Nehemiah 12

1These were the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra.

2Amariah, Malluk, Hattush.

3Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth.

4Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah.

5Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah.

6Shemayah, Joiarib, Jedaiah.

7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah—these were the heads of the priests and their brothers in the days of Jeshua.

8And the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who, with his brothers, was over the thanksgiving songs.

9And Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, stood opposite them in the divisions of service.

10Jeshua fathered Joiakim, and Joiakim fathered Eliashib, and Eliashib fathered Joiada.

11And Joiada fathered Jonathan, and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.

12And in the days of Joiakim, there were priests, heads of the fathers’ houses: for Seraiah, Meraiah; for Jeremiah, Hananiah.

13for Ezra, Meshullam; for Amariah, Jehohanan.

14for Malluchi, Jonathan; for Shebaniah, Joseph.

15for Harim, Adna; for Meraioth, Helkai.

16for Iddo, Zechariah; for Ginnethon, Meshullam.

17for Abijah, Zichri; for Miniamin, for Moadiah, Piltai.

18for Bilgah, Shammua; for Shemaiah, Jehonathan.

19for Joiarib, Mattenai; for Jedaiah, Uzzi.

20for Sallai, Kallai; for Amok, Eber.

21for Hilkiah, Hashabiah; for Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded as heads of fathers’ houses, and the priests also, during the reign of Darius the Persian.

23The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ houses, were recorded in the book of the chronicles, up to the days of Yohanan son of Eliashib.

24And the heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, to praise and to give thanks according to the command of David the man of God, watch corresponding to watch.

25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were guards, gatekeepers, keeping watch at the storehouses of the gates.

26These were in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest, the scribe.

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 gladness, with thanksgivings, and with song, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.

28And the sons of the singers were gathered from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites.

29and from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.

30And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

31Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall, and I appointed two great thanksgiving choirs and processions, one going to the right on the wall toward the Dung Gate.

32Hoshaiah and half of the officials of Judah went behind them.

33and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam.

34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.

35and from the sons of the priests, with trumpets: Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph.

36and his brothers—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani—with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.

37And by the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, and as far as the Water Gate on the east.

38And the second thanksgiving choir was going to the left, and I followed behind it, with half of the people on the wall, from above the Tower of the Ovens as far as the Broad Wall.

39and above the Gate of Ephraim, and above the Old Gate, and above the Fish Gate, and the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, and as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stood at the Gate of the Guard.

40So the two thanksgiving choirs took their stand in the house of God, and I, and half of the officials with me,

41and the priests: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets.

42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers made their voices heard, with Izrahiah the overseer.

43On that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, because God had made them rejoice with great joy. Also the women and the children rejoiced, and the joy of Jerusalem was heard from far away.

44On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and for the Levites, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and over the Levites who were serving.

45And they kept the charge of their God and the charge of purification, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and Solomon his son.

46For in the days of David and Asaph, of old, there were heads of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

47And all Israel, in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, as each day required; and they set apart the consecrated portions for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the consecrated portions for the sons of Aaron.