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,

This is a list of the priests and Levites who came back with Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the high priest: 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,

Miniamin, 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 relatives in Jeshua's time.

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 fellow Levites was in charge of the songs of praise.

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

Two other Levites, Bakbukiah and Unni, stood opposite them in the service.

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

Jeshua the high priest was the father of Joiakim, who was the father of Eliashib, who was the father of Joiada,

11 And Joiada beget Jonathan, and Jonathan beget Jeddoa.

who was the father of Jonathan, who 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 Joiakim's time, these were the family leaders of the priests: 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, Jehonathan;

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; 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.

The family leaders of the Levites in the time of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, in addition to those of the priests, were recorded during the reign of Darius the Persian.

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 genealogy of the sons of Levi, the family leaders up to the time of Johanan, son of Eliashib, were listed in the Book of the Records.

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 Levite leaders were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua, son of Kadmiel, together with their fellow Levites, who stood opposite them, each section giving praise and thanks and responding to one another, as arranged 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.

They were joined by Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storehouses 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 time of Joiakim, son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the time 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.

In order to dedicate the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were called from everywhere they were living to come to Jerusalem and celebrate with joy the dedication with songs of praise and thanks, 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 brought in from the area around Jerusalem and 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.

as well as from Beth-gilgal and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves all around Jerusalem.

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

Once the priests and the 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.

I had the leaders of Judah go up on the wall, and arranged two large choirs that to give thanks. One group went to right along the wall to the Refuse Gate.

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

Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,

33 And Azarias, Esdras, and Mosollam,

with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

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

Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and 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,

as well as some of the priests with trumpets, and Zechariah, son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, 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 fellow priests, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, along with the musical instruments as required by David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe led them.

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 headed straight up by the stairs of the city of David, where the wall goes uphill, above the house of David, and on 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 other choir group went in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people, on the wall passing the Tower of the Ovens, on 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 Ephraim Gate, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate, stopping at the Guard Gate.

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.

Both thanksgiving choirs then took their places in God's Temple. I followed with the group of leaders that was with me,

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

along with the priests blowing 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:

Then came the singers Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer, and the choirs sang, directed by 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.

Many sacrifices were offered that day, celebrating that God had brought them so much happiness, tremendous happiness. The women and children also celebrated, and the sounds of joy in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

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.

On the same day men were put in charge over the storerooms that contained the offerings, the first part of the crops, and tithes. What was allocated by the Law for the priests and Levites was brought into these storerooms from the fields around the towns, because all the people of Judah were happy for the service of the priests and Levites.

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 were responsible for the worship of their God and for the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, following the instructions of David and his son Solomon.

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, back in the time of David and Asaph, directors had been appointed for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks 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 time of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, everyone in Israel provided the daily food allowances for the singers and the gatekeepers. They also made sure to provide for the other Levites, and the Levites gave a share of this to the descendants of Aaron.