---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Nehemiah 11"
description: "CHAPTER 11  Nehemiah 11:1;
Nehemiah 11:2. THE
RULERS, VOLUNTARY
MEN, AND EVERY
TENTH MAN
CHOSEN BY LOT,
DWELL AT JERUSALEM. 1. the rulers . . . dwelt at
J"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/nehemiah/11"
---

CHAPTER 11

[Nehemiah 11:1](../../../kjv/nehemiah/11/1);
[Nehemiah 11:2](../../../kjv/nehemiah/11/2). THE
RULERS, VOLUNTARY
MEN, AND EVERY
TENTH MAN
CHOSEN BY LOT,
DWELL AT JERUSALEM.

**1. 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 insure 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. 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. To remedy this state
of things, it was resolved to select every tenth man of the tribes of
Judah and Benjamin by lot, to become a permanent inhabitant of the
capital. The necessity of such an expedient commended it to the
general approval. It was the more readily submitted to because the
lot was resorted to on all the most critical conjunctures of the
Jewish history, and regarded by the people as a divine decision (). This awakened strongly the national spirit; and patriotic
volunteers came forward readily to meet the wishes of the
authorities, a service which, implying great self-denial as well as
courage, was reckoned in the circumstances of so much importance as
entitled them to the public gratitude. No wonder that the conduct of
these volunteers drew forth the tribute of public admiration; for
they sacrificed their personal safety and comfort for the interests
of the community because Jerusalem was at that time a place against
which the enemies of the Jews were directing a thousand plots.
Therefore, residence in it at such a juncture was attended with
expense and various annoyances from which a country life was entirely
free.
. THEIR NAMES.

**3. the chief of the province**—that
is, Judea. Nehemiah speaks of it, as it then was, a small appendix of
the Persian empire.
**in the cities of Judah dwelt
every one in his possession in their cities**—The returned
exiles, who had come from Babylon, repaired generally, and by a
natural impulse, to the lands and cities throughout the country which
had been anciently assigned them.
**Israel**—This general
name, which designated the descendants of Jacob before the unhappy
division of the two kingdoms under Rehoboam, was restored after the
captivity, the Israelites being then united with the Jews, and all
traces of their former separation being obliterated. Although the
majority of the returned exiles belonged to the tribes of Judah and
Benjamin, they are here called Israel because a large number out of
all the tribes were now intermingled, and these were principally the
occupiers of the rural villages, while none but those of Judah and
Benjamin resided in Jerusalem.
**the Levites**—These took
possession of the cities allotted to them according as they had
opportunity.
**the Nethinims**—A certain
order of men, either Gibeonites or persons joined with them, who were
devoted to the service of God.

**4. at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the
children of Judah**—The discrepancy that is apparent between this
[[Nehemiah 11:4-36](../../../kjv/nehemiah/11/4-36)] and the
list formerly given in [Nehemiah 11:4-16](../../../kjv/nehemiah/11/4-16), arose not only from the Jewish and Oriental practice of
changing or modifying the names of persons from a change of
circumstances, but from the alterations that must have been produced
in the course of time. The catalogue in Chronicles contains those who
came with the first detachment of returned exiles, while the list in
this passage probably included also those who returned with Ezra and
Nehemiah; or it was most probably made out afterwards, when several
had died, or some, who had been inserted as going on the journey,
remained, and others came in their stead.

**9. overseer**—that is, "captain"
or "chief."

**11. the ruler of the house of
God**—assistant of the high priest ([Numbers 3:32](../../../kjv/numbers/3/32);
[1 Chronicles 9:11](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/9/11); [2 Chronicles 19:11](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/19/11)).

**16. the oversight of the outward
business of the house of God**—that is, those things which were
done outside, or in the country, such as the collecting of the
provisions ([1 Chronicles 26:29](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/26/29)).

**17. the principal to begin the
thanksgiving in prayer**—that is, the leader of the choir which
chanted the public praise at the time of the morning and evening
sacrifice. That service was always accompanied by some appropriate
psalm, the sacred music being selected and guided by the person
named.

**22. the sons of Asaph, the singers
were over the business of the house of God**—They were selected
to take charge of providing those things which were required for the
interior of the temple and its service, while to others was committed
the care of the "outward business of the house of God" (). This duty was very properly assigned to the sons of
Asaph; for, though they were Levites, they did not repair in rotation
to Jerusalem, as the other ministers of religion. Being permanent
residents, and employed in duties which were comparatively light and
easy, they were very competent to undertake this charge.

**23. it was the king's commandment**—It
was the will of the Persian monarch in issuing his edict that the
temple service should be revived in all its religious fulness and
solemnity. As this special provision for the singers is said to have
been by the king's commandment, the order was probably given at the
request or suggestion of Ezra or Nehemiah.

**24. 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.

**25. some of the children of Judah
dwelt at Kirjath-arba**—The whole region in which the villages
here mentioned were situated had been completely devastated by the
Chaldean invasion; and, therefore, it must be assumed, that these
villages had been rebuilt before "the children dwelt in them."

**36. And of the Levites were
divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin**—Rather, there were
divisions for the Levites; that is, those who were not resident in
Jerusalem were distributed in settlements throughout the provinces of
Judah and Benjamin.

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