(11) And Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam.--See 1Chronicles 6:12-13. The names coincide so far as Zadok; but either Meraioth and Ahitub have been transposed (see 1Chronicles 6:7), or perhaps Meraioth has been omitted in 1Chronicles 6:12. Instead of Azariah, the parallel in Nehemiah 11:11 has Seraiah, the rest of the verse being verbatim the same as here. A list of priests who went up with Zerubbabel and Joshua begins with Seraiah (Nehemiah 12:1), and in Nehemiah 10:2 Seraiah and Azariah are priests who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah the Tirshatha, about seventy years later. Nehemiah 12:12 shows that Seraiah was the name of a priestly clan. Perhaps the name Seraiah should be read in the present passage before, or instead of, Azariah. (Comp. 1Chronicles 6:13-14.) If, however, the name is official, not personal, like the names in the preceding verse, this supposition is hardly necessary. Either Azariah or Seraiah might equally represent the priestly house intended.

Verses 11-13. - This list resembles much more closely that of Nehemiah 11:11-14. The one thousand and seven hundred and three score of this passage is not reached by five hundred and sixty-eight, when the numbers of Nehemiah 11:12-14 are all added together. The name Azariah (in Nehemiah appearing, probably simply by copyist's error, as Seraiah), here described as ruler of the house of God, probably points to the high priest Eliashib, who held that office in the time of Nehemiah, and was descended from Seraiah (1 Chronicles 6:14). The ins and outs of the lists of these verses confirm the supposition that the way in which differences in the other lists occur are easily to be accounted for, in one compiler having selected some of the names of the whole line of genealogy, and another others, though in each several case according to reasons often unknown by us. Thus, between Jeroham and Pashur the table of Nehemiah supplies three additional links in the names Pelaliah, Amzi, Zechariah; while in our very next verse, for the three between Maasiai (Amashai) and Meshillemith, Nehemiah has only two names, and neither of those two (Azareel, Ahasai) the same as found here.

9:1-44 Genealogies. - This chapter expresses that one end of recording all these genealogies was, to direct the Jews, when they returned out of captivity, with whom to unite, and where to reside. Here is an account of the good state into which the affairs of religion were put, on the return from Babylon. Every one knew his charge. Work is likely to be done well when every one knows the duty of his place, and makes a business of it. God is the God of order. Thus was the temple a figure of the heavenly one, where they rest not day nor night from praising God, Re 4:8. Blessed be His name, believers there shall, not in turn, but all together, without interruption, praise him night and day: may the Lord make each of us fit for the inheritance of the saints in light.And Azariah the son of Hilkiah,.... That is, the son of Azariah, whose name was Seraiah, see 1 Chronicles 6:13, whose pedigree is traced up from Hilkiah through Meshullam, called Shallum, 1 Chronicles 6:12. Zadok, Meraioth, to Ahitub:

the ruler of the house of God; high priest in it; which is to be understood of Ahitub, and not of Azariah or Seraiah in the time of Ezra; for Joshua was then high priest.