And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.
The leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people drew lots to choose one out of every ten people to come and live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine would live in the surrounding towns.
The writer is describing how they populated Jerusalem by having leaders live there and randomly selecting one in ten of the remaining people to move there too.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Nehemiah, after the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt following the Babylonian exile, the city remained underpopulated and vulnerable to threats. The leaders, including Nehemiah, organized the people by casting lots to fairly select one out of every ten individuals from the returned exiles to relocate to Jerusalem, while the others settled in nearby cities. This method ensured that Jerusalem, as the holy city and center of Jewish worship, could be properly defended and repopulated for God's purposes.
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