Nehemiah 12

New International Version

Priests and Levites

12 These were the priests^(A) and Levites^(B) who returned with Zerubbabel^(C) son of Shealtiel^(D) and with Joshua:^(E)

Seraiah,^(F) Jeremiah, Ezra,

²Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,

³Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

⁴Iddo,^(G) Ginnethon,^[a] Abijah,^(H)

⁵Mijamin,^[b] Moadiah, Bilgah,

⁶Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,^(I)

⁷Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.

These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua.

⁸The Levites were Jeshua,^(J) Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah,^(K) who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. ⁹Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services.

¹⁰Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib,^(L) Eliashib the father of Joiada, ¹¹Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.

¹²In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families:

of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah;

of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah;

¹³of Ezra’s, Meshullam;

of Amariah’s, Jehohanan;

¹⁴of Malluk’s, Jonathan;

of Shekaniah’s,^[c] Joseph;

¹⁵of Harim’s, Adna;

of Meremoth’s,^[d] Helkai;

¹⁶of Iddo’s,^(M) Zechariah;

of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam;

¹⁷of Abijah’s,^(N) Zikri;

of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai;

¹⁸of Bilgah’s, Shammua;

of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan;

¹⁹of Joiarib’s, Mattenai;

of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi;

²⁰of Sallu’s, Kallai;

of Amok’s, Eber;

²¹of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah;

of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.

²²The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. ²³The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. ²⁴And the leaders of the Levites^(O) were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.^(P)

²⁵Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. ²⁶They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.

Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

²⁷At the dedication^(Q) of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals,^(R) harps and lyres.^(S) ²⁸The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,^(T) ²⁹from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. ³⁰When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people,^(U) the gates and the wall.

³¹I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of^[e] the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of^[f] the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.^(V) ³²Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, ³³along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴Judah, Benjamin,^(W) Shemaiah, Jeremiah, ³⁵as well as some priests with trumpets,^(X) and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, ³⁶and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments^(Y) prescribed by David the man of God.^(Z) Ezra^(AA) the teacher of the Law led the procession. ³⁷At the Fountain Gate^(AB) they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate^(AC) on the east.

³⁸The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of^[g] the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens^(AD) to the Broad Wall,^(AE) ³⁹over the Gate of Ephraim,^(AF) the Jeshanah^[h] Gate,^(AG) the Fish Gate,^(AH) the Tower of Hananel^(AI) and the Tower of the Hundred,^(AJ) as far as the Sheep Gate.^(AK) At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.

⁴⁰The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, ⁴¹as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets— ⁴²and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. ⁴³And 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.

⁴⁴At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms^(AL) for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes.^(AM) From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites.^(AN) ⁴⁵They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David^(AO) and his son Solomon.^(AP) ⁴⁶For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,^(AQ) there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise^(AR) and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.^(AS)

Footnotes

Nehemiah 12:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 16); most Hebrew manuscripts Ginnethoi
Nehemiah 12:5 A variant of Miniamin
Nehemiah 12:14 Very many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also verse 3); most Hebrew manuscripts Shebaniah’s
Nehemiah 12:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 3); Hebrew Meraioth’s
Nehemiah 12:31 Or go alongside
Nehemiah 12:31 Or proceed alongside
Nehemiah 12:38 Or them alongside
Nehemiah 12:39 Or Old

Psalm 147:1-11

New International Version

Psalm 147

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant^(A) and fitting to praise him!^(B)

²The Lord builds up Jerusalem;^(C)
    he gathers the exiles^(D) of Israel.
³He heals the brokenhearted^(E)
    and binds up their wounds.^(F)
⁴He determines the number of the stars^(G)
    and calls them each by name.
⁵Great is our Lord^(H) and mighty in power;^(I)
    his understanding has no limit.^(J)
⁶The Lord sustains the humble^(K)
    but casts the wicked^(L) to the ground.

⁷Sing to the Lord^(M) with grateful praise;^(N)
make music^(O) to our God on the harp.^(P)

⁸He covers the sky with clouds;^(Q)
    he supplies the earth with rain^(R)
    and makes grass grow^(S) on the hills.
⁹He provides food^(T) for the cattle
    and for the young ravens^(U) when they call.

¹⁰His pleasure is not in the strength^(V) of the horse,^(W)
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
¹¹the Lord delights^(X) in those who fear him,^(Y)
who put their hope^(Z) in his unfailing love.^(AA)

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Footnotes

Psalm 147:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 20

Revelation 17

New International Version

Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

17 One of the seven angels^(A) who had the seven bowls^(B) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment^(C) of the great prostitute,^(D) who sits by many waters.^(E) ²With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”^(F)

³Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit^(G) into a wilderness.^(H) There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet^(I) beast that was covered with blasphemous names^(J) and had seven heads and ten horns.^(K) ⁴The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.^(L) She held a golden cup^(M) in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.^(N) ⁵The name written on her forehead was a mystery:^(O)

babylon the great^(P)

the mother of prostitutes^(Q)

and of the abominations of the earth.

⁶I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,^(R) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. ⁷Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery^(S) of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.^(T) ⁸The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss^(U) and go to its destruction.^(V) The inhabitants of the earth^(W) whose names have not been written in the book of life^(X) from the creation of the world will be astonished^(Y) when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

⁹“This calls for a mind with wisdom.^(Z) The seven heads^(AA) are seven hills on which the woman sits. ¹⁰They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹The beast who once was, and now is not,^(AB) is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

¹²“The ten horns^(AC) you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour^(AD) will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.^(AE) ¹⁴They will wage war^(AF) against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over^(AG) them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings^(AH)—and with him will be his called, chosen^(AI) and faithful followers.”

¹⁵Then the angel said to me, “The waters^(AJ) you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.^(AK) ¹⁶The beast and the ten horns^(AL) you saw will hate the prostitute.^(AM) They will bring her to ruin^(AN) and leave her naked;^(AO) they will eat her flesh^(AP) and burn her with fire.^(AQ) ¹⁷For God has put it into their hearts^(AR) to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority,^(AS) until God’s words are fulfilled.^(AT) ¹⁸The woman you saw is the great city^(AU) that rules over the kings of the earth.”