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Nehemiah 11

Jerusalem's walls and community are rebuilt through prayer, leadership, and reform.

Old Testament

Nehemiah 11

1The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.

2The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.

3Now 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.

4Some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez;

5and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite.

6All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were four hundred sixty-eight valiant men.

7These are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the 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.

8After him Gabbai and Sallai, nine hundred twenty-eight.

9Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.

10Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin,

11Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of God’s house,

12and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty-two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah,

13and his brothers, chiefs of fathers’ households, two hundred forty-two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

14and their brothers, mighty men of valor, one hundred twenty-eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.

15Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;

16and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of God’s house;

17and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

18All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four.

19Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two.

20The residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.

21But the temple servants lived in Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.

22The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers responsible for the service of God’s house.

23For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.

24Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.

25As for the villages with their fields, some of the children of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its towns, in Dibon and its towns, in Jekabzeel and its villages,

26in Jeshua, in Moladah, Beth Pelet,

27in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its towns,

28in Ziklag, in Meconah and in its towns,

29in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth,

30Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its towns. So they encamped from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom.

31The children of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, and at Bethel and its towns,

32at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

33Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

34Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

35Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.

36Of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah settled in Benjamin’s territory.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Jerusalem's walls and community are rebuilt through prayer, leadership, and reform. Read Nehemiah 11 within the complete Nehemiah overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah 11 contains 36 verses and about 730 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the…” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 36 closes: “Of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah settled in Benjamin’s territory.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include lived, judah, children, jerusalem, levites, hundred. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Nehemiah 11

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Nehemiah 11:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

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