37 At (A)the Fountain Gate they went directly up (B)the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall, above the house of David to (C)the Water Gate on the east.

38 (D)The second [a]choir proceeded to the [b]left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, (E)above the Tower of Furnaces, to (F)the Broad Wall, 39 and above (G)the Gate of Ephraim, by (H)the Ancient Gate, by the (I)Fish Gate, (J)the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at (K)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 [c]sang, with Jezrahiah their leader, 43 and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because (L)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 (M)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 [d]served. 45 For they performed the [e]worship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers (N)in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon. 46 For in the days of David and (O)Asaph, in ancient times, there were [f](P)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 (Q)as each day required, and they [g](R)set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites [h]set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 12:38 Lit thanksgiving choir
  2. Nehemiah 12:38 Heb uncertain, perhaps opposite
  3. Nehemiah 12:42 Lit made themselves heard
  4. Nehemiah 12:44 Lit stood
  5. Nehemiah 12:45 Lit service
  6. Nehemiah 12:46 Lit heads
  7. Nehemiah 12:47 Or gave votive offerings to
  8. Nehemiah 12:47 Or gave votive offerings to

37 At the Fountain Gate(A) 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(B) on the east.

38 The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of[a] the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens(C) to the Broad Wall,(D) 39 over the Gate of Ephraim,(E) the Jeshanah[b] Gate,(F) the Fish Gate,(G) the Tower of Hananel(H) and the Tower of the Hundred,(I) as far as the Sheep Gate.(J) 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(K) for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes.(L) 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.(M) 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(N) and his son Solomon.(O) 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,(P) there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise(Q) 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.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 12:38 Or them alongside
  2. Nehemiah 12:39 Or Old