the priests], temple servants [Nethinim, attendants], and descendants [sons, offspring] of Solomon’s servants [attendants, workers]— word study 4 while some of the descendants [children, sons] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] and Benjamin [son of the right hand, referring to the youngest son of Jacob] settled [dwelt, lived] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital city of Palestine].) From the descendants [sons, children] of Judah: Athaiah [Jehovah has helped] son of Uzziah [my strength is Jehovah], the son of Zechariah [Jehovah remembers], the son of Amariah [Jehovah has spoken], the son of Shephatiah [Jehovah has judged], the son of Mahalalel [praise of God], a descendant [son, from the line] of Perez [breach, breakthrough]; word study 5 and Maaseiah [work of Jehovah] son of Baruch [blessed], the son of Col-hozeh [all-seeing], the son of Hazaiah [God has seen], the son of Adaiah [Jehovah has adorned Himself], the son of Joiarib [Jehovah contends], the son of Zechariah [Jehovah remembers], a descendant [son] of Shelah [Shilonite, from Shiloh]. word study 6 The descendants [sons, or family line] of Perez [an Israelite, son of Judah and Tamar] who settled [dwelt, or lived] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Palestine] totaled [amounted to, or numbered] 468 men [individuals, or persons] of valor [strength, might, or courage, Helech]. word study 7 From the descendants [sons, offspring] of Benjamin [son of the right hand]: Sallu [valor, strength] son of Meshullam [repaid, recompensed], the son of Joed [Jehovah is witness], the son of Pedaiah [Jehovah has ransomed], the son of Kolaiah [voice of Jehovah], the son of Maaseiah [work of Jehovah], the son of Ithiel [God is with me], the son of Jeshaiah [Jehovah has saved]; word study 8 and his followers [after him, succeeding him] Gabbai [my father, a leader] and Sallai [valor, strength]—928 [nine hundred twenty and eight, a large number] men [people, individuals]. word study 9 Joel [a leader, Jehovah is God] son of Zichri was the officer [overseer, governor] over them, and Judah [praise, a descendant of Jacob] son of Hassenuah [bristling, a descendant of the tribe of Levi] was over the Second [duplicate, secondary] District of the city [a place with a wall, a watchman]. word study 10 From [out of, a portion of] the priests [spiritual leaders, those who serve God]: Jedaiah [Jehovah has known, known by God] son [descendant, offspring] of Joiarib [Jehovah contends, God fights]; Jachin [He will establish, God establishes]; word study 11 Seraiah [a leader, Jehovah is ruler] son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok [righteous, a high priest], the son of Meraioth [rebellious], the son of Ahitub [my brother is good], the chief official [ruler, leader] of the house [dwelling place, temple] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]; word study 12 and their associates [brethren, fellow workers] who did the work [labor, service] at the temple [house, place of worship]—822 men; Adaiah [Jehovah has adorned Himself] son of Jeroham [showing pity], the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi [my strength], the son of Zechariah [Jehovah remembers], the son of Pashhur [freedom, release], the son of Malchijah [my king is Jehovah]; word study 13 and his associates [brethren, close relatives], the leaders [chiefs, heads] of families [fathers’ houses]—242 men; Amashai son of Azarel [one of five Israelites with this name], the son of Ahzai [an Israelite who lived during the time of exile and return], the son of Meshillemoth [an Israelite who lived during the time of Exile and Return], the son of Immer [a priest during David’s time]; word study 14 and his associates [brethren, close relatives or friends] —128 mighty men [strong warriors, valiant soldiers] of valor [strength, power, or courage]. Zabdiel [God is my endowment] son of Haggedolim [one of the great men] was their overseer [leader, governor, or person in charge]. word study 15 From the Levites [descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons]: Shemaiah [heard by God, a prophet’s name] son of Hasshub [a Merarite Levite chief], the son of Azrikam [help against the enemy], the son of Hashabiah [Jehovah has considered], the son of Bunni [built, a Levite’s father]; word study 16 Shabbethai [a Levite leader] and Jozabad [of noble descent], two leaders [heads, chiefs] of the Levites [descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons], who supervised [had oversight of, were responsible for] the work [employment, task] outside [in the outer area, externally] the house [dwelling place, temple] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]; word study 17 Mattaniah [the gift of Jehovah] son of Mica [who is like God], the son of Zabdi [endowment], the son of Asaph [gatherer], who led [was the chief, principal] in thanksgiving [to give thanks, praise] and prayer [supplication, request to God]; Bakbukiah [second in rank], second [duplicate, double] among his associates [brethren, relatives]; and Abda [servant of Jehovah] son of Shammua [designed, appointed], the son of Galal [to remove, roll away], the son of Jeduthun [praising, letting down]. word study 18 The Levites [descendants of Levi, a tribe of Israel] in the holy [set-apart, sacred] city [a place of habitation, with walls and a watchman] totaled [amounted to, numbered] 284 [two hundred eighty-four, a specific quantity]. word study 19 And the gatekeepers [porters, doorkeepers]: Akkub, Talmon, and their associates [brethren, relatives, fellow workers], who kept watch [guarded, maintained] at the gates [doors, entrances]—172 men [a hundred seventy and two]. word study 20 The rest [remaining portion, remnant] of the Israelites [descendants of Jacob], with the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] and Levites [descendants of Levi], were in all [every] the villages [cities, towns] of Judah [the southern kingdom], each [every man, individual] on his own [personal, inherited] inheritance [property, heritage]. word study 21 The temple servants [Nethinim, helpers of the Levites] lived on the hill [fortified ridge] of Ophel [a specific location in Jerusalem], with Ziha [an Israelite officer] and Gishpa [overseeing the temple slaves] over them [in charge, having authority]. word study 22 Now the overseer [officer, governor] of the Levites [descendants of Levi, a tribe of Israel] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine] was Uzzi [strong, a Levite] son of Bani [built], the son of Hashabiah [Jehovah has considered], the son of Mattaniah [gift of Jehovah], the son of Mica [who is like God]. He was one of Asaph’s [gatherer] descendants, who were the singers [music-makers, worship leaders] in charge of the service [ministry, work] of the house [temple, dwelling place] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. word study 23 For [because of, due to] there was a command [royal decree, ordinance] from the king [ruler, monarch] concerning [regarding, about] the singers [musicians, song leaders], an ordinance [rule, law] regulating [governing, directing] their daily [each day, every day] activities [duties, tasks]. word study 24 Pethahiah [son and descendant] son of Meshezabel, a descendant [from the family line] of Zerah [a son of Jacob] son of Judah [the tribe and region], was the king’s agent [servant, advisor] in every [all, each] matter [affair, concern] concerning [relating to, about] the people [nation, community]. word study 25 As for the villages [small settlements, daughter-towns] with their fields [lands, areas of cultivation], some of the people [sons, descendants] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah] lived in Kiriath-arba [the city of Arba, Hebron], Dibon [a town in Moab], Jekabzeel [a place in southern Judah, meaning God gathers], and their villages [surrounding towns, small settlements]; word study 26 in Jeshua [a city of refuge, a place of salvation], Moladah [a town of birth, a city of new beginnings], and Beth-pelet [the house of escape, a place of refuge]; word study 27 in Hazar-shual [jackal village, a town in southern Judah]; in Beersheba [well of the sevenfold oath, a city in Palestine] and its villages [settlements, daughter-towns]; word study 28 in Ziklag [a town in southern Judah]; in Meconah [foundation, a town in Palestine] and its villages [settlements, daughter-towns]; word study 29 in En-rimmon [spring of the pomegranate, a place in Judah], Zorah [where Samson grew up], Jarmuth [a Levitical city of Issachar, meaning heights], word study 30 Zanoah [a city in the mountains of Judah], Adullam [inhabited by Canaanites], and their villages [small settlements surrounded by walls]; in Lachish [conquered by Joshua] and its fields [flat areas of land for cultivation]; and in Azekah [dug over, possibly] and its villages [daughter-towns]. So they settled [encamped, pitched their tents] from Beersheba [well of the sevenfold oath] all the way to the Valley [a deep, narrow gorge] of Hinnom [valley of lamentation]. word study 31 The descendants [sons, children] of Benjamin [son of the right hand] from Geba [a city in Palestine] lived in Michmash [a hidden city], Aija [also known as Ai, a heap of ruins], and Bethel [house of God] with its villages [towns, settlements]; word study 32 in [at, near] Anathoth [city of answers to prayer], Nob [priestly city, city of the priests], Ananiah [town, settlement, place of answered prayer], word study 33 Hazor [a major Canaanite stronghold], Ramah [a city of battle], Gittaim [meaning two winepresses, a place in Judah], word study 34 Hadid [a place of return], Zeboim [speckled, a city in Benjamin], Neballat [hidden folly, a reoccupied town], word study 35 Lod [a city in Palestine], and Ono [vigorous, a city in Benjamin]; and in the Valley [a deep and narrow gorge] of the Craftsmen [skilled workers, artificers, or clever ones]. word study 36 And some divisions [sections, courses] of the Levites [descendants of Levi, the priestly tribe] of Judah [the tribe of Judah, the southern kingdom] settled [were joined, had portions] in Benjamin [the tribe of Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob]. word study