Nehemiah 12

1 These a are the priests and Levites b who went up with Zerubbabel c son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua:

Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, d Ginnethoi, Abijah, e
5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, f
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.

These were the leaders of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua. g

8The Levites:

Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel,
Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah h
he and his relatives were in charge of the praise songs.
9 Bakbukiah, Unni,
Alt Hb tradition reads Unno
and their relatives stood opposite them in the services.
10 Jeshua fathered Joiakim,
Joiakim fathered Eliashib,
Eliashib j fathered Joiada,
11 Joiada fathered Jonathan,
and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.
These men were high priests.

12In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

13In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

14In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

15In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

16In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

17In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

18In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

19In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

20In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

21In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
(13) Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
(14) Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
(15) Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
(16) Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
(17) Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
(18) Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
(19) Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
(20) Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
(21) Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

22In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the leaders of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded while Darius the Persian ruled. 23 Levi’s descendants, the leaders of families, were recorded in the Book of the Historical Records l during the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 24The leaders of the Levites – Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their relatives opposite them – gave praise and thanks, division by division, as David the man of God had prescribed. m 25This included Mattaniah, n Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. o 26 These served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor p and Ezra the priest and scribe. q

Dedication of the Wall

27 At the dedication of the wall r of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. s 28The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, t 29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. u

31Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate. v 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed, 33along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of
Asaph: A musician appointed by David to oversee the music used in worship at the Temple; 12 psalms are attributed to Asaph.
Asaph followed
36as well as his relatives – Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. x Ezra the scribe y went in front of them. 37 At the Fountain Gate z they climbed the steps of the city of David aa on the ascent of the wall and went above the house of David to the Water Gate ab on the east.

38The second thanksgiving procession went to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens ac to the Broad Wall, ad 39 above the Gate of Ephraim, ae and by the Old Gate, af the Fish Gate, ag the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. ah They stopped at the Gate of the Guard. ai 40The two thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials accompanying me, 41as well as the priests:

Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin,
Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah,
and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar,
Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer.

Then the singers sang, with Jezrahiah as the leader.
43On that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy. aj The women and children also celebrated, and Jerusalem’s rejoicing was heard far away. ak

Support of the Levites’ Ministry

44 On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms al that housed the supplies, contributions,
firstfruits: The agricultural products harvested first and given to God as an offering; also the first of more products to come
firstfruits, and tenths. an The legally required portions for the priests and Levites ao were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving. ap
45They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, aq as David and his son Solomon had prescribed. ar 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, as there were leaders
Alt Hb tradition reads there was a leader
of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. au
47So in the days of Zerubbabel av and Nehemiah, aw all Israel contributed the daily portions ax for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions ay for the descendants of Aaron.
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