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Nehemiah 12:27-13:6
New American Standard Bible

Dedication of the Wall

27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they could celebrate the dedication with joy, with songs of thanksgiving and with songs (A)to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 So the sons of the singers were assembled from the territory around Jerusalem, and from (B)the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, because the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30 The priests and the Levites (C)purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Procedures for the Temple

31 Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large [a]choirs, [b](D)the first proceeding to the right on top of the wall toward (E)the Dung Gate. 32 Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them, 33 with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the sons of the priests with trumpets; and Zechariah the 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 kinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, (F)with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 At (G)the Fountain Gate they went directly up (H)the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall, above the house of David to (I)the Water Gate on the east.

38 (J)The second [c]choir proceeded to the [d]left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, (K)above the Tower of Furnaces, to (L)the Broad Wall, 39 and above (M)the Gate of Ephraim, by (N)the Ancient Gate, by the (O)Fish Gate, (P)the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at (Q)the Gate of the Guard. 40 Then the two choirs took their positions in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me; 41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with the trumpets; 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers [e]sang, with Jezrahiah their leader, 43 and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because (R)God had given them great joy, and the women and children rejoiced as well, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from far away.

44 On that day (S)men were also appointed over the chambers for the supplies, the contributions, the first fruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who [f]served. 45 For they performed the [g]worship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers (T)in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon. 46 For in the days of David and (U)Asaph, in ancient times, there were [h](V)leaders of the singers, songs of praise and songs of thanksgiving to God. 47 So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers (W)as each day required, and they [i](X)set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites [j]set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron.

Foreigners Excluded

13 On that day the Book of Moses was (Y)read aloud [k]as the people listened; and there was found written in it that (Z)no Ammonite or Moabite was ever to enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but (AA)hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, (AB)our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So when they heard the Law, (AC)they excluded (AD)all foreigners from Israel.

Tobiah Expelled and the Temple Cleansed

4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, (AE)who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being [l]related to (AF)Tobiah, 5 had prepared a large [m]room for him, where previously they used to put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil (AG)prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the [n]contributions for the priests. 6 But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in (AH)the thirty-second year of (AI)Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had come to the king. After some time, however, I requested a leave of absence from the king,

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 12:31 Lit thanksgiving choirs
  2. Nehemiah 12:31 Heb and processions to the right
  3. Nehemiah 12:38 Lit thanksgiving choir
  4. Nehemiah 12:38 Heb uncertain, perhaps opposite
  5. Nehemiah 12:42 Lit made themselves heard
  6. Nehemiah 12:44 Lit stood
  7. Nehemiah 12:45 Lit service
  8. Nehemiah 12:46 Lit heads
  9. Nehemiah 12:47 Or gave votive offerings to
  10. Nehemiah 12:47 Or gave votive offerings to
  11. Nehemiah 13:1 Lit in the ears of the people
  12. Nehemiah 13:4 Lit close to
  13. Nehemiah 13:5 Or chamber
  14. Nehemiah 13:5 Or uplifted offerings
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Nehemiah 12:27-13:6
New International Version

Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

27 At the dedication(A) 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,(B) harps and lyres.(C) 28 The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,(D) 29 from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people,(E) the gates and the wall.

31 I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of[a] the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of[b] the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.(F) 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin,(G) Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 as well as some priests with trumpets,(H) 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, 36 and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments(I) prescribed by David the man of God.(J) Ezra(K) the teacher of the Law led the procession. 37 At the Fountain Gate(L) 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(M) on the east.

38 The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of[c] the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens(N) to the Broad Wall,(O) 39 over the Gate of Ephraim,(P) the Jeshanah[d] Gate,(Q) the Fish Gate,(R) the Tower of Hananel(S) and the Tower of the Hundred,(T) as far as the Sheep Gate.(U) At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.

40 The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together 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 And 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.

44 At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms(V) for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes.(W) 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.(X) 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David(Y) and his son Solomon.(Z) 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,(AA) there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise(AB) and thanksgiving to God. 47 So 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.(AC)

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

13 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,(AD) 2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam(AE) to call a curse down on them.(AF) (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)(AG) 3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.(AH)

4 Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms(AI) of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,(AJ) 5 and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes(AK) of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.

6 But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes(AL) king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 12:31 Or go alongside
  2. Nehemiah 12:31 Or proceed alongside
  3. Nehemiah 12:38 Or them alongside
  4. Nehemiah 12:39 Or Old
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