Nehemiah 3:17

the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani Here it may be noticed that the community is mentioned first, its representative afterwards. This variation from the usage in Nehemiah 3:7 is perhaps intended to give prominence to the work of the Levites or of a particular band of them.

Rehum, whose name is the same as that of one of the chief colleagues of Zerubbabel at the Return from Exile (Ezra 2:2), is perhaps to be identified with the Rehum in Nehemiah 10:25. Bani is mentioned in Nehemiah 9:5.

the ruler of the half part of Keilah R.V. the ruler of half the district of Keilah. This is in all probability to be identified with the Keilah of Joshua 15:44; 1 Samuel 23:1, a town about 15 miles S. W. of Jerusalem.

in his part R.V. for his part, i.e. for the district which he represented, in distinction from the district mentioned in the verse following.