Nehemiah 11

1 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].

The leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, and the other nine remained in other towns.

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

Then the people blessed all those who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

3 [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].

These are the provincial officials who lived in Jerusalem. However, in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his own land, including some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon's servants.

4 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.

In Jerusalem lived some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin. The people from Judah included: Athaiah son of Uzziah son of Zechariah son of Amariah son of Shephatiah son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez.

5 [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.

There was Maaseiah son of Baruch son of Kol-Hozeh son of Hazaiah son of Adaiah son of Joiarib son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite.

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

All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468. They were outstanding men.

7 [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.

These are the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam son of Joed son of Pedaiah son of Kolaiah son of Maaseiah son of Ithiel son of Jeshaiah,

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

and those following him, Gabbai and Sallai, 928 men.

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

Joel son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second in command over the city.

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

From the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin,

11 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.

Seraiah son of Hilkiah son of Meshullam son of Zadok son of Meraioth son of Ahitub, the chief official of the house of God,

12 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.

and their associates who did the work for the house, 822 men, along with Adaiah son of Jeroham son of Pelaliah son of Amzi son of Zechariah son of Pashhur son of Malchijah.

13 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.

His brothers were heads of clans, 242 men; and Amashsai son of Azarel son of Ahzai son of Meshillemoth son of Immer,

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

and their brothers, 128 courageous fighting men; their overseer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.

15 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.

From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub son of Azrikam son of Hashabiah son of Bunni,

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

and Shabbethai and Jozabad, who were from the leaders of the Levites and were in charge of the outside work of the house of God.

17 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.

There was Mattaniah son of Mika son of Zabdi, a descendant of Asaph, who was the director who began the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers, and Abda son of Shammua son of Galal son of Jeduthun.

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

All the Levites in the holy city numbered 284.

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

The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their associates, who kept watch at the gates, 172 men.

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

The remainder of Israel and of the priests and the Levites were in all the towns of Judah. Everyone lived on his own inherited property.

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

The temple workers lived in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.

22 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.

The chief officer over the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani son of Hashabiah son of Mattaniah son of Mika, of the descendants of Asaph, singers over the work in the house of God.

23 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.

They were under orders from the king, and firm orders were given for the singers as every day required.

24 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.

Then Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah son of Judah, was at the king's side in all matters concerning the people.

25 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].

As for the villages and their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its villages, and in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and its villages,

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

and in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet,

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

Hazar Shual, and Beersheba and its villages.

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

Some of the people of Judah lived in Ziklag, Mekonah and its villages,

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

Enrimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth,

30 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].

Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, and in Lachish its fields and Azekah and its villages. So they lived from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.

31 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,

The people of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Mikmash and Aija, at Bethel and its villages,

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

at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

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

Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

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

Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

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

Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.

36 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.

Some of the Levites who lived in Judah were assigned to the people of Benjamin.