Nehemiah 12

Priests and Levites Who Returned with Zerubbabel

1These are the priests and Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra; 2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush; 3Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth; 4Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah; 5Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah; 6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah; 7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua. 8The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the songs of thanksgiving, he and his relatives. 9Bakbukiah and Unno, their relatives, stood opposite them according to their service divisions.

The High-Priestly Line and Priestly Houses

10Jeshua fathered Joiakim, Joiakim fathered Eliashib, and Eliashib fathered Joiada; 11Joiada fathered Jonathan, and Jonathan fathered Jaddua. 12In the days of Joiakim, the priests who were heads of ancestral houses were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, and of Moadiah, Piltai; 18of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded by heads of ancestral houses, and the priests also, until the reign of Darius the Persian. 23The descendants of Levi, heads of ancestral houses, were written in the book of the chronicles until the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 24The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, with their relatives opposite them, to praise and give thanks according to the command of David the man of God, section corresponding to section. 25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping watch at the storehouses of the gates. 26These served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe.

The Dedication of the Wall

27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites from all their places to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with joy, thanksgiving, and singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28The descendants of the singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29from Beth-gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30The priests and Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Two Thanksgiving Processions

31Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great thanksgiving processions. One went to the right on the wall toward the Dung Gate. 32Hoshaiah went after them, with half the leaders of Judah, 33and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; 36and his relatives Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe went before them. 37At the Spring Gate they went straight ahead and ascended the stairs of the City of David, by the ascent of the wall above the house of David, as far as the Water Gate toward the east.

38The second thanksgiving procession went the other direction, and I followed it with half the people, on the wall above the Tower of the Ovens as far as the Broad Wall, 39and above the Gate of Ephraim, past the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Gate of the Guard. 40Then the two thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God, and I and half the officials with me; 41and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with trumpets; 42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers made themselves heard, with Jezrahiah their overseer. 43They 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 from far away.

Support for the Temple Servants

44On that day people were appointed over the chambers for the treasuries, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions assigned by the Torah for the priests and Levites, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served. 45They kept the charge of their God and the charge of purification, and so did the singers and gatekeepers, according to the command of David and Solomon his son. 46For in the days of David and Asaph long ago, there were leaders of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel gave the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They set apart what belonged to the Levites, and the Levites set apart what belonged to the descendants of Aaron.