Nehemiah 11

1 And the heads of the people dwell in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people have caused lots to fall to bring in one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the cities,

The [Israeli] leaders [and their families] settled in the sacred city, Jerusalem. The other people (cast lots/threw marked stones) to determine which family from each ten families would live in Jerusalem. The other people continued to live in the other towns and cities [in Judea].

2 and the people give a blessing to all the men who are offering themselves willingly to dwell in Jerusalem.

Those people [asked God to] bless those who volunteered to [be among the 10% who] moved to Jerusalem.

3 And these [are] heads of the province who have dwelt in Jerusalem, and in cities of Judah, they have dwelt each in his possession in their cities; Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the sons of the servants of Solomon.

[Some of] the priests, [some of] the [other] descendants of Levi, [some of] the temple workers, and the descendants of King Solomon’s servants, and many of the other people lived on their own property in the towns [where their ancestors had lived].

4 And in Jerusalem have dwelt of the sons of Judah, and of the sons of Benjamin. Of the sons of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalaleel, of the sons of Perez;

But some people from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin [decided to] live in Jerusalem. One of them from the tribe of Judah was Athaiah. He was the son of Uzziah, who was the son of Zechariah, who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Shephatiah, who was the son of Mahalalel, who was a descendant of [Judah’s son] Perez.

5 and Masseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-Hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of Shiloni;

[Another one from the tribe of Judah was] Maaseiah, [who was] the son of Baruch, [who was] the son of Colhozeh, [who was] the son of Hazaiah, [who was] the son of Adaiah, [who was] the son of Joiarib, [who was] the son of Zechariah, [who was] a descendant of [Judah’s son] Shelah.

6 all the sons of Perez who are dwelling in Jerusalem [are] four hundred sixty-eight, men of valor.

There were 468 men who were descendants of Perez who were valiant/courageous soldiers who lived in Jerusalem.

7 And these [are] sons of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jesaiah;

[One of the men] of the tribe of Benjamin who decided to live in Jerusalem was 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.

8 and after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty-eight.

Two of Sallu’s relatives, Gabbai and Sallai, also settled in Jerusalem. Altogether, 928 people from the tribe of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem

9 And Joel son of Zichri [is] inspector over them, and Judah son of Senuah [is] over the city—second.

Their leader was Joel, son of Zichri. The official who was second in command in Jerusalem was Hassenuah.

10 Of the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jachin,

The priests [who settled in Jerusalem] were Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jakin,

11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, leader of the house of God,

Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub [who had previously been] the Supreme Priest.

12 and their brothers doing the work of the house [are] eight hundred twenty-two; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchiah,

Altogether, 822 members of that clan worked in the temple. Another [priest who settled in Jerusalem] was 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.

13 and his brothers, heads of fathers, two hundred forty-two; and Amashsai son of Azareel, son of Ahazai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer,

Altogether, there were 242 members of that clan who were leaders of the clan [who settled in Jerusalem]. Another [priest who settled in Jerusalem] was Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer.

14 and their brothers, one hundred twenty-eight mighty men of valor; and an inspector over them [is] Zabdiel, son of [one of] the great men.

There were 128 members of that clan who were valiant soldiers [who settled in Jerusalem]. Their leader was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.

15 And of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hashub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni,

Another descendant of Levi who settled in Jerusalem was Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni.

16 and Shabbethai, and Jozabad, [are] over the outward work of the house of God, of the heads of the Levites,

Two others were Shabbethai and Jozabad, who were prominent men who supervised the work outside the temple.

17 and Mattaniah son of Micha, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, [is] head—at the commencement he gives thanks in prayer; and Bakbukiah [is] second among his brothers, and Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.

Another one was Mattaniah, the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph. Mattaniah directed the temple choir when they sang the prayers to thank [God]. His assistant was Bakbukiah. Another one was Abda, the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

18 All the Levites, in the holy city, [are] two hundred eighty-four.

Altogether, there were 284 descendants of Levi who settled in Jerusalem.

19 And the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, those watching at the gates, [are] one hundred seventy-two.

The men who guarded the temple gates were Akkub and Talmon and 172 of their relatives who settled in Jerusalem.

20 And the rest of Israel, of the priests, of the Levites, [are] in all cities of Judah, each in his inheritance;

The other Israeli people including priests and [other] descendants of Levi lived on their own property in other towns and cities in Judea.

21 and the Nethinim are dwelling in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa [are] over the Nethinim.

But the temple workers lived on Ophel [Hill in Jerusalem]. They were supervised by Ziha and Gishpa.

22 And the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem [is] Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micha—of the sons of Asaph, the singers [who are] for the front of the work of the house of God,

The man who supervised the [other] descendants of Levi who [helped the priests and] lived in Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. Uzzi belonged to the clan of Asaph, the clan that was in charge of the music in the temple.

23 for the command of the king [is] on them, and support [is] for the singers, a matter of a day in its day.

The king [of Persia] had commanded that the clans should decide what each clan should do to lead the music in the temple each day.

24 And Pethahiah son of Meshezabeel, of the sons of Zerah, son of Judah, [is] by the hand of the king, for every matter of the people.

Pethahiah, the son of Meshezabel, [who was] from the clan of Zerah and a descendant of Judah, was the ambassador [of the Israelis] to the king of Persia.

25 And at the villages with their fields, of the sons of Judah there have dwelt, in Kirjath-Arba and its small towns, and in Dibon and its small towns, and in Jekabzeel and its villages,

Some of the people [who did not settle in Jerusalem] lived in villages close to their farms. Some from the tribe of Judah lived in villages near Kiriath-Arba, Dibon, and Jekabzeel [cities].

26 and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and in Beth-Phelet,

Some lived in Jeshua [city], in Moladah [city], in Beth-Pelet [city],

27 and in Hazar-Shaul, and in Beer-Sheba and its small towns,

in Hazar-Shual [city], and in Beersheba [city] and the villages near it.

28 and in Ziklag, and in Mekonah and in its small towns,

Others lived in Ziklag [city], in Meconah [city] and the villages near it,

29 and En-Rimmon, and in Zareah, and in Jarmuth,

in En-Rimmon [city], in Zorah [city], in Jarmuth [city],

30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its small towns; and they encamp from Beer-Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.

in Zanoah [city], in Adullam [city], and in the villages near those cities. Some lived in Lachish [city] and in the nearby villages, and some lived in Azekah [town] and the villages near it. All of those people lived in Judea, in the area between Beersheba [in the south] and Hinnom Valley [in the north, at the edge of Jerusalem].

31 And sons of Benjamin [are] at Geba, Michmash, and Aija, and Beth-El, and its small towns,

The people of the tribe of Benjamin lived in Geba [city], Micmash [city], Aija [city which is also known as Ai], Bethel [city] and in nearby villages,

32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

in Anathoth [city], in Nob [city], in Ananiah [town],

33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

in Hazor [city], in Ramah [city], in Gittaim [city],

34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

in Hadid [city], in Zeboim [town], in Neballat [town],

35 Lod, and Ono, the Valley of the Craftsmen.

in Lod [town], in Ono [town], and in Craftsmen’s Valley.

36 And of the Levites, the divisions of Judah [are] for Benjamin.

Some of the groups of the descendants of Levi who had lived in Judea were sent to live with [the people of the tribe of] Benjamin.