Nehemiah 11:3

Verse

These are the heads of the provinces who settled in Jerusalem. (In the villages of Judah, however, each lived on his own property in their towns—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants—

American Standard Version (1901)

Now these are the chiefs of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants.

Bible in Basic English

Now these are the chiefs of the divisions of the country who were living in Jerusalem: but in the towns of Judah everyone was living on his heritage in the towns, that is, Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants.

Douay-Rheims 1899

These therefore are the chief men of the province, who dwelt in Jerusalem, and in the cities of Juda. And every one dwelt in his possession, in their cities: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Nathinites, and the children of the servants of Solomon.

Free Bible Version

This is a list of the leaders of the province who came to live in Jerusalem. (Most of the Israelites lived on their own property in the towns of Judah. This included the priests, the Levites, the Temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants who lived in their home towns.

Geneva Bible 1599

These now are the chiefe of the prouince, that dwelt in Ierusalem, but in the cities of Iudah, euery one dwelt in his owne possession in their cities of Israel, the Priestes and the Leuites, and the Nethinims, and the sonnes of Salomons seruants.

King James (Authorized) Version

¶ Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants.

Translation for Translators

Some of the priests, some of the other descendants of Levi, some of the temple workers, and the descendants of King Solomon’s servants, and many of the other people lived on their own property in the towns where their ancestors had lived.

Unlocked Literal Bible

These are the provincial officials who lived in Jerusalem. However, in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his own land, including some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon's servants.

Noah Webster Bible

Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit , Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants.

World English Bible

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.

Young's Literal Translation

And these [are] heads of the province who have dwelt in Jerusalem, and in cities of Judah, they have dwelt each in his possession in their cities; Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the sons of the servants of Solomon.

Context

Jerusalem’s New Settlers

²And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. ³These are the heads of the provinces who settled in Jerusalem. (In the villages of Judah, however, each lived on his own property in their towns—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants— ⁴while some of the descendants of Judah and Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.) From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez;

Summary

In Nehemiah 11:3, the people of Jerusalem are called to dwell in the holy city, while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the city of God. This process ensured that the city would be populated and not left desolate. The voluntary sacrifice of living in Jerusalem demonstrated the people's commitment to God and His chosen city, reflecting their dedication to worship and serve Him in a place set apart for His glory.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Keil-Delitzsch
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Now these are the chief - A good deal of difference will be found between the enumeration here and that in Ch1 9:2, etc. There, those only who came with Zerubbabel appear to be numbered; here, those, and the persons who came with Ezra and Nehemiah, enter into the account.

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

The inhabitants of Jerusalem and the other cities. - Neh 11:3 The title reads: "These are the heads of the province who dwelt at Jerusalem; and in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Nethinim, and the sons of Solomon's servants." המּדינה is, as in Ezr 2:1, the land of Judah, as a province of the Persian kingdom. The repetition of ישׁבוּ after יהוּדה בּערי is not to be understood as contrasting those who dwelt in the cities with the dwellers in Jerusalem in the sense of "but in the cities of Judah dwelt," etc., but is here a mere pleonasm. Even the enumeration of the different classes of inhabitants: Israel, the priests, etc., clearly shows that no such contrast is intended; for Israel, the priests, etc., dwelt not only in Jerusalem, but also, according to Neh 11:20, in the other cities of Judah. And this is placed beyond all doubt by the contents of the list following; the inhabitants of Jerusalem being enumerated vv. 4-24, and the inhabitants of the other cities of Judah and Benjamin, Neh 11:25-36. If, however, this title refers to the whole of the following list, it cannot, as Rambach and others thought, contain only an enumeration of those who, in consequence of the lot, had taken up their residence at Jerusalem, but must be intended as a list of the population of the whole province of Judah in the times of Ezra and Nehemiah. It seems strange that the title should announce המּדינה ראשׁי, while in the list of the inhabitants of Jerusalem are given, besides the heads, the numbers of their brethren, i.e., of the individuals or fathers of families under these heads; and that in the list of the inhabitants of the other cities, only inhabitants of Judah and Benjamin are spoken of. Hence this statement refers a potiori to the heads, including the houses and families belonging to them, while in the case of the other cities it is assumed that the inhabitants of each locality were under a head. With Neh 11:4 begins the enumeration of the heads dwelling in Jerusalem, with their houses; and the first clause contains a special title, which affirms that (certain) of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin dwelt at Jerusalem. On the parallel list of the inhabitants of Jerusalem before the captivity, 1 Chron 9:2-34, and its relation to the present list, see the remarks on 1 Chron 9. Neh 11:4-6 Of the children of Judah two heads: Athaiah of the children of Perez (comp. Ch1 2:4), and Maaseiah of the children of Shela. It has been already remarked on Ch1 9:5, that השּׁלני is wrongly pointed, and should be read השּׁלני. כּל־חזה is a proper name, as in Neh 3:15. Athaiah and Maaseiah are not further known. There were in all four hundred and sixty-eight able-bodied men of the sons of Perez, i.e., four hundred and sixty-eight fathers of families of the race of Perez, among whom are probably included the fathers of families belonging to Shela, the younger brother of Perez.