1 Chronicles 9:2

“Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities, etc.] Who first returned from Babylon upon the proclamation of Cyrus, and enjoyed their former possessions, and dwelt in the cities they had before, or in such as were allotted them, or they chose: [were], the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims; the whole body that returned were divided into four classes, as they had been before the captivity; the Israelites were the common people in general, the body politic; the priests, the ecclesiastics, who officiated in sacred things; the Levites, who ministered to them; and the Nethinims were such persons as were “given”, as the word signifies, to do servile…”

“the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions--This chapter relates wholly to the first returned exiles. Almost all the names recur in Nehemiah (Neh. 11:1-36), although there are differences which will be explained there. The same division of the people into four classes was continued after, as before the captivity; namely, the priests, Levites, natives, who now were called by the common name of Israelites, and the Nethinims (Jos 9:27; Ezr 2:43; Ezr 8:20). When the historian speaks of "the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions," he implies that there were others who afterwards returned and settled in possessions not occupied by the first. Accordingly, we read of a great…”

“The first inhabitants - i. e. the first inhabitants of the holy land after the return from the captivity. They are enumerated under four heads: (1) Israelites, i. e. the mass of the laity, whether belonging to the ten tribes or the two; (2) priests; (3) Levites; and (4) the lowest order of the ministry, the Nethinims. These last, whose name is derived from a root “to give,” were a sort of sacred slaves - persons “given” to the Levites to perform the more laborious duties of the sanctuary. Some had been “given” as early as the time of Moses Numbers 31:47; and the number afterward increased Joshua 9:23; Ezra 8:20. At the time of the return from the captivity, owing to the small number of…”

“The first - After the return from Babylon. Dwelt - That took possession of their own lands and cities, which had been formerly allotted them; but of late years had been taken from them for their sins, and possessed by other people. Israelites - The common people of Judah and Israel, called here by the general name of Israelites, which was given them before that unhappy division of the kingdoms, and now is restored to them when the Israelites are united with the Jews in one and the same commonwealth, that so all the names and signs of their former division might be blotted out. And though the generality of the ten tribes were yet in captivity, yet divers of them upon Cyrus's general…”

“am 3468, bc 536 the first: Ezr 2:70; Neh 7:73, Neh 11:3 the Nethinims: Jos 9:21-27; Ezr 2:43, Ezr 2:58, Ezr 8:20; Neh 7:60, Neh 7:73, Neh 11:3, Neh 11:21 1 Chronicles 9:3”