Nehemiah 12:27-43
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Nehemiah 12:31 Lit thanksgiving choirs
- Nehemiah 12:31 Heb and processions to the right
- Nehemiah 12:38 Lit thanksgiving choir
- Nehemiah 12:38 Heb uncertain, perhaps opposite
- Nehemiah 12:42 Lit made themselves heard
Nehemiah 12:27-43
Lexham English Bible
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[a] 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[b] 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.
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- Nehemiah 12:28 Literally “sons of the singers”
- Nehemiah 12:35 Literally “sons of the priests”
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