Nehemiah 11:36

And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(36) And of the Levites.—The fewness of the Levites in the country warranted their summary notice in this way.

Benson Commentary

Nehemiah 11:36. Of the Levites were divisions — Or, for the Levites (those who were not settled in Jerusalem) there were divisions; places appointed for them and distributed among them. Thus were they settled free and easy, though few and poor. And they might have been happy but for that general lukewarmness with which they are charged by the Prophet Malachi, who prophesied about this time, and in whom prophecy ceased for some ages, till it revived in the great prophet.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:1-36 The distribution of the people. - In all ages, men have preferred their own ease and advantage to the public good. Even the professors of religion too commonly seek their own, and not the things of Christ. Few have had such attachment to holy things and holy places, as to renounce pleasure for their sake. Yet surely, our souls should delight to dwell where holy persons and opportunities of spiritual improvement most abound. If we have not this love to the city of our God, and to every thing that assists our communion with the Saviour, how shall we be willing to depart hence; to be absent from the body, that we may be present with the Lord? To the carnal-minded, the perfect holiness of the New Jerusalem would be still harder to bear than the holiness of God's church on earth. Let us seek first the favour of God, and his glory; let us study to be patient, contented, and useful in our several stations, and wait, with cheerful hope, for admission into the holy city of God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of the Levites were divisions - i. e., "the Levites were scattered among various towns both in Judah and Benjamin."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

36. And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin—Rather, there were divisions for the Levites; that is, those who were not resident in Jerusalem were distributed in settlements throughout the provinces of Judah and Benjamin.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Or, for the Levites (to wit, those of them who were not settled in Jerusalem) there were divisions, i.e. places appointed for them, and distributed among them.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin. They were scattered about, some here and some there, in both these tribes, for the better instruction of the people.

Geneva Study Bible

And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

36. were divisions in Judah and in Benjamin] R.V. certain courses in Judah were joined to Benjamin. The A.V., which gives quite a wrong view of the passage, perhaps followed the Vulg., ‘de Levitis portiones Judæ et Benjamin.’ The LXX. is very literal, ἀπὸ τῶν Λευιτῶν μερίδες Ἰούδα τῷ Βενιαμείν. The meaning is quite unmistakeable. ‘Divisions’ or ‘sections’ of the Levitical community who in former times had been attached to the territory of Judah, were now settled in Benjamin.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 36. - Of the Levites were divisions in Judah and Benjamin. The exact sense is obscure, but we may gather from the passage that a certain number of Levites were dispersed among the Benjamite cities. They were not now numerous enough to have any cities to themselves.



Nehemiah 11:36

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The enumeration concludes with the remark, "Of the Levites came divisions of Judah to Benjamin," which can only signify that divisions of Levites who, according to former arrangements, belonged to Judah, now came to Benjamin, i.e., dwelt among the Benjamites.