And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez;
In Jerusalem lived some people from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. From the tribe of Judah was Athaiah, whose father was Uzziah, whose father was Zechariah, whose father was Amariah, whose father was Shephatiah, whose father was Mahalaleel. They were descendants of Perez.
This verse begins listing the specific families and their lineages who chose to live in the rebuilt city of Jerusalem after the exile.
📚 Historical Context
This comes after the Jewish people returned from Babylonian exile and rebuilt Jerusalem's walls under Nehemiah's leadership. The city needed to be repopulated, so lots were cast to determine who would move there, with some volunteering to live in the holy city. This genealogical record shows the importance of tribal identity and family heritage in ancient Israel.
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