Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Nehemiah » Chapter 11 » Verse 22

Nehemiah 11:22 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

22 The overseer H6496 also of the Levites H3881 at Jerusalem H3389 was Uzzi H5813 the son H1121 of Bani, H1137 the son H1121 of Hashabiah, H2811 the son H1121 of Mattaniah, H4983 the son H1121 of Micha. H4316 Of the sons H1121 of Asaph, H623 the singers H7891 were over H5048 the business H4399 of the house H1004 of God. H430

Cross Reference

Nehemiah 12:42 STRONG

And Maaseiah, H4641 and Shemaiah, H8098 and Eleazar, H499 and Uzzi, H5813 and Jehohanan, H3076 and Malchijah, H4441 and Elam, H5867 and Ezer. H5829 And the singers H7891 sang loud, H8085 with Jezrahiah H3156 their overseer. H6496

Nehemiah 11:14 STRONG

And their brethren, H251 mighty men H1368 of valour, H2428 an hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and eight: H8083 and their overseer H6496 was Zabdiel, H2068 the son H1121 of one of the great men. H1419

Nehemiah 11:9 STRONG

And Joel H3100 the son H1121 of Zichri H2147 was their overseer: H6496 and Judah H3063 the son H1121 of Senuah H5574 was second H4932 over the city. H5892

Nehemiah 11:16-17 STRONG

And Shabbethai H7678 and Jozabad, H3107 of the chief H7218 of the Levites, H3881 had the oversight of the outward H2435 business H4399 of the house H1004 of God. H430 And Mattaniah H4983 the son H1121 of Micha, H4316 the son H1121 of Zabdi, H2067 the son H1121 of Asaph, H623 was the principal H7218 to begin H8462 the thanksgiving H3034 in prayer: H8605 and Bakbukiah H1229 the second H4932 among his brethren, H251 and Abda H5653 the son H1121 of Shammua, H8051 the son H1121 of Galal, H1559 the son H1121 of Jeduthun. H3038

Acts 20:28 STRONG

Take heed G4337 therefore G3767 unto yourselves, G1438 and G2532 to all G3956 the flock, G4168 over G1722 the which G3739 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 hath made G5087 you G5209 overseers, G1985 to feed G4165 the church G1577 of God, G2316 which G3739 he hath purchased G4046 with G1223 his own G2398 blood. G129

Nehemiah 13:13 STRONG

And I made treasurers H686 over the treasuries, H214 Shelemiah H8018 the priest, H3548 and Zadok H6659 the scribe, H5608 and of the Levites, H3881 Pedaiah: H6305 and next to them H3027 was Hanan H2605 the son H1121 of Zaccur, H2139 the son H1121 of Mattaniah: H4983 for they were counted H2803 faithful, H539 and their office was to distribute H2505 unto their brethren. H251

Nehemiah 12:46 STRONG

For in the days H3117 of David H1732 and Asaph H623 of old H6924 there were chief H7218 of the singers, H7891 and songs H7892 of praise H8416 and thanksgiving H3034 unto God. H430

Nehemiah 12:35 STRONG

And certain of the priests' H3548 sons H1121 with trumpets; H2689 namely, Zechariah H2148 the son H1121 of Jonathan, H3129 the son H1121 of Shemaiah, H8098 the son H1121 of Mattaniah, H4983 the son H1121 of Michaiah, H4320 the son H1121 of Zaccur, H2139 the son H1121 of Asaph: H623

Nehemiah 12:24-25 STRONG

And the chief H7218 of the Levites: H3881 Hashabiah, H2811 Sherebiah, H8274 and Jeshua H3442 the son H1121 of Kadmiel, H6934 with their brethren H251 over against them, to praise H1984 and to give thanks, H3034 according to the commandment H4687 of David H1732 the man H376 of God, H430 ward H4929 over against H5980 ward. H4929 Mattaniah, H4983 and Bakbukiah, H1229 Obadiah, H5662 Meshullam, H4918 Talmon, H2929 Akkub, H6126 were porters H7778 keeping H8104 the ward H4929 at the thresholds H624 of the gates. H8179

1 Chronicles 9:15-32 STRONG

And Bakbakkar, H1230 Heresh, H2792 and Galal, H1559 and Mattaniah H4983 the son H1121 of Micah, H4316 the son H1121 of Zichri, H2147 the son H1121 of Asaph; H623 And Obadiah H5662 the son H1121 of Shemaiah, H8098 the son H1121 of Galal, H1559 the son H1121 of Jeduthun, H3038 and Berechiah H1296 the son H1121 of Asa, H609 the son H1121 of Elkanah, H511 that dwelt H3427 in the villages H2691 of the Netophathites. H5200 And the porters H7778 were, Shallum, H7967 and Akkub, H6126 and Talmon, H2929 and Ahiman, H289 and their brethren: H251 Shallum H7967 was the chief; H7218 Who hitherto waited in the king's H4428 gate H8179 eastward: H4217 they were porters H7778 in the companies H4264 of the children H1121 of Levi. H3878 And Shallum H7967 the son H1121 of Kore, H6981 the son H1121 of Ebiasaph, H43 the son H1121 of Korah, H7141 and his brethren, H251 of the house H1004 of his father, H1 the Korahites, H7145 were over the work H4399 of the service, H5656 keepers H8104 of the gates H5592 of the tabernacle: H168 and their fathers, H1 being over the host H4264 of the LORD, H3068 were keepers H8104 of the entry. H3996 And Phinehas H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar H499 was the ruler H5057 over them in time past, H6440 and the LORD H3068 was with him. And Zechariah H2148 the son H1121 of Meshelemiah H4920 was porter H7778 of the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 All these which were chosen H1305 to be porters H7778 in the gates H5592 were two hundred H3967 and twelve. H8147 H6240 These were reckoned by their genealogy H3187 in their villages, H2691 whom H1992 David H1732 and Samuel H8050 the seer H7200 did ordain H3245 in their set office. H530 So they and their children H1121 had the oversight of the gates H8179 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 namely, the house H1004 of the tabernacle, H168 by wards. H4931 In four H702 quarters H7307 were the porters, H7778 toward the east, H4217 west, H3220 north, H6828 and south. H5045 And their brethren, H251 which were in their villages, H2691 were to come H935 after seven H7651 days H3117 from time H6256 to time H6256 with them. For these Levites, H3881 the four H702 chief H1368 porters, H7778 were in their set office, H530 and were over the chambers H3957 and treasuries H214 of the house H1004 of God. H430 And they lodged H3885 round about H5439 the house H1004 of God, H430 because the charge H4931 was upon them, and the opening H4668 thereof every morning H1242 pertained to them. And certain of them had the charge of H5921 the ministering H5656 vessels, H3627 that they should bring them in H935 and out H3318 by tale. H4557 H4557 Some of them also were appointed H4487 to oversee the vessels, H3627 and all the instruments H3627 of the sanctuary, H6944 and the fine flour, H5560 and the wine, H3196 and the oil, H8081 and the frankincense, H3828 and the spices. H1314 And some of the sons H1121 of the priests H3548 made H7543 the ointment H4842 of the spices. H1314 And Mattithiah, H4993 one of the Levites, H3881 who was the firstborn H1060 of Shallum H7967 the Korahite, H7145 had the set office H530 over the things that were made H4639 in the pans. H2281 And other of their brethren, H251 of the sons H1121 of the Kohathites, H6956 were over the shewbread, H3899 H4635 to prepare H3559 it every sabbath. H7676

Nehemiah 11:11 STRONG

Seraiah H8304 the son H1121 of Hilkiah, H2518 the son H1121 of Meshullam, H4918 the son H1121 of Zadok, H6659 the son H1121 of Meraioth, H4812 the son H1121 of Ahitub, H285 was the ruler H5057 of the house H1004 of God. H430

Nehemiah 10:13 STRONG

Hodijah, H1941 Bani, H1137 Beninu. H1148

Nehemiah 10:11 STRONG

Micha, H4316 Rehob, H7340 Hashabiah, H2811

Nehemiah 9:4-5 STRONG

Then stood up H6965 upon the stairs, H4608 of the Levites, H3881 Jeshua, H3442 and Bani, H1137 Kadmiel, H6934 Shebaniah, H7645 Bunni, H1138 Sherebiah, H8274 Bani, H1137 and Chenani, H3662 and cried H2199 with a loud H1419 voice H6963 unto the LORD H3068 their God. H430 Then the Levites, H3881 Jeshua, H3442 and Kadmiel, H6934 Bani, H1137 Hashabniah, H2813 Sherebiah, H8274 Hodijah, H1941 Shebaniah, H7645 and Pethahiah, H6611 said, H559 Stand up H6965 and bless H1288 the LORD H3068 your God H430 for ever H5769 and ever: H5769 and blessed H1288 be thy glorious H3519 name, H8034 which is exalted H7311 above all blessing H1293 and praise. H8416

Nehemiah 8:7 STRONG

Also Jeshua, H3442 and Bani, H1137 and Sherebiah, H8274 Jamin, H3226 Akkub, H6126 Shabbethai, H7678 Hodijah, H1941 Maaseiah, H4641 Kelita, H7042 Azariah, H5838 Jozabad, H3107 Hanan, H2605 Pelaiah, H6411 and the Levites, H3881 caused the people H5971 to understand H995 the law: H8451 and the people H5971 stood in their place. H5977

Nehemiah 3:17 STRONG

After H310 him repaired H2388 the Levites, H3881 Rehum H7348 the son H1121 of Bani. H1137 Next unto him H3027 repaired H2388 Hashabiah, H2811 the ruler H8269 of the half H2677 part H6418 of Keilah, H7084 in his part. H6418

Ezra 8:19 STRONG

And Hashabiah, H2811 and with him Jeshaiah H3470 of the sons H1121 of Merari, H4847 his brethren H251 and their sons, H1121 twenty; H6242

1 Chronicles 25:1-6 STRONG

Moreover David H1732 and the captains H8269 of the host H6635 separated H914 to the service H5656 of the sons H1121 of Asaph, H623 and of Heman, H1968 and of Jeduthun, H3038 who should prophesy H5012 H5030 with harps, H3658 with psalteries, H5035 and with cymbals: H4700 and the number H4557 of the workmen H582 H4399 according to their service H5656 was: Of the sons H1121 of Asaph; H623 Zaccur, H2139 and Joseph, H3130 and Nethaniah, H5418 and Asarelah, H841 the sons H1121 of Asaph H623 under the hands H3027 of Asaph, H623 which prophesied H5012 according to the order H3027 of the king. H4428 Of Jeduthun: H3038 the sons H1121 of Jeduthun; H3038 Gedaliah, H1436 and Zeri, H6874 and Jeshaiah, H3470 Hashabiah, H2811 and Mattithiah, H4993 six, H8337 under the hands H3027 of their father H1 Jeduthun, H3038 who prophesied H5012 with a harp, H3658 to give thanks H3034 and to praise H1984 the LORD. H3068 Of Heman: H1968 the sons H1121 of Heman; H1968 Bukkiah, H1232 Mattaniah, H4983 Uzziel, H5816 Shebuel, H7619 and Jerimoth, H3406 Hananiah, H2608 Hanani, H2607 Eliathah, H448 Giddalti, H1437 and Romamtiezer, H7320 Joshbekashah, H3436 Mallothi, H4413 Hothir, H1956 and Mahazioth: H4238 All these were the sons H1121 of Heman H1968 the king's H4428 seer H2374 in the words H1697 of God, H430 to lift up H7311 the horn. H7161 And God H430 gave H5414 to Heman H1968 fourteen H702 H6240 sons H1121 and three H7969 daughters. H1323 All these were under the hands H3027 of their father H1 for song H7892 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 with cymbals, H4700 psalteries, H5035 and harps, H3658 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of God, H430 according to the king's H4428 order H3027 to Asaph, H623 Jeduthun, H3038 and Heman. H1968

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Nehemiah 11

Commentary on Nehemiah 11 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Verse 1-2

Nehemiah 11:1 and Nehemiah 11:2 narrate the carrying out of Nehemiah's resolution, Nehemiah 7:4, to make Jerusalem more populous, and follow Nehemiah 7:5 as to matter, but the end of Neh 10 as to time. For while Nehemiah, after the completion of the wall, was occupied with the thought of bringing into the thinly populated capital a larger number of inhabitants, and had for this purpose convoked a public assembly, that a list of the whole Israelite population of the towns of Benjamin and Judah might be taken in hand, the seventh month of the year arrived, in which all the people assembled at Jerusalem to perform those acts of worship and solemnities (described Neh 8-10) in which this month abounded. Hence it was not till after the termination of these services that Nehemiah was able to carry out the measures he had resolved on. For there can be no doubt that Nehemiah 11:1 and Nehemiah 11:2 of the present chapter narrate the execution of these measures. The statement that one in ten of all the people was appointed by lot to dwell in Jerusalem, and the remaining nine in other cities, and that the people blessed the men who showed themselves willing to dwell at Jerusalem, can have no other meaning than, that the inhabitants of Jerusalem were increased in this proportion, and that this was consequently the measure which God had, according to Nehemiah 7:5, put it into Nehemiah's heart to take. The statement taken by itself is indeed very brief, and its connection with Nehemiah 7:5 not very evident. But the brevity and abruptness do not justify Bertheau's view, that these two verses are not the composition of Nehemiah himself, but only an extract from a larger context, in which this circumstance was fully explained. For Nehemiah's style not unfrequently exhibits a certain abruptness; comp. e.g., the commencements of chs. 5 and 6, or the information Nehemiah 13:6, which are no less abrupt, and which yet no one has conceived to be mere extracts from some other document. Besides, as the connection between Nehemiah 7:5 and Nehemiah 11:1 is interrupted by the relation of the events of the seventh month, so, too, is the account of the building of the wall, Nehemiah 4:17; Nehemiah 6:15., and Nehemiah 7:1, interrupted by the insertion of occurrences which took place during its progress. The first sentence, Nehemiah 11:1, ”And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem,” cannot be so closely connected with the next, “and the rest of the people cast lots,” etc., as to place the rulers in direct contrast to the rest of the people, but must be understood by its retrospect to Nehemiah 7:4, which gives the following contrast: The rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem, but few of the people dwelt there; to this is joined the next sentence: and the rest of the people cast lots. The “rest of the people” does not mean the assembled people with the exception of the rulers, but the people with the exception of the few who dwelt at Jerusalem. These cast lots to bring ( להביא ) one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem. The predicate, the holy city, occurs here and Nehemiah 11:18 for the first time. Jerusalem is so called, on the ground of the prophecies, Joel 3:17 and Isaiah 48:2, because the sanctuary of God, the temple, was there. בּערים means, in the other cities of Judah and Benjamin. המּתנדּבים , those who showed themselves willing to dwell in Jerusalem, is taken by most expositors in contrast to those who were bound to do this in consequence of the decision of the lot; and it is then further supposed that some first went to Jerusalem of their free choice, and that the lot was then cast with respect to the rest. There are not, however, sufficient grounds for this conclusion, nor yet for the assumption that the decision of the lot was regarded as a constraint. The disposal of the lot was accepted as a divine decision, with which all had, whether willingly or unwillingly, to comply. All who willingly acquiesced in this decision might be designated as מתנדּבים ; and these departed to Jerusalem accompanied by the blessings of the people. Individuals are not so much meant, as chiefly fathers of families, who went with their wives and children.


Verses 3-6

The inhabitants of Jerusalem and the other cities . - Nehemiah 11:3 The title reads: “These are the heads of the province who dwelt at Jerusalem; and in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, Israel, the priests, the Levites, the Nethinim, and the sons of Solomon's servants.” המּדינה is, as in Ezra 2:1, the land of Judah, as a province of the Persian kingdom. The repetition of ישׁבוּ after יהוּדה בּערי is not to be understood as contrasting those who dwelt in the cities with the dwellers in Jerusalem in the sense of “but in the cities of Judah dwelt,” etc., but is here a mere pleonasm. Even the enumeration of the different classes of inhabitants: Israel, the priests, etc., clearly shows that no such contrast is intended; for Israel, the priests, etc., dwelt not only in Jerusalem, but also, according to Nehemiah 11:20, in the other cities of Judah. And this is placed beyond all doubt by the contents of the list following; the inhabitants of Jerusalem being enumerated vv. 4-24, and the inhabitants of the other cities of Judah and Benjamin, Nehemiah 11:25-36. If, however, this title refers to the whole of the following list, it cannot, as Rambach and others thought, contain only an enumeration of those who, in consequence of the lot, had taken up their residence at Jerusalem, but must be intended as a list of the population of the whole province of Judah in the times of Ezra and Nehemiah. It seems strange that the title should announce המּדינה ראשׁי , while in the list of the inhabitants of Jerusalem are given, besides the heads, the numbers of their brethren, i.e., of the individuals or fathers of families under these heads; and that in the list of the inhabitants of the other cities, only inhabitants of Judah and Benjamin are spoken of. Hence this statement refers a potiori to the heads, including the houses and families belonging to them, while in the case of the other cities it is assumed that the inhabitants of each locality were under a head. With Nehemiah 11:4 begins the enumeration of the heads dwelling in Jerusalem, with their houses; and the first clause contains a special title, which affirms that (certain) of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin dwelt at Jerusalem. On the parallel list of the inhabitants of Jerusalem before the captivity, 1 Chron 9:2-34, and its relation to the present list, see the remarks on 1 Chron 9.

Nehemiah 11:4-6

Of the children of Judah two heads: Athaiah of the children of Perez (comp. 1 Chronicles 2:4), and Maaseiah of the children of Shela. It has been already remarked on 1 Chronicles 9:5, that השּׁלני is wrongly pointed, and should be read השּׁלני . כּל־חזה is a proper name, as in Nehemiah 3:15. Athaiah and Maaseiah are not further known. There were in all four hundred and sixty-eight able-bodied men of the sons of Perez, i.e., four hundred and sixty-eight fathers of families of the race of Perez, among whom are probably included the fathers of families belonging to Shela, the younger brother of Perez.


Verses 7-9

Of the Benjamites there were two heads of houses: Sallu, and after him Gabbai-Sallai, with nine hundred and twenty-eight fathers of families. Their chief was Joel the son of Zichri, and Jehuda the son of Sennah over the city as second (prefect).


Verses 10-14

Of the priests: Jedaiah, Joiarib, and Jachin, three heads of houses, therefore of orders of priests (for בּן before Joiarib probably crept into the text by a clerical error; see rem. on 1 Chronicles 9:10); Seraiah, a descendant of Ahitub, as ruler of the house of God, and their brethren, i.e., the eight hundred and twenty-two ministering priests belonging to these three orders. Also Adaiah, of the house or order of Malchiah, and his brethren, two hundred and forty-two fathers of families; and lastly, Amashai, of the order of Immer, with one hundred and twenty-eight brethren, i.e., priests. And their chief was Zabdiel ben Haggedolim (lxx υἱὸς τῶν μεγάλων ). עליהם refers to all the before-named priests. לעבות ראשׁים heads of fathers, i.e., of families, Nehemiah 11:13, is striking, for the brethren of Adaiah ( אחיו ), in number two hundred and forty-two, could not be heads of houses, but only fathers of families. The words seem to have come into the text only by comparing it with 1 Chronicles 9:13. If they were genuine, we should be obliged to understand לעבות ראשׁים of fathers of families, contrary to general usage.


Verses 15-19

Of Levites, Shemaiah, a descendant of Bunni, with the members of his house; Shabbethai and Jozabad, “of the heads of the Levites over the outward business of the house of God,” i.e., two heads of the Levites who had the care of the outward business of the temple, probably charged with the preservation of the building and furniture, and the office of seeing that all things necessary for the temple worship were duly delivered. The names Shabbethai and Jozabad have already occurred, Nehemiah 8:7, as those of two Levites, and are here also personal names of heads of Levites, as the addition הלויּם מראשׁי informs us. As the office of these two is stated, so also is that of those next following in Nehemiah 11:17; whence it appears that Shemaiah, of whom no such particular is given, was head of the Levites charged with attending on the priests at the sacrificial worship (the האלהים בּית מלאכת , Nehemiah 11:22). The three named in Nehemiah 11:17, Mattaniah an Asaphite, Bakbukiah, and Abda a Jeduthunite, are the chiefs of the three Levitical orders of singers. Mattaniah is called התּחלּה ראשׁ , head of the beginning, which gives no meaning; and should probably, as in the lxx and Vulgate, be read התּהלּה ראשׁ : head of the songs of praise, - he praised for who praised, i.e., sounded the Hodu for prayer; comp. 1 Chronicles 16:5, where Asaph is called the chief of the band of singers. He is followed by Bakbukiah as second, that is, leader of the second band ( מאחיו משׁנה like משׁנהוּ , 1 Chronicles 16:5); and Abda the Jeduthunite, as leader of the third. All the Levites in the holy city, i.e., all who dwelt in Jerusalem, amounted to two hundred and eighty-four individuals or fathers of families. The number refers only to the three classes named Nehemiah 11:15-17. For the gatekeepers are separately numbered in Nehemiah 11:19 as one hundred and seventy-two, of the families of Akkub and Talmon.


Verses 20-24

Certain special remarks follow in Nehemiah 11:20. - Nehemiah 11:20 states that the rest of the Israelites, priests, and Levites dwelt in all the (other) cities of Judah, each in his inheritance. These cities are enumerated in Nehemiah 11:25.

Nehemiah 11:21

The Nethinim dwelt in Ophel, the southern slope of Mount Moriah; see rem. on Nehemiah 3:26. Their chiefs were Zihah and Gispa. ציחה occurs Ezra 2:43, followed by חשׂוּפא , as head of a division of Levites; whence Bertheau tries, but unsuccessfully, to identify the latter name with גּשׁפּא . For it does not follow that, because a division of Nethinim was descended from Hasupha, that Gishpa, one of the chiefs of those Nethinim who dwelt on Ophel, must be the same individual as this Hasupha.

Nehemiah 11:22-23

And the overseer (chief) of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, in the business of the house of God. The מלאכה of the house of God was the duty of the Levites of the house of Shemaiah, Nehemiah 11:15. Hence the remark in the present verse is supplementary to Nehemiah 11:15. The chiefs or presidents of the two other divisions of Levites - of those to whom the outward business was entrusted, and of the singers - are named in Nehemiah 11:16 and Nehemiah 11:17; while, in the case of those entrusted with the business of the house of God, Nehemiah 11:15, the chiefs are not named, probably because they were over the singers, the sons of Asaph, who in Nehemiah 11:15 had not as yet been named. This is therefore done afterwards in Nehemiah 11:22. מלאכת לנגד , coram opere , i.e., circa ea negotia, quae coram in templo exigenda erant (Burm. in Ramb.), does not belong to המּשׁררים , but to הלויּם פּקיד : Uzzi was overseer of the Levites in respect of their business in the house of God, i.e., of those Levites who had the charge of this business. The reason of this is thus given in Nehemiah 11:23 : “for a command of the king was over them, and an ordinance was over the singers concerning the matter of every day.” עליהם refers to the Levites. “A command of the king was over them” means: the king had commanded them. This command was concerning בּיומו יום דּבר , the matter of every day. The words stand at the end of the verse, because they refer to the two subjects המּלך and אמנה . אמנה is an arrangement depending upon mutual agreement, a treaty, an obligation entered into by agreement; comp. Nehemiah 10:1. The meaning of the verse is: The every-day matter was laid upon the Levites by the command of the king, upon the singers by an agreement entered into. בּיומו יום דּבר , pensum quotidianum , is correctly explained by Schmid: de rebus necessariis in singulos dies . That we are not to understand thereby the contribution for every day, the rations of food (Ramb., Berth.), but the duty to be done on each day, is obvious from the context, in which not provisions, but the business of the Levites, is spoken of; and Uzzi the Asaphite was placed over the Levites in respect of their business in the house of God, and not in respect of food and drink. The business of the Levites in the house of God was determined by the command of the king; the business of the singers, on the contrary, especially that one of the singers should exercise a supervision over the services of the Levites in worship, was made the matter of an אמנה , an agreement entered into among themselves by the different divisions of Levites. The king is not David, who once regulated the services of the Levites (1 Chronicles 23:4.), but the Persian king Artaxerxes, who is mentioned as המּלך in Nehemiah 11:24; and המּלך מצות undoubtedly refers to the full power bestowed by Artaxerxes upon Ezra to order all that concerned the worship of God at Jerusalem; Ezra 7:12.

Nehemiah 11:24

Finally, the official is named who had to transact with the king the affairs of the people, i.e., of the whole Jewish community in Judah and Jerusalem. Pethahiah, a Jew of the descendants of Zerah, was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people. המּלך ליד can scarcely be understood of a royal commissioner at Jerusalem, but certainly designates an official transacting the affairs of the Jewish community at the hand of the king, at his court.


Verses 25-36

The inhabitants of the towns of Judah and Benjamin . - The heads who, with their houses, inhabited country districts are here no longer enumerated, but only the towns, with their adjacent neighbourhoods, which were inhabited by Jews and Benjamites; and even these are but summarily mentioned.

Nehemiah 11:25-30

The districts inhabited by the children of Judah. “And with respect to the towns in their fields, there dwelt of the sons of Judah in Kirjath-arba and its daughters,” etc. The use of אל as an introductory or emphatic particle is peculiar to this passage, ל ,egassap being elsewhere customary in this sense; comp. Ew. §310, a . אל denotes a respect to something. חצרים , properly enclosures, signifies, according to Leviticus 25:31, villages, towns, boroughs, without walls. שׂדות , fields, field boundaries. בּנותיה , the villages and estates belonging to a town; as frequently in the lists of towns in the book of Joshua. Kirjath-arba is Hebron, Genesis 23:2. Jekabzeel, like Kabzeel, Joshua 15:21. חצריה , its enclosed places, the estates belonging to a town, as in Joshua 15:45. Jeshua, mentioned only here, and unknown. Moladah and Beth-phelet, Joshua 15:26-27. Hazar-shual, i.e., Fox-court, probably to be sought for in the ruins of Thaly; see rem. on Joshua 15:28. Beersheba, now Bir es Seba; see rem. on Genesis 21:31. Ziklag, at the ancient Asluj, see Joshua 15:31. Mekonah, mentioned only here, and unknown. En-rimmon; see rem. on 1 Chronicles 4:32. Zareah, Jarmuth, Zanoah, and Adullam in the plains (see Joshua 15:33-35), where were also Lachish and Azekah; see on 2 Chronicles 11:9. - In Nehemiah 11:30 the whole region then inhabited by Jews is comprised in the words: “And they dwelt from Beer-sheba (the south-western boundary of Canaan) to the valley of Hinnom, in Jerusalem,” through which ran the boundaries of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah (Joshua 15:8).

Nehemiah 11:31-35

The dwellings of the Benjamites. Nehemiah 11:31 The children of Benjamin dwelt from Geba to Michmash, Aija, etc. Geba, according to 2 Kings 23:8 and Joshua 14:10, the northern boundary of the kingdom of Judah, is the half-ruined village of Jibia in the Wady el Jib, three leagues north of Jerusalem, and three-quarters of a league north-east of Ramah (Er Ram); see on Joshua 18:24. Michmash ( מכמשׁ or מכמס ), now Mukhmas, sixty-three minutes north-east of Geba, and three and a half leagues north of Jerusalem; see rem. on 1 Samuel 13:2. Aija ( עיּא or עיּת , Isaiah 10:28), probably one with העי , Joshua 7:2; Joshua 8:1., the situation of which is still a matter of dispute, Van de Velde supposing it to be the present Tell el Hadshar, three-quarters of a league south-east of Beitin; while Schegg, on the contrary, places it in the position of the present Tayibeh, six leagues north of Jerusalem (see Delitzsch on Isa. at Isaiah 10:28-32, etc., translation), - a position scarcely according with Isaiah 10:28., the road from Tayibeh to Michmash and Geba not leading past Migron (Makhrun), which is not far from Beitin. We therefore abide by the view advocated by Krafft and Strauss, that the ruins of Medinet Chai or Gai, east of Geba, point out the situation of the ancient Ai or Ajja; see rem. on Joshua 7:2. Bethel is the present Beitin; see on Joshua 7:2. The position of Nob is not as yet certainly ascertained, important objections existing to its identification with the village el-Isawije, between Anâta and Jerusalem; comp. Valentiner (in the Zeitschrift d. deutsch. morgld. Gesellsch. xii. p. 169), who, on grounds worthy of consideration, transposes Nob to the northern heights before Jerusalem, the road from which leads into the valley of Kidron. Ananiah ( ענניה ), a place named only here, is conjectured by Van de Velde (after R. Schwartz), Mem . p. 284, to be the present Beit Hanina (Arab. hnı̂nâ ), east of Nebi Samwil; against which conjecture even the exchange of ע and ח raises objections; comp. Tobler, Topographie , ii. p. 414. Hazor of Benjamin, supposed by Robinson ( Palestine ) to be Tell 'Assur, north of Tayibeh, is much more probably found by Tobler, Topographie , ii. p. 400, in Khirbet Arsûr, perhaps Assur, Arab. ‛ṣûr , eight minutes eastward of Bir Nebâla (between Rama and Gibeon); comp. Van de Velde, Mem . p. 319. Ramah, now er Râm, two leagues north of Jerusalem; see rem. on Joshua 18:25. Githaim, whither the Beerothites fled, 2 Samuel 4:3, is not yet discovered. Tobler ( dritte Wand . p. 175) considers it very rash to identify it with the village Katanneh in Wady Mansur. Hadid, Ἀδιδά , see rem. on Ezra 2:33. Zeboim, in a valley of the same name ( 1 Samuel 13:18), is not yet discovered. Neballat, mentioned only here, is preserved in Beith Nebala, about two leagues north-east of Ludd (Lydda); comp. Rob. Palestine , and Van de Velde, Mem . p. 336. With respect to Lod and Ono, see rem. on 1 Chronicles 8:12; and on the valley of craftsmen, comp. 1 Chronicles 4:14. The omission of Jericho, Gibeon, and Mizpah is the more remarkable, inasmuch as inhabitants of these towns are mentioned as taking part in the building of the wall (Nehemiah 3:2, Nehemiah 3:7).

Nehemiah 11:36

The enumeration concludes with the remark, “Of the Levites came divisions of Judah to Benjamin,” which can only signify that divisions of Levites who, according to former arrangements, belonged to Judah, now came to Benjamin, i.e., dwelt among the Benjamites.