And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.
Parallel translations
- WEB The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.
- BSB Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.
- NKJV Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities.
- NASB Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine-tenths remained in the other cities.
- NLT The leaders of the people were living in Jerusalem, the holy city. A tenth of the people from the other towns of Judah and Benjamin were chosen by sacred lots to live there, too, while the rest stayed where they were.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Leaders settled in Jerusalem, and lots were cast so that one in ten of the rest would move into the holy city. This repopulated the vulnerable, sacred capital.
Overview
Though the walls were rebuilt, Jerusalem was thinly populated and exposed. By casting lots, the people trusted God to choose who would relocate, sharing the burden fairly. Living in 'the holy city' meant added risk and inconvenience, making this a costly act of devotion to God's chosen dwelling place — an early picture of the heavenly Jerusalem God is building (Hebrews 12:22).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Isa 48:2For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.
- Isa 52:1Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
- Neh 10:34And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:
- Neh 11:18All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four.
- Matt 4:5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
- Ps 122:5For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
- Deut 17:8–9If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;
- Prov 16:33The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
- 1 Chr 26:13And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.
- Josh 18:10And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
- Acts 1:24And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
- Matt 27:53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
- Judg 20:9–10But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;
- Neh 7:4–5Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 11:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.