Nehemiah 11:4–36

Of Judah there were in the holy city "four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men" — all "sons of Perez" or Pharez. They are traced back to the son of Judah, as evidence that they could show their genealogy. Of Benjamin there were nine hundred and twenty-eight… We find strong confirmation here that only the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, or representatives of these, were brought back from Babylon, apart from the priests and Levites.

As tribes, Judah and Benjamin only were restored, and so the remaining ten tribes are "lost" to this day, hidden, in the ways of God, among the peoples of the earth. But the time is fast approaching when they will be brought out of their hiding place, and set in security and blessing in their own land under the peaceful rule of their glorious Messiah.

This assembling in the holy city required much self-forgetfulness and devotion. The godly Israelite had to abandon the very inheritance he valued above all else. He had to leave those close to him, his vine and his fig tree. He had to exile himself willingly from things he had every reason to hold on to, since God had given them to him. He had to do so with no other purpose than to re-populate Jerusalem. But he was encouraged by a very high motive for this self-denial. He had understood that Zion was "the holy city," the city of God's free choice, the city which He loved more than any of the dwellings of Jacob.

It must be explained that Jerusalem was not then a very desirable place to live. The city's enemies were always at work, trying to destroy the fortifications and harm the people living there. There was much danger for anyone who lived in the city itself.

Son of Judah and Tamar, his daughter-in-law, through whom David descended. Gen. 38:29; Ruth 4:18; Matt. 1:3; Luke 3:33… The Hebrew is the same as PEREZ in 1 Chr. 27:3; Neh. 11:4, 6.

Pharez, the "breaker forth," breaks out into abundant fruit, which fills up all the later history of Judah. From this line come her kings, and her great King.

The record of their genealogy shows that they had not forgotten the land of their birth, and had not lost their identity among the nations. They had continued to prize their descent from Abraham as their greatest heritage, because it had placed them among a people favoured by Jehovah, among whom He Himself had dwelt. These, then, were not like Esau, who despised his birthright. They clung to it, through all their trouble and disgrace, as their God-given title to all their national expectations and hopes… The Jew kept this record by guarding the written proof of his descent. The Christian can only do so by walking in obedience, in the power of a Spirit he has not grieved.

This distribution shows that the walls were not built to confine the people of God, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside. That was right, according to the ordering of God.

Rightly used, the walls maintain the holiness of God's house. In this way they secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. If abused, they simply become the badge of a party and the security of a sect.

These two verses give a fine example of self-sacrifice. Certain men willingly offered themselves to live in Jerusalem, and the people blessed them for the willing sacrifice. We should explain that Jerusalem was not then a very desirable place to live. The enemies of the city were constantly active, trying to destroy the fortifications and harm the inhabitants. There was much danger for those who lived inside the city itself. For this reason the great majority of the returned captives preferred to live outside the walls of Jerusalem.

In the holy city there were "four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men" of Judah. All were "sons of Perez"; that is, their line goes back to that son of Judah, as evidence that they could show their genealogy. Of Benjamin there were nine hundred and twenty-eight… Here we find plenty of confirmation of one fact. Apart from the priests and Levites, only the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, or representatives of them, returned from Babylon.

Descendants of Shelah, son of Judah. Numbers 26:20. Apparently called Shilonites in 1 Chronicles 9:5.

Father of Zechariah. Nehemiah 11:5. But the passage may be read "Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite," as in the Revised Version.

It would have been no wonder if they had settled down in the country where they had been exiled. In the daily business of their lives they might have forgotten the land of their birth — they, or at least their children born in Babylon. They might have stopped remembering Jerusalem above their greatest joy, and lost their nationality by mixing with the Gentiles. The record of their genealogy shows that they had not done so… It is a great thing for saints at any time to keep the record of their genealogy. The Jew did it by guarding the written proof of his descent. The Christian can only do so by walking in obedience, in the power of an ungrieved Spirit. He alone can enable us to cry "Abba, Father," and He Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

Presenting their title was necessary (see Ezra 2:59, 62) for their claim to live in the holy city to be accepted. And as in Ezra, so here: the responsibility for producing the title rested on those who made the claim.

Son of Col-hozeh: he helped to build the wall of Jerusalem. Nehemiah 3:15.

Notice again that despite the devastation of Jerusalem, everyone who came to live in it finds a place to occupy. Here we have those who "did the work of the house" (v. 12) and those who were "over the outward work of the house of God" (v. 16). There are those who sing thanksgiving in prayer (v. 17), those who keep watch at the gates (v. 19), and the singers (v. 22). In a word, each one of them fulfils his functions as though everything were in order and, for His part, God takes account of this.

In the holy city, Judah had "468 valiant men" — all "sons of Perez." That is, they are traced back to the son of Judah, as evidence that they could show their genealogy. Here we find plenty of confirmation that, apart from the priests and Levites, only the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, or representatives of these, were brought back from Babylon. As tribes, only Judah and Benjamin were restored. So the remaining ten tribes are "lost" to this day, hidden, in the ways of God, among the peoples of the earth. But the time is fast approaching when they will be brought out of their hiding place, and set in security and blessing in their own land under the peaceful rule of their glorious Messiah.

Perez, the "breaker forth," breaks out into a huge family, which fills all the later history of Judah. From him come her kings, and her great King.

The record of their genealogy shows… that they had kept on prizing their descent from Abraham as their greatest heritage. It had put them among a people favoured by God, a people among whom He Himself had dwelt… What is more, they had to present their title before their claim to live in the holy city could be admitted. As in Ezra, so here — and we would stress this: the responsibility of producing the title rested on those who made the claim. It is well to remember this in a day of profession. All alike, on the ground of that profession, assert their rights to the most blessed privileges of Christianity. They treat it as a proof of narrowness and lack of love if their demands are not recognized at once.

The opening of this chapter gives a splendid example of self-sacrifice. Certain men willingly offered themselves to live in Jerusalem, and the people blessed them for the willing sacrifice. Jerusalem was not then a very desirable place to live. The enemies of the city were constantly active, seeking to destroy the walls and harm the people inside. So most of the returned captives preferred to live outside the walls. It was decided that every tenth man should live in Jerusalem, and the decision was made by lot. But then these volunteers came forward and showed self-denial and courage.

The need for such a method made clear how few had returned to God's Land. We have already learned that "the city was wide and large, but the people within it were few" (7:4). And yet, if their numbers were small their zeal for the house of God was great.

This distribution shows that the walls were not built to fence God's people in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as within. That was right, because God had ordered it so.

The rest of the chapter records the names of those who did live there. It also gives some details of their positions and the work they did. Their names may mean little to us, but they may matter in the coming day of Israel's restoration and blessing.

The subject of Chapter 11 is the distribution of the people in the city and the province. This distribution gave Jerusalem a certain number of the children of Judah (4-6), and of Benjamin (7-9); a good number of priests (10-14); some Levites (15-18); and the gatekeepers (19).

Here is a splendid example of self-sacrifice. Certain men willingly offered themselves to live in Jerusalem, and the people blessed them for the willing sacrifice. Jerusalem was not then a very desirable place to live. The enemies of the city were always at work, trying to destroy its defences and harm the people in it. There was much danger for those who lived in the city itself. So most of the returned captives preferred to live outside the walls of Jerusalem.

While Jerusalem lay in ruins, she could attract the people of God in only one way. They had to see her with the eyes of faith, from the viewpoint of her future glory. Going to Jerusalem meant leaving everything else behind. That took a decision which faith alone could give and hope alone could sustain. It could be nothing but an act of love and willing devotion for the city of the great King. It was a self-denial that not everyone shared, and that God did not demand of them.

In the holy city Judah had "468 valiant men" — all "sons of Perez." The record traces them back to the son of Judah, as evidence that they could show their genealogy. Benjamin had 928… Here we find plenty of confirmation that, apart from the priests and Levites, only the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, or representatives of these, were brought back from Babylon… As tribes, only Judah and Benjamin were restored. So the remaining ten tribes are "lost" to this day, hidden, in the ways of God, among the peoples of the earth. But the time is fast approaching — perhaps not until Christ appears — when God will bring them out of their hiding place and set them in security and blessing in their own land, under the peaceful rule of their glorious Messiah.

For seventy years they had been in Babylon. We know ourselves how strongly such a place shapes people. It would have been no wonder if they had settled down in the land of their exile. It would have been no wonder if the work and business of daily life had made them — or at least their children born in Babylon — forget the land of their birth. They could have stopped remembering Jerusalem above their chief joy. They could have lost their nationality by mixing with the Gentiles. The record of their genealogy shows that they had not done so… It is a great thing for saints at any time to keep the record of their genealogy. The Jew did it by guarding the written testimony to his descent. The Christian can only do so by walking in obedience.

Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside. That was right, according to the ordering of God. Remember that a whole nation went into captivity, not only the citizens of Jerusalem. And it was a remnant of this nation that returned.

Here is another register of names recorded in God's book, and not forgotten by Him. Some day the Lord will be their Rewarder for their faithful service, as He will be the Rewarder of all His people.

In the holy city there were "four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men" of Judah. They were all "sons of Perez"; that is, they are traced back to the son of Judah. This was evidence that they could show their genealogy. Of Benjamin there were nine hundred and twenty-eight. We find here plenty of confirmation that, apart from the priests and Levites, only the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, or representatives of these, were brought back from Babylon.

These two verses give a splendid example of self-sacrifice. Some men freely offered to live in Jerusalem, and the people blessed them for their willing sacrifice. Jerusalem was not then a very desirable place to live. Its enemies never stopped trying to destroy the fortifications and harm the people inside. Living in the city itself was dangerous. So most of those who came back from exile preferred to live outside the walls.

This assembling in the holy city required much self-forgetfulness and devotion. The devoted Israelite had to abandon the very heritage he valued above all else. He had to leave those close to him, his vine and his fig tree. He had to exile himself by choice from things he had every reason to hold on to, since God had given them to him. And he had to do it with no other purpose than to re-populate Jerusalem. But the very high motive for this self-denial encouraged him. He had understood that Zion was "the holy city" (vv. 1, 18). It was the city of God's free choice, the city which He loved more than any of the dwellings of Jacob.

Here is another register of names recorded in God's book, and not forgotten by Him. The list names the children of Judah and the children of Benjamin. It names the priests who acted as temple officials, the Levites, the Nethinim, and those with special callings. Some day the Lord will be their Rewarder for their faithful service, as He will be the Rewarder of all His people.

The walls and gates were not put up so that a few inside might claim an exclusive right to the house of the Lord. They were not put up to shut out those outside from coming to the house. If those inside had made such a claim, it would have been the height of presumption. It would also have been the worst possible abuse of the walls and gates. It would have meant using them to exalt themselves, to shut many of the Lord's people out of their privileges, and to deny the rights of the Lord.

Notice again that despite the devastation of Jerusalem, everyone who came to live in it finds a place to fill. Here we have those who "did the work of the house" (v. 12) and those who were "over the outward work of the house of God" (v. 16). There are those who sing thanksgiving in prayer (v. 17), those who keep watch at the gates (v. 19), and the singers (v. 22). In a word, each one carries out his duties as though everything were in order. And for His part, God takes account of this.

Joel. Son of Zichri, and overseer of the Benjaminites in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:9.

Chapter 11 is about how the people settled in the city and the province. This distribution puts in Jerusalem a certain number of the children of Judah (4-6), and of Benjamin (7-9); a large number of priests (10-14); some Levites (15-18); and the gatekeepers (19).

Everything was to be done in a fitting and orderly way. Each man was to do the work God appointed him, and each had his own proper place.

Notice again that despite the devastation of Jerusalem, everyone who came to live in it finds a place to fill. … In a word, each one carries out his duties as though everything were in order — and for His part, God takes account of this. All this happens, without doubt, in a time of misery and ruin. But is it a small thing in God's eyes that they recognised the order He had set up, and carried it out despite the ruin, looking on to a time of perfection still to come? This poor remnant in Jerusalem has the noble and valuable task of linking the time of Solomon's past glory with the time of the Messiah's coming glory — and they do it during days of humiliation and shame!

The rest of the chapter records the names of those who did live there. It also gives some details of their positions and the service they gave. Their names may mean little to us, but they may be important in the coming day of Israel's restoration and blessing.

It was all well organized. We do not find such appointments in the New Testament. But we do find the Spirit of God present. He can arrange everything in a better and more orderly way than any scheme of appointing people to each sort of service.

The subject of Chapter 11 is the distribution of the people in the city and the province. This distribution filled Jerusalem with a certain number of the children of Judah (4-6) and of Benjamin (7-9). It also brought in a large number of priests (10-14), some Levites (15-18), and the gatekeepers (19).

These two verses give a splendid example of self-sacrifice. Certain men offered themselves of their own accord to live in Jerusalem, and the people blessed them for the willing sacrifice. It should be explained that Jerusalem was not then a desirable place to live. The enemies of the city never stopped working to destroy its defences and harm the people in it. There was much danger for those who lived in the city itself. So most of the returned captives preferred to live outside the walls of Jerusalem. One man in ten was to live in Jerusalem, and the lot decided which men. But then these volunteers came forward and showed self-denial and courage.

In the middle of her present ruin, Jerusalem could attract the people of God only if they looked at her with the eyes of faith, from the viewpoint of her future glory. To go there and leave everything else took a decision that faith alone could give and hope alone could sustain. It could only be an act of love and free devotion to the city of the great King. Such self-denial was not everyone's portion, and God did not require it of them.

For seventy years they had been in Babylon. It would have been no wonder if they had settled down in the country of their exile. They, or at least their children born in Babylon, could have forgotten the land of their birth and lost their nationality by mixing with the Gentiles. The record of their genealogy shows that they had not done so. They had gone on prizing their descent from Abraham as their chief heritage. It had put them among a people favoured by Jehovah, a people among whom He Himself had dwelt. So these were not like Esau, who despised his birthright. They clung to it through all their trouble and reproach, as their God-given title to all their national expectations and hopes.

From verse 10 to verse 14, we have the account of the priests... Altogether they numbered 1,152. Of these Seraiah was "the ruler of the house of God," while no fewer than 822 did the work of the house. This was a blessed privilege for both, whatever the responsibilities that went with the offices God had given them in His grace.

Notice again that despite the devastation of Jerusalem, everyone who came to live in it finds a place to fill... In a word, each one does his work as though everything were in order, and God, on His side, takes account of this. All this happens in a time of misery and ruin. But in God's eyes, is it a small thing that they recognise the order He set up, and keep to that order despite the ruin, looking on to a time of perfection still to come? This poor remnant of Jerusalem has a noble and valuable mission: it links the past glory of Solomon with the coming glory of the Messiah. And it does this in days of humiliation and shame.

Rightly used, the walls maintain the holiness of God's house and so secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. If abused, they simply become the badge of a party and the security of a sect.

The priesthood belonged only to the sons of Aaron, so they had to keep their family records. When the people came back from the exile, some could not show that they descended from Aaron, and they lost their place in the priesthood. Ezra 2:62.

The record of their genealogy shows that they had not forgotten who they were. They still prized their descent from Abraham as their greatest heritage, because it had placed them among a people favoured by the LORD, a people among whom He Himself had lived. So they were not like Esau, who despised his birthright. They held on to it through all their trouble and shame... It is a great thing for God's people at any time to keep the record of their family line. The Jew did it by guarding the written proof of his descent. The Christian can only do it by walking in obedience, in the power of a Spirit he has not grieved. Only that Spirit enables us to cry "Abba, Father," and He Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

Among them Seraiah was "the ruler of the house of God," while as many as eight hundred and twenty-two were busy with the work of the house. Both had a rich privilege, whatever responsibilities came with the offices God's grace had given them. There are still "rulers" of the house of God. But no one can fill the post properly without the necessary qualifications. (See, for example, 1 Tim. 3:1-7.) All may now help with the work of the house, if they are living in their priestly place in the holiest.

Only the priests could serve at the altar or in the holy places. Yet the Levites also had a rich place of service... Today believers are both priests and Levites. When they are in the holiest, offering God the sacrifice of praise through Christ, or when they do good and share with others, they act as priests (Heb. 13:15-16). When they are busy for the Lord in other kinds of service, they show the character of the Levite. The same distinction runs through the Church of God. Bishops — that is, the men described in the letters (1 Tim. 3; Titus 1) — are rulers in the house of God, matching Seraiah in verse 11. Deacons (see Acts 6) are like these Levites, busy with the "outward business" of the assembly.

There is little to say here except that the Lord takes pleasure in recording even the names of His servants... He has not only been a dwelling place for His own in every generation; He also honours those who honour Him. He records their names in His word now, and He will glorify them in the great day that is coming fast.

Notice again that despite the devastation of Jerusalem, everyone who came to live there finds a place to fill. Here are those who "did the work of the house" (v. 12) and those "over the outward work of the house of God" (v. 16). Here too are those who sing thanksgiving in prayer (v. 17), those who keep watch at the gates (v. 19), and the singers (v. 22). In short, each one carries out his duties as though everything were in order, and God, for His part, takes note of it... This poor remnant in Jerusalem has a noble and valuable mission: to link the past glory of Solomon's day with the coming glory of the Messiah. And they do it in days of humiliation and shame!

From verse 10 to verse 14 we have the account of the priests, with the ancestry of their chief carefully set out. Altogether they numbered 1,152. Of these Seraiah was "the ruler of the house of God," while no fewer than 822 were occupied in the work of the house. This was a blessed privilege, whether for the one or for the others, whatever the responsibilities tied to the offices assigned to them in the grace of God. There are "rulers" of the house of God still, but none can rightly fill the post unless they have the necessary qualifications.

All may now help in doing the work of the house, if they are living according to their priestly place in the holiest. For the work in this case was the work that belonged to them as priests. Only those who are filling their priestly office can rightly take part in priestly service.

Notice again that, despite the devastation of Jerusalem, everyone who came to live there finds a place to occupy. Here we have those who "did the work of the house" (v. 12). There are those who were "over the outside work of the house of God" (v. 16), those who sing thanksgiving in prayer (v. 17), those who keep watch at the gates (v. 19), and the singers (v. 22). In a word, each one of them carries out his functions as though everything were in order, and God, for His part, takes account of this.

This poor remnant of Jerusalem has a noble and valuable mission. They link the time of Solomon's past glory with the time of the Messiah's coming glory, and they do it during days of humiliation and shame!

The record of their genealogy shows that they had not lost their nationality by mixing in with the Gentiles. They had gone on valuing their descent from Abraham as their greatest inheritance, because it placed them among a people favoured by the LORD, and He Himself had dwelt among them. These, then, were not like Esau, who despised his birthright. They clung to it, through all their trouble and disgrace, as their God-given title to all their national expectations and hopes.

It is a great thing for believers at any time to preserve the record of their genealogy. The Jew did it by guarding the written testimony to his descent. The Christian can only do so by walking in obedience, in the power of a Spirit he has not grieved. That Spirit alone can enable us to cry "Abba, Father," and He Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

If their numbers were small, their zeal for the house of God was great. So those outside the city — "the rest of the people" — wanted to support the house and the city. They cast lots, and in self-denial gave up every tenth man to live inside the walls. They also showed their goodwill by blessing those "who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem."

From verse 10 to verse 14 we have the account of the priests, and the family line of their chief is carefully stated. Altogether they numbered 1,152. Of these, Seraiah was "the ruler of the house of God," while as many as 822 were busy in the work of the house. This was a blessed privilege for both, whatever the responsibilities that came with the offices God's grace had given them. There are "rulers" of the house of God still. But no one can rightly fill the post unless he has the necessary qualifications. (See, for example, 1 Tim. 3:1-7.) All may now help with the work of the house, if they are living according to their priestly place in the holiest place. For this work belonged to them as priests, and only those who are filling their priestly office can rightly share in priestly service.

These two verses give a splendid example of self-sacrifice. Certain men willingly offered themselves to live in Jerusalem, and the people blessed them for their willing sacrifice. It should be explained that Jerusalem was not a desirable place to live at that time. The enemies of the city were constantly at work, trying to destroy its defences and harm the people living there. There was much danger for those who lived in the city itself. So most of the returned captives preferred to live outside the walls of Jerusalem. It was decided that every tenth man should live in Jerusalem, and the decision was made by lot. But then these volunteers came forward and showed self-denial and courage.

The way the people were spread through the land matters when you look at it together with the walls and the gates, the great subject of the book of Nehemiah. This spread clearly shows that the walls were not built to shut the people of God in, or to shut anyone out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside, and rightly so, according to God's ordering.

The record of their family line shows that they had not forgotten who they were. They went on prizing their descent from Abraham as their greatest inheritance, because it placed them among a people favoured by the Lord, a people He Himself had lived among. So they were not like Esau, who despised his birthright. They held on to it, through all their trouble and shame, as their God-given title to everything their nation expected and hoped for. It is a great thing for believers at any time to keep the record of their family line. The Jew did it by guarding the written proof of his descent. The Christian can only do it by walking in obedience, in the power of an ungrieved Spirit, who alone can enable us to cry "Abba, Father."

Here is another register of names recorded in God's book, and not forgotten by Him. The children of Judah, the children of Benjamin, the priests who acted as temple officials, the Levites, the Nethinim (the temple servants), and those with special callings are all named. Some day the Lord will be their Rewarder for their faithful service, as He will be the Rewarder of all His people.

Are not the verses divided in the wrong place here? This verse should end at "two" in the third line, and verse 13 should also end at "two," and then run on to "great men" at the end of verse 14. However, that is how it stands in the Hebrew.

From verse 10 to verse 14 we have the account of the priests. The genealogy of their chief men is also carefully stated. Altogether they numbered 1,152. Of these Seraiah was "the ruler of the house of God," while no fewer than 822 were busy in the work of the house. This was a blessed privilege for the one and for the others alike, whatever responsibilities came with the offices God assigned to them in His grace.

In verse 13 the text calls the priests "able men for the work of the service of the house of God." Serving the house of God needs the same strength as combat does. The two duties are very different, but both call for the same spiritual energy.

Of one doorkeeper's sons it is said that they were rulers in their father's house, that they were mighty men of valour, able men in strength for the service. We do not think often enough that the doorkeepers' service, like that of the priests, required these qualities. It is not enough to say that this humble task needs humility, dependence, zeal, and self-forgetfulness. Strength and valour are needed too.

All things were to be done in decency and order; each was to do the work divinely appointed, and each had his due place.

All was well organized. We do not find such appointments in the New Testament. But we do find the Spirit of God present. He can order everything in a better and more orderly way than appointing people to each kind of service could.

It is a great thing for saints at any time to preserve the record of their genealogy. The Jew did it by guarding the written record of his descent. The Christian can only do it by walking in obedience, in the power of an ungrieved Spirit. That Spirit alone enables us to cry "Abba, Father," and He Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

And yet, if their numbers were small their zeal for the house of God was great.

It is well for us if we recognise and accept circumstances of outward weakness. Then we will not be turned aside from the path of separation because those who take it are few… Does it not encourage and hearten us to remember that what we maintain in weakness will be displayed in glory?

Some of these Levites "had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God." Only the priests could serve at the altar or in the holy places. Still, the Levites had a blessed place of service. God first gave them to Aaron (a picture of Christ) for the service of the tabernacle (Num. 3), for all the work of the house of God outside the priestly office.

In Israel there were different orders of Levites, each with its own duties. In the same way, those who had to serve tables (Acts 6:1–4) were doing true Levitical service. All of them served God's people, whether they taught or only cared for the needs of the poor. The Master calls these servants, and they take up the service gladly, not because they are forced to.

We might be tempted to think less of practical service, which deals with material things in the Lord's work. But the Lord judges it quite differently. At the start of Christianity, men were chosen to "serve tables," and they had to be "of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (Acts 6:2, 3). In 1 Timothy 3 Paul describes what a deacon must be. Study that list, and you see that even practical service for the Lord needs spiritual qualifications.

Some prize above everything else the privilege of standing in God's presence as worshippers. Others count it the highest favour to be allowed to serve. But the Christian life is complete only when the two go together. Elijah is one example. "As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand," he says. He lived inside, and so he was ready to serve outside. So the one who most enjoys his priestly privilege will be the best fitted for his Master's service.

Believers today are both priests and Levites. When they are in the holiest place, offering God the sacrifice of praise through Christ, or when they "do good" and "share what they have," they are acting as priests (Heb. 13:15–16). When they are busy for the Lord in other kinds of service, they show the Levitical character instead.

Shabbethai the Levite was more guilty than the others, both because of his position and because he joined himself to Meshullam. Yet we have the joy of seeing him later helping the people to understand the law, and then set over the outward business of the house of God (Neh. 8:7; Neh. 11:16).

All things were to be done in decency and order; each was to do the work divinely appointed, and each had his due place.

Only the priests could serve at the altar or in the holy places. Still, the Levites had a blessed place of service. They were first given to Aaron (a picture of Christ) for the service of the tabernacle, for all the work of God's house outside the priestly office. At present believers are both priests and Levites. When they are in the holiest, offering the sacrifice of praise to God through Christ, or when they "do good" and "share what you have," they are acting as priests. When they are busy for the Lord in other kinds of service, they show more of the Levitical character.

One man is specially mentioned, though others were associated with him, who was "the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer." There is nothing like this in the service of the Levites in the wilderness, for the wilderness was not a place of song or praise. This office dates from the time of David, who "appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel." That explains why the record traces Mattaniah's line back to Asaph. It also shows the care taken to restore the service of praise "according to the directions of David king of Israel."

All things were to be done in decency and order; each was to do the work divinely appointed, and each had his due place.

All these details are given to show how complete for the moment was the restoration of divine order in the holy things of Jehovah's house among these children of the captivity. Man's will had worked long enough, and now, once more back in the land of their fathers, the land of promise and hope, their one desire is that Jehovah alone should govern — that everything should be in accordance with His word.

All this fitted the order that God had then set up. But now the hour has come when the true worshippers worship the Father in spirit and truth. Only those whom the Holy Spirit leads can "begin the thanksgiving in prayer."

In the Church of God praise should stand out, and it should overflow even more than in Judaism. We praise the Lord as the One who has accomplished a full redemption for us through the sufferings of the cross, and who has been raised in glory to the right hand of God. Do we need appointments to offer such praise? Certainly not. The Spirit of God draws out the praise and thanksgiving of our hearts in voluntary worship.

Never forget that the Lord Himself is the Leader of our praises. As He said, "in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise." So it is a serious matter to give out a hymn that is to carry the praises of the saints at that moment, since the Lord Himself is the great song-leader.

At this time it was little more than a desolate heap of ruins, so most of the people had no way to make a living there. But it had always been the seat of authority, and it was still "the holy city." So the rulers, who would also be men of means, would settle inside its sacred walls. If they were men of faith, they would see it not as it stood before their eyes, but as it would be in a future day — as "the city of the great King," and so "the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth."

The city was "large and great, but the people were few therein." It reminds us that they were still very weak in outward circumstances, however bright the zeal of the remnant and whatever revival in their moral condition had come. God had opened a door of escape from captivity, but "few" had taken up God's goodness. God's city is "large and great," though few of God's people value its greatness. And as it was in the day of Nehemiah so it is in our day.

The Levites follow the priests (vv. 15-18), but in all they numbered only two hundred and eighty-four. Among them were some who "had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God." Only the priests could serve at the altar or in the holy places. Still, the Levites had a blessed place of service. They were first given to Aaron, who pictures Christ, for the service of the tabernacle (Num. 3) — for all the work of the house of God outside the priestly office... Today believers are both priests and Levites. When they are in the holiest, offering the sacrifice of praise to God through Christ, or when they "do good" and "share what they have," they are acting as priests (Heb. 13:15-16). When they are busy for the Lord in other kinds of service, they show the Levitical character instead.

The walls and the gates are the great subject of the book of Nehemiah. How the people were spread through the land matters when we set it beside them. That spread shows that the walls were not built to shut the people of God in, or to shut them out. There were children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites living outside the walls as well as inside, and rightly so according to the ordering of God.

Notice again that despite the devastation of Jerusalem, everyone who came to live in it finds a place there to fill... In a word, each one of them carries out his duties as though everything were in order, and on His side God takes account of this. All of this happens, no doubt, in a time of misery and ruin. But is it a small thing in God's eyes that they should recognize the order He had set up? Is it a small thing that they should carry out this order, despite the ruin, looking on to a time of perfection still to come? This poor remnant of Jerusalem has the noble and valuable mission of linking Solomon's past glory with the Messiah's coming glory. And they do it during days of humiliation and shame!

The gatekeepers had charge of the gates. Their responsibility was to admit only those who had the proper qualifications to enter the city and approach the house, and to refuse all others.

The doorkeepers had charge of all the gates of the temple. They had to be able to drive back any attempt against the house of God. They had to watch with constant energy, so that no defiled person entered the courts of the Lord. But they also had to keep the doors open, so that they never shut out a priest who had the right to enter the temple.

This spread of the people shows plainly that the walls were not built to shut the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside, and rightly so, in keeping with God's ordering.

Without the walls, no one could keep the house in the holiness that suits God's house for ever. Without the house, the walls would only have fenced in a select group lifting themselves up by keeping others out. Used rightly, the walls guard the holiness of God's house and so secure its privileges for all the people of God. Abused, they become nothing but the badge of a party and the security of a sect.

The singers gave the Lord His portion. Only the redeemed can sing the songs of Zion. So the gatekeepers must carry out their responsibilities faithfully, if the Lord is to have His portion. To let in those without divine qualifications is to admit people who cannot sing. Slackness in the gatekeepers means loss to the singers. Where the gatekeepers are slack, worship is lost.

Gatekeepers are mentioned first, and the work carries serious responsibility. They must let in everyone who should be in and keep out everyone who should be out. So they need to tell the difference between those who made false claims and those who were true. The Church of God today needs such gatekeepers, but the Church has no authority to appoint them. Instead, since the Spirit of God lives in the Church, He will move godly men to do this needed work willingly, with no appointment at all.

We need not go into every detail. All of them are recorded to show how complete, for the moment, the restoration of divine order was in the holy things of Jehovah's house among these people back from captivity. Man's will had worked long enough. Now they are once more in the land of their fathers, the land of promise and hope, and their one desire is that Jehovah alone should govern, and that everything should match His word.

Here we find plenty of confirmation of one fact. Apart from the priests and Levites, only two tribes were brought back from Babylon: Judah and Benjamin, or representatives of them. Individual members of other tribes may have been there. Anna, for example, was "of the tribe of Asher" (Luke 2:36). That does not affect the statement at all. As tribes, only Judah and Benjamin were restored. So the remaining ten tribes are "lost" to this day, hidden among the peoples of the earth in the ways of God. But the time is fast approaching when they will be brought out of their hiding place. That may not happen until our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ appears. Then they will be set in safety and blessing in their own land, under the peaceful rule of their glorious Messiah.

Everything was to be done decently and in order; each was to do the work God appointed, and each had his own proper place.

All these details show one thing. For the moment, God's order was fully restored in the holy things of the Lord's house among these people who came back from captivity. Human will had been at work long enough. Now they were back in the land of their fathers, the land of promise and hope. Their one desire is that the Lord alone should govern — that everything should be according to His word.

Where the people settled across the land matters, and it matters in connection with the walls and the gates. These are the great subject of the book of Nehemiah. This spread of the people shows plainly that the walls were not built to fence the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside. That was right, and it followed God's own ordering. Remember that a whole nation went into captivity, not only the citizens of Jerusalem, and it was a remnant of that nation that returned.

God brought the people back to the land to build the house. Once the house was built, the walls became necessary to keep it holy. Without the walls the house could not be kept in the holiness that suits God's house for ever. Without the house the walls would only have fenced in a select group seeking their own exaltation by shutting others out. Used rightly, the walls keep God's house holy, and so secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. Abused, they become the badge of a party and the security of a sect.

Here too the order is not perfect. Judah even goes a little beyond its limits at Beersheba. Yet alongside these defects there was a real desire in each one to occupy the place God assigned to him.

This shows us that God has a deep concern about where people live, and takes full account of it. Too often the people of God think only about what suits themselves when they decide where to live. They weigh whether a job there promises a high salary. They ask whether the place is near friends or relatives, or whether the neighbourhood seems pleasant. If such things pull at us too hard, should we not stop and consider that the Lord has a vital interest in this matter? Do we put His interests first? What about living near a gathering of believers where we can be a blessing to others?

The name means "given, devoted ones." It was used of those who helped the Levites in the service of the tabernacle and the temple. The Gibeonites were made "cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar" (Joshua 9:27). They are not mentioned after 2 Samuel, so they and their descendants may have been the Nethinim. It does not seem that God appointed them, as He did the Levites. Instead, "David and the princes" appointed them "for the service of the Levites" (Ezra 8:20). Some of the Midianite captives were also given to the Levites (Numbers 31:46-47). Along with the priests and Levites, they paid no tribute, custom or toll (Ezra 7:24). After the return from exile the Nethinim are called the "servants of this house of God."

There were still less than forty Levites, while there were two hundred and twenty Nethinim. In the self-indulgent ease of Babylon, the nation's hopes and privileges had lost all practical power over their minds. This is one more proof of it. Beside the laziness of the Levites, it is beautiful to see how many Nethinim (probably of a foreign race) obeyed Ezra's summons.

In our day they would perhaps match those who do many services behind the scenes. Many things are necessary and have to be done week by week. People may often take them for granted, but someone has to do them.

There again the order is not perfect. But along with these defects goes a real desire in each one to take the place God assigned him. So the Nethinim live in Ophel, part of the city of David. It lay outside the new wall, but close to the temple, which they reached through the water gate.

All these details show how complete, for the moment, the restoration of divine order was in the holy things of Jehovah's house among these people who had come back from captivity. Man's will had worked long enough. Now they are back in the land of their fathers, the land of promise and hope. Their one desire is that Jehovah alone should govern, and that everything should be in line with His word. But in the middle of this beautiful revival, there are reminders of their sad condition compared with the past. Gentile authority appears even in connection with the house of God.

These modest duties are very valuable in the eyes of the Lord. See how gladly God registers all the names of their fathers. It is the same today. It may be serving tables, passing the bread and the cup, or taking care of the "upper room." The Lord forgets none of it. He registers the names of those who have kept the charge of this service just as deservedly as any others.

All these details show how complete the restoration of divine order was, for the moment, in the holy things of the Lord's house among these people returned from captivity. Human will had worked long enough. Now, back in the land of promise and hope, their one desire is that the Lord alone should govern — that everything should be according to His word.

Only the priests could serve at the altar or in the holy places. Still, the Levites had a blessed place of service. At the first they were given to Aaron (Christ) for the service of the tabernacle (Numbers 3), for all the work of the house of God outside the priestly office. Today believers are both priests and Levites. When they stand in the holiest and offer the sacrifice of praise to God through Christ, or when they "do good" and "share what they have," they are acting as priests (Hebrews 13:15-16). When they are busy for the Lord in other kinds of service, they show the Levitical character instead.

The singers gave the Lord His portion. Only the redeemed can sing the songs of Zion. So the porters must carry out their responsibilities faithfully, if the Lord is to have His portion. To let in those without divine qualifications is to admit those who cannot sing. Laxity on the part of the porters will mean loss to the singers. Worship is lost where the porters are lax.

There is no such care shown for any other branch of Levitical service. Why such particular care about the singers? Because none must be allowed to sing except those who have the right. And who now has the right to sing? Redemption gives the right. Should there be songs for slaves? Whether to a willing or a groaning slave, deliverance must come first, and with it comes the appointment to sing.

The Levites in the wilderness had no such service of song, for the wilderness was not a place of song or praise. This office dates from the time of David, who appointed Levites to thank and praise the Lord before the ark. That explains why the genealogy is traced back to Asaph, and it shows the care taken to restore the service of praise as David king of Israel had directed.

This was the occupation of the singers: praising the Lord "day and night" (1 Chronicles 9:33). It is a shadow of the endless occupation of the redeemed in heaven (Revelation 5). It is a blessed service — if service is the right word for it — and the church has the privilege of tasting it here on earth while waiting for the return of our blessed Lord.

Here we have those who "did the work of the house," those who were "over the outward work of the house of God," those who sing thanksgiving in prayer, those who keep watch at the gates, and the singers (v. 22). In a word, each one fulfils his function as though everything were in order, and God, on His side, takes account of this... This poor remnant of Jerusalem has the noble and valuable mission of linking Solomon's past glory with the Messiah's coming glory.

All was well organised. We do not find such appointments in the New Testament. But we do find the Spirit of God present. He can set everything in better order than appointing people to each kind of service could. The singers picture the kind of ministry that encourages the joy of the saints of God.

We learn their work from another passage. "These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting until Solomon built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they performed their service according to their order" (1 Chronicles 6:31-32). The Psalmist refers to these when he says, "Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!" (Psalm 84:4). This was the singers' occupation — praising the Lord "day and night" (1 Chronicles 9:33). It is a shadow of the unending work of the redeemed in heaven (Revelation 5).

All these details show how complete, for the moment, the restoration of divine order was in the holy things of Jehovah's house among these children of the captivity. Man's will had worked long enough. Now they are back in the land of their fathers, the land of promise and hope, and their one desire is that Jehovah alone should govern — that everything should match His word. But in the middle of this beautiful revival, there are reminders of how sad their condition is compared with the past. Gentile authority shows up even in connection with the house of God.

It was sad beyond all words that the singers in the temple of the Lord should depend for support on a Gentile monarch. They were Levites, and the willing-hearted gifts of the people were to support them (see Deuteronomy 12:11-12; Deuteronomy 26:12-13). They had no part or inheritance with their brothers among the children of Israel. But the people who had returned from Babylon were few in number... they were servants in the land God had given to their fathers, and altogether in great distress (Nehemiah 9:36-37). So they could not provide for these singers. God in His mercy had given them some reviving in their bondage. Still, He would have them remember that their present condition was the fruit of their past ways. His chastening hand had placed them under Gentile authority, and owning that rule was part of their obedience to His will.

See, however, Nehemiah 10:37 and Nehemiah 12:44-47. Still, the remarks above must stand, since the verse points straight to the king's commandment. Probably the people failed in this as in everything else.

They acknowledge the promise made to Abraham, the bringing of the people into Canaan because of that promise, and their later failure. Yet they place themselves again under the obligations of the law, while confessing the goodness of God who had spared them. They do not see beyond a conditional and Mosaic restoration. Neither the Messiah nor the new covenant has any place as the foundation of their joy or their hope. They are, and they continue to be, in bondage to the Gentiles.

It is this position that the Book of Nehemiah definitely brought out. It is the king's commandment that provides for the maintenance of the singers. A Jew was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people (Nehemiah 11:23-24).

Singers were also appointed in Jerusalem, those who by singing expressed praise to the God of Israel. Surely in the Church of God praise should be prominent, and even more overflowing than in Judaism. We praise the Lord as the One who has won a full redemption for us through the sufferings of the cross. God has raised Him in glory to His right hand. Do we need appointments to offer such praise? Not at all.

Without going into every detail, we can say that all of this shows one thing. For the moment, divine order was fully restored in the holy things of the Lord's house among these people back from captivity. Man's will had worked long enough. Now they were once more in the land of their fathers, the land of promise and hope. Their one desire is that the Lord alone should govern — that everything should follow His word. But in the middle of this beautiful revival come reminders of their sad condition, so unlike the past. Gentile authority appears even in connection with the house of God.

Son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Judah: he was at the king of Persia's hand "in all matters concerning the people."

It was sad beyond words that the singers in the temple of the Lord had to depend for support on a Gentile king. They were Levites, and the willing gifts of the people were meant to support them... But the people who had returned from Babylon were few. They and their cattle were at the mercy of foreign rulers. They were servants in the land God had given to their fathers, and they were in great distress.

God in His mercy had given them some reviving in the middle of their bondage. Still, He would have them remember that their present condition was the fruit of their past ways. It was the chastening of His hand that had put them under Gentile authority. So owning that authority was part of their obedience to His will.

They see nothing beyond a restoration that is conditional and under the law of Moses. Neither the Messiah nor the new covenant has any place as the foundation of their joy or their hope. They are, and they go on being, in bondage to the Gentiles... It is the king's commandment that provides support for the singers. A Jew was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people (Neh. 11:23-24).

God's mercy had restored the people, but only with the permission of the Gentile authority, and they were still under it. That position made it necessary for the king to know all the matters that concerned them. Pethahiah was at his hand to give him the information he needed. He was, as it were, the representative of his people. It is a shadow, however faint, of Him who is at the right hand of God, gone into heaven to appear in the presence of God for us. How blessed for us to remember that there is One at the right hand of God in all matters concerning the people He has redeemed!

Pethahiah was appointed to care for the details of the people's needs. In the Church of God, shepherds (or pastors) should do such work. They need no appointment at all. They serve gladly, out of real love for the Lord and real concern for the souls of believers.

The spread of the people throughout the Land is important. You have to see it alongside the walls and the gates, which are the great subject of the Book of Nehemiah. That spread shows plainly that the walls were not built to fence the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as within. This was right, and it was God's own ordering. We must remember that it was a nation that went into captivity, not only the citizens of Jerusalem, and it was a remnant of this nation that returned.

Without the house, the walls would only have enclosed a select company seeking their own exaltation by shutting others out. Used rightly, the walls keep the holiness of God's house, and so they secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. Abused, they simply become the badge of a party and the safety of a sect.

The Canaanite name, meaning 'city of Arba', of the city later called Hebron.

In answer to the faith of Caleb, Joshua blessed him and gave him Hebron as an inheritance. Hebron means "communion", so Caleb pictures a man blessed with the special sweetness of communion with the One he was devoted to.

Everything was to be done in a fitting and orderly way; each was to do the work God appointed, and each had his due place.

It is not otherwise now, if we heed the word of the Lord. Those who bear His name are scattered and in an unusual state, and that makes the difficulty great. But the presence of the Holy Spirit removes all excuse for lack of power. And the written word remains the standard and test of obedience.

The rest of the chapter states where the children of Judah settled, in the different cities and villages, and where the children of Benjamin settled. These notices mean little to us. But the Jews of a later day will no doubt read them with intense interest.

How different it will be in the coming day of Jerusalem's glory. Then indeed the city will still be "large and great," but no longer will the people be few. In that day the Land will be too narrow because of the number of people living in it. Of the city they will say, "The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in" (Isa. 49:14-21). This reminds us that reformation, restoration and revivals, however bright and blessed, fall far short of the glory that is to come. Does it not encourage us to remember that what we maintain in weakness will be displayed in glory?

Moladah. A city in the south of Judah. People lived in it again when they returned from exile. Joshua 15:26; Joshua 19:2; 1 Chronicles 4:28; Nehemiah 11:26.

Beth-palet. A town in the south of Judah, Joshua 15:27. It is called Beth-phelet in Nehemiah 11:26.

The subject of chapter 11 is how the people were distributed in the city and in the province. As a result, Jerusalem has some of the children of Judah (4-6) and of Benjamin (7-9). It also has a good number of priests (10-14), some Levites (15-18), and the gatekeepers (19). Then in the province we find the rest of Israel: priests, Levites and Nethinim (20, 21); the children of Judah (25-30); and Benjamin (31-35).

How the people were spread through the land matters, and we should look at it together with the walls and the gates. These are the great subject of the book of Nehemiah. The spread of the people shows plainly that the walls were not built to shut God's people in, nor to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside. That was right, for God had ordered it so.

Without the walls, the house could not be kept in the holiness that is fitting for God's house for ever. Without the house, the walls would only have fenced in a chosen few who sought their own honour by shutting others out. Used rightly, the walls keep God's house holy, and so they secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. Misused, they become nothing more than the badge of a party and the safety of a sect.

Verses 25 to 36 list the cities of Judah and Benjamin where those who returned from Babylon lived. Here again the order is not perfect. Judah even reaches a little beyond their limits at Beer-sheba. But alongside these faults there is a real desire in each one to take the place God assigned to him.

It is no different now, if we heed the word of the Lord. Those who bear His name are scattered and out of order, and that makes the difficulty great. But the presence of the Holy Spirit cuts off every excuse for lack of power. And the written word remains the standard and test of obedience.

The rest of the chapter states where the children of Judah lived, in the different cities and villages, and where the children of Benjamin lived... These notes mean little to us, but Jews of a later day will surely read them with intense interest.

Where the people settled throughout the land matters, because the walls and the gates are the great subject of the Book of Nehemiah. This spread of the people shows that the walls were not built to shut the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside, and rightly so, according to the ordering of God. We must remember that a whole nation went into captivity, not only the citizens of Jerusalem. It was a remnant of that nation that returned.

Without the house the walls would only have fenced in a select group who wanted to lift themselves up by shutting others out. Used rightly, the walls keep God's house holy, and so they secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. If people abuse them, they simply become the badge of a party and the safety of a sect.

This name means well of the oath. It belongs to the place where Abraham and Abimelech made an agreement not to trouble each other, and confirmed it with an oath. Later Abraham lived there, and so did Isaac, who also dug a well there, and a city came to bear the same name. It became part of Simeon's share of the land. After the land was settled, Scripture speaks of it again and again as the most southern part of the land they held. Dan stands for the most northern. So "from Dan to Beersheba" was the common expression for the whole territory, even in the days of Solomon… When the exiles returned, some of them lived at Beersheba, and from there northward to the valley of Hinnom.

The prophet Amos warns the people not to trust in any place of fame or of past blessing, such as Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba. The glory of all of them had faded. They must seek the Lord, and then they would live.

Verses 25 to 36 list the cities of Judah and Benjamin where those who returned from Babylon lived. Here again the order is not perfect. Judah even spreads a little beyond its limits at Beersheba. But along with these defects goes a real desire in each one to take the place God assigned to him.

Each one fulfills his duties as though everything were in order, and God, for His part, takes account of this… This poor remnant of Jerusalem has a noble and valuable mission. They link the time of Solomon's past glory with the time of the Messiah's coming glory. And they do this during days of humiliation and shame!

The rest of the chapter states where the children of Judah lived in the different cities and villages, and also the children of Benjamin… These notices mean little to us, but the Jews of a later day will surely read them with intense interest.

Verses 25-36 list the cities outside of Jerusalem with their nearby villages… But this shows us that God cares deeply about where people live, and takes full account of it. Too often God's people think only of their own advantage when deciding where to live: a job that pays well, a place near friends or relatives, a pleasant neighbourhood… Do we consider His interests first? What about being near a gathering of believers where we can be a blessing to others?

The subject of Chapter 11 is the distribution of the people in the city and the province. As a result of this distribution Jerusalem is peopled by a certain number of the children of Judah (4-6), and of Benjamin (7-9); a considerable number of priests (10-14); some Levites (15-18); and the porters (19). Then in the province we find the residue of Israel, composed of priests, Levites and Nethinim (20, 21); the children of Judah (25-30); and Benjamin (31-35).

Where the people settled across the land matters. We must set it beside the walls and the gates, the great subject of the book of Nehemiah. This pattern shows plainly that the walls did not exist to fence God's people in, or to lock them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside, and rightly so, because God ordered it that way.

Used rightly, the walls keep God's house holy and so secure the privileges of God's house for all God's people. Abused, they become no more than the badge of a party and the safety of a sect.

A city in the south of Judah, which Achish, one of the Philistine kings, gave to David. The Amalekites burned it down and carried off the people living there while David was away, but the captives and the plunder were recovered. Later it belonged again to the tribe of Judah. Scripture lists the warriors who came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive, and so while the nation rejected David. 1 Chr. 12:1-22. Amasai, chief of the captains, said, "We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you." Cheering words to a man in that position! They seem to picture those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while the world at large still rejects Him.

City inhabited on the return from exile. Neh. 11:28. Identified by some with ruins at el Mekenna.

Verses 25 to 36 enumerate the cities of Judah and Benjamin inhabited by those who returned from Babylon. There again the order is not perfect; Judah even goes out a little distance from their limits at Beer-sheba. But these defects are accompanied by a real desire on the part of each one to occupy the place assigned to him by God.

Verses 25-36 list the cities outside Jerusalem with their nearby villages. Some lie in the area of Judah and some in Benjamin (vv. 25, 36), because Jerusalem sat almost on the border of these two tribes. But here God shows us that He cares deeply about where people live, and takes full account of it. Too often God's people weigh only their own advantage in deciding where to live. They ask whether the work there pays well, whether the place is near friends or relatives, or whether the neighbourhood looks pleasant.

The rest of the chapter comprises a statement of the location of the children of Judah in the different cities and villages, and also of the children of Benjamin. The former dwelt from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom; the latter in the several places named; and of the Levites were divisions in Judah and in Benjamin. These notices, of little significance to us, will doubtless be consulted with intense interest by the Jews of a later day.

The subject of Chapter 11 is the distribution of the people in the city and the province. As a result of this distribution Jerusalem is peopled by a certain number of the children of Judah (4-6), and of Benjamin (7-9); a considerable number of priests (10-14); some Levites (15-18); and the porters (19). Then in the province we find the residue of Israel, composed of priests, Levites and Nethinim (20, 21); the children of Judah (25-30); and Benjamin (31-35).

"Ain and Rimmon," says Keil, "count as towns of the tribe of Simeon. Scripture writes them without the joining word 'and,' so Joshua 19:7 and 1 Chronicles 4:32 treat them as one name... But after the captivity people also called them 'En-Rimmon,' and Nehemiah 11:29 gives them as one single place. They were probably so close together that in time they grew into one."

The third city that armed against Gibeon was Jarmuth, which means "elevation." Its king was Piram, a name that means "the wild donkey." False religion likes to raise itself high. But does a wild donkey belong in a high place? The wild donkey pictures man in his rebellious, independent state, yet Piram held the high place. Such pride must be taken down.

The spread of the people through the Land matters when you look at it together with the walls and the gates. They form the great subject of the Book of Nehemiah. This spread shows that the walls were not built to shut the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as within, and they were right to do so, in keeping with God's ordering.

The people were brought back to the Land to build the house. Once the house was built, the walls became necessary to keep it holy. Without the house, the walls would only have enclosed a select company who sought their own exaltation by shutting others out. Used rightly, the walls keep God's house holy, and so they secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. If people abuse them, they simply become the badge of a party and the safety of a sect.

Everything was to be done in a decent and orderly way. Each man was to do the work God appointed him, and each had his own proper place.

For seventy years they had been in Babylon. It would have been no wonder if they had settled down in the country of their exile, and if they, or at least their children born in Babylon, had forgotten the land of their birth, stopped setting Jerusalem above their chief joy, and lost their nationality by mixing with the Gentiles. The record of their genealogy shows that they had not done so. They had continued to prize their descent from Abraham as their greatest heritage, because it had put them among a people favoured by the Lord, and in the middle of whom He Himself had dwelt. So these people were not like Esau, who despised his birthright. They clung to theirs through all their trouble and shame, as their God-given title to everything their nation expected and hoped for.

These notes mean little to us. No doubt the Jews of a later day will read them with intense interest.

The prophet Amos warns the people not to trust in any places of renown or of former blessing, such as Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba; the glory of all had faded: they must seek the LORD, and they would live. When the exiles returned, some of them lived at Beersheba, and from there northward to the valley of Hinnom.

It was a fortified city on the route running north to south. It was garrisoned by Rehoboam when the kingdom divided. It was taken by Sennacherib, and among the slabs discovered at Nineveh is one showing the king sitting on his throne, with captives from Lachish kneeling before him, while his troops, passing in review, display the spoils they have taken. The inscription reads, "Sennacherib, king of multitudes, king of Assyria, sits upon a lofty throne, and the spoil of the city of Lachish passes before him."

All things were to be done in decency and order; each was to do the work divinely appointed, and each had his due place.

Verses 25 to 36 list the cities of Judah and Benjamin where those who returned from Babylon lived. Here again the order is not perfect; Judah even goes out a little beyond their limits at Beersheba. But these defects go together with a real desire on the part of each one to occupy the place God assigned to him.

The distribution of the people throughout the land matters when we view it alongside the walls and the gates. These are the great subject of the book of Nehemiah. This distribution shows that the walls were not built to fence the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites all lived outside the walls as well as inside. That was right, according to God's ordering.

Rightly used, the walls maintain the holiness of God's house and so secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. If abused, they simply become the badge of a party and the security of a sect.

The rest of the chapter states where the children of Judah settled in the different cities and villages. It does the same for the children of Benjamin. The former lived from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom (v. 30). The latter lived in the several places named. And of the Levites there were divisions in Judah and in Benjamin. These notes mean little to us. But the Jews of a later day will no doubt read them with intense interest.

Each one of them fulfils his function as though everything were in order, and God, on His side, takes account of this. All this happens, no doubt, in a time of wretchedness and ruin. But is it a small thing in God's eyes that they recognised the order He had set up, and carried it out despite the ruin, looking on to a time of perfection still future? This poor remnant of Jerusalem has the noble and valuable mission of linking Solomon's past glory with the Messiah's coming glory. They do it during days of humiliation and shame.

Chapter 11 is about how the people were spread between the city and the province. … Then in the province we find the rest of Israel: priests, Levites and temple servants (20, 21); the children of Judah (25-30); and Benjamin (31-35).

How the people were spread through the land matters when you look at it alongside the walls and the gates, the great subject of the Book of Nehemiah. This spread shows plainly that the walls were not built to shut the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside, and rightly so, because God ordered it that way.

Everything was to be done properly and in order. Each person was to do the work God appointed, and each had his own place.

It is no different now, if we pay attention to the word of the Lord. Those who bear His name are scattered and out of order, and that makes it hard. But the presence of the Holy Spirit leaves us no excuse for having no power, and the written word remains the standard and test of obedience.

When the kingdom divided, Benjamin stayed with Judah, but Israel took a large part of its land. At times the tribe seems to drop out of sight. Ahijah said that God had kept one tribe for the house of David, as if Benjamin were counted as cut off in judgement (1 Kings 11:36). People spoke of the two tribes as 'Judah,' whereas the ten tribes were called 'Israel.' On the return from the captivity, Benjamin had its share of blessing with Judah. Ezra 1:5; Ezra 10:9; Neh. 11:4-36.

Joshua took it by a trick, after Israel was driven back the first time because of Achan sin. The city was burned and left a 'heap.' … It stood near Bethel, in Benjamin's portion, and it seems to have been rebuilt, since Ezra 2:28 and Nehemiah 7:32 mention it. The Aiath of Isaiah 10:28 and the Aija of Nehemiah 11:31 are probably the same place as Ai.

When the kingdom divided, Bethel fell to Israel, and Jeroboam set up one of the golden calves there, to stop the Israelites going to Jerusalem to worship. An altar was set up and sacrifices offered to the idol, but a man of God condemned it, and the altar was torn apart. 1 Kings 12:29-33 … no one destroyed that idol altar until the days of Josiah. 2 Kings 23:4, 15, 17, 19. Among those who returned from exile were men of Bethel, and people lived in the place again. Ezra 2:28; Neh. 7:32; Neh. 11:31.

The rest of the chapter states where the children of Judah lived in the different cities and villages, and where the children of Benjamin lived. … These notes mean little to us, but Jews of a later day will surely read them with intense interest.

We should indeed realize that without separation from evil it is impossible to maintain the holiness of God's house. But we should also realize the grave danger of abusing that undoubted truth of separation. It can be used to form a select company which shuts out many of the people of God, denies the Lord His rights, and in the end loses the very truth of the house of God which a true separation from evil would maintain.

Where the people settled across the land matters, and it must be seen together with the walls and the gates, which are the great subject of the Book of Nehemiah. This spread of the people shows that the walls were not built to shut the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites, lived outside the walls as well as inside, and that was right, because God had ordered it so. We must remember that it was a nation that went into captivity, not only the citizens of Jerusalem, and it was a remnant of this nation that returned.

A city in the tribe of Benjamin, where Ahimelech the priest lived with the tabernacle of the Lord. David came there when he fled from Saul, and he and his men ate the holy bread. The priest also gave him the sword of Goliath. Then Doeg betrayed them, and this led to the death of Ahimelech, his father's house, and everyone living in the city of Nob.

Yet at such a moment Jeremiah's uncle asked him to buy a field. What! When they were all about to be swept out of the land and carried into captivity! Should he then buy a field? What reason could there be for such a deal? But it was Jehovah who told him to do it. That buying was a testimony of the greatest value. It showed that despite the ruin, despite the destruction of the city, Jeremiah believed the Jews would return to their property, and that people would still farm the land and build houses there.

All things were to be done in a fitting and orderly way. Each was to do the work God appointed, and each had his due place (vv. 20-36).

The rest of the chapter tells where the children of Judah settled in the different cities and villages, and where the children of Benjamin settled. The first group lived from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom (v. 30). The second lived in the various places named. Of the Levites, some divisions lived in Judah and some in Benjamin. These notes mean little to us, but the Jews of a later day will surely read them with intense interest.

The subject of Chapter 11 is the distribution of the people in the city and the province. Some of the children of Judah and of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem, with a good number of priests, some Levites, and the gatekeepers. Then in the province we find the rest of Israel: priests, Levites and Nethinim (20, 21); the children of Judah (25-30); and Benjamin (31-35).

These notices seem of little importance to us. Yet the Jews of a later day will no doubt study them with intense interest.

All things were to be done in decency and order; each was to do the work divinely appointed, and each had his due place.

Place where the Benjamites resided after the return from exile. Neh. 11:33.

City of Benjamin. It stood on the border between Judah and Israel. Baasha, king of Israel, tried to build up the place as a fort against Asa, king of Judah. Asa stopped him: he asked the king of Syria to attack Israel, and sent him a rich present of gold and silver. Joshua 18:25; 1 Kings 15:17-22; Jer. 31:15; Jer. 40:1. Called RAMA in Matt. 2:18.

The spread of the people throughout the Land matters when we look at it together with the walls and the gates. These form the great subject of the Book of Nehemiah. For this spread shows that the walls were not put up to confine the people of God on the one hand, or to shut them out on the other. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as within, and rightly so, according to the ordering of God. We must remember that it was a nation that went into captivity, and not only the citizens of Jerusalem. It was a remnant of this nation that returned.

The measures of discipline applied to everyone who had returned to God's Land, and not only to those living in Jerusalem. So they take for granted that the interest of every Israelite is tied to the prosperity of God's house. They also take for granted that those living in the province are as necessary for the upkeep of that house as those who lived inside the city. The priests and Levites within the walls may have more to do with the service of the house. But the story makes it very clear that those within the walls depended on those outside for their daily food.

Without the walls the house could not be kept in the holiness that suits God's house for ever. Without the house the walls would only have enclosed a select company seeking to lift themselves up by shutting others out. Rightly used, the walls maintain the holiness of God's house and so secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. If abused, they simply become the badge of a party and the security of a sect.

The subject of Chapter 11 is the distribution of the people in the city and the province... In the province we find the rest of Israel: priests, Levites and temple servants (20, 21); the children of Judah (25-30); and Benjamin (31-35).

City occupied by Benjamites on the return from exile. Neh. 11:34. Identified with Beit Nabala, 31° 59' N, 34° 57' E.

Lydda in the New Testament is none other than the Lod of 1 Chr. 8:12; Ezra 2:33; Neh. 7:37 and Neh. 11:35, called Ludd or Lidi to this day... Ono, Hadid, and Neballat, linked with Lod long ago, can still be clearly recognised under their modern names.

How the people were spread through the Land matters when you look at it alongside the walls and the gates, which are the great subject of the Book of Nehemiah. This spread of the people shows plainly that the walls were not built to shut the people of God in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites, lived outside the walls as well as inside, and they were right to do so, because God had ordered it. We must remember that it was a nation that went into captivity, not only the citizens of Jerusalem, and it was a remnant of this nation that returned.

So let us see this clearly. God brought the people back to the Land to build the house. Once the house was built, the walls became necessary to keep it holy. Without the walls, the house could not be kept in the holiness that suits God's house for ever. Without the house, the walls would only have fenced in a favoured group who wanted to raise themselves up by shutting others out. Used rightly, the walls keep God's house holy, and so they secure the privileges of God's house for all the people of God. Abused, they simply become the badge of a party and the safety of a sect.

Everything was to be done properly and in order. Each person was to do the work God appointed, and each had his own place.

The rest of the chapter states where the children of Judah lived in the different cities and villages, and where the children of Benjamin lived... These records mean little to us, but no doubt the Jews of a later day will study them with intense interest.

How different it will be in the coming day of Jerusalem's glory! The city will still be wide and large, but the people will no longer be few. In that day the Land will be too small for all who live in it, and of the city they will say, "The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in" (Isa. 49:14-21)... There had been reformation in the days of the kings. There had been restoration in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, and these restored saints had enjoyed their revivals. But whether reformation, restoration or revival, it always came in outward weakness. It is no different today... Though the house of God takes in all His people, it will always be only a "few" who are ready to walk by its principles and so enjoy its privileges.

The way the people were spread through the land is important. You have to see it alongside the walls and the gates, which are the great subject of the book of Nehemiah. This spread of the people makes it plain that the walls were not put up to shut God's people in, or to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites all lived outside the walls as well as inside, and that was right, since God had ordered it so. Remember that a whole nation went into captivity, not only the citizens of Jerusalem, and it was a remnant of that nation that returned.

Without the walls the house could not stay in the holiness that fits God's house for ever. Without the house the walls would only have fenced in a chosen few, who sought their own greatness by shutting others out. Used rightly, the walls guard the holiness of God's house. So they secure the privileges of that house for all the people of God. Misused, they just become the badge of a party and the safety of a sect.

It is as if they said, Do not be so narrow and exclusive. Do come down from your sacred enclosure to "one of the villages in the plain of Ono." "Let us meet together." Come down, and give us your approval. Do you ask what this plain of Ono was? Turn to Nehemiah 11:35, "Lod and Ono, the valley of craftsmen." Leave the one centre of worship inside the walls of Jerusalem, and come down to one of the villages of "the craftsmen." They knew well what would happen if the true worship of God was set up inside that divine enclosure. They would feel as the Ephesians did later on: their trade was in danger. "Men," said the men of Ephesus, "you know that from this business we have our wealth."

Some may like to know that the Lydda of the New Testament is none other than the Lod of 1 Chronicles 8:12, Ezra 2:33, Nehemiah 7:37 and Nehemiah 11:35. It is called Ludd or Lidi to this day... Ono, Hadid and Neballat, long linked with Lod, can still be recognised clearly enough under their modern names.

This poor remnant in Jerusalem has the noble and valuable mission of linking the time of Solomon's past glory with the time of the Messiah's coming glory, and they do it in days of humiliation and shame! ... Verses 25 to 36 list the cities of Judah and Benjamin where those who returned from Babylon settled. Here again the order is not perfect. Judah even goes a little beyond its limits at Beer-sheba. Yet alongside these faults runs a real desire in each one to take the place God assigned to him.

The rest of the chapter states where the children of Judah settled in the different cities and villages, and where the children of Benjamin settled too... These notes mean little to us, but the Jews of a later day will no doubt read them with intense interest.

Judah lived from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom. Benjamin lived in the various places named. And of the Levites there were divisions in Judah and in Benjamin. These notes mean little to us. But the Jews of a later day will no doubt read them with intense interest.

Everything was to be done in decency and order. Each was to do the work God appointed, and each had his due place.

Once the inheritance had been described, the Levites received their portion. As a tribe they have no territory, so God allotted them forty-two cities scattered throughout Israel. This shows the unbending judgment of God — "I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel." It also shows His grace, which rejoices over judgment and turns it into a means of blessing. Scattered through the land, yet linked with God's centre at the tabernacle, the Levites would answer to the meaning of their name. And as "joined" to all the tribes, they would unite them into one whole.

Where the people lived across the land is important, and we should view it together with the walls and the gates. These form the great subject of the book of Nehemiah. This spread of the people shows that the walls were not put up to confine the people of God, nor to shut them out. Children of Judah and Benjamin, priests and Levites lived outside the walls as well as inside — and rightly so, by God's own ordering. We must remember that a whole nation went into captivity, not only the citizens of Jerusalem, and a remnant of that nation returned.

We should indeed realise that without separation from evil we cannot maintain the holiness of God's house. But we should also realise a grave danger. Separation is an undoubted truth, yet people abuse it to form a select company. Such a company shuts out many of the people of God, denies the Lord His rights, and in the end loses the very truth of the house of God that a true separation from evil would maintain.

Verses 25-36 list the cities outside Jerusalem with their nearby villages. Some lie in the area of Judah and some in Benjamin (vv. 25, 36), for Jerusalem sat almost on the border of these two tribes. But this shows us that God has a vital concern about where people live, and takes full account of it. Too often the people of God weigh only the advantages to themselves when they decide where to live — whether work in a certain place promises a high salary, whether a location is near friends or relatives, or whether the neighbourhood seems pleasant. If such things attract us too strongly, should we not stop and consider that the Lord has a vital interest in this matter? Do we consider His interests first?