⁴⁰ So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;

⁴³ And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

Service at the Temple

^44 (A)On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. ⁴⁵ And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, ^(B)according to the command of David and his son Solomon. ⁴⁶ For long ago in the days of David and ^(C)Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs^[a] of praise and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷ And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the ^(D)daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; ^(E)and they set apart that which was for the Levites; ^(F)and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.