Read & explore together
Jerusalem's New Residents and Temple Servants
Nehemiah 11:1–12:26 records who settled in Jerusalem, where others lived, and which priestly and Levitical families served. The passage reads like a community register, showing named people, counted groups, and ordered responsibilities.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the setting
The passage begins with leaders already in Jerusalem and others chosen or volunteering to live there. It then lists residents from Judah and Benjamin, workers connected with God’s house, settlements in Judah and Benjamin, and later records of priests and Levites linked with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Joiakim, Nehemiah, and Ezra.
Nehemiah 11:1–12:26Main takeaway
This passage shows a carefully ordered community in which people, places, duties, and family records were all noted.
Explore the instructions
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Jerusalem filled by lot and by willingnessThe record starts with a decision about where people would live. The princes lived in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots so one in ten would dwell there.
Explanation
The record starts with a decision about where people would live. The princes lived in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots so one in ten would dwell there. Others willingly offered themselves, and the people blessed them. Jerusalem is called the holy city.
02Residents, overseers, and workersThe passage then names residents from Judah and Benjamin and gives totals and overseers. It also lists priests, Levites, and gatekeepers, with some duties explained.
Explanation
The passage then names residents from Judah and Benjamin and gives totals and overseers. It also lists priests, Levites, and gatekeepers, with some duties explained. Priests did the work of God’s house, some Levites oversaw outward business, one began thanksgiving in prayer, and gatekeepers watched the gates. Temple servants are also noted in Ophel.
03Other towns and daily provisionNot everyone lived in Jerusalem. The text says the rest of Israel, the priests, and the Levites lived in the cities of Judah, each in his inheritance, and it lists many places for Judah and Benjamin.
Explanation
Not everyone lived in Jerusalem. The text says the rest of Israel, the priests, and the Levites lived in the cities of Judah, each in his inheritance, and it lists many places for Judah and Benjamin. It also mentions singers responsible for God’s house and a settled daily provision for them.
04Family records for priests and LevitesChapter 12 continues with lists of priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel and Jeshua, then later heads of families in Joiakim’s days.
Explanation
Chapter 12 continues with lists of priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel and Jeshua, then later heads of families in Joiakim’s days. It mentions written records, named generations, praising and giving thanks according to David’s commandment, and gatekeepers keeping watch at the storehouses.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What two ways does the passage say people came to live in Jerusalem?
Look for the lot that chose one in ten and the people who willingly offered themselves.
02Which groups have duties stated, and which group is mainly located rather than described by task?
Priests, Levites, singers, and gatekeepers have work mentioned, while the temple servants are noted as living in Ophel with overseers.
03How does chapter 12 show careful record-keeping over time?
Notice the named generations, heads of fathers’ households, and the statement that some names were written in the book of the chronicles.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Nehemiah 11:1–36
1The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.
2The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem.
3Now these are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the cities of Judah, everyone lived in his possession in their cities—Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the children of Solomon’s servants.
4Some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez;
5and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite.
6All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were four hundred sixty-eight valiant men.
7These are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the 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.
8After him Gabbai and Sallai, nine hundred twenty-eight.
9Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.
10Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin,
11Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of God’s house,
12and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty-two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah,
13and his brothers, chiefs of fathers’ households, two hundred forty-two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,
14and their brothers, mighty men of valor, one hundred twenty-eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.
15Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
16and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of God’s house;
17and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
18All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four.
19Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two.
20The residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.
21But the temple servants lived in Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.
22The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers responsible for the service of God’s house.
23For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.
24Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.
25As for the villages with their fields, some of the children of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its towns, in Dibon and its towns, in Jekabzeel and its villages,
26in Jeshua, in Moladah, Beth Pelet,
27in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its towns,
28in Ziklag, in Meconah and in its towns,
29in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth,
30Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its towns. So they encamped from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom.
31The children of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, and at Bethel and its towns,
32at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
33Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
34Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
35Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.
36Of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah settled in Benjamin’s territory.
Nehemiah 12:1–26
1Now these are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
5Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.
8Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving songs, he and his brothers.
9Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were close to them according to their offices.
10Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada,
11and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua.
12In the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ households: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
13of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
14of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
15of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
16of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
17of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
18of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
19of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
20of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
21of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers’ households; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.
23The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ households, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
24The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers close to them, to praise and give thanks according to the commandment of David the man of God, section next to section.
25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storehouses of the gates.
26These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest and scribe.