Levites, and the Nethinim. 3And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh; 4Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Perez the son of Judah. 5And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons. 6And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety. 7And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; 8and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; 9and their brethren,
God of Israel, See also note on 2 Chron. xxx. 18). This is a totally different usage from that of earlier times, when Israel meant the Northern kingdom, and Judah the Southern.
Nethinim] These were a class of Temple servants reckoned as inferior to the Levites. Perhaps they were of foreign extraction and included the Gibeonites (cp. Josh. ix. 23). They are mentioned nowhere else in the Old Testament except in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
3. of Ephraim and Manasseh] See note on 2 Chron. xxx. 18.
4—6 (cp. Neh. xi. 4—6). The Sons of Judah.
4. Uthai] In Neh. Athaiah. The two words are more alike in Heb. than in English and are perhaps various readings of one name.
Perez] Cp. ii. 4, 5. We have here (vv. 4—6) a threefold division of the tribe of Judah into the descendants of Perez, Shelah, and Zerah, just as in Num. xxvi. 20.
5. Shilonites] Or Shelanites as Num. xxvi. 20; they were descendants of Shelah, who is mentioned as a son of Judah in ii. 3. For other descendants, see iv. 21 f., and Neh. xi. 5.
Asaiah] In Neh. xi. 5 Maaseiah, a kindred name.
6. Jeuel] In Neh. xi. 5 the "sons of Zerah" are missing.
six hundred and ninety] Cp. Neh. xi. 6 (four hundred threescore and eight sons of Perez) where Perez may be an error for Zerah.
7—9 (cp. Neh. xi. 7—9). The Sons of Benjamin.
7. Sallu] His genealogy is differently stated in Neh. xi. 7, but see next note.
the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah] Read perhaps Judah, the son of Hassenuah (cp. Neh. xi. 9). Hodaviah and Judah could easily be confused in Heb.
8. Ibneiah, Elah, Meshullam] Not mentioned in Neh. xi.
