Nehemiah 11:1
Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights a crucial practical step in rebuilding Jerusalem: the lottery system wasn't just about filling a quota, but about ensuring the "holy city" was adequately populated for its defense and spiritual significance. It shows God's people strategically repopulating their sacred center, not just for security, but to honor its divine designation.
Nehemiah, after successfully rebuilding the city walls, now faced a critical problem: Jerusalem was sparsely populated, making it vulnerable. He had already established that the leaders lived in the city, so he organized the remaining people to cast lots, ensuring one-tenth of the rural population would relocate to Jerusalem to strengthen its defenses and complete its restoration. The others would remain in their ancestral towns and villages.
Imagine a city, newly walled and restored, but alarmingly empty. This wasn't just a minor inconvenience; it was a critical problem for Jerusalem's future.
After the walls were rebuilt, Nehemiah faced a new challenge: the city's population was sparse. The rulers already resided in Jerusalem due to their positions, but the majority of people lived in the surrounding towns and villages.
This lack of population posed several risks:
To address this, Nehemiah implemented a plan to repopulate Jerusalem, ensuring its security and its role as the spiritual heart of the nation.
How do you fairly decide who moves to the big city when not everyone can go? The people of Jerusalem used a method that trusted God's guiding hand.
Nehemiah didn't arbitrarily assign people to Jerusalem. Instead, the decision was made through casting lots. This wasn't a game of chance but a recognized way in ancient Israel to discern God's will.
Understand the original words
śār · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, these are men recognized as having authority, influence, or responsibility over a community, often serving in administrative, political, or religious capacities.
gôrāl · Hebrew Noun
An ancient practice of casting stones or tablets to discern the will of God or to make an impartial decision, often used in matters of leadership, land division, or religious duty.
qōdeš · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
A city or place set apart, consecrated, or dedicated to the exclusive service and presence of God, signifying holiness and spiritual significance.
This verse highlights Nehemiah's practical concern for the physical security and habitation of Jerusalem, demonstrating that rebuilding the city walls was only the first step; repopulating it was essential for its long-term survival and spiritual significance.
c. 538 BC
First Return from Exile
Following Cyrus the Great's decree, thousands of Jewish exiles return from Babylon to Judah, led by Zerubbabel and Joshua, to rebuild the Temple.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Return and Reforms
Ezra leads a second group of exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem, focusing on re-establishing the Law of Moses and religious observance among the people.
c. 445 BC
Nehemiah's First Mission
Nehemiah, cupbearer to Artaxerxes I, receives news of Jerusalem's ruined walls and obtains permission to return and rebuild them, facing significant opposition.
c. 445-444 BC
Rebuilding Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah mobilizes the people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in a remarkably short time, despite threats and sabotage from neighboring peoples.
This passage shows the use of casting lots for dividing territory among the tribes, highlighting how lots were a divinely accepted method for making important decisions about settlement and assignment, similar to how Nehemiah used it to decide who would move to Jerusalem.
1 Samuel 14:42Here, the lot is used to identify a specific individual who has transgressed. This demonstrates that lots were employed not just for distribution, but also for singling out individuals, much like Nehemiah’s decree to select one out of ten.
Proverbs 16:33This verse offers a theological perspective on lots, stating 'The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.' It underscores the belief that even seemingly random selections were under God’s sovereign control, providing comfort and legitimacy to Nehemiah's decision.
Ezekiel 48:29This prophetic passage describes the distribution of land in the future, restored Israel, where specific portions are assigned by lot. It connects the practice of allotting land and people to specific cities with a divine plan for order and inheritance, echoing the settlement purpose in Nehemiah.
Matthew 4:21This passage mentions Jesus calling two brothers, James and John, who were mending their nets with their father. While not using lots, it shows a direct call to leave existing livelihoods and familiar surroundings to follow a higher purpose in a new place, paralleling the call for people to relocate to Jerusalem for the sake of the community's spiritual and physical health.
clarkeNehemiah 11:1: "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."
To bring one of ten - Jerusalem certainly had many inhabitants at this time; but not sufficient to preserve the city, which was now encompassed with a wall, and the rebuilding of which was going on fast. Nehemiah therefore obliged one tenth of the country people to come and dwell in it, that the…
pooleNehemiah 11:1: "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."
The rulers and the tenth man chosen by lot dwell at Jerusalem, Nehemiah 11:1,2 . A catalogue of their names, numbers, and families, Nehemiah 11:3-19 . The residue of the people dwell in other cities, Nehemiah 11:20-36 . The rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem, which their very office in some…
This verse highlights a crucial practical step in rebuilding Jerusalem: the lottery system wasn't just about filling a quota, but about ensuring the "holy city" was adequately populated for its defense and spiritual significance. It shows God's people strategically repopulating their sacred center, not just for security, but to honor its divine designation.
Nehemiah, after successfully rebuilding the city walls, now faced a critical problem: Jerusalem was sparsely populated, making it vulnerable. He had already established that the leaders lived in the city, so he organized the remaining people to cast lots, ensuring one-tenth of the rural population would relocate to Jerusalem to strengthen its defenses and complete its restoration. The others would remain in their ancestral towns and villages.
Nehemiah, after successfully rebuilding the city walls, now faced a critical problem: Jerusalem was sparsely populated, making it vulnerable. He had already established that the leaders lived in the city, so he organized the remaining people to cast lots, ensuring one-tenth of the rural population would relocate to Jerusalem to strengthen its defenses and complete its restoration. The others would remain in their ancestral towns and villages.
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This method brought a sense of divine sanction to the difficult task of uprooting families and relocating them to the capital.
Jerusalem wasn't just a political capital; it was called 'the holy city.' What did that title mean for its residents?
The designation of Jerusalem as 'the holy city' carried immense weight. It wasn't merely a geographical location but a place set apart by God for His purposes.
While the 'holy city' has evolved in meaning with the coming of Christ and the Church, the principle remains: God's people are called to live distinct lives, reflecting His holiness in their communities.
c. 444 BC
Re-establishing the Law and Covenant
Following the wall's completion, Ezra reads the Law to the assembled people, leading to a solemn covenant to obey God's commands and a renewal of religious commitment.
c. 444 BC— this verse
Repopulating Jerusalem
To ensure the city's security and viability after its rebuilding, Nehemiah implements a plan to resettle Jerusalem by having one in ten people move into the city from surrounding towns.
"Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns." — This verse highlights a crucial practical step in rebuilding Jerusalem: the lottery system wasn't just about filling a quota, but about ensuring the "holy city" was adequately populated for its defen…
