Nehemiah 12:27-43
New English Translation
The Wall of Jerusalem is Dedicated
27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought out the Levites from all the places they lived[a] to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 The singers[b] were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites 29 and from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
31 I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed[c] on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate. 32 Going after them were Hoshaiah, half the leaders of Judah, 33 Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 some of the priests[d] with trumpets, Zechariah 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 colleagues—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani—with musical instruments of[e] David the man of God. (Ezra the scribe led them.)[f] 37 They went over the Fountain Gate and continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall. They passed the house of David and continued on to the Water Gate toward the east.
38 The second choir was proceeding[g] in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people, on top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39 over the Ephraim Gate, the Jeshanah Gate,[h] the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped[i] at the Gate of the Guard.
40 Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations[j] in the temple of God. I did also, along with half the officials with me, 41 and 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 loudly[k] under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.
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- Nehemiah 12:27 tn Heb “from all their places.” The words “they lived” are implied.
- Nehemiah 12:28 tn Heb “the sons of the singers.”
- Nehemiah 12:31 tc The translation reads וְהָאַחַת הֹלֶכֶת (vehaʾakhat holekhet, “and one was proceeding”) rather than the MT reading וְתַהֲלֻכֹת (vetahalukhot, “and processions”).
- Nehemiah 12:35 tn Heb “some of the sons of the priests.”
- Nehemiah 12:36 tn Or “prescribed by” (NIV, NLT); TEV “of the kind played by.” The precise relationship of these musical instruments to David is not clear.
- Nehemiah 12:36 tn Heb “was before them.”
- Nehemiah 12:38 tc The translation reads הוֹלֶכֶת (holekhet, “was proceeding”) rather than the MT הַהוֹלֶכֶת (haholekhet, “the one proceeding”). The MT probably reflects dittography—accidental writing of ה (hey) twice instead of once.
- Nehemiah 12:39 tn Or “the Old Gate” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV).
- Nehemiah 12:39 tn Heb “they stood.”
- Nehemiah 12:40 tn Heb “stood.”
- Nehemiah 12:42 tn Heb “caused to hear.”
Nehemiah 12:27-43
Common English Bible
Dedication of the wall
27 When it was time for the dedication of Jerusalem’s wall, they sought out the Levites in all the places where they lived in order to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with joy, with thanks and singing, and with cymbals, harps, and lyres.
28 The singers also gathered together both from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 also from Beth-hagilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, because the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30 After the priests and the Levites purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
31 Then I[a] brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and organized two large groups to give thanks. The first group went in procession on the wall toward the right, in the direction of the Dung Gate. 32 Following them went Hoshaiah and half the officials of Judah, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. 35 There were also some young priests with trumpets—Zechariah son of Jonathan son of Shemaiah son of Mattaniah son of Micaiah son of Zaccur son of Asaph— 36 along with his associates Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They brought[b] the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe went in front of them.
37 When they reached the Fountain Gate they went straight up by the stairs of David’s City, on the ascent to the wall, past the house of David to the Water Gate on the east. 38 The second group went in procession to the left.[c] I followed them with half of the people along the wall past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39 past the Gate of Ephraim and over the Mishneh Gate,[d] the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred as far as the Sheep Gate. They came to a stop at the Gate of the Guard.
In God’s house
40 Then both groups of those who gave thanks stood in God’s house. I was there too along with the half of the officials who were with me. 41 Also there were the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with trumpets. 42 Also there were Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader.
43 They offered great sacrifices on that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, and the sound of the joy in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Nehemiah 12:31 Or I, Nehemiah
- Nehemiah 12:36 Heb lacks they brought.
- Nehemiah 12:38 Or opposite
- Nehemiah 12:39 Or Old Gate
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