Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Nehemiah 11:20

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Lists of Jerusalem residents (11:1-36)

Most of the people who returned from exile had settled in the country around Jerusalem rather than in the city itself. Therefore, because Jerusalem was thinly populated, a resettlement scheme was put into practice. Under this scheme one tenth of the residents from the country areas came to live in Jerusalem and so increase its stability. In addition to these, a large group offered willingly to come and live in the city (11:1-2).

A list is then given of the heads of the families who returned with Zerubbabel. (The descendants of these families would have been the old established residents of Jerusalem at the time the resettlement program was planned.) Apart from those belonging to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (3-9), most seem to have been priests, Levites or other temple servants (10-21. See also notes on 1 Chronicles 9:1-34, where the same list is given, with a few variations and additions). Arrangements were also made for overseeing the work of the Levites, regulating the temple singers, and having a Jewish representative at the court of the Persian king (22-24). Then follows a list of reoccupied towns in the former tribal territories of Judah and Benjamin (25-36).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE PORTERS AND GATEKEEPERS NUMBERED 172

“Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, that kept watch at the gates were a hundred seventy and two. And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance. But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim.”

The total number of the men living in the holy city is thus numbered at 3,044, not including women and children, nor the Nethinim. Whitcomb also gave this number as 3,044.Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 443. Ophel was indeed part of the holy city, having a wall of its own; and it was sometimes counted in, sometimes counted out of the city, as here. “These were augmented by a 10% levy drawn from the surrounding areas, and an unspecified number of volunteers (Nehemiah 11:2).”The New Bible Commentary Revised, p. 409.

Scholars disagree on the exact meaning of Nehemiah 11:1. Some take it, as did Whitcomb, to mean that the population was readjusted, so that ten percent of the returnees lived in the city, and ninety percent in the Outlying areas. If so interpreted, it would mean that, “The population of Judea had increased considerably during the previous century; because the 50,000 who returned with Zerubbabel from Babylon included women and children.”Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 443. The approximately 3,000 men in Jerusalem before this adjustment took place would mean that there were 30,000 Jewish men then living in Palestine, besides women and children. At a ratio of four to one, this would make the number of Israelites then in Judea about 120,000. Keil, however, wrote that, “The passage can have no other meaning, but that the population of Jerusalem was increased by a 10% fraction of the population living outside the city.”C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, Nehemiah, p. 267. He admitted, however, that, “The statement, taken by itself, is very brief, and its connection with Nehemiah 7:5 not very evident.”Ibid.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The returned community, though consisting mainly of members of the two tribes, represented the entire people of Israel. The ground, however, which they occupied, was not the whole land, but that which had constituted the kingdom of Judah.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 11

And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, that one in ten might dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities ( Nehemiah 11:1 ).

So when they came back, they actually inhabited quite a bit of the territory down towards Hebron, Beersheba, on up to Ramallah, Bethel, and all. Quite a bit of territory. There was only about 50,000 of them. And so they decided that one in ten, which means about 5,000 would dwell in Jerusalem. They wanted to maintain the capital city so they'd have a place of worship and all and the rest of the people... of course, Jerusalem isn't that good a farm territory. There's much better farming down in some of the valleys around Jerusalem than there is in Jerusalem itself. Down into, down towards Hebron, the Eshcol Valley and all, much better farming. Even down towards Bethlehem and the valley is down through there. So one in ten with... So they cast lots to find out which one would stay in Jerusalem and the rest would move into the surrounding territories and live in the surrounding territories. And so we have the names of the families upon whom the lots were drawn who should dwell in Jerusalem. And then beginning with verse Nehemiah 11:20 , the names of the families that were to dwell in the other cities round about. And some of the cities and the villages where they were to dwell. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. The residents of Jerusalem 11:1-24

Some leaders had already chosen to live in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:1). Nehemiah initiated a plan to determine which one family in ten, of those not living in the city, would move into it (Nehemiah 11:1). Additional immigrants volunteered to live there (Nehemiah 11:2). There was a cross section of leaders, therefore, who lived in Jerusalem, while other leaders lived in the other towns of Judah (Nehemiah 11:3).

"The city wall was built, and now a new measure to safeguard the city was instituted, namely, to repopulate it." [Note: Fensham, p. 244.]

The residents of Jerusalem included Jews from the tribes of Judah (Nehemiah 11:4-6) and Benjamin (Nehemiah 11:7-9). There were twice as many from Benjamin as from Judah. There were priests (Nehemiah 11:10-14), Levites (Nehemiah 11:15-18), and gatekeepers (Nehemiah 11:19). The rest lived in the outlying towns (Nehemiah 11:20), except for the temple servants (Nehemiah 11:21). The Ophel was apparently a leveled mini-valley (or perhaps a low hill) between the City of David and the temple area. [Note: Breneman, p. 259.] Pethahiah appears to have been an adviser to the Persian king (Artaxerxes) in matters of Jewish affairs (Nehemiah 11:24). Compare 1 Chronicles 9:2-34 for a similar list. Estimates of Jerusalem’s population at this time vary from 4,800 [Note: M. Broshi, "La population de l’ancienne Jerusalem," Revue Biblique 92 (1975):9-10.] to 8,000 [Note: D. E. Gowan, Bridge Between the Testaments, p. 20.] .

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the residue of Israel, of the priests and the Levites,..... All of them, besides those that dwelt at Jerusalem: were

in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance; the Israelites in the cities, houses, and estates enjoyed by their ancestors, and the priests and Levites in the cities given out of the several tribes.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      20 And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.   21 But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims.   22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God.   23 For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.   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.   25 And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof,   26 And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet,   27 And at Hazar-shual, and at Beer-sheba, and in the villages thereof,   28 And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof,   29 And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,   30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom.   31 The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Bethel, and in their villages,   32 And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,   33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,   34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,   35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.   36 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

      Having given an account of the principal persons that dwelt in Jerusalem (a larger account of whom he had before, 1 Chronicles 9:2-34, c.), Nehemiah, in these verses, gives us some account of the other cities, in which dwelt the residue of Israel,Nehemiah 11:20; Nehemiah 11:20. It was requisite that Jerusalem should be replenished, yet not so as to drain the country. The king himself is served of the field, which will do little service if there be not hands to manage it. Let there therefore be no strife, no envy, no contempt, no ill will, between the inhabitants of the cities and those of the villages; both are needful, both useful, and neither can be spared. 1. The Nethinims, the posterity of the Gibeonites, dwelt in Ophel, which was upon the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:26; Nehemiah 3:26), because they were to do the servile work of the temple, which therefore they must be posted near to, that they might be ready to attend, Nehemiah 11:21; Nehemiah 11:21. 2. Though the Levites were dispersed through the cities of Judah, yet they had an overseer who resided in Jerusalem, superior of their order and their provincial, to whom they applied for direction, who took care of their affairs and took cognizance of their conduct, whether they did their duty, Nehemiah 11:22; Nehemiah 11:22. 3. Some of the singers were appointed to look after the necessary repairs of the temple, being ingenious men, and having leisure between their hours of service; they were over the business of the house of God,Nehemiah 11:22; Nehemiah 11:22. And, it seems, the king of Persia had such a kindness for their office that he allotted a particular maintenance for them, besides what belonged to them as Levites, Nehemiah 11:23; Nehemiah 11:23. 4. Here is one that was the king's commissioner at Jerusalem. He was of the posterity of Zerah (Nehemiah 11:24; Nehemiah 11:24); for of that family of Judah there were some new settled in Jerusalem, and not all of Pharez, as appears by that other catalogue, 1 Chronicles 9:6. He is said to be at the king's hand, or on the king's part, in all matters concerning the people, to determine controversies that arose between the king's officers and his subjects, to see that what was due to the king from the people was duly paid in and what was allowed by the king for the temple service was duly paid out, and happy it was for the Jews that one of themselves was in this post. 5. Here is an account of the villages, or country towns, which were inhabited by the residue of Israel--the towns in which the children of Judah dwelt (Nehemiah 11:25-30; Nehemiah 11:25-30), those that were inhabited by the children of Benjamin (Nehemiah 11:31-35; Nehemiah 11:31-35), and divisions for the Levites among both, Nehemiah 11:36; Nehemiah 11:36. We will now suppose them safe and easy, though few and poor, but by the blessing of God they were likely to increase in wealth and power, and they would have been more likely if there had not been that general profaneness among them, and lukewarmness in religion, with which they were charged in God's name by the prophet Malachi, who, it is supposed, prophesied about this time, and in whom prophecy ceased for some ages, till it revived in the great prophet and his forerunner.