Nehemiah 12

The Priests and Levites Who Returned with Zerubbabel

1 These are the priests and Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,

3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

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

The Levite Leaders

8 The Levites were: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who with his associates was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.

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

The High Priests’ Descendants

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

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

Heads of the Priestly Families in Joiakim’s Time

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

13 Of Ezra’s, Meshullam; of Amariah’s, Jehohanan;

14 Of Malluki’s, Jonathan; of Shebaniah’s, Joseph;

15 Of Harim’s, Adna; of Meremoth’s, Helkai;

16 Of Iddo’s, Zechariah; of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam;

17 Of Abijah’s, Zikri; of Miniamin and Moadiah’s, Piltai;

18 Of Bilgah’s, Shammua; of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan;

19 Of Joiarib’s, Mattenai; of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi;

20 Of Sallu’s, Kallai; of Amok’s, Eber;

21 Of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.

Levites and Priests Recorded in Chronicles

22 The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were recorded, as well as the priests, up until the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

24 The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel. They and their associates stood opposite each other to give praise and thanks, one group responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.

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

Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully with songs of thanksgiving, music, cymbals, harps, and lyres.

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

29 From Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.

30 The priests and Levites purified themselves, then purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Two Choirs March in Dedication

31 I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One went to the right on the wall toward the Dung Gate.

32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,

33 Along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 As well as 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 associates, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led them.

37 At the Fountain Gate, they continued straight up 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.

The Second Choir and the Assembly

38 The second choir went in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,

39 Over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Gate of the Guard.

40 The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, along with half the officials,

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

42 And also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah.

43 On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

Duties Assigned for Temple Support

44 At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the tithes. From the fields they brought in the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites. Judah was pleased with the priests and Levites who were serving.

45 They carried out the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon.

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

47 In the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel gave daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.