Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Nehemiah 11:3-4
The Names Of The Chief Men Who Took Up Dwelling In Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:3).
A parallel list of those who ‘dwelt in Jerusalem' is found in 1 Chronicles 9, but it is widely different from this list, although having some parallels. We should note, however, that 1 Chronicles 9 does not say when the people that it lists began to live in Jerusalem, and it certainly contains the names of many not mentioned here (and vice versa). That may well be because the Chronicler was using information which informed him of who was living in Jerusalem prior to the time of Nehemiah, whilst Nehemiah is only recording the names of those who now took up residence in Jerusalem. Nehemiah may well be giving here the names of the children of Judah and Benjamin who moved into Jerusalem at this time, mainly ignoring the names of those who already lived in Jerusalem (as possibly given in 1 Chronicles 9). Thus it is noteworthy that in Nehemiah 11:1 of both Nehemiah 11 and 1 Chronicles 9 there are no parallels apart from the name ‘Sallu, the son of Meshullam'. But as there is good reason to believe that there were two men bearing this name, as the listing of their different ancestors demonstrates, there are really no parallels at all. The parallels only occur when we come to the priests and Levites. So 1 Chronicles 9 describes those who initially settled in the city during the period when it was unwalled. Nehemiah is now describing those who moved into the city now that it was walled, to join those described in 1 Chronicles 9 as already populating the whole city.
‘Now these are the chiefs of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem,'
That is, the chiefs who began to live in Jerusalem from this time forward. They were willing to make a personal sacrifice for the good of the nation. They did it because of their loyalty to God, and as an example to others. A good deal of building work would have to take place to make Jerusalem habitable (‘the houses had not been built' - Nehemiah 7:4), but again they probably ‘had a mind to work'. A dream was being fulfilled.
‘(But in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants).'
Meanwhile the remaining nine tenths of the people continued to dwell in their own cities, ‘every one in his own possession', where they possessed houses and land, and this included priests, Levites and Temple servants. For this verse compare Nehemiah 7:73. It would therefore appear to be a deliberate attempt to connect up chapter 7 with this passage, demonstrating the unity of purpose of these people with the first returnees, and that the situation continued. But its importance in its own right is found in the fact that it demonstrates that the whole of Judah continued to be populated because it had been given to them by God, and that many priests, Levites and Temple servants dwelt outside Jerusalem. The people were there because it was ‘their possession'. It was the land given to them by God.
‘And in Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin.'
The roll of honour of those who moved into Jerusalem is now given, and they are divided into their tribes. This division into tribes may indicate their protective role (consider the earlier ‘mustering of the tribes' in Numbers and in Judges). They were there to watch over the city, just as in the Book of Numbers the tribes had watched over the Tabernacle.