Nehemiah 11 Q & A. Populating Jerusalem

1 Introduction: If you were asked to restore the spiritual life of a city what strategy would you use?

Get some real strong devout spiritual leaders to come and live in the city. Then set up prayer meetings and worship services. Get the people to support those who were in God's service. Build programs to help people in their spiritual walk. Teach children and adults about God and the Holy Scriptures.

2 How did Nehemiah finalize the plan which God had put on his heart (7:4)?

Note that it has taken a couple chapters before he gets back to this project and to come up with a scheme to accomplish what God had laid on his heart. The leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem and village people were asked to settle in Jerusalem.

3 What percentage of the village people where asked to settle in Jerusalem? How was it determined who should move to the city?

Pro 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
1 in 10 of the rest of the inhabitants of Israel were to be chosen by casting lots. People supported those who volunteered to move to Jerusalem.

During festival times it was probable that their relatives came to stay with them. Thus families would try to help those who were willing to live in Jerusalem so that they could connect when they came for the festivals.

4 Why might people not want to live in Jerusalem? Why might this be a good thing for them to do?

To relocate especially when someone was well established in a location would be difficult. Those that were doing trading might find living in Jerusalem better. Perhaps being a connection between villages and the city folk might be a way to sell goods not only to city people but also to trader who were coming through the area on their way between Egypt and Susa.

5 What would happen if we did not have elected or appointed leaders with invested authority?

It was the governor who was able to make the people move into the city to get it thriving again. Others were set in charge of the various aspects of the temple worship service and others in charge of the various groups of people. When leaders have authority, there is order and harmony.

6 How would the priests, Levite, gatekeepers and the others be fed?

The priests were fed from the tithe of the people.

7 Where did some of these people have to go to farm their crops? What might happen to their fields while they were in Jerusalem?

Some of the Levites had property in the villages outside of Jerusalem where they had ancestral properties. They lived in different towns and villages where they could teach and instruct the people in God's ways.

8 What was the main plus of living in Jerusalem now that the wall was up?

There was security from robbers and other armed men. Living close to the temple allowed people to participate in the worship of their God.

9 What did the singers do? What was laid out by David and Solomon in the temple worship? I Chron 15:16 - 28; 2 Chron 5:12 -14; 2 Chron 23:16 - 19; 2 Ch 29:25-30;

10 How did the king help out?

The agent of the king was responsible to regulate all the activities of the singers.

11 It appears as the people from a certain clan, settled together in an area of the city and they had one of their own to give them leadership. How is this a good thing? What would be the negatives?