Introduction Lots are cast that a tenth of the people may constantly dwell at Jerusalem, and the other nine parts in the other cities and villages, Neh 11:1. Some willingly offer themselves to dwell in Jerusalem, and the people bless them, Neh 11:2. An enumeration of the families that dwell in Jerusalem, of Judah, and Benjamin, Neh 11:3-9; of those of the priests, Neh 11:10-12; of the chiefs of the fathers, Neh 11:13; of the mighty men, Neh 11:14; of the Levites, Neh 11:15-18; of the porters, Neh 11:19; of the residue of Israel and the officers, Neh 11:20-24. The villages at which they dwelt, Neh 11:25-35. Certain divisions of the Levites were in Judah and Benjamin, Neh 11:36. Verse 1 To bring one of ten - Jerusalem certainly had many inhabitants at this time; but not sufficient to preserve the city, which was now encompassed with a wall, and the rebuilding of which was going on fast. Nehemiah therefore obliged one tenth of the country people to come and dwell in it, that the population might be sufficient for the preservation and defense of the city. Ten were set apart, and the lot cast among them to see which one of the ten should take up his residence in the city.

To dwell - That the buildings of the city might be compleated, and the safety of it better provided for.

Neh 11:1

The rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the residence of all the nobles from the first (see Neh 2:16); no increase could be made in this element of the population. Nehemiah had to look lower, and to obtain his new settlers from the ranks of the "people." The people … cast lots. No doubt under direction. The Jews had frequent recourse to the lot for the determining of doubtful matters, believing, as they did, that "the whole disposing thereof was of the Lord (Pro 16:33). Divine sanction had been given, in the course of the Jewish history, to the use of the lot for the selection of persons (Jos 7:16-18; 1Sa 10:19-21), for the distribution of lands (Num 26:25, Num 26:26), and for the determination of the order in which different bodies should execute an office (1Ch 24:5; 1Ch 25:8). In the democratic states of Greece it was used widely to determine between candidates for an office. One in ten. Ewald supposes that this was to be the proportion between the population of Jerusalem and the whole population of the country, and ascribes the fixing of the proportion to Zerubbabel. But there is no statement to this effect in either Ezra or Nehemiah, and the brief narrative of this verse seems to imply the addition of a tenth part of the country population to the previous population of Jerusalem, rather than the establishment of any definite proportion between the two. Nine parts. Literally, "nine hands," as in Gen 43:34; Gen 47:24.