Nehemiah 11:1 · Bible study
Nehemiah 11:1 Commentary: The Sacred Duty of Repopulating Jerusalem
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the people cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, and what this reveals about necessity, sacrifice, and the holy city.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A tenth of the people were chosen by lot to move to Jerusalem to secure the city’s population and safety.
- Key words: שָׂרֵי (princes/leaders), גּוֹרָל (lot, portion), הָעֲשָׂרָה (the ten, a tithe), עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ (holy city).
- Main debate: Whether the relocation was entirely compulsory or partly voluntary, and how the lot related to individual choice.
- Theological theme: Sacrificial commitment to the place where God dwells; trusting divine guidance through the lot.
- Best use: Teaching on communal responsibility, the role of lots in biblical decision-making, and embracing sacrifice for God’s purposes.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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 King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the princes of the people dwelt 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 theothercities.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the heads of the people dwell in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people have caused to fall lots to bring in one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the cities,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the princes of the people dwelt in Jerusalem; and the rest of the people cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the cities.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the princes of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: but the rest of the people cast lots, to take one part in ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y HABITARON los príncipes del pueblo en Jerusalem; mas el resto del pueblo echó suertes para traer uno de diez que morase en Jerusalem, ciudad santa, y las nueve partes en las otras ciudades.
E os líderes do povo habitaram em Jerusalém; porém os demais do povo lançaram sortes para trazerem um de dez para habitar na santa cidade de Jerusalém, e as nove partes nas outras cidades.
Les chefs du peuple s’ établirent à Jérusalem. Le reste du peuple tira au sort, pour qu’ un sur dix vînt habiter Jérusalem, la ville sainte, et que les autres demeurassent dans les villes.
Und die Obersten des Volks wohnten zu Jerusalem. Das andere Volk aber warf das Los darum, daß unter zehn ein Teil gen Jerusalem, in die heilige Stadt, zöge zu wohnen, und neun Teile in den Städten wohnten.
Voorts woonden de oversten des volks te Jeruzalem; maar het overige des volks wierpen loten, om uit tien een uit te brengen, die in de heilige stad Jeruzalem zou wonen, en negen delen in de andere steden.
I capi del popolo si stabilirono a Gerusalemme; il resto del popolo tirò a sorte per farne venire uno su dieci ad abitar Gerusalemme, la città santa; gli altri nove doveano rimanere nelle altre città.
Mieszkali tedy przedniejsi z ludu w Jeruzalemie, a inny lud miotali losy, aby wzięli dziesiątego człowieka na mieszkanie w Jeruzalemie, mieście świętem, a dziewięć części w innych miastach.
И жили начальники народа в Иерусалиме, а прочие из народа бросили жребии, чтоб одна из десяти частей их шла на жительство в святой город Иерусалим, а девять оставались в прочих городах.
百姓 的首領 住 在耶路撒冷。其餘的 百姓 掣 籤，每十 人中 使一 人來 住 在聖 城 耶路撒冷，那九 人住在別的城邑。
And the rulers of the people were living in Jerusalem: the rest of the people made selection, by the decision of chance, of one out of every ten to be living in Jerusalem, the holy town; the other nine to go to the other towns.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Nehemiah 11:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse describes Nehemiah’s practical measure to increase Jerusalem’s population after the wall’s completion. The leaders are already residing there (Cambridge notes ‘princes’ had settled), while the rest of the people cast lots to select a tithe, one of every ten, to relocate. Gill observes that the people were reluctant because of ‘the rage of the enemy’ and greater profit in country life. The lot, as Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note, was ‘regarded by the people as a divine decision’ (Proverbs 18:18). Clarke adds that Jerusalem needed inhabitants for its preservation and defense. Cambridge calls the city ‘the holy city,’ a title emphasizing its sacred identity. The measure was both practical and religious: enforcing a tenth to dwell in the city of God. Matthew Henry sees here a pattern of public-spirited sacrifice for the common good.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse clearly recounts a historical practice of selecting by lot one tenth of the people to reside in Jerusalem to reinforce its population, reflecting the community's commitment to the holy city's security and sacredness.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Use of lots | The lot was a traditional biblical method for discerning God's will in important matters, as seen in Proverbs 16:33 and Joshua 18:10. | Some interpreters see the lot as a forced random selection; others emphasise that the people consented beforehand, making it a voluntary submission to God's choice. |
| Voluntary vs compulsory relocation | Both leaders (who already lived there) and volunteers (v.2) responded willingly; the lot applied to the rest. | Commentators differ on whether the lot was binding without appeal or whether those chosen could send a substitute. Some (e.g., Clarke) present it as an obligation; others note the blessing of volunteers implies freedom. |
| The title 'holy city' | Jerusalem is called holy because of the temple and God's presence; the phrase emphasises its unique status among Israel's towns. | Evangelicals and mainline Protestants generally see the holiness as derived from God's choice and the temple; Catholic and Orthodox traditions also connect it to sacred geography and a continuing divine presence. |
| One of ten (the tithe principle) | The proportion 'one of ten' mirrors the tithe, suggesting a consecrated portion set apart for God's purposes. | Some interpret this literally as a compulsory tithe of population; others as a general ratio that likely included households rather than adult individuals. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This chapter follows Nehemiah’s earlier concern in Nehemiah 7:4: ‘Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.’ After the wall was repaired, the capital lay underpopulated and vulnerable. Enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah still plotted against the community, making residence in Jerusalem dangerous. Gill notes that people preferred the safety and economic advantage of country life. Forced transfers of population to strengthen capitals were known in the ancient world; Barnes cites Syracuse (about 500 BC) and Rome as parallels. The method of casting lots was common in Israel for decisions large and small, from dividing land (Joshua 18:10) to assigning temple duties (1 Chronicles 26:13). As Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note, the lot was seen as revealing God’s will (Proverbs 16:33). Calling Jerusalem ‘the holy city’ linked it to God’s presence and the temple; the same phrase appears in Isaiah 48:2 and Daniel 9:24. The timing, as Keil-Delitzsch note, was delayed by the festivals of the seventh month (Nehemiah 8, 10). Once those were finished, Nehemiah implemented this plan. The people’s willingness to submit to the lot shows their trust in God’s direction and their commitment to the holy city’s survival.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Nehemiah 11:1. The Hebrew text is consistent across ancient manuscripts, with the only minor variations being in later translations (e.g., ‘rulers’ vs ‘princes’). The reading is secure.
Reception History
Early Jewish tradition viewed the lot as a faithful submission to God’s will, comparable to the division of the land in Joshua. Christian interpreters such as Matthew Henry emphasised the practical godliness of willing relocation for the safety of Jerusalem, applying it to the believer’s duty to support the church. The verse has been used in homilies about sacrificial living for the sake of God’s house. In later centuries, it was cited as a biblical precedent for communal decision-making by lot, especially where individual interest conflicted with public good. The title ‘holy city’ also fed into Christian reflections on the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Leaders Set the Example: The princes already lived in Jerusalem. Their presence paved the way and showed courage.
- The Lot Decided Under God: Casting lots was not gambling; it was an act of faith. The people trusted God to choose who would go.
- Sacrifice for the Holy City: Leaving the countryside meant giving up comfort and safety. The city needed people willing to live at risk for God’s purposes.
Five-point outline
- Context of Need: Jerusalem was wide and large but thinly populated (Nehemiah 7:4).
- Leadership First: The rulers modelled residence in the city.
- Casting Lots: A holy randomness that placed the outcome in God’s hands.
- A Tenth Set Apart: One in ten moved; the number echoes the tithe, a portion consecrated to God.
- Volunteers Blessed: Verse 2 shows some willingly offered themselves; the people blessed them.
Illustration hooks
- A town whose main street is half-empty storefronts. The mayor asks families to move downtown to revive it. Some go willingly; others are chosen by lottery. Both sacrifice.
- A church plant in a rough neighbourhood. The core team knows it’s unsafe, but they volunteer. Others are asked to rotate in. Each person’s move is a statement of commitment.
- Yourself: when you chose a less convenient life because God called you to a place or role that was “thin on people.” The cost was real, but so was the purpose.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Was this forced? Did people have a choice, or did the lot make it mandatory?
- Why was it so important to live in Jerusalem specifically? Couldn’t they serve God from the countryside?
- What does “holy city” mean for us today? Are we called to sacrifice for sacred places?
Leading a Discussion
This passage captures a moment when God’s people reorganised their lives for a holy purpose. Jerusalem needed people, not just leaders, but ordinary families, to move in and make it strong. The casting of lots turns a practical problem into a spiritual act of trust.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you about the way Nehemiah handled the population problem?
- Why do you think the people were reluctant to live in Jerusalem? What fears or attachments might they have had?
- The lot was used to make the final choice. In what situations do you think it is appropriate to let chance decide, versus making our own careful plans?
- How does calling Jerusalem “the holy city” change the way you read this verse? What made it holy?
- Verse 2 mentions those who willingly offered themselves. What do you think motivated them? What would motivate you to relocate for a church or community need?
- Are there “holy cities” or sacred callings in your own life where God might be asking you to invest yourself even at personal cost?
- How does this story encourage you to trust God with the scary and inconvenient parts of following him?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 17:8 | If 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. |
| Deuteronomy 17:9 | You shall come to the priests who are Levites and to the judge who shall be in those days. You shall inquire, and they shall give you the verdict. |
| Joshua 18:10 | Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions. |
| Judges 20:9 | But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot; |
| Judges 20:10 | and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that the men of Gibeah have done in Israel.” |
| I Chronicles 26:13 | They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate. |
| Nehemiah 7:4 | Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built. |
| Nehemiah 7:5 | My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it: |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke explains that the lot was cast not because Jerusalem was empty, but because its existing inhabitants were too few to defend the newly rebuilt wall. Nehemiah required one tenth of the rural population to move into the city, and the lot was used to choose which person from each group of ten would go.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the ancient practice of forcibly moving populations to enlarge a capital city was historically common, citing Syracuse and Rome as examples. This context helps illuminate the background behind the command to bring a tenth of the people.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes the difficulty behind this verse: how to increase Jerusalem's sparse population. It presents two explanations — either the rulers themselves had to relocate to the city, or the contrast is between the governing class who already lived there and the common people who cast lots to provide a ten percent contingent.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that the repopulation of Jerusalem was handled through casting lots, treating it as a sacred tithe where one out of every ten was chosen to live in the holy city. This method gave God direct control over the selection, making it an act of devotion rather than human decision.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that the people were reluctant to settle in Jerusalem because it faced enemy attacks and offered less worldly profit than the countryside. So the leaders used a lottery, taking one in ten, to force a sufficient number to repopulate and defend the holy city.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that living in Jerusalem at that time required real sacrifice, since the city faced constant attacks and plots from enemies. The volunteers who chose to settle there set aside personal safety and comfort for the community's good, and their courage earned public admiration and gratitude.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the men called “volunteers” in Nehemiah were not a separate group who offered to
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that settling in Jerusalem was a post of labor and danger, not a comfortable choice. Those who willingly offered themselves for this difficult duty made a mark of self-denial for their country and religion. The people rightly blessed such volunteers.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the voluntary spirit behind the repopulation: those who willingly moved to Jerusalem received the people's blessing, while others were chosen by lot. He sees this as an act of faith, leaving settled homes for the holy city, and notes God's care in recording every family that answered the call.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that the purpose of dwelling was to complete the city's buildings and to provide for its safety. His point focuses on the practical, tangible outcomes of residence — finishing construction and securing protection.