1 Chronicles 9:2

The text of this verse seems to be faulty, but the meaning is probably the same as in Ezra 2:70 (cp. ibid.Ezra 2:1). Now those who first returned from Babylon to dwell in Judaea, again, dwelt (not in Jerusalem, but) in their own cities; this did they all whether they were laymen, priests, Levites; or Nethinim.

the first inhabitants The word "first" here corresponds with the phrase "the chiefs of the province" in Nehemiah 11:3 (R.V.), and may be interpreted by it, for "first" gives no satisfactory sense if understood in reference to time. The list which follows (1 Chronicles 9:4 ff.) is a list of chief men.

were] They belonged to the following four classes:

the Israelites R.V. Israel, i.e. laymen as distinguished from men of Levitical descent. According to 1 Chronicles 9:3 Israelincluded at least Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh (cp. Psalms 80:2, where Judah the speaker associates Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh with herself in her appeal to the God of Israel). This is a totally different usage from that of earlier times, when Israelmeant the Northern kingdom, and Judahthe Southern.

Levites R.V. the Levites.

Nethinims R.V. Nethinim. These were a class of Temple servants reckoned as inferior to the Levites. Perhaps they were of foreign extraction and included the Gibeonites (cp. Joshua 9:23). They are mentioned nowhere else in the Old Testament except in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, See Ryle's note on Ezra 2:43.