The Meaning of 1 Chronicles 9:2 Explained

1 Chronicles 9:2

KJV: Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.

YLT: And the first inhabitants, who are in their possession, in their cities, of Israel, are the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim.

Darby: And the inhabitants that were first in their possessions in their cities were the Israelites, the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim.

ASV: Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now the first  inhabitants  that [dwelt] in their possessions  in their cities  [were], the Israelites,  the priests,  Levites,  and the Nethinims. 

What does 1 Chronicles 9:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 1 Chronicles 9

1  The original of Israel and Judah's genealogies
2  The Israelites
10  The priests
14  and the Levites, with Nethinims, who dwelt in Jerusalem
27  The charge of certain Levites
35  The stock of Saul and Jonathan

What do the individual words in 1 Chronicles 9:2 mean?

And the inhabitants first who [dwelt] in their possessions in their cities [were] Israel priests Levites and the Nethinim
וְהַיּוֹשְׁבִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּאֲחֻזָּתָ֖ם בְּעָרֵיהֶ֑ם יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים הַלְוִיִּ֖ם וְהַנְּתִינִֽים

וְהַיּוֹשְׁבִים֙  And  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים  first 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רִאשֹׁון  
Sense: first, primary, former.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  who  [dwelt] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בַּאֲחֻזָּתָ֖ם  in  their  possessions 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֲחֻזָּה  
Sense: possession, property.
בְּעָרֵיהֶ֑ם  in  their  cities 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  [were]  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
הַלְוִיִּ֖ם  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
וְהַנְּתִינִֽים  and  the  Nethinim 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נְתוּנִים 
Sense: Nethinims.