וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי־הָעָם בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וּשְׁאָר הָעָם הִפִּילוּ גוֹרָלוֹת לְהָבִיא אֶחָד מִן־הָעֲשָׂרָה לָשֶׁבֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִַם 11:1
עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְתֵשַׁע הַיָּדוֹת בֶּעָרִים׃
Nehe. 11:1 And the princes of the people dwelled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine of the ten in the cities.
The rulers of the people allowed the “throw of dice,” so to speak, to determine where each would have his inheritance. Except for the ratio of one of ten, they followed much of the practice described in Joshua. Therefore they must have possessed that book going beyond the Torah.
וַיְבָרֲכוּ הָעָם לְכֹל הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמִּתְנַדְּבִים לָשֶׁבֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִָם׃ 11:2
Nehe. 11:2 And the people gave blessings for all the men volunteering to dwell in Jerusalem.
Apparently some chose to bypass the lot and volunteered to live in Jerusalem. It sounds like that was a hardship and less preferred.
וְאֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי הַמְּדִינָה אֲשֶׁר יָשְׁבוּ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וּבְעָרֵי יְהוּדָה יָשְׁבוּ אִישׁ בַּאֲחֻזָּתוֹ בְּעָרֵיהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל 11:3
הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְהַנְּתִינִים וּבְנֵי עַבְדֵי שְׁלֹמֹה׃
Nehe. 11:3 And these are the heads of the province who dwelled in Jerusalem, while in the cities of Judah dwelled, each in his possession, in their Israel cities, the priests and the Levites and the Nethinim and the children of the servants of Solomon,
וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם יָשְׁבוּ מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה וּמִבְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה עֲתָיָה בֶן־עֻזִּיָּה בֶּן־זְכַרְיָה בֶן־אֲמַרְיָה 11:4
בֶּן־שְׁפַטְיָה בֶן־מַהֲלַלְאֵל מִבְּנֵי־פָרֶץ׃
Nehe. 11:4 while in Jerusalem dwelled some of the children of Judah and some of the children of Benjamin. Those of the children of Judah were: Athaiah son of Uzziah son of Zechariah son of Amariah son of Shaphatiah son of Mahalalel from the children of Perez,
וּמַעֲשֵׂיָה בֶן־בָּרוּךְ בֶּן־כָּל־חֹזֶה בֶּן־חֲזָיָה בֶן־עֲדָיָה בֶן־יֹויָרִיב בֶּן־זְכַרְיָה בֶּן־הַשִּׁלֹנִי׃ 11:5
Nehe. 11:5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch son of Col-hoseh son of Hazaiah son of adaiah son of Joiarib son of Zechariah son of the Shilonite.
כָּל־בְּנֵי־פֶרֶץ הַיֹּשְׁבִים בִּירוּשָׁלִָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁמֹנָה אַנְשֵׁי־חָיִל׃ 11:6
Nehe. 11:6 All the sons of Perez dwelling in Jerusalem were four hundred sixty-eight men of valor.
וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן סַלֻּא בֶּן־מְשֻׁלָּם בֶּן־יוֹעֵד בֶּן־פְּדָיָה בֶן־קוֹלָיָה בֶן־מַעֲשֵׂיָה בֶּן־אִיתִיאֵל בֶּן־יְשַׁעְיָה׃ 11:7
Nehe. 11:7 And these were the sons of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam son of Joed son of Pedaiah son of Kolaiah son of Maaseiah son of Ithiel son of Jeshaiah,
וְאַחֲרָיו גַּבַּי סַלָּי תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה׃ 11:8
Nehe. 11:8 and, after him, Gabai, Sallai; nine hundred twenty-eight.
וְיוֹאֵל בֶּן־זִכְרִי פָּקִיד עֲלֵיהֶם וִיהוּדָה בֶן־הַסְּנוּאָה עַל־הָעִיר מִשְׁנֶה׃ 11:9
Nehe. 11:9 Joel son of Zichri was the officer over them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the second city.
מִן־הַכֹּהֲנִים יְדַעְיָה בֶן־יוֹיָרִיב יָכִין׃ 11:10
Nehe. 11:10 Some of the priests were Jedaiah, Jachin,
שְׂרָיָה בֶן־חִלְקִיָּה בֶּן־מְשֻׁלָּם בֶּן־צָדוֹק בֶּן־מְרָיוֹת בֶּן־אֲחִיטוּב נְגִד בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים׃ 11:11
Nehe. 11:11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah son of Meshullam son of Zadok son of Meraioth son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God,
וַאֲחֵיהֶם עֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה לַבַּיִת שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנָיִם וַעֲדָיָה בֶּן־יְרֹחָם בֶּן־פְּלַלְיָה בֶּן־אַמְצִי 11:12
בֶן־זְכַרְיָה בֶּן־פַּשְׁחוּר בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּה׃
Nehe. 11:12 and their brethren, the performers of the work for the house, eight hundred twenty-two, and Adaiah son of Jeroham son of Pelaliah son of Amzi son of Zechariah son of Pashhur son of Malchijah,
וְאֶחָיו רָאשִׁים לְאָבוֹת מָאתַיִם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנָיִם וַעֲמַשְׁסַי בֶּן־עֲזַרְאֵל בֶּן־אַחְזַי בֶּן־מְשִׁלֵּמוֹת 11:13
בֶּן־אִמֵּר׃
Nehe. 11:13 and his brethren, heads of fathers’ houses, two hundred forty-two, and Amashsai son of Azarel son of Ahzai son of Meshillemoth son of Immer,
וַאֲחֵיהֶם גִּבּוֹרֵי חַיִל מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה וּפָקִיד עֲלֵיהֶם זַבְדִּיאֵל בֶּן־הַגְּדוֹלִים׃ 11:14
Nehe. 11:14 and their brethren, a hundred twenty-eight mighty men of valor, and the officer over them was Zabdiel son of Hagdolim.
וּמִן־הַלְוִיִּם שְׁמַעְיָה בֶן־חַשּׁוּב בֶּן־עַזְרִיקָם בֶּן־חֲשַׁבְיָה בֶּן־בּוּנִּי׃ 11:15
Nehe. 11:15 And some of the Levites were Shemaiah son of Hashub son of Azrikam son of Hashbiah son of Bunni,
וְשַׁבְּתַי וְיוֹזָבָד עַל־הַמְּלָאכָה הַחִיצֹנָה לְבֵית הָאֱלֹהִים מֵרָאשֵׁי הַלְוִיִּם׃ 11:16
Nehe. 11:16 and Shabethai and Jozabad were over the external work for the house of God, from the leaders of the Levites,
וּמַתַּנְיָה בֶן־מִיכָה בֶּן־זַבְדִּי בֶן־אָסָף רֹאשׁ הַתְּחִלָּה יְהֹודֶה לַתְּפִלָּה וּבַקְבֻּקְיָה מִשְׁנֶה מֵאֶחָיו וְעַבְדָּא 11:17
בֶּן־שַׁמּוּעַ בֶּן־גָּלָל בֶּן־(יְדִיתוּן) [יְדוּתוּן]׃
Nehe. 11:17 and Mattaniah son of Mica son of Zabdi son of Asaph was the head of beginning the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah was second among his brethren, and Abda son of Shammua son of Galal son of Jeduthun.
The word in the parentheses is the name Jeduthun, and it contains a spelling error. The correction, replacing the yad with a vav, is in the brackets.
כָּל־הַלְוִיִּם בְּעִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ מָאתַיִם שְׁמֹנִים וְאַרְבָּעָה׃ 11:18
Nehe. 11:18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four.
וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִים עַקּוּב טַלְמוֹן וַאֲחֵיהֶם הַשֹּׁמְרִים בַּשְּׁעָרִים מֵאָה שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנָיִם׃ 11:19
Nehe. 11:19 And the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, the watchmen at the gates, were a hundred seventy-two.
וּשְׁאָר יִשְׂרָאֵל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם בְּכָל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה אִישׁ בְּנַחֲלָתוֹ׃ 11:20
Nehe. 11:20 And the rest of Israel, of the priests, of the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each in his inheritance.
וְהַנְּתִינִים יֹשְׁבִים בָּעֹפֶל וְצִיחָא וְגִשְׁפָּא עַל־הַנְּתִינִים׃ 11:21
Nehe. 11:21 And the Nethinim were dwelling in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim.
וּפְקִיד הַלְוִיִּם בִּירוּשָׁלִַם עֻזִּי בֶן־בָּנִי בֶּן־חֲשַׁבְיָה בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָה בֶּן־מִיכָא מִבְּנֵי אָסָף הַמְשֹׁרְרִים לְנֶגֶד 11:22
מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִים׃
Nehe. 11:22 And the officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani son of Hashabiah son of Mattaniah son of Mica from the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the service of the house of God.
כִּי־מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶם וַאֲמָנָה עַל־הַמְשֹׁרְרִים דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ׃ 11:23
Nehe. 11:23 For a commandment of the king was theirs, and certainly a daily matter was for the singers.
וּפְתַחְיָה בֶּן־מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל מִבְּנֵי־זֶרַח בֶּן־יְהוּדָה לְיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ לְכָל־דָּבָר לָעָם׃ 11:24
Nehe. 11:24 And Pethahiah son of Meshezabel from the sons of Zerach son of Judah was at the hand of the king for every matter regarding the people.
וְאֶל־הַחֲצֵרִים בִּשְׂדֹתָם מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה יָשְׁבוּ בְּקִרְיַת הָאַרְבַּע וּבְנֹתֶיהָ וּבְדִיבֹן וּבְנֹתֶיהָ וּבִיקַּבְצְאֵל 11:25
וַחֲצֵרֶיהָ׃
Nehe. 11:25 And concerning the villages with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelled in Kiriath-arba and its towns, and in Dibon and its towns, and in Jekabzeel and its villages,
וּבְיֵשׁוּעַ וּבְמוֹלָדָה וּבְבֵית פָּלֶט׃ 11:26
Nehe. 11:26 and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth-pelet,
וּבַחֲצַר שׁוּעָל וּבִבְאֵר שֶׁבַע וּבְנֹתֶיהָ׃ 11:27
Nehe. 11:27 and in Hazar-shual, and in Beer-sheba and in its towns,
וּבְצִקְלַג וּבִמְכֹנָה וּבִבְנֹתֶיהָ׃ 11:28
Nehe. 11:28 and in Ziklag, and in Meconah and in its towns,
וּבְעֵין רִמּוֹן וּבְצָרְעָה וּבְיַרְמוּת׃ 11:29
Nehe. 11:29 and in En-rimmon, and in Zorah, and in Jarmuth,
זָנֹחַ עֲדֻלָּם וְחַצְרֵיהֶם לָכִישׁ וּשְׂדֹתֶיהָ עֲזֵקָה וּבְנֹתֶיהָ וַיַּחֲנוּ מִבְּאֵר־שֶׁבַע עַד־גֵּיא־הִנֹּם׃ 11:30
Nehe. 11:30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its towns, as they encamped from Beer-sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
From Beer-sheba to the Valley of Hinnom? That has to be the kind of exaggeration that is sometimes found in the bible. Or else it is a misleading choice of words. Obviously there was not a continual encampment along that entire approximately sixty-mile distance. Probably more accurate would have been “... as they had encampments from ....”
וּבְנֵי בִנְיָמִן מִגָּבַע מִכְמָשׂ וְעַיָּה וּבֵית־אֵל וּבְנֹתֶיהָ׃ 11:31
Nehe. 11:31 And the children of Benjamin were from Geba, Michmas, and Aijah, and Beth-el and its towns,
עֲנָתוֹת נֹב עֲנָנְיָה׃ 11:32
Nehe. 11:32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
חָצוֹר רָמָה גִּתָּיִם׃ 11:33
Nehe. 11:33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
חָדִיד צְבֹעִים נְבַלָּט׃ 11:34
Nehe. 11:34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
לֹד וְאוֹנוֹ גֵּי הַחֲרָשִׁים׃ 11:35
Nehe. 11:35 Lod, and Ono, Ge-harashim.
וּמִן־הַלְוִיִּם מַחְלְקוֹת יְהוּדָה לְבִנְיָמִין׃ 11:36
Nehe. 11:36 And some of the Levites were of classes of Judah belonging to Benjamin.
This last verse can be misleading at first glance. These Levites were not of the tribe of Benjamin. They had their places in the territories of Benjamin.
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