Book of Nehemiah - Chapter 11 - Verse 1

The verse "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" from Nehemiah 11:1 highlights the process of resettling the population of Jerusalem after it had been rebuilt. The leaders of the community, along with the general populace, decided to cast lots in order to select individuals to live in Jerusalem, the designated holy city. This method was used to fairly distribute the population and ensure that the city was adequately populated and protected. By having a portion of the people residing in Jerusalem, while others lived in surrounding cities, they could maintain a strong presence in the holy city while also occupying other areas. This verse demonstrates the importance of strategic planning and organization in maintaining a balanced population distribution for the benefit of the entire community.

In this verse, the act of casting lots was a common practice in ancient Israel to seek God's divine will in making decisions. The concept of casting lots is mentioned throughout the Bible, such as in the selection of Matthias to replace Judas as one of the twelve apostles in Acts 1:26. The act of casting lots was seen as a way to allow God to intervene and direct the outcome. Here, we see the people of Israel casting lots to determine which individuals would have the privilege of dwelling in Jerusalem, the holy city. The rulers of the people were already residing in Jerusalem, but the rest of the population had the opportunity to be selected through this process. By relying on the casting of lots, the people demonstrated their faith in God's sovereignty and his ability to guide them in their decisions. This verse serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking God's will in both big and small matters, trusting in His divine plan for our lives.