Nehemiah 11:25-36

Nehemiah 11:25-36

[25] And for the villages,  with their fields,  some of the children  of Judah  dwelt  at Kirjatharba,  and in the villages  thereof, and at Dibon,  and in the villages  thereof, and at Jekabzeel,  and in the villages  thereof, [26] And at Jeshua,  and at Moladah,  and at Bethphelet,  [27] And at Hazarshual,  and at Beersheba,  and in the villages  thereof, [28] And at Ziklag,  and at Mekonah,  and in the villages  [29] And at Enrimmon,  and at Zareah,  and at Jarmuth,  [30] 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.  [31] The children  also of Benjamin  from Geba  dwelt at Michmash,  and Aija,  and Bethel,  and in their villages,  [32] And at Anathoth,  Nob,  Ananiah,  [33] Hazor,  Ramah,  Gittaim,  [34] Hadid,  Zeboim,  Neballat,  [35] Lod,  and Ono,  the valley  of craftsmen.  [36] And of the Levites  were divisions  in Judah,  and in Benjamin. 

What does Nehemiah 11:25-36 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The towns south of Jerusalem, from the Hinnom Valley just south of the city as far as Beersheba, were those in the territory belonging to the tribe of Judah. Those north of Jerusalem stretching to the neighboring province of Samaria were towns of Benjamin. These were the two sections of the Persian province of Yehud (Judah). Nehemiah mentioned17 prominent towns in Judah here ( Nehemiah 11:25-30), and15 in Benjamin ( Nehemiah 11:31-35). The Levites lived among the general population, as when the Israelites first entered the Promised Land under Joshua , in order to be a good influence and to act as spiritual resource persons ( Nehemiah 11:36).
"In a time when self-centeredness seems to dominate Western life-styles, the Word of God calls us to work and live together as a community, to be dependent upon one another, and to help one another in achieving the task God has set before us." [1]