Nehemiah 11:25-36

Nehemiah also recorded the names of the towns and villages of *Judah.

We do not know much about the people in this chapter. They lived many years ago, but they did an important job for Nehemiah and for God. God cares about all sorts of people. And he is pleased when they serve him well.

Often Nehemiah also recorded the names of the families and the *ancestors of the people. The people in *Judah were part of God’s plan to save the world by Jesus Christ. (Jesus was a *Jew.) So it was important for *Jews to know about their *ancestors. Then they would know that they really were *Jews. The priests and *Levites could only do their special work if they were genuine *descendants of Levi (Nehemiah 7:63-65). (The priests were *descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Aaron was a *descendant of Levi.)

Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews worshipped God.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much. But some people worship false gods instead of the real God.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
lots ~ a method that seems to choose something by chance. But people would pray about the decision. They asked God to control the lots. And they believed that the decision came from God.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
Israelites ~ the people from the country called Israel. But the word is sometimes used to mean the people who came from the country called Judah too.
Israel ~ the entire nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two. The northern part became a separate country, called Israel. Then, the inhabitants were called Israelites.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
Levites ~ the people of one of the 12 families of Israel; they acted as assistants to the priests in the temple.
Israel ~ the entire nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two. The northern part became a separate country, called Israel. Then, the inhabitants were called Israelites.
temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews worshipped God.
Israelites ~ the people from the country called Israel. But the word is sometimes used to mean the people who came from the country called Judah too.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much. But some people worship false gods instead of the real God.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
descendant ~ a future member of a family.
sin ~ when people do bad things against God or other people; when people do not obey the commands of God.
worship ~ to praise God and to give thanks to him; to show honour to God and to say that we love him very much. But some people worship false gods instead of the real God.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God by the Jews. They gave such a gift when they asked God to forgive their sins. The gift was often an animal or a bird. Sometimes people offered sacrifices to thank God for something.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
sin ~ when people do bad things against God or other people; when people do not obey the commands of God.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
tithe ~ one tenth (1/10th or 10%25). The law said that the people must give a 10th of the harvest of oil, grain and wine to God. This 10th part was called a ‘tithe’.
Israel ~ the entire nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two. The northern part became a separate country, called Israel. Then, the inhabitants were called Israelites.
Israelites ~ the people from the country called Israel. But the word is sometimes used to mean the people who came from the country called Judah too.
Judah ~ the south part of the nation that belonged to the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After the death of King Solomon, the nation split into two, and Judah became a separate country. Then, the inhabitants were called Jews. Judah was also the name of a son of Jacob. God gave the region called Judah to this man’s (Judah’s) descendants.
Jews ~ all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Or, just the people from the country called Judah.
ancestors ~ people from the same family in previous centuries.
exile ~ a period when people cannot live in their own country. This period may be for many years.