Nehemiah 11:36 kjv
And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.
Nehemiah 11:36 nkjv
Some of the Judean divisions of Levites were in Benjamin.
Nehemiah 11:36 niv
Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.
Nehemiah 11:36 esv
And certain divisions of the Levites in Judah were assigned to Benjamin.
Nehemiah 11:36 nlt
Some of the Levites who lived in Judah were sent to live with the tribe of Benjamin.
Nehemiah 11 36 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 3:6-8 | "...appoint the Levites before Aaron the priest, that they may minister..." | Levites chosen for temple service and assistance |
| Num 18:20-24 | "...No inheritance in their land... I am your share and your inheritance..." | Levites received no tribal land inheritance, depended on God/tithes |
| Deut 10:8-9 | "...the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to carry the ark... to bless in His name..." | Levites consecrated for holy duties |
| Josh 21:41 | "...All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession..." | Levites were given specific cities to dwell in |
| 1 Chr 23:2-6 | "...David gathered all the leaders of Israel... and assigned the Levites to their divisions..." | King David's organization of Levite duties/courses |
| 1 Chr 24:1 | "...The divisions of the sons of Aaron were these..." | Parallel organization of priestly divisions |
| Ezra 2:40 | "...the Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel..." | Levites listed among the initial returnees from exile |
| Ezra 8:15-20 | "...when I gathered them... I found none of the sons of Levi there. So I sent for... skillful men..." | Ezra seeking Levites for their essential roles after return |
| Neh 7:43 | "...The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel..." | Further list of Levites returned with Zerubbabel |
| Neh 10:38-39 | "...The Levites shall bring the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God..." | Levites' role in handling tithes and temple service |
| Neh 11:1-2 | "...the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem..." | Initiative to repopulate Jerusalem and other towns |
| Neh 11:15-18 | "...certain Levites who had oversight of the external business of the house of God." | Specific Levite roles within Jerusalem and surrounding areas |
| Jer 33:17-18 | "...David shall never lack a man... the Levitical priests shall never lack a man..." | Promise of an enduring lineage for king and priests/Levites |
| Eze 44:10-14 | "...the Levites who went far from Me... yet they shall be ministers..." | Role of Levites in the prophetic vision of the restored Temple |
| Mal 3:3-4 | "...He will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver..." | Prophecy of purification and restoration of Levitical service |
| Acts 4:36-37 | "Thus Joseph, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles... a Levite..." | Example of a Levite serving God in the New Testament church |
| Heb 7:11-12 | "...if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood... what further need was there for another priest..." | Theological discussion contrasting Levitical priesthood with Christ's priesthood |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession..." | Spiritual priesthood of all believers in Christ |
| Rom 12:4-5 | "...as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function..." | Analogy of diverse spiritual gifts and functions in the Body of Christ |
| 1 Cor 12:27-28 | "Now you are Christ's body... and God has appointed in the church, first apostles..." | Divine appointment of various roles within the church |
| Titus 1:5 | "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city..." | Establishing local leadership for spiritual order in new communities |
| Phil 1:1 | "...Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints... with the bishops and deacons..." | Example of various roles and service in early church, reflecting ordered ministry |
| Neh 11:3 | "Now these are the heads of the province who lived in Jerusalem..." | Introduction to the list of residents in Jerusalem and other towns |
Nehemiah 11 verses
Nehemiah 11 36 Meaning
Nehemiah 11:36 indicates that specific, organized groups of Levites were deliberately distributed throughout the tribal territories of Judah and Benjamin in the post-exilic period. This verse concludes the list of towns where returnees from exile settled, highlighting the essential presence and strategic placement of these religious functionaries not only in Jerusalem but also in surrounding areas. Their widespread presence was crucial for restoring and maintaining the spiritual and religious life of the community across the re-inhabited land.
Nehemiah 11 36 Context
Nehemiah chapter 11 records the resettlement of the returned exiles in Jerusalem and the surrounding Judean towns. Following the successful rebuilding of the wall, there was a critical need to re-populate the capital city, which was strategically important yet sparsely inhabited. The people decided by lot that one out of every ten families would reside in Jerusalem, with the others settling in their ancestral towns. The chapter then details the specific individuals and groups—including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and common people—who came to inhabit Jerusalem (Neh 11:3-24) and those who remained in the outlying villages (Neh 11:25-36). Verse 36 specifically concludes the list of settlements outside Jerusalem by noting that some organized groups of Levites were settled in the territories of Judah and Benjamin, which were the main areas inhabited by the post-exilic Jewish community. This distribution signifies a deliberate effort to establish and sustain spiritual life, worship, and instruction across the entire populated region, not solely within the central city.
Nehemiah 11 36 Word analysis
- and of the Levites: וּמִן־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם (ūmin-ha-ləwiyīm)
- וּמִן־ (ūmin-): "And from" or "and some of." This connective phrase ties the Levites into the broader pattern of resettlement described in the chapter, indicating their specific allocation among the different groups returning from exile.
- הַלְוִיִּ֗ם (ha-ləwiyīm): "The Levites." Refers to the descendants of Levi, consecrated by God for sacred service in the Tabernacle and Temple, serving as assistants to the priests, teachers of the Law, and leaders of worship. Unlike other tribes, they did not receive a territorial inheritance but lived in cities scattered throughout Israel. Their return and distribution were vital for restoring spiritual life.
- some divisions: מַחְלְק֖וֹת (maḥlᵉqôt)
- מַחְלְק֖וֹת (maḥlᵉqôt): "Divisions," "courses," "classes." This plural noun signifies organized contingents or sections of the Levites, implying a structured and purposeful distribution rather than a haphazard settlement. It likely refers to the "courses" or rotas of service established earlier by figures like King David (e.g., in 1 Chronicles), suggesting continuity of their organized spiritual duties.
- in Judah: בִּֽיהוּדָ֖ה (biyehûḏāh)
- בִּֽ (bi-): "In" or "within." Denotes geographical location.
- יְהוּדָה (Yehudah): "Judah." This refers to the territory of the tribal land of Judah, which also encompassed Jerusalem and formed the primary geographical extent of the post-exilic province of Judea. It was the most significant area for the returning community.
- and some in Benjamin: וּבְבִנְיָמִֽן׃ (ūḇəḇinyāmin)
- וּבְ (ūḇə-): "And in" or "and among."
- בִּנְיָמִֽן (Binyamin): "Benjamin." The tribal territory directly north of Judah, contiguous with it, and also heavily settled by the returned exiles. Part of Jerusalem actually fell within Benjamin's territory. Mentioning both Judah and Benjamin highlights the relatively confined yet densely populated area that comprised the restored community.
Words-group Analysis:
- "and of the Levites, some divisions": This phrase emphasizes the deliberate organization and dispersal of the Levites throughout the inhabited lands. It shows a commitment to re-establish spiritual infrastructure, implying that spiritual support and instruction were intended to be accessible beyond the central worship site in Jerusalem. This systematic distribution underscores the importance of maintaining an orderly and functional religious community.
- "in Judah and some in Benjamin": This geographically limits the extent of the re-population but also underscores the strategic placement of the Levites within the primary residential areas of the post-exilic community. Despite the much smaller size of their territory compared to ancient Israel, this ensured that the Levites could minister effectively to the core population, bringing spiritual influence and teachings directly to local towns.
Nehemiah 11 36 Bonus section
The limited geographical mention of "Judah and Benjamin" (compared to the historical expanse of Israel's twelve tribes) signifies the reduced scope of the post-exilic community under Persian rule. Despite this territorial constraint, the purposeful distribution of the Levites highlights a crucial element of the rebuilding efforts: establishing qualitative spiritual depth within the available physical boundaries. This ensured that the spiritual light was not confined to Jerusalem but was radiated to the accessible populated centers, thereby fostering a more robust and resilient religious life for the returned exiles, adapted to their contemporary geopolitical reality.
Nehemiah 11 36 Commentary
Nehemiah 11:36 concisely affirms the intentional dispersal of specific Levite "divisions" throughout the heartland of the post-exilic Jewish community—Judah and Benjamin. This arrangement reflects a strategic and spiritual commitment beyond mere repopulation; it was about re-establishing a functioning spiritual framework across the re-settled land. By stationing Levites in various towns, the leadership ensured that spiritual instruction, temple-related duties (like managing tithes), and local religious oversight were accessible to people beyond Jerusalem. This decentralization of sacred personnel was vital for maintaining the people's covenant identity, promoting adherence to God's Law, and fostering spiritual health within their re-formed society, signifying the foundational importance of active, accessible ministry for community flourishing.