Neh 11:1-12:26 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Neh 11:1-36: 11:1-36 The narrative returns to the issue of repopulating the secure city of Jerusalem (see 7:1-5 ). The list of names roughly parallels the list in 1 Chr 9:2-17 . Summary for Neh 11:1-2: 11:1-2 Sacred lots were probably the Urim and Thummim (10:34 ; Josh 7:14 , 16-18 ; 14:2 ).

Summary for Neh 11:1-36: 11:1-36 ^a The narrative returns to the issue of repopulating the secure city of Jerusalem (see 7:1-5 ^b). The list of names roughly parallels the list in 1 Chr 9:2-17 ^c.
Summary for Neh 11:1-2: 11:1-2 ^d Sacred lots were probably the Urim and Thummim (10:34 ^e; Josh 7:14 ^f, 16-18 ^g; 14:2 ^h).
11:4 ⁱ Perez was one of Judah’s sons (Gen 38:29 ^j).
11:16 ^k The work outside the Temple probably included collecting tithes from people and caring for the tithes in storehouses (10:37-39 ^l; see also 1 Chr 26:29 ^m).
11:17 ⁿ a descendant of Asaph: David had chosen Asaph and his sons to provide music for the Temple worship (1 Chr 25:1-8 ^o). Asaph’s descendants took up this role again when the new Temple was built.
11:21 ^p The hill of Ophel was high ground just south of the Temple (3:26 ^q). It provided an ideal location to house those who worked in the Temple.
11:24 ^r The royal adviser informed the king of events in Jerusalem and notified Jewish officials of the king’s public administration of Persian policies.
11:30 ^s all the way from Beersheba ... to the valley of Hinnom: Earlier descriptions of places where people settled concentrated on areas north of Jerusalem (ch 3 ^t; 11:31-36 ^u); this list (11:25-30 ^v) reflects progressive expansion of places where Jewish people lived as they occupied many of their preexilic towns, both north and south of Jerusalem.

‏ Nehemiah 12:1-26

Summary for Neh 12:1-26: 12:1-26 ^w These lists of priests and Levites include a list of those who originally returned from exile with Zerubabbel (12:1-9 ^x), a chronological list of high priests (12:10-11 ^y), and the priests and Levites who served at the time of Joiakim, the high priest at the time of Nehemiah and Ezra (12:12-26 ^z).
Summary for Neh 12:1-9: 12:1-9 ^aa priests and Levites who returned with Zerubabbel ... and Jeshua: See Ezra 1:1-5 ^ab. Only those who could prove their priestly lineage could serve at the Temple, so it was important to maintain an accurate genealogical record of these families.
12:7 ^ac leaders of the priests: Cp. Ezra 2:36-39 ^ad.

• Jeshua was the high priest in Jerusalem when the people returned from captivity shortly after 538 BC (Ezra 2:2 ^ae; 3:2 ^af, 8 ^ag; 4:3 ^ah). He was still serving in 520 BC when Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the people to finish building the Temple (Ezra 5:1 ^ai; Hag 1:1 ^aj; Zech 3:1 ^ak).
Summary for Neh 12:8-9: 12:8-9 ^al Their associates ... stood opposite: To provide antiphonal singing (12:24 ^am; Ezra 3:1-11 ^an).
Summary for Neh 12:10-11: 12:10-11 ^ao Joiakim probably served in the early years of Ezra’s service.

• Eliashib and Joiada served during Nehemiah’s time (3:1 ^ap; 13:4 ^aq, 28 ^ar).

• Johanan: An Aramaic papyrus document from a Jewish colony that settled in Elephantine, Egypt (about 410 BC) and Josephus (Antiquities 11.5.4, AD 93) both mention Johanan serving after Nehemiah’s time.
Summary for Neh 12:12-21: 12:12-21 ^as This list was probably compiled when Joiakim was high priest (12:12 ^at) to verify the legitimacy of the priests and Levites who were in office. Except for the omission of Hattush (see 12:2 ^au), this list contains the same names as 12:1-7 ^av.