Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 11:9
And Joel the son of Zichri [was] their overseer: and Judah the son of Senuah [was] second over the city.
9. And Joel, &c.] There is nothing in the 1 Chron. list corresponding with this verse.
overseer ] Apparently the members of the same tribe or house formed a distinct organization within the city walls, and were under a responsible head or ‘overseer,’ ‘pqid.’ LXX. . Vulg. ‘praepositus.’
Judah the son of Senuah (R.V. Hassenuah)] In 1Ch 9:7, Sallu is spoken of as a descendant of ‘Hodaviah the son of Hassenuah.’ Remembering the confusion between ‘Judah’ and ‘Hodaviah’ in Ezr 2:40; Ezr 3:9, it is possible that we have here another trace of textual corruption. ‘Elah the son of Michri’ is also confused with ‘Joel the son of Zichri,’ 1Ch 9:8.
second over the city ] From the context it is evident that the expression refers only to the overseership over the Benjamites, or, at the most, the men of Judah and Benjamin in the city. He was ‘deputy overseer,’ or second in command to Joel. Cf. ‘brethren of the second degree’ 1Ch 15:18, ‘second to him’ 1Ch 16:5. It is not, however, quite certain that the traditional translation adopted in the English version is correct. In the opinion of some scholars the word rendered ‘second’ qualifies ‘the city,’ which in the Hebrew it immediately follows. It will not then denote the rank of Judah the son of Hassenuah, but the quarter of the capital over which he was overseer. Cf. 2Ki 22:14, ‘She (Huldah) dwelt in Jerusalem, in the second quarter.’ 2Ch 34:22; Zep 1:10. On the division of Jerusalem into two districts, for purposes of administration, see Neh 3:9; Neh 3:12. We know from Neh 7:2 that Nehemiah had constituted Hanani and Hananiah ‘overseers’ over Jerusalem. Perhaps Joel and Judah presided over a special community in each district.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. And Joel – was their overseer] Joel was chief or magistrate over those, and Judah was his second or deputy. Perhaps each had a different office, but that of Joel was the chief.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Their overseer; the captain of their thousand.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. overseerthat is, “captain”or “chief.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer,…. Or chief governor of the city:
and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city; or the deputy governor of it; so Pitholaus is called an under governor in Jerusalem by Josephus l
l Antiqu. l. 14. c. 6. sect. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Neh 11:9 And Joel the son of Zichri [was] their overseer: and Judah the son of Senuah [was] second over the city.
Ver. 9. Their overseer ] Or commissary.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Judah: 1Ch 9:7, Hodaviah, Hasenuah
Reciprocal: Gen 41:34 – officers 1Ch 23:4 – set forward Neh 11:22 – overseer