Nehemiah 11:20 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 11:20 mean?

Nehemiah 11:20 says that the rest of the Israelites, including priests and Levites who were not living in Jerusalem, were settled throughout the various towns of Judah, each family in the land or property they had inherited. This verse shows that not everyone moved into Jerusalem; many people remained spread out in their ancestral towns.

Nehemiah is describing how, after the return from exile, the leaders organized where people would live. While some Israelites were chosen to live inside Jerusalem for its rebuilding and protection, most of the population—ordinary Israelites, priests, and Levites—continued to live in their own towns across the territory of Judah. This arrangement helped maintain the traditional tribal inheritances and allowed the land to be worked and cared for.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 11:20

• "residue" (שְׁאָר, she'ar): This word means "the remainder" or "those left over." It highlights that the people mentioned here are those who were not part of the group chosen to live in Jerusalem.
• "inheritance" (נַחֲלָה, nachalah): This refers to the ancestral land or property passed down within families and tribes. The verse emphasizes that each person or family was settled in their own inherited land, connecting them to their heritage and responsibilities.

Why Nehemiah 11:20 matters

• Nehemiah 11:20 clarifies that the repopulation of Jerusalem did not mean abandoning the rest of the land; the rural towns and villages remained important and populated.
• The verse highlights the importance of ancestral inheritance in Israelite society, showing that even after exile, families returned to their traditional lands.
• This arrangement supports the broader narrative of restoring both the city of Jerusalem and the life of the wider community in Judah, balancing city and countryside.