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11
1 The leaders of the people were already living in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to come and live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine would stay in their own cities. 2 Everyone praised those who were willing to move to Jerusalem.
3 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. 4 However, some of the people of Judah and Benjamin moved to Jerusalem.)
From the tribe of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of the sons of Perez; 5 and Maaseiah, son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah. 6 The total of the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem was 468 men of ability.
7 From the tribe of Benjamin: Sallu, son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, 8 and after him Gabbai and Sallai, a total of 928. 9 Joel son of Zichri was the officer in charge of them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was in second-in-command of the city.
10 From the priests: Jedaiah, son of Joiarib, Jachin; 11 Seraiah, son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, chief administrator of the Temple of God, 12 and their fellow priests who served at the Temple, a total of 822; Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, 13 and those who worked with him, family leaders, a total of 242; and Amashsai, son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, 14 and those who worked with him, a total of 128 strong warriors.* “Strong warriors”: To modern ears it may sound strange to see priests listed as warriors. However, in those times defensive needs were a practical concern, especially defense of the Temple. Zabdiel, son of Haggedolim, was in charge of them.
15 From the Levites: Shemaiah, son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; 16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, Levite leaders who were in charge of the outside work of God's Temple; 17 Mattaniah, son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who led out in giving thanks and praise; and Bakbukiah, who was second; and Abda, son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. 18 The total number of priests in the holy city was 284.
19 The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their fellow workers, who guarded the gates: a total of 172.
20 The other Israelites, with rest of the priests and Levites, lived in their home towns in Judah, each on their own property.
21 The Temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel. Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.
22 The one in charge of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi, son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, one of Asaph's descendants, the singers who led the service in God's Temple. 23 They had specific orders from the king who had instructed them to perform a daily service.† This probably refers to the decree issued by King Cyrus for prayers to be said for him and his sons. See Ezra 6:10.
24 Pethahiah, son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah, son of Judah, was the king's advisor on all things relating to the Israelites.
25 Regarding the villages with their nearby fields: some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba, Dibon, and Jekabzeel, and their smaller settlements; 26 in Jeshua, Moladah, and Beth-pelet; 27 in Hazar-shual, in Beersheba with its settlements, 28 in Ziklag, in Mekonah and its settlements, 29 in En-rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its settlements. They lived all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
31 The people of Benjamin from Geba lived in Michmash, Aija, and Bethel and its settlements, 32 in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, Ono, and in the Valley of Craftsmen. 36 Some divisions of the Levites of Judah also settled in Benjamin.

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*11:14 “Strong warriors”: To modern ears it may sound strange to see priests listed as warriors. However, in those times defensive needs were a practical concern, especially defense of the Temple.

†11:23 This probably refers to the decree issued by King Cyrus for prayers to be said for him and his sons. See Ezra 6:10.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher