Nehemiah 11:1

_AND THE RULERS OF THE PEOPLE DWELT AT JERUSALEM: THE REST OF THE PEOPLE ALSO CAST LOTS, TO BRING ONE OF TEN TO DWELL IN JERUSALEM THE HOLY CITY, AND NINE PARTS TO DWELL IN OTHER CITIES._ The rulers ... dwelt at Jerusalem. That city being the metropolis of the country, it was right and proper that the seat of government should be there. But the exigency of the times required that special measures should be taken to ensure the residence of an adequate population, for the custody of the buildings and the defense of the city. From the annoyances of restless and malignant enemies, who tried every means to demolish the rising fortifications, there was some danger attending a settlement in Jerusalem; and hence, the greater part of the returned exiles, in order to earn as well as secure the rewards of their duty, preferred to remain in the country or the provincial towns. (As to Nethinims and...

CHAPTER XI _Lots are cast that a tenth of the people may constantly dwell_ _at Jerusalem, and the other nine parts in the other cities and_ _villages_, 1. _Some willingly offer themselves to dwell in Jerusalem, and the_ _people bless them_, 2. _An enumeration of the families that dwell in Jerusalem, of_ _Judah, and Benjamin_, 3-9; _of those of the priests_, 10-12; _of the chiefs of the fathers_, 13; _of the mighty men_, 14; _of the Levites_, 15-18;...

TO BRING ONE OF TEN - Artificial enlargements of capitals by forcible transfers of population to them, were not unusual in ancient times. About 500 B.C., Syracuse became a great city in this way. Tradition ascribed the greatness of Rome, in part, to this cause....

PART III. ENLARGEMENT OF THE POPULATION OF JERUSALEM, WITH THE NUMBER OF THE ADULT MALES, AND THE NAMES OF THE CHIEFS. VARIOUS LISTS OF PRIESTS AND LEVITES AT DIFFERENT PERIODS (Nehemiah 11:1; Nehemiah 12:1). EXPOSITION THE _nexus_ of...

III. THE PEOPLE ESTABLISHED, THE DEDICATION OF THE WALL, AND NEHEMIAH'S FINAL ACTS CHAPTER 11 _ 1. The willing offerers (Nehemiah 11:1)_ 2. The heads of the residents of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:3) 3. The inhabitants outside of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:25) Nehemiah 11:1. A splendid example of self-sacrifice is given in these two verses. Certain men willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem, and the people blest them for the willing sacrifice. It must be explained that Jerusalem was not then a very desirable place for residence. The enemies of the city seeking to destroy the fortif

PART V (Nehemiah 11-13). THE POPULATION OF JERUSALEM AND JUDAH. THE DEDICATION OF THE WALLS INTERNAL ORGANISATION. Nehemiah 11:1. The Population of Jerusalem and Judah. This section consists of lists of the dwellers in Jerusalem and in the provincial towns of Judah. Nehemiah 11:1 f. The need of increasing the population of Jerusalem was obvious from what is said in Nehemiah 7:4, for the bulk of the people lived in the provincial towns and in the country villages (cf. Nehemiah 7:73). Nehemiah 11:3. The lists

RULERS. princes. DWELT. At this time more thickly peopled than Nehemiah 7:4. HOLY. See note on Exodus 3:5....

_And_ The copula has no connexion with the preceding chapter, and probably marks the compilatory character of the passage. _rulers_ R.V. PRINCES. _dwelt at_(R.V. in) _Jerusalem_ It has been suggested that this clause refers only to -the princes," who, before Nehemiah took the matter in hand, had resided in the country: in deference to his wishes or yielding to his entreaties these princes now dwelt in Jerusalem. But the difficulty remained how to secure the presence in greater numbers of those who, from lack of means or by reason of trade and occupation, could not so easily change their quarters. This explanation which treats the word -dwelt" as equivalent to -came to dwell," derives considerable support from the word -also" in the following clause. Others find the explanation of the verse in the contrast between -the princes of the people" and -the rest of the people." The former nat...

THE RULERS OF THE PEOPLE DWELT AT JERUSALEM— Observing that the number of the inhabitants of Jerusalem was too few, Nehemiah had ordered that the principal men of the nation should, by way of example, fix their habitations there; causing at the same time the rest to cast lots, whereby a tenth part of the whole people of Judah and Benjamin became obliged to dwell at Jerusalem, though those who came voluntarily were better received. One reason why the bulk of the Jews, who were generally shepherds, and lovers of agriculture, might rather choose to live in the country than at Jerusalem, was, because it was more suited to their genius and manner of life; but at this time their enemies were so enraged to see the walls built again, and so restless in their designs to keep the city from rising to its former splendor, that it terrified many from coming to dwell there, thinking themselves more sa...

TEXT AND VERSE-BY-VERSE COMMENT III. Persons Bound by Vows are Listed, and Reforms on Nehemiah's Second Visit are Described: Chapter s 11-13 A. The genealogies of residents of Jerusalem and names of other cities are listed. 1. An effort is made to increase Jerusalem's population. TEXT, NEHEMIAH 11:1-2 1 Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine-tenths remained in the other cities. 2 And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. COMMENT The story is resumed from chapter seven after the interruption of the great revival. Nehemiah had gotten the genealogical list to help trace the people's present whereabouts; now an effort was about to be made to coax some of them to Jerusalem.