Neh 12:27-43 | ESV | STEP | And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places , to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness , with thanksgivings and with singing , with cymbals , harps , and lyres .

Nehemiah 12:27-43

Dedication of the Wall

27 And at ^athe dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, ^bwith cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29 also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites ^cpurified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. ^dOne went to the south on the wall to ^ethe Dung Gate. 32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 and certain of the priests’ sons ^fwith trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; 36 and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, ^gwith the musical instruments of David ^hthe man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 At ⁱthe Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by ^jthe stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to ^kthe Water Gate on the east.

38 ^lThe other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above ^mthe Tower of the Ovens, to ⁿthe Broad Wall, 39 and above ^othe Gate of Ephraim, and by ^pthe Gate of Yeshanah, ^{▼▼Or of the old city} and by ^rthe Fish Gate and ^sthe Tower of Hananel and ^tthe Tower of the Hundred, to ^uthe Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at ^vthe Gate of the Guard. 40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me; 41 and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, ^wwith trumpets; 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. 43 And they 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 far away.