Nehemiah 12

1 Now these are the priests and the Levites, that went up with Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue: Saraia, Jeremias, Esdras,

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

2 Amaria, Melluch, Hattus,

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Sebenias, Rheum, Merimuth,

Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Addo, Genthon, Abia,

Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,

5 Miamin, Madia, Belga,

Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Semeia, and Joiarib, Idaia, Sellum, Amoc, Helcias,

Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7 Idaia. These were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren in the days of Josue.

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

8 And the Levites, Jesua, Bennui, Cedmihel, Sarebia, Juda, Mathanias, they and their brethren were over the hymns:

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

9 And Becbecia, and Hanni, and their brethren every one in his office.

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

10 And Josue beget Joacim, and Joacim beget Eliasib, and Eliasib beget Joiada,

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

11 And Joiada beget Jonathan, and Jonathan beget Jeddoa.

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

12 And in the days of Joacim the priests and heads of the families were: Of Saraia, Maraia: of Jeremias, Hanania:

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

13 Of Esdras, Mosollam: and of Amaria, Johanan:

of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 Of Milicho, Jonathan: of Sebenia, Joseph:

of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 Of Haram, Edna: of Maraioth, Helci:

of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 Of Adaia, Zacharia: of Genthon, Mosollam:

of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 Of Abia, Zechri: of Miamin and Moadia, Phelti:

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

18 Of Belga, Sammua of Semaia, Jonathan:

of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jonathan;

19 Of Joiarib, Mathanai: of Jodaia, Azzi:

of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 Of Sellai, Celai: of Amoc, Heber:

of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 Of Helcias, Hasebia: of Idaia, Nathanael.

of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 The Levites the chiefs of the families in the days of Eliasib, and Joiada, and Johanan, and Jeddoa, were recorded, and the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian.

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.

23 The sons of Levi, heads of the families were written in the book of Chronicles, even unto the days of Jonathan the son of Eliasib.

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.

24 Now the chief of the Levites were Hasebia, Serebia, and Josue the son of Cedmihel: and their brethren by their courses, to praise and to give thanks according to the commandment of David the man of God, and to wait equally in order.

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.

25 Mathania, and Becbecia, Obedia, and Mosollam, Telmon, Accub, were keepers of the gates and of the entrances before the gates.

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

26 These were in the days of Joacim the son of Josue, the son of Josedec, and in the days of Nehemias the governor, and of Esdras the priest and scribe.

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.

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, and to keep the dedication, and to rejoice with thanksgiving, and with singing, and with cymbals, and psalteries and harps.

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.

28 And the sons of the singing men were gathered together out of the plain country about Jerusalem, and out of the villages of Nethuphati,

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

29 And from the house of Galgal, and from the countries of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singing men had built themselves villages round about Jerusalem.

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

30 And the priests and the Levites purified, and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

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

31 And I made the princes of Juda go up upon the wall, and I appointed two great choirs to give praise. And they went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dunghill gate.

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.

32 And after them went Osaias, and half of the princes of Juda,

Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed,

33 And Azarias, Esdras, and Mosollam,

along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

34 Judas, and Benjamin, and Semeia, and Jeremias.

Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

35 And of the sons of the priests with trumpets, Zacharias the son of Jonathan. the son of Semeia, the son of Mathania; the son of Michaia, the son of Zechur, the son of Asaph,

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,

36 And his brethren Semeia, and Azareel Malalai, Galalai, Maai, Nathanael, and Judas, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God: and Esdras the scribe before them at the fountain gate.

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.

37 And they went up over against them by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall of the house of David, and to the water gate eastward:

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.

38 And the second choir of them that gave thanks went on the opposite side, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, and upon the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad wall,

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,

39 And above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Emath, and even to the flock gate: and they stood still in the watch gate.

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.

40 And the two choirs of them that gave praise stood still at the house of God, and I and the half of the magistrates with me.

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

41 And the priests, Eliachim, Maasia, Miamin, Michea, Elioenai, Zacharia, Hanania with trumpets,

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

42 And Maasia, and Semeia, and Eleazar, and Azzi, and Johanan, and Melchia, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sung loud, and Jezraia was their overseer:

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

43 And they sacrificed on that day great sacrifices, and they rejoiced: for God had made them joyful with great joy: their wives also and their children rejoiced, and the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

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.

44 They appointed also in that day men over the storehouses of the treasure, for the libations, and for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, that the rulers of the city might bring them in by them in honour of thanksgiving, for the priests and Levites: for Juda was joyful in the priests and Levites that assisted.

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.

45 And they kept the watch of their God, and the observance of expiation, and the singing men, and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

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.

46 For in the days of David and Asaph from the beginning there were chief singers appointed, to praise with canticles, and give thanks to God.

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.

47 And all Israel, in the days of Zorobabel, and in the days of Nehemias gave portions to the singing men, and to the porters, day by day, and they sanctified the Levites, and the Levites sanctified the sons of Aaron.

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.