25. some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba—The whole region in which the villages here mentioned were situated had been completely devastated by the Chaldean invasion; and, therefore, it must be assumed, that these villages had been rebuilt before "the children dwelt in them." read more
B. The Residents of the Land 11:1-12:26When the exiles returned to the Promised Land, living in Jerusalem was not an attractive prospect because the city lay in ruins. However, with the rebuilding of the temple and the walls, the capital became a more desirable place to live. Nehemiah as governor saw the wisdom of populating Jerusalem with pureblooded Jews and set about to encourage the people to live within the city walls. Most of this section of the book (Nehemiah 11:3 to Nehemiah 12:26) is a... read more
2. The residents of the outlying towns 11:25-36The towns south of Jerusalem, from the Hinnom Valley just south of the city as far as Beersheba, were those in the territory belonging to the tribe of Judah. Those north of Jerusalem stretching to the neighboring province of Samaria were towns of Benjamin. These were the two sections of the Persian province of Yehud (Judah). Nehemiah mentioned 17 prominent towns in Judah here (Nehemiah 11:25-30), and 15 in Benjamin (Nehemiah 11:31-35). The Levites... read more
Measures to Supplement the Population of Jerusalem1. This v. resumes the subject of the paucity of population in Jerusalem: see Nehemiah 7:4. The rulers were already residing in the capital, and means were now taken to transport thither a proportion of the commons that had made their homes in the country towns (Nehemiah 11:3). The city had received fortifications; but these were useless unless they were manned.3. The province] i.e. Judæa: Ezra 5:8.4. At Jerusalem, etc.] The list that follows... read more
(20-36) The heads in the country. read more
(25) The children of Judah are now described very generally with respect to their distribution.Kirjath-arba.—Hebron no longer, the ancient name being now recovered.In the villages thereof.—Literally, the daughters thereof; being a different word from the “villages” at the beginning. read more
Nehemiah 11:16 What is the House of God? 'A church.' Not necessarily. 'A chapel, a sanctuary, a tabernacle, a temple.' Not necessarily. You may have a cathedral without a house of God, and you may find in some little thatched cottage or chapel on the hillside all the cathedrals out of heaven. Hence it is that we must not look at magnitudes, sizes, revenues, apparatus, but at the ideal, the symbolic, the spiritual, the sacramental; then the great may become little and the little may become... read more
III. THE PEOPLE ESTABLISHED, THE DEDICATION OF THE WALL, AND NEHEMIAH’s FINAL ACTS CHAPTER 11 1. The willing offerers (Nehemiah 11:1-2 ) 2. The heads of the residents of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:3-24 ) 3. The inhabitants outside of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:25-36 ) Nehemiah 11:1-2 . A splendid example of self-sacrifice is given in these two verses. Certain men willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem, and the people blest them for the willing sacrifice. It must be explained that... read more
THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM AND OTHER CITIES (vv. 1-25) Jerusalem being God's center, the leaders of the people lived there, but the people evidently preferred other places, so that the proposal was made to cast lots as to who should live in Jerusalem. One out of ten were required to live there (v. 1). However, there were some who willingly offered to live there, and the people blessed these for their faith in doing so. There is a spiritual lesson in this. Do we want to live as near as we... read more
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Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Nehemiah 11:25
A ROSTER OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES NEAR JERUSALEM"And as for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kireath-arba and the towns thereof, and in Dihon and the towns thereof, and in Jekabzeel and the villages thereof, and in Jeshua, Moladah, and Beth-pelet, and in Hazar-shual and in Beer-sheba and the towns thereof, and in Ziklag and in Meconah and in the towns thereof, and in En-rimmon, and in Zorah, and in Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and the... read more