1 Chronicles 9:2

Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions, in their cities . Authorities are very divided as to whether this expression describes inhabitants of the land before the Captivity or subsequent to it. Almost all the older authorities, and Keil amongst those of more modern date, take the former position; Movers, Bertheau, and others take the latter, as also Canon Rawlinson. It must be admitted that there is some obscurity, and which accounts for the contrariety of opinion. But obscurity and contrariety notwithstanding, a comparison of 1 Chronicles 9:2 and 1 Chronicles 9:3 with Nehemiah 11:1-4 : produces two impressions almost irresistible, viz. that the difficulty is occasioned by some comparatively slight corruption or mutilation in our Nehemiah 11:2 ; and that, whatever the reference is in Nehemiah 11:1-4 (and there is no ambiguity there), that it is in the present passage. The fourfold classification intends the Israel people ( Isaiah 24:2 ; Hosea 4:9 ), the priests , the Levites , the Nethinims , i.e. those given as helpers of the priests, bond-men of the temple ( Numbers 8:18 , Numbers 8:19 ; Numbers 31:47 ; Ezra 2:40-48 ; Ezra 8:17 , Ezra 8:20 ). Not before the time of the return does the name Nethinim seem to have crystallized upon this class of helpers, the explanation of which may possibly be that their numbers and their services then became so much more necessary. To this classification is added in Nehemiah 11:3 , "And the children of Solomon's servants" ( Ezra 2:55 ).