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.
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.
- KJV 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.
- 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.
- 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 48:2(for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Israel; Yahweh of Armies is his name):
- Isa 52:1Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.
- Neh 10:34We cast lots, the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on Yahweh our God’s altar, as it is written in the law;
- Neh 11:18All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four.
- Matt 4:5Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple,
- Ps 122:5For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David’s house.
- Deut 17:8–9If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates; then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses.
- Prov 16:33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh.
- 1 Chr 26:13They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate.
- Josh 18:10Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
- Acts 1:24They prayed, and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen
- Matt 27:53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
- Judg 20:9–10But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
- Neh 7:4–5Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.