Nehemiah 12
1 and these [the] priest and [the] Levi which to ascend: rise with Zerubbabel son: child Shealtiel and Jeshua Seraiah Jeremiah Ezra
[Many] priests and [other] descendants of Levi returned (from Babylonia/to Jerusalem) with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. They included 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, Moadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah and Joiarib Jedaiah
Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Sallu Amok Hilkiah Jedaiah these head: leader [the] priest and brother: male-relative their in/on/with day Jeshua
Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. All those men were leaders of the priests during the time that Jeshua [was the Supreme Priest].
8 and [the] Levi Jeshua Binnui Kadmiel Sherebiah Judah Mattaniah upon praise he/she/it and brother: male-relative his
[Some of the other] descendants of Levi who returned were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah. They were in charge of singing songs to thank [God].
9 and Bakbukiah (and Unni *Q(K)*) brother: male-relative their to/for before them to/for charge
Bakbukiah, Unni, and other descendants of Levi formed a choir that stood opposite the other group [and sang in reply to them].
10 and Jeshua to beget [obj] Joiakim and Joiakim to beget [obj] Eliashib and Eliashib [obj] Joiada
Jeshua [who was the Supreme Priest] was the father of Joiakim, who was the father of Eliashib, who was the father of Joiada,
11 and Joiada to beget [obj] Jonathan and Jonathan to beget [obj] Jaddua
who was the father of Jonathan, who was the father of Jaddua.
12 and in/on/with day Joiakim to be priest head: leader [the] father to/for Seraiah Meraiah to/for Jeremiah Hananiah
When Joiakim was the Supreme Priest, these were the leaders of the clans of priests: Meraiah, from [the clan of] Seraiah; Hananiah, from [the clan of] Jeremiah;
13 to/for Ezra Meshullam to/for Amariah Jehohanan
Meshullam, from [the clan of] Ezra; Jehohanan, from [the clan of] Amariah;
14 (to/for Mallichi *Q(K)*) Jonathan to/for Shebaniah Joseph
Jonathan, from [the clan of] Malluch; Joseph, from [the clan of] Shecaniah;
15 to/for Harim Adna to/for Meraioth Helkai
Adna, from [the clan of] Harim; Helkai, from [the clan of] Meremoth/Maraioth;
16 (to/for Iddo *Q(K)*) Zechariah to/for Ginnethon Meshullam
Zechariah, from [the clan of] Iddo; Meshullam, from [the clan of] Ginnethon;
17 to/for Abijah Zichri to/for Miniamin to/for Moadiah Piltai
Zicri, from [the clan of] Abijah. There was also a leader from [the clan of] Miniamin; Piltai, from [the clan of] Moadiah;
18 to/for Bilgah Shammua to/for Shemaiah Jehonathan
Shammua, from [the clan of] Bilgah; Jehonathan, from [the clan of] Shemaiah;
19 and to/for Joiarib Mattenai to/for Jedaiah Uzzi
Mattenai, from [the clan of] Joiarib; Uzzi, from [the clan of] Jedaiah;
20 to/for Sallai Kallai to/for Amok Eber
Kallai, from [the clan of] Sallu/Sallai; Eber, from [the clan of] Amok;
21 to/for Hilkiah Hashabiah to/for Jedaiah Nethanel
Hashabiah, from [the clan of] Hilkiah; and Nethanel, from [the clan of] Jedaiah.
22 [the] Levi in/on/with day Eliashib Joiada and Johanan and Jaddua to write head: leader father and [the] priest upon royalty Darius [the] Persian
During the years that Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua [were Supreme Priests], they (wrote/kept a list of) the names of the clans who were descendants of Levi. When Darius was the king of Persia, they stopped writing that list.
23 son: descendant/people Levi head: leader [the] father to write upon scroll: book Chronicles [the] day and till day Johanan son: child Eliashib
They wrote the names of the leaders of the clans who were descendants of Levi in the Book of Events [in Israel], but they stopped writing those names when Eliashib’s grandson Johanan [was the Supreme Priest].
24 and head: leader [the] Levi Hashabiah Sherebiah and Jeshua son: child Kadmiel and brother: male-relative their to/for before them to/for to boast: praise to/for to give thanks in/on/with commandment David man [the] God custody to/for close custody
These are the leaders of the clans [who are] descendants of Levi: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel and others who were divided into two groups. The two groups faced each other, one group replying to the other, during the time that they praised and thanked God. They did that just as King David, the man who served God well, had instructed.
25 Mattaniah and Bakbukiah Obadiah Meshullam Talmon Akkub to keep: guard gatekeeper custody in/on/with storehouse [the] gate
These singers included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. The men who guarded the storerooms close to the gates [of the temple] were Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub.
26 these in/on/with day Joiakim son: child Jeshua son: child Jozadak and in/on/with day Nehemiah [the] governor and Ezra [the] priest [the] secretary
They did that work during the time that Joiakim, who was the son of Jeshua and the grandson of Jehozadak, [was the Supreme Priest, ] and I was the governor, and Ezra was the priest who knew the Jewish laws very well.
27 and in/on/with dedication wall Jerusalem to seek [obj] [the] Levi from all place their to/for to come (in): bring them to/for Jerusalem to/for to make: do dedication and joy and in/on/with thanksgiving and in/on/with song cymbal harp and in/on/with lyre
When we dedicated the wall around Jerusalem, we summoned the descendants of Levi [who help the priests] from the nearby places where they [were living]. We asked them to [join with us to] celebrate when we dedicated the wall. We wanted them to sing songs to thank [Yahweh] and make music by playing cymbals and harps and other stringed instruments.
28 and to gather son: descendant/people [the] to sing and from [the] talent around Jerusalem and from village Netophathite
We summoned the descendants of Levi who habitually sang together. They came to Jerusalem from nearby areas [where they had settled], and from places around Netophah [town southeast of Jerusalem],
29 and from Beth-gilgal [the] Beth-gilgal and from land: country Geba and Azmaveth for village to build to/for them [the] to sing around Jerusalem
and from three places [northeast of Jerusalem]—Beth Gilgal [city] and the areas around Geba and Azmaveth. Those singers had built villages to live in near Jerusalem.
30 and be pure [the] priest and [the] Levi and be pure [obj] [the] people and [obj] [the] gate and [obj] [the] wall
[When they came to Jerusalem], the priests and [other] descendants of Levi [who help the priests] performed rituals to cause themselves to be acceptable to God, and then they performed similar rituals to purify the [other] people, the gates, and the wall.
31 and to ascend: establish [obj] ruler Judah from upon to/for wall and to stand: appoint [emph?] two thanksgiving great: large and procession to/for right: south from upon to/for wall to/for gate [the] Dung (Gate)
Then I gathered together the leaders of Judah on top of the wall, and I appointed them to lead two large groups to march around the city [on top of the wall], thanking God. [As they faced the city, ] one group walked to the right toward the Dung Gate.
32 and to go: follow after them Hoshaiah and half ruler Judah
Behind their leaders marched Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah.
33 and Azariah Ezra and Meshullam
Behind them marched a group of priests who were blowing trumpets. They were Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. Next came Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, a descendant of Asaph.
34 Judah and Benjamin and Shemaiah and Jeremiah
35 and from son: descendant/people [the] priest in/on/with trumpet Zechariah son: child Jonathan son: child Shemaiah son: child Mattaniah son: child Micaiah son: child Zaccur son: child Asaph
36 and brother: male-relative his Shemaiah and Azarel Milalai Gilalai Maai Nethanel and Judah Hanani in/on/with article/utensil song David man [the] God and Ezra [the] secretary to/for face: before their
Behind them marched other members of Zechariah’s clan: Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They all were playing the same kinds of musical instruments that King David had played [many years previously]. Ezra, the man who knew the Jewish laws very well, marched in front of this group.
37 and upon gate [the] Fountain (Gate) and before them to ascend: rise upon step city David in/on/with ascent to/for wall from upon to/for house: home David and till gate [the] Water (Gate) east
When they reached the Fountain Gate, they went up the steps to David’s City, past his palace, and then to the wall at the Water Gate, on the east side [of the city].
38 and [the] thanksgiving [the] second [the] to go: walk to/for opposite and I after her and half [the] people from upon to/for [the] (Broad) Wall from upon to/for tower [the] (Tower of) the Ovens and till [the] (Broad) Wall [the] Broad
The other group of those who were thanking [Yahweh] marched to the left on top of the wall. I followed them with half of the people. [We marched] past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall.
39 and from upon to/for gate Ephraim (Gate) and upon gate [the] (Gate of) Yeshanah and upon gate [the] Fish (Gate) and (Hananel) Tower (Tower of) Hananel and (Hananel) Tower [the] (Tower of) the Hundred and till gate [the] Sheep (Gate) and to stand: stand in/on/with gate [the] (Gate of the) Guard
[From there we marched] past Ephraim Gate, Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of the Hundred Soldiers, to the Sheep Gate. We finished marching near the gate into the temple.
40 and to stand: stand two [the] thanksgiving in/on/with house: temple [the] God and I and half [the] ruler with me
Both the groups reached the temple while they were thanking God. They stood in their places there. The leaders who were with me [also stood with me in our places].
41 and [the] priest Eliakim Maaseiah Miniamin Micaiah Elioenai Zechariah Hananiah in/on/with trumpet
My group included these priests who were [all blowing] trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah,
42 and Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer and to hear: proclaim [the] to sing and Jezrahiah [the] overseer
[another] Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers, whose leader was Jezrahiah, sang loudly.
43 and to sacrifice in/on/with day [the] he/she/it sacrifice great: large and to rejoice for [the] God to rejoice them joy great: large and also [the] woman and [the] youth to rejoice and to hear: hear joy Jerusalem from distant
[After we went outside the temple, ] we offered many sacrifices. We men all rejoiced because God had caused us to be very happy. The women and the children also rejoiced. People far away could hear the noise that we made there in Jerusalem.
44 and to reckon: overseer in/on/with day [the] he/she/it human upon [the] chamber to/for treasure to/for contribution to/for first: beginning and to/for tithe to/for to gather in/on/with them to/for land: country [the] city portion [the] instruction to/for priest and to/for Levi for joy Judah upon [the] priest and upon [the] Levi [the] to stand: appoint
On that day, men were appointed {they appointed men} to be in charge of the storerooms where they kept the money that people contributed [for the temple]. They also kept there [the other things that the people contributed—] the tithes and the first part of the grain and fruit that was harvested each year. Those men collected those things from the fields/farms near the cities, and [took them to Jerusalem and] gave them to the priests and the [other] descendants of Levi, as [Moses had said in his] laws that they should do. All the Israeli people were happy about the work that the priests and the descendants of Levi did,
45 and to keep: obey charge God their and charge [the] purifying and [the] to sing and [the] gatekeeper like/as commandment David Solomon son: child his
because they performed the rituals to purify things, and the other rituals that God had commanded. The musicians in the temple also did their work as King David and his son Solomon had declared that they should do.
46 for in/on/with day David and Asaph from front: old (head: leader *Q(K)*) [the] to sing and song praise and to give thanks to/for God
Ever since the time that David had been the king and Asaph had been his chief musician, the musicians had led the people while they sang songs to praise and thank God.
47 and all Israel in/on/with day Zerubbabel and in/on/with day Nehemiah to give: give portion [the] to sing and [the] gatekeeper word: because day: daily in/on/with day: daily his and to consecrate: dedicate to/for Levi and [the] Levi to consecrate: dedicate to/for son: descendant/people Aaron
During the years that Zerubbabel and I governed the Israeli people, they all contributed the food that the singers and temple gatekeepers needed each day. They gave (a tithe/10%) of their crops to the descendants of Levi [who helped the priests], and those descendants of Levi gave (a tithe/10%) of that to [the priests, who were] descendants of Aaron [the first Supreme Priest].
