Nehemiah 12
Revised Geneva Translation
12 These also are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren, in the days of Jeshua.
8 And the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah (who was over the thanksgivings, he and his brethren).
9 And Bakbukiah and Unni and their brethren were around them in the watches.
10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim. Joiakim also begat Eliashib. And Eliashib begat Joiada.
11 And Joiada begat Jonathan. And Jonathan begat Jaddua.
12 And in the days of Joiakim, these were the chief fathers of the Priests: Seraiah was under Meraiah, under Jeremiah, Hananiah,
13 under Ezra, Meshullam, under Amariah, Jehohanan,
14 under Melichu, Jonathan, under Shebaniah, Joseph,
15 under Harim, Adna, under Maraioth, Helkai,
16 under Iddo, Zechariah, under Ginnethon, Meshullam,
17 under Abijah, Zichri, under Minjamin, and under Moadiah, Piltai,
18 under Bilgah, Shammua, under Shemaiah, Jehonathan,
19 under Joiarib, Mattenai, under Jedaiah, Uzzi,
20 under Sallai, Kallai, under Amok, Eber,
21 under Hilkiah, Hashabiah, under Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, during the reign of Darius the Persian, the chief fathers of the Levites and the priests were written.
23 The sons of Levi (the chief fathers) were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan, the son of Eliashib.
24 And the chief of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, and their brethren around them, to give praise and thanks, according to the ordinances of David the man of God, guard post opposite guard post.
25 Mattaniah and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were porters, keeping the guard post at the thresholds of the gates.
26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the captain, and of Ezra the Priest and scribe.
27 And in the dedication of the wall at Jerusalem, they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to keep the dedication and gladness, both with thanksgivings and with songs, cymbals, viols, and with harps.
28 Then, the singers gathered themselves together, both from the plain country around Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathi
29 and from the House of Gilgal and out of the countries of Geba and Azmaveth. For the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem.
30 And the priests and Levites were purified and cleansed, the people and the gates and the wall.
31 And I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall and appointed two great companies to give thanks. And one went on the right side of the wall toward the dung gate.
32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the princes of Judah
33 and Azariah, Ezra and Meshullam,
34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah and Jeremiah.
35 And of the priests’ sons with trumpets were Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur and the son of Asaph.
36 And his brethren were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.
37 And they went up to the gate of the fountain, opposite the stairs of the City of David, at the going up of the wall, beyond the house of David, to the Water Gate, eastward.
38 And the second company of those who gave thanks went on the other side, and I after them. And half of the people were upon the wall, and upon the tower of the furnaces (up to the broad wall),
39 and upon the gate of Ephraim, and upon the Old Gate, and upon the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of Meah, up to the Sheep Gate. And they stood in the gate of the guard post.
40 So stood the two companies (of those who gave thanks) and I and half of the rulers with me, in the House of God,
41 as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah—with trumpets.
42 And Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer and the singers sang loud, having Jezrahiah (who was the overseer).
43 And that same day, they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced; for God had given them great joy, so that both the women and the children were joyful. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard from far away.
44 Also at the same time, men were appointed over the chambers of the store for the offerings, (for the firstfruits and for the tithes) to gather the portions of the Law into them from the fields of the cities, for the priests and the Levites. For Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who served.
45 And both the singers and the Levites kept guard of their God, and guard of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and Solomon his son.
46 For in the days of old, of David and Asaph, were chief singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
47 And in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel gave portions to the singers and gatekeepers, every day its portion. And they gave the holy things to the Levites. And the Levites gave the holy things to the sons of Aaron.
Nehemiah 12
Lexham English Bible
The Leaders and Servants in Jerusalem
12 These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Jehoiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These are the heads of the priests and their brothers in the days of Jeshua.
8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah and his brothers who were in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 And Bakbukiah, Unno, their brothers stood opposite them during service. 10 Jeshua fathered Jehoiakim; Jehoiakim fathered Eliashib; Eliashib fathered Jehoiada; 11 Jehoiada fathered Jehonathan; Jehonathan fathered Jaddua.
12 Now in the days of Jehoiakim the priests and the heads of the families[a] were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Melichu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 of Adaia, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin; of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Jehoiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallu, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22 In the days of Eliashib, Jehoiada, Jehohanan, and Jaddua the Levites were recorded as heads of the families.[b] So these were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The descendants[c] of Levi and the heads of the families[d] were recorded in the scroll of the Annals until the days of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. 24 And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brothers opposite them, to praise and to give thanks by the command of David the man of God, section alongside section. 25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storerooms of the gates. 26 These were in the days of Jehoiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe.
Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem
27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites from all of their places in order to bring them to Jerusalem to do the dedication with joy, thanksgivings, song and cymbals, stringed instruments and lyres. 28 The singers[e] were gathered from the circuit all around Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathite, 29 from Beth Gilgal, from the field of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers built for themselves villages all around Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
31 Then I brought the commanders of Judah up on to the wall. I appointed two great choirs; one went in a procession to the right on the wall to the Dung Gate. 32 After them went Hoshaiah, half of the commanders of Judah, 33 Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and the priests[f] with trumpets; Zechariah son of Jehonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; 36 and his brothers Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani with the instruments of the songs of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 At the Fountain Gate opposite them they went up the steps of the city of David, at the assent to the wall, over the house of David, and up to the Water Gate to the east.
38 Then the second choir went the opposite way. I followed after them with half of the people on the wall, from over the Tower of the Ovens up to the Wide Wall 39 and over the Gate of Ephraim, at the Old Gate, at the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, and to the Sheep Gate. And they stopped and stood at the Gate of the Guard. 40 So the two choirs stood in the house of God, and I and half of the prefects with me; 41 and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with the trumpets; 42 Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jizrahiah the chief officer. 43 They offered on that day great sacrifices and rejoiced because God brought great joy to them. And the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.
Celebration at the Temple
44 On that day men were appointed for the storehouse rooms, the offerings, the first fruits, and the tithes, in order to gather in them from the fields of the cities the requirements of the law[g] for the priests and Levites; for the joy of Judah was upon the priests and Levites standing there. 45 They kept the responsibility of their God and the responsibility of cleansing, and the singers and gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. 46 For in the days of David and Asaph from ancient times there was the head of the singers and a song of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 So all of Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily food portions of the singers and gatekeepers. And they set apart that which was for the Levites, and the Levites set apart that which was for the descendants[h] of Aaron.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 12:12 Literally “fathers”
- Nehemiah 12:22 Literally “fathers”
- Nehemiah 12:23 Or “sons”
- Nehemiah 12:23 Literally “fathers”
- Nehemiah 12:28 Literally “sons of the singers”
- Nehemiah 12:35 Literally “sons of the priests”
- Nehemiah 12:44 Hebrew torah
- Nehemiah 12:47 Or “sons”
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