Skip to main content
Psalmlog Logo

Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah 11 records how Jerusalem receives residents and how the people’s homes and duties support the worship of God.

Jerusalem’s leaders already live in the city, and the people cast lots to bring one in ten of the remaining population there. Those who volunteer receive the people’s blessing. The record then names residents from Judah and Benjamin, along with priests and Levites who serve God’s house. It identifies those who lead prayer and oversee other work, then lists the towns and villages where the rest of the people live.

sermon or Bible study notesleadership weight
Read
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.
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,
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.
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,
35Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
36Of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah settled in Benjamin’s territory.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Nehemiah 11:1The casting of lots establishes the chapter’s central arrangement: one in ten will live in Jerusalem alongside its leaders.
Nehemiah 11:17Mattaniah’s task of beginning thanksgiving in prayer places worship among the named responsibilities sustaining life in Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 11:2The people’s blessing honors those who volunteer to make their homes in Jerusalem, alongside those selected by lot.
Where this chapter reaches

1 Chronicles shares names and service roles with this record of Jerusalem’s residents, while Ezra also identifies priests, Levites, and temple servants among the returned people. Joshua shares many of the town names listed here within the territories of Judah and Benjamin.

Nehemiah 11's chapter linksAll strongest linksHover or tap a book
Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What do the named duties, including thanksgiving and gatekeeping, help you notice about shared service to God?

Write on this

What questions does the people’s blessing of Jerusalem’s volunteers raise for you about home and service?

Write on this

Questions people ask about Nehemiah 11

Why did the people cast lots in Nehemiah 11?

The lots selected one in ten of the people to live in Jerusalem, where the leaders already lived. The other nine parts remained in the surrounding cities. This provided residents for the holy city. The chapter does not describe the method of casting lots or the response of those selected.

Why does Nehemiah 11 list so many names and towns?

The lists record who lived in Jerusalem, their family lines, and the work assigned to various groups. They also identify settlements outside the city. The chapter documents the community’s distribution and the staffing of God’s house, including singers and gatekeepers. Some people receive individual notice; others appear in household totals.

Read it. Now write it.

Start an entry on Nehemiah 11. Your words go beside the text, and you get one next step for the week.

Nehemiah · 13 chapters
12345678910111213

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).