Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom.

NEHEMIAH 11:30KJV
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Nehemiah 11:30 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 11:30 mean?

Nehemiah 11:30 lists several towns and their surrounding villages where people settled, stretching from Beersheba in the south up to the valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem. The verse shows how the returned exiles spread out to repopulate and secure the land after coming back from Babylon.

This verse is part of a record in the book of Nehemiah, where leaders are organizing the resettlement of Judah. The writer is noting specific places where families and groups settled, emphasizing the effort to rebuild community life in both rural and urban areas. The mention of these locations highlights the broad area covered and the importance of reestablishing a presence throughout the land.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 11:30

  • "Villages" (חָצֵר, chatser): This word refers to small settlements or hamlets outside the main towns. Including both towns and their villages shows the focus on repopulating not just cities but also the countryside.
  • "Fields" (שָׂדֶה, sadeh): This word means open land or farmland. Mentioning fields along with towns points to the practical need for agricultural space as people resettled.
  • "Dwelt" (יָשַׁב, yashav): This verb means to settle or inhabit. It signals a permanent return, not just a temporary stay, underscoring the restoration of life in these places.
  • "Valley" (גַּיְא, gai): This word means a valley or ravine, and here it refers specifically to the valley of Hinnom, marking the northern boundary of the resettled area.

Why Nehemiah 11:30 matters

  • Nehemiah 11:30 clarifies that the returned exiles did not only settle in Jerusalem but also spread throughout the region, restoring life to many towns and villages.
  • The verse highlights the practical steps taken to rebuild the nation, showing attention to both urban centers and agricultural needs.
  • By naming specific locations, Nehemiah 11:30 connects the resettlement to Israel’s historical geography, reinforcing a sense of belonging and continuity with the past.

Where else these words appear

“Zanoah” Hebrew H2182 · used in 5 verses

  • Joshua 15:34 And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
  • Joshua 15:56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
  • 1 Chronicles 4:18 And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took.

“Azekah” Hebrew H5825 · used in 7 verses

  • Joshua 10:10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
  • Joshua 15:35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
  • 2 Chronicles 11:9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

“Adullam” Hebrew H5725 · used in 8 verses

  • Joshua 12:15 The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
  • 1 Samuel 22:1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.
  • 1 Chronicles 11:15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

“Hinnom” Hebrew H2011 · used in 11 verses

  • Joshua 15:8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward:
  • 2 Chronicles 28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
  • Jeremiah 7:32 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.