Nehemiah 12

1 Now these are the priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

Now these are the priests and the Levites who ascended with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,

Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Jeshua.

These were the leaders of the priests and of their brothers, in the days of Jeshua.

8 The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who, with his associates, led the songs of thanksgiving.

And the Levites, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah, they and their brothers were over the hymns,

9 Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood across from them in the services.

with Bakbukiah, as well as Hannai, and their brothers, each one in his office.

10 Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada,

Now Jeshua conceived Joiakim, and Joiakim conceived Eliashib, and Eliashib conceived Joiada,

11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

and Joiada conceived Jonathan, and Jonathan conceived Jaddua.

12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families: of the family of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

And in the days of Joiakim, the priests and the leaders of the families were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

of Maluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

of Adaiah, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin and of Moadiah, Piltai;

of Abijah, Zichri; of Mijamin and Moadiah, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jonathan;

of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, during the reign of Darius the Persian, the heads of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded.

The Levites, in the days of Eliashib, and Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, and the priests, were written according to the leaders of the families, during the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 As for the descendants of Levi, the family heads up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles.

The sons of Levi, according to the leaders of the families, were written in the book of the words of those days, even to the days of Johanan, the son of Eliashib.

24 The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their associates, who stood across from them to give praise and thanksgiving as one section alternated with the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.

Now the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua, the son of Kadmiel, and their brothers, in their turns, so that they would praise and confess, according to the precept of David, the man of God. And they served equally and in order.

25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates.

Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were keepers of the gates and of the vestibules before the gates.

26 They served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe.

These were in the days of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah, the governor, and of Ezra, the priest and scribe.

27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.

Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites from all their places, so that they might bring them to Jerusalem, and so that they might keep the dedication, and rejoice with thanksgiving, and with singing, and with cymbals, psalteries, and lyres.

28 The singers were also assembled from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites,

Now the sons of the singing men were gathered from the plains surrounding Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophati,

29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.

and from the house of Gilgal, and from the regions of Geba and Azmaveth. For the singing men had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.

30 After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

And the priests and the Levites were cleansed, and they cleansed the people, and the gates, and the wall.

31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and I appointed two great thanksgiving choirs. One was to proceed along the top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.

Then I caused the leaders of Judah to ascend the wall, and I appointed two great choirs to give praise. And they went to the right upon the wall, toward the dung gate.

32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed,

And after them went Hoshaiah, and one half part of the leadership of Judah,

33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.

35 and some of the priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph,

And some of the sons of the priests went forth with trumpets: Zachariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph.

36 and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani—with the musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the scribe led the procession.

And his brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, and Hanani, went forth with the canticles of David, the man of God. And Ezra, the scribe, was before them at the fountain gate.

37 At the Fountain Gate they climbed the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.

And opposite them, they ascended by the steps of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall above the house of David, and as far as the water gate to the east.

38 The second thanksgiving choir proceeded to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,

And the second choir of those who gave thanks went forth on the opposite side, and I went after them, and one half part of the people were upon the wall, and upon the tower of the furnaces, as far as the widest wall,

39 over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. And they stopped at the Gate of the Guard.

and above the gate of Ephraim, and above the ancient gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hamath, and as far as the flock gate. And they stood still at the watch gate.

40 The two thanksgiving choirs then stood in the house of God, as did I, along with the half of the officials accompanying me,

And the two choirs of those who gave praise stood still at the house of God, with myself and one half part of the magistrates who were with me.

41 as well as the priests with their trumpets—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah—

And the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Mijamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, went forth with trumpets,

42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. Then the choirs sang out under the direction of Jezrahiah.

with Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers were singing clearly, and Jezrahiah was their foremost leader.

43 On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

And on that day, they immolated great sacrifices, and they rejoiced. For God had caused them to rejoice with great joy. And their wives and children also were glad. And the rejoicing of Jerusalem was heard from far away.

44 And on that same day men were appointed over the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes. The portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites were gathered into these storerooms from the fields of the villages, because Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who were serving.

On that day also, they enrolled men over the storehouses of the treasury, for the libations, and for the first-fruits, and for the tithes, so that the leaders of the city might bring these in, by them, with proper thanksgiving, for the priests and the Levites. For Judah was rejoicing in the priests and the Levites who were assisting.

45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.

And they kept the vigil of their God, and the vigil of expiation, with the singing men and the gatekeepers, in accord with the precept of David, and of Solomon, his son.

46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

For in the days of David and Asaph, from the beginning, there were leaders appointed over the singers, to give praise in verses, and to confess to God.

47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for the descendants of Aaron.

And all of Israel, in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave portions to the singing men and to the gatekeepers, for each day, and they sanctified the Levites, and the Levites sanctified the sons of Aaron.