Nehemiah 12:27-43

Expanded Bible

The Wall of Jerusalem

²⁷ When the wall of Jerusalem was ·offered as a gift to God [^Ldedicated], they asked the Levites to come from wherever they lived to Jerusalem to celebrate with joy the ·gift of the wall [^Ldedication]. They were to celebrate with ·songs [hymns] of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. ²⁸ They also brought together ·singers [^Lsons of singers] from all around Jerusalem, from the Netophathite ·villages [settlements], ²⁹ from Beth Gilgal, and from the areas of Geba and Azmaveth. The singers had built ·villages [settlements] for themselves around Jerusalem. ³⁰ The priests and Levites made themselves pure, and they also made the people, the gates, and the wall of Jerusalem pure.

³¹ I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large ·choruses [choirs] to give thanks. One ·chorus [choir] went to the right on top of the wall, toward the ·Trash [Garbage; Refuse; ^TDung] Gate. ³² Behind them went Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah. ³³ Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴ Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah also went. ³⁵ Some ·priests [^Lsons of priests] with trumpets also went, along with Zechariah son of Jonathan. (Jonathan was the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah. Mattaniah was the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur. Zaccur was the son of Asaph.) ³⁶ Zechariah’s ·relatives [colleagues; kinsmen; ^Lbrothers] also went. They were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. These men played the musical instruments of David, the man of God, and Ezra the ·teacher [scribe] ·walked in front of [led] them. ³⁷ They went from the Fountain Gate straight up the steps ·to the highest part of the wall by the older part of the city [^Lof the City of David]. They ·went on [passed] above the ·house [palace] of David to the Water Gate on the east.

³⁸ The second ·chorus [choir] ·went to the left [proceeded in the opposite direction], while I followed them on top of the wall with half the people. We went from the Tower of the ·Ovens [Furnaces; Firepots] to the Broad Wall, ³⁹ ·over [above] the Gate of Ephraim to the ·Old [^LJeshanah] Gate and the Fish Gate, to the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred. We went as far as the Sheep Gate and ·stopped [^Lstood] at the Gate of the Guard.

⁴⁰ The two ·choruses [choirs] ·took their places [^Lstood] at the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of God. Half of the ·leaders [officials] and I did also. ⁴¹ These priests were there with their trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah. ⁴² These people were also there: Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The ·choruses [choirs] sang loudly, ·led [directed] by Jezrahiah. ⁴³ The people offered ·many [great] sacrifices that day and ·were happy [rejoiced] because God had given them great joy. The women and children ·were happy [rejoiced]. The ·sound of happiness in [joy of; rejoicing in] Jerusalem could be heard far away.