Dedication of the Wall

²⁷ And at ^(A)the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, ^(B)with cymbals, harps, and lyres. ²⁸ And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; ²⁹ also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. ³⁰ And the priests and the Levites ^(C)purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

³¹ Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. ^(D)One went to the south on the wall to ^(E)the Dung Gate.

^38 (A)The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above ^(B)the Tower of the Ovens, to ^(C)the Broad Wall, ³⁹ and above ^(D)the Gate of Ephraim, and by ^(E)the Gate of Yeshanah,^[a] and by ^(F)the Fish Gate and ^(G)the Tower of Hananel and ^(H)the Tower of the Hundred, to ^(I)the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at ^(J)the Gate of the Guard. 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.