וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי־הָעָם בִּירוּשָׁלִָם ושְׁאָר הָעָם הִפִּילוּ גוֹרָלוֹת לְהָבִיא אֶחָד מִן־הָעֲשָׂרָה לָשֶׁבֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִַם עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְתֵשַׁע הַיָּדוֹת בֶּעָרִים

Although the princes of the people settled in Jerusalem, nevertheless, once the walls were built it became clear that they enclosed a relatively large area, and that the city was sparsely inhabited. And therefore, the rest of the people cast lots, to bring one in ten to settle in Jerusalem the holy city, and the other nine parts would live in the various other cities. It was decided that one-tenth of the population should move to Jerusalem, as determined by lot.

וַיְבָרְכוּ הָעָם לְכֹל הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמִּתְנַדְּבִים לָשֶׁבֶת בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

The people blessed all the people who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem. Since one had to be dedicated to live in Jerusalem, the people encouraged and blessed those who agreed to move there.

וְאֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי הַמְּדִינָה אֲשֶׁר יָשְׁבוּ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וּבְעָרֵי יְהוּדָה יָשְׁבוּ אִישׁ בַּאֲחֻזָּתוֹ בְּעָרֵיהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְהַנְּתִינִים וּבְנֵי עַבְדֵי שְׁלֹמֹה

These people detailed below are the heads of the province of Judah who settled in Jerusalem. In the other cities of Judah each man settled in his ancestral portion in their cities: Israelites, the priests, and the Levites, and the Netinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants.

וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם יָשְׁבוּ מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה וּמִבְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה עֲתָיָה בֶן־עֻזִּיָּה בֶּן־זְכַרְיָה בֶן־אֲמַרְיָה בֶּן־שְׁפַטְיָה בֶן־מַהֲלַלְאֵל מִבְּנֵי פָרֶץ

In Jerusalem, it was mainly some of the children of Judah and some of the children of Benjamin who settled. From the children of Judah: Ataya, son of Uziya, son of Zekharya, son of Amarya, son of Shefatya, son of Mahalalel, from the children of Peretz son of Judah,

וּמַעֲשֵׂיָה בֶן־בָּרוּךְ בֶּן־כָּל־חֹזֶה בֶּן־חֲזָיָה בֶן־עֲדָיָה בֶן־יוֹיָרִיב בֶּן־זְכַרְיָה בֶּן־הַשִּׁלֹנִי

and Maaseya, son of Barukh, son of Kol Hozeh, a personal name or a nickname, son of Hazaya, son of Adaya, son of Yoyariv, son of Zekharya, son of the Shilonite, Shela son of Judah.

כָּל־בְּנֵי־פֶרֶץ הַיֹּשְׁבִים בִּירוּשָׁלִָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁמֹנָה אַנְשֵׁי־חָיִל

All the sons, descendants, of Peretz who resided in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men.

וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן סַלֻּא בֶּן־מְשֻׁלָּם בֶּן־יוֹעֵד בֶּן־פְּדָיָה בֶן־קוֹלָיָה בֶן־מַעֲשֵׂיָה בֶּן־אִיתִיאֵל בֶּן־יְשַׁעְיָה

These are the sons of Benjamin who lived in Jerusalem: Their leader was Salu, son of Meshulam, son of Yoed, son of Pedaya, son of Kolaya, son of Maaseya, son of Itiel, son of Yeshaya.

וְאַחֲרָיו גַּבַּי סַלָּי תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה

After him in rank were Gabai and Salai. The sum total of all members of the tribe of Benjamin in Jerusalem was nine hundred and twenty-eight.

וְיוֹאֵל בֶּן־זִכְרִי פָּקִיד עֲלֵיהֶם וִיהוּדָה בֶן־הַסְּנוּאָה עַל־הָעִיר מִשְׁנֶה

Yoel son of Zikhri was the official in charge of them, those leaders; and Judah son of Hasenua was appointed deputy over the city, second-in-command to Yoel son of Zikhri.

מִן־הַכֹּהֲנִים יְדַעְיָה בֶן־יוֹיָרִיב ויָכִין

From the priests in Jerusalem were Yedaya son of Yoyariv, Yakhin,

שְׂרָיָה בֶן־חִלְקִיָּה בֶּן־מְשֻׁלָּם בֶּן־צָדוֹק בֶּן־מְרָיוֹת בֶּן־אֲחִיטוּב נְגִד בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים

Seraya, son of Hilkiya, son of Meshulam, son of Tzadok, son of Merayot, son of Ahituv; who was the chief official in charge of the House of God, the High Priest,

וַאֲחֵיהֶם עֹשֵׂה הַמְּלָאכָה לַבַּיִת שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנָיִם וַעֲדָיָה בֶּן־יְרֹחָם בֶּן־פְּלַלְיָה בֶּן־אַמְצִי בֶן־זְכַרְיָה בֶּן־פַּשְׁחוּר בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּה

and their brethren, all craftsmen of the House, inside the Temple, were eight hundred and twenty-two; and Adaya, son of Yeroham, son of Pelalya, son of Amtzi, son of Zekharya, son of Pashhur, son of Malkiya,

וְאֶחָיו רָאשִׁים לְאָבוֹת מָאתַיִם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנָיִם וַעֲמַשְׁסַי בֶּן־עֲזַרְאֵל בֶּן־אַחְזַי בֶּן־מְשִׁלֵּמוֹת בֶּן־אִמֵּר

and his brethren, heads of the patrilineal houses, heads of families, two hundred and forty-two; and Amashsai, son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshilemot, son of Imer,

וַאֲחֵיהֶם גִּבֹּרֵי חַיִל מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה וּפָקִיד עֲלֵיהֶם זַבְדִּיאֵל בֶּן־הַגְּדוֹלִים

and their brethren, mighty warriors, numbered one hundred and twenty-eight; the official in charge of them was Zavdiel son of Hagedolim, either a personal name or a nickname, as gedolim means great ones, the mighty.

וּמִן־הַלְוִיִּם שְׁמַעְיָה בֶן־חַשּׁוּב בֶּן־עַזְרִיקָם בֶּן־חֲשַׁבְיָה בֶּן־בּוּנִּי

From the Levites, Shemaya, son of Hashuv, son of Azrikam, son of Hashavya, son of Buni.

וְשַׁבְּתַי וְיוֹזָבָד עַל־הַמְּלָאכָה הַחִיצֹנָה לְבֵית הָאֱלֹהִים מֵרָאשֵׁי הַלְוִיִּם

Shabetai and Yozavad were in charge of the labor of outside the House of God, they were from the heads of the Levites, for example, officers and those in charge of the treasuries;

וּמַתַּנְיָה בֶן־מִיכָא בֶּן־זַבְדִּי בֶן־אָסָף רֹאשׁ הַתְּחִלָּה יְהוֹדֶה לַתְּפִלָּה וּבַקְבֻּקְיָה מִשְׁנֶה מֵאֶחָיו וְעַבְדָּא בֶּן־שַׁמּוּעַ בֶּן־גָּלָל בֶּן־יְדוּתוּן

Matanya, son of Mikha, son of Zavdi, son of Asaf, was the head, who would commence giving thanks in the prayer; he was the man appointed to start the prayer, as Matanya headed the Levites who sang the psalms of praise to God; and Bakbukya was deputy to Matanya among his brethren, and Avda, son of Shamua, son of Galal, son of Yedutun.

כָּל־הַלְוִיִּם בְּעִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ מָאתַיִם שְׁמֹנִים וְאַרְבָּעָה

All the Levites who resided in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four.

וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִים עַקּוּב טַלְמוֹן וַאֲחֵיהֶם הַשֹּׁמְרִים בַּשְּׁעָרִים מֵאָה שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנָיִם

The gatekeepers, who were also Levites but who fulfilled a special role, were Akuv, Talmon, and their brethren who would guard at the gates; they were one hundred and seventy-two.

ושְׁאָר יִשְׂרָאֵל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם בְּכָל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה אִישׁ בְּנַחֲלָתוֹ

As stated, the rest of Israel, the priests, the Levites, dwelled in all the cities of Judah, each was in his inheritance.

וְהַנְּתִינִים יֹשְׁבִים בָּעֹפֶל וְצִיחָא וְגִשְׁפָּא עַל־הַנְּתִינִים

The Netinim lived in the Ofel, a raised compound or fortress in the city (see commentary on 3:26), and Tziha and Gishpa were Givonites, or Netinim, who were the leaders in charge of the Netinim.

וּפְקִיד הַלְוִיִּם בִּירוּשָׁלִַם עֻזִּי בֶן־בָּנִי בֶּן־חֲשַׁבְיָה בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָה בֶּן־מִיכָא מִבְּנֵי אָסָף הַמְשֹׁרְרִים לְנֶגֶד מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִים

The officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzi, son of Bani, son of Hashavya, son of Matanya, son of Mikha, from the sons of Asaf the singers; he was appointed in charge of the labor of the House of God. Uzi was the supervisor responsible for the work and for the various assignments.

כִּי־מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶם וַאֲמָנָה עַל־הַמְשֹׁרְרִים דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ

For the commandment of the king was upon them. Part of the service in the Temple was performed at the directive of the king of Persia, and in this regard their service was the fulfillment of a royal command. And an obligation was imposed upon the singers, to sing the matter, the song, of each day on its day.

וּפְתַחְיָה בֶּן־מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל מִבְּנֵי־זֶרַח בֶּן־יְהוּדָה לְיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ לְכָל־דָּבָר לָעָם

Petahya son of Meshezavel, from the children of Zerah son of Judah, was at the hand of the king, he was the king’s appointee, in all matters for the people, for all the people’s needs.

וְאֶל־הַחֲצֵרִים בִּשְׂדֹתָם מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה יָשְׁבוּ בְּקִרְיַת הָאַרְבַּע וּבְנֹתֶיהָ וּבְדִיבֹן וּבְנֹתֶיהָ וּבִיקַבְצְאֵל וַחֲצֵרֶיהָ

In the villages, the settlements that were not surrounded by a wall, with their fields, some of the children of Judah settled in Kiryat Arba, Hebron, and its environs, the nearby settlements, and in Divon and its environs, and in Yekavtze’el and its villages, semi-permanent residential areas;

וּבְיֵשׁוּעַ וּבְמֹלָדָה וּבְבֵית־פָּלֶט

and in Yeshua, and in Molada, and in Beit Pelet,

וּבַחֲצַר שׁוּעָל וּבִבְאֵר שֶׁבַע וּבְנֹתֶיהָ

and in Hatzar Shual, and in Beersheba and its environs. These cities were initially located in the portion of the tribe of Simeon, but it seems that at this stage Simeon was no longer a clearly-defined tribe in its own right.

וּבְצִקְלַג וּבִמְכֹנָה וּבִבְנֹתֶיהָ

And in Tziklag, which had belonged to the house of David, and in Mekhona and in its environs,

וּבְעֵין רִמּוֹן וּבְצָרְעָה וּבְיַרְמוּת

and in Ein Rimon, and in Tzora, and in Yarmut,

זָנֹחַ עֲדֻלָּם וְחַצְרֵיהֶם לָכִישׁ וּשְׂדֹתֶיהָ עֲזֵקָה וּבְנֹתֶיהָ וַיַּחֲנוּ מִבְּאֵר־שֶׁבַע עַד־גֵּיא הִנֹּם

Zanoah, Adulam, and their villages, Lakhish and its fields, Azeka and its environs. They encamped from Beersheba up to the Valley of Hinom, which is adjacent to Jerusalem.

וּבְנֵי בִנְיָמִן מִגָּבַע מִכְמָשׂ וְעַיָּה וּבֵית־אֵל וּבְנֹתֶיהָ

The children of Benjamin were from Geva, Mikhmas, Aya, Beit El and its environs,

עֲנָתוֹת נֹב עֲנָנְיָה

Anatot, Nov, Ananya,

חָצוֹר רָמָה גִּתָּיִם

Hatzor, Rama, Gitayim,

חָדִיד צְבֹעִים נְבַלָּט

Hadid, Tzvo’im, Nevalat,

לֹד וְאוֹנוֹ גֵּי הַחֲרָשִׁים

Lod, Ono, and Gei Harashim. Some of these are known to have been cities of the tribe of Benjamin from ancient times.

וּמִן־הַלְוִיִּם מַחְלְקוֹת יְהוּדָה לְבִנְיָמִין

From the Levites, there were divisions, groups, that came to the land of Judah and also to Benjamin.