11:1 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 remained in other cities.
Just about all of the people working on the walls were living in the surrounding cities of Jerusalem. There was a need for about 10% of these country boys to move from their farm houses and fields and live in the city.
According to Proverbs, God controls the cast of the lots. The leaders threw lots. One out of every ten families would relocate from their farm houses and stay in Jerusalem. The other nine families would remain in their farm houses in the surrounding cities.
11:2 The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem.
The people gave blessings to those who volunteered to stay in Jerusalem.
11:3 These are the provincial leaders 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, 11:4 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; 11:5 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. 11:6 The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men. 11:7 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, 11:8 and his followers, Gabbai and Sallai—928 in all. 11:9 Joel son of Zicri was the officer in charge of them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second-in-command over the city. 11:10 From the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin, 11:11 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, 11:12 and their colleagues 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, 11:13 and his colleagues who were heads of families—242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 11:14 and his colleagues who were exceptional men—128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim. 11:15 From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 11:16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, leaders of the Levites, were in charge of the external work for the temple of God; 11:17 Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the praise 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. 11:18 The sum total of the Levites in the holy city was 284. 11:19 And the gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon and their colleagues who were guarding the gates—172.
The list of names in Nehemiah verses 3-19 correspond to list of returnees in I Chronicles 9:2-17.
11:20 And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.
The other Israelites remained in their cities
11:21 The temple attendants were living on Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them.
The “temple attendants” were called the Nethinim, meaning “those appointed.” They were possibly descendants of the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites were a Canaanite tribe who tricked Joshua into thinking that they lived outside of the genocide zone of Canaan. Joshua was tricked into making a treaty with them, but the Gibeonites were reduced to a life of menial labor. They lived in the Ophel section of Jerusalem and were considered full participants in the faith of the nation.
11:22 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.
Uzzi came from a family of Levite singers. The Levite singers were known all over the world for their exceptional talent and messianic songs.
11:23 For they were under royal orders which determined their activity day by day.
The Levite singers lived in Jerusalem under royal orders.
11:24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was an adviser to the king in every matter pertaining to the people.
The king’s advisors lived in Jerusalem.
11:25 As for the settlements with their fields, some of the people of Judah settled in Kiriath Arba and its neighboring villages, in Dibon and its villages, in Jekabzeel and its settlements,
Kirjath Arba was another name for Hebron.
11:26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, 11:27 in Hazar Shual, in Beer Sheba and its villages, 11:28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 11:29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 11:30 Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its villages. So they were encamped from Beer Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
Some of the families of Judah lived in some of the surrounding cities of Jerusalem.
11:31 Some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Geba, Micmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, 11:32 in Anathoth, Nob, and Ananiah, 11:33 in Hazor, Ramah, and Gittaim, 11:34 in Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat, 11:35 in Lod, Ono, and the Valley of the Craftsmen. 11:36 Some of the Judean divisions of the Levites settled in Benjamin.
Some of the families of Benjamin lived in some of the surrounding cities of Jerusalem.