Nehemiah 11:24

_AND PETHAHIAH THE SON OF MESHEZABEEL, OF THE CHILDREN OF ZERAH THE SON OF JUDAH, WAS AT THE KING'S HAND IN ALL MATTERS CONCERNING THE PEOPLE._ Pethahiah ... was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people. This person was entrusted with judicial power either for the interest, or by the appointment, of the Persian monarch; and his duty consisted either in adjusting cases of civil dispute, or in regulating fiscal concerns....

Verse 24. _PETHAHIAH _- WAS _AT THE KING'S HAND_] He was the governor appointed by the Persian king over the Jewish nation in those matters in which the civil government interfered with Jewish concerns. He no doubt fixed, levied, and received the tribute....

It is difficult to say what office Pethahiah filled. So far as we know, the only regular officers under the Persian system of government were the satrap, the subsatrap, the permanent royal secretary, the commandant, and the occasional commissary....

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

Nehemiah 11:1 TO NEHEMIAH 12:26. Extracts from Registers and Public Lists 1, 2. Measures taken to increase the number of dwellers in Jerusalem. This passage seems to take up the thread which had been dropped at Nehemiah 7:4. Nehemiah had been rendered anxious by the fewness of the inhabitants in proportion to the size of the area of the city. The census which he undertook reminded him of the old register which had come to his notice (Nehemiah 7:6-73); the memoirs of Nehemiah were then interrupted by a description of the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Solemn Covenant (8 10). The Compiler retu

5. Other groups. TEXT, NEHEMIAH 11:20-24 20 And the rest of Israel, of the priests, and of the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own inheritance. 21 But the temple servants were living in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of the temple servants. 22 Now the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, from the sons of Asaph, who were the singers for the service of the house of God. 23 For there was a commandment from the king concerning them and a firm regulation for the song leaders day by day. 24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king's representative in all matters concerning the people. COMMENT...

11:24 hand (b-20) i.e. at Shushan....

MEASURES TO SUPPLEMENT THE POPULATION OF JERUSALEM 1. This v. resumes the subject of the paucity of population in Jerusalem: see Nehemiah 7:4. The rulers were already residing in the capital, and means were now taken to transport thither a proportion of the commons that had made their homes in the country towns (Nehemiah 11:3). The city had received fortifications; but these were useless unless they were manned....