נחמיה, פרק י״א, פסוק ג׳

The return of the exiles to Zion involved a specific layout of settlement across the land, creating a clear distinction between where the national leadership established their homes and where the rest of the population lived. The heads of the province chose to reside in the capital city of Jerusalem. Commentators agree that the initial mention of these leaders serves as a general introduction to the detailed list of prominent individuals and families that soon follows.

In contrast to the central leadership, the rest of the nation settled throughout the various other cities of Judah. This wider distribution across the province was not random. Instead, each person returned to live in the exact ancestral property that had belonged to their family before the Babylonian exile [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. The diverse groups that made up the returning nation and successfully reclaimed their historical lands included the Israelites, the Priests, the Levites, the Temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants.