Nehemiah 11:20
What does Nehemiah 11:20 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 11:20 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 11:20 means
This verse recognizes that not all Israelites, priests, and Levites lived in Jerusalem; many resided throughout Judah in their inherited lands. The restoration respected ancestral allotments while still ensuring a strong presence in the capital. This balance mattered for agriculture, local governance, and community life across the region. It also shows that God’s people can serve faithfully in diverse settings—some at the center, others in their hometowns. The city was vital, but so was the countryside. Together they formed one covenant people, supporting Jerusalem as the spiritual hub while maintaining the livelihoods that sustained the nation.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And the rest of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, every one in his heritage.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And the rest of Israel, of the priests, of the Levites, <FI>are<Fi> in all cities of Judah, each in his inheritance;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the rest of Israel, the priests and the Levites were in all the cities of Juda, every man in his possession.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the residue of Israel, the priests, [and] the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.
Context
Having detailed the temple workforce in Jerusalem (vv. 10–19), the text steps back to note the broader population distribution. Verse 20 reminds readers that the restoration involved both city and rural areas: many remained in their inherited towns. Next, verse 21 will specify the Nethinim in Ophel and their overseers, a detail about temple servants residing near the temple mount. Then verses 22–24 will describe Levite oversight and royal provisions, completing the picture of Jerusalem’s internal order before mapping the wider settlements of Judah and Benjamin (vv. 25–36).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Nehemiah 11:3
Now these are the chiefs of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants.
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