Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Nehemiah » Chapter 12 » Verse 1-47

Nehemiah 12:1-47 King James Version (KJV)

1 Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,

5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.

10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,

11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai:

18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.

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

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;

29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.

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

31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:

32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,

33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:

36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.

37 And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;

39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.

40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:

41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

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

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.


Nehemiah 12:1-47 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 Now these are the priests H3548 and the Levites H3881 that went up H5927 with Zerubbabel H2216 the son H1121 of Shealtiel, H7597 and Jeshua: H3442 Seraiah, H8304 Jeremiah, H3414 Ezra, H5830

2 Amariah, H568 Malluch, H4409 Hattush, H2407

3 Shechaniah, H7935 Rehum, H7348 Meremoth, H4822

4 Iddo, H5714 Ginnetho, H1599 Abijah, H29

5 Miamin, H4326 Maadiah, H4573 Bilgah, H1083

6 Shemaiah, H8098 and Joiarib, H3114 Jedaiah, H3048

7 Sallu, H5543 Amok, H5987 Hilkiah, H2518 Jedaiah. H3048 These were the chief H7218 of the priests H3548 and of their brethren H251 in the days H3117 of Jeshua. H3442

8 Moreover the Levites: H3881 Jeshua, H3442 Binnui, H1131 Kadmiel, H6934 Sherebiah, H8274 Judah, H3063 and Mattaniah, H4983 which was over the thanksgiving, H1960 he and his brethren. H251

9 Also Bakbukiah H1229 and Unni, H6042 their brethren, H251 were over against them in the watches. H4931

10 And Jeshua H3442 begat H3205 Joiakim, H3113 Joiakim H3113 also begat H3205 Eliashib, H475 and Eliashib H475 begat H3205 Joiada, H3111

11 And Joiada H3111 begat H3205 Jonathan, H3129 and Jonathan H3129 begat H3205 Jaddua. H3037

12 And in the days H3117 of Joiakim H3113 were priests, H3548 the chief H7218 of the fathers: H1 of Seraiah, H8304 Meraiah; H4811 of Jeremiah, H3414 Hananiah; H2608

13 Of Ezra, H5830 Meshullam; H4918 of Amariah, H568 Jehohanan; H3076

14 Of Melicu, H4409 Jonathan; H3129 of Shebaniah, H7645 Joseph; H3130

15 Of Harim, H2766 Adna; H5733 of Meraioth, H4812 Helkai; H2517

16 Of Iddo, H5714 Zechariah; H2148 of Ginnethon, H1599 Meshullam; H4918

17 Of Abijah, H29 Zichri; H2147 of Miniamin, H4509 of Moadiah, H4153 Piltai; H6408

18 Of Bilgah, H1083 Shammua; H8051 of Shemaiah, H8098 Jehonathan; H3083

19 And of Joiarib, H3114 Mattenai; H4982 of Jedaiah, H3048 Uzzi; H5813

20 Of Sallai, H5543 Kallai; H7040 of Amok, H5987 Eber; H5677

21 Of Hilkiah, H2518 Hashabiah; H2811 of Jedaiah, H3048 Nethaneel. H5417

22 The Levites H3881 in the days H3117 of Eliashib, H475 Joiada, H3111 and Johanan, H3110 and Jaddua, H3037 were recorded H3789 chief H7218 of the fathers: H1 also the priests, H3548 to the reign H4438 of Darius H1867 the Persian. H6542

23 The sons H1121 of Levi, H3878 the chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 were written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles, H1697 even until the days H3117 of Johanan H3110 the son H1121 of Eliashib. H475

24 And the chief H7218 of the Levites: H3881 Hashabiah, H2811 Sherebiah, H8274 and Jeshua H3442 the son H1121 of Kadmiel, H6934 with their brethren H251 over against them, to praise H1984 and to give thanks, H3034 according to the commandment H4687 of David H1732 the man H376 of God, H430 ward H4929 over against H5980 ward. H4929

25 Mattaniah, H4983 and Bakbukiah, H1229 Obadiah, H5662 Meshullam, H4918 Talmon, H2929 Akkub, H6126 were porters H7778 keeping H8104 the ward H4929 at the thresholds H624 of the gates. H8179

26 These were in the days H3117 of Joiakim H3113 the son H1121 of Jeshua, H3442 the son H1121 of Jozadak, H3136 and in the days H3117 of Nehemiah H5166 the governor, H6346 and of Ezra H5830 the priest, H3548 the scribe. H5608

27 And at the dedication H2598 of the wall H2346 of Jerusalem H3389 they sought H1245 the Levites H3881 out of all their places, H4725 to bring H935 them to Jerusalem, H3389 to keep H6213 the dedication H2598 with gladness, H8057 both with thanksgivings, H8426 and with singing, H7892 with cymbals, H4700 psalteries, H5035 and with harps. H3658

28 And the sons H1121 of the singers H7891 gathered themselves together, H622 both out of the plain country H3603 round about H5439 Jerusalem, H3389 and from the villages H2691 of Netophathi; H5200

29 Also from the house H1004 of Gilgal, H1537 H1019 and out of the fields H7704 of Geba H1387 and Azmaveth: H5820 for the singers H7891 had builded H1129 them villages H2691 round about H5439 Jerusalem. H3389

30 And the priests H3548 and the Levites H3881 purified H2891 themselves, and purified H2891 the people, H5971 and the gates, H8179 and the wall. H2346

31 Then I brought up H5927 the princes H8269 of Judah H3063 upon the wall, H2346 and appointed H5975 two H8147 great H1419 companies of them that gave thanks, H8426 whereof one went H8418 on the right hand H3225 upon the wall H2346 toward the dung H830 gate: H8179

32 And after H310 them went H3212 Hoshaiah, H1955 and half H2677 of the princes H8269 of Judah, H3063

33 And Azariah, H5838 Ezra, H5830 and Meshullam, H4918

34 Judah, H3063 and Benjamin, H1144 and Shemaiah, H8098 and Jeremiah, H3414

35 And certain of the priests' H3548 sons H1121 with trumpets; H2689 namely, Zechariah H2148 the son H1121 of Jonathan, H3129 the son H1121 of Shemaiah, H8098 the son H1121 of Mattaniah, H4983 the son H1121 of Michaiah, H4320 the son H1121 of Zaccur, H2139 the son H1121 of Asaph: H623

36 And his brethren, H251 Shemaiah, H8098 and Azarael, H5832 Milalai, H4450 Gilalai, H1562 Maai, H4597 Nethaneel, H5417 and Judah, H3063 Hanani, H2607 with the musical H7892 instruments H3627 of David H1732 the man H376 of God, H430 and Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 before H6440 them.

37 And at the fountain H5869 gate, H8179 which was over against them, they went up H5927 by the stairs H4609 of the city H5892 of David, H1732 at the going up H4608 of the wall, H2346 above the house H1004 of David, H1732 even unto the water H4325 gate H8179 eastward. H4217

38 And the other H8145 company of them that gave thanks H8426 went H1980 over against H4136 them, and I after H310 them, and the half H2677 of the people H5971 upon the wall, H2346 from beyond the tower H4026 of the furnaces H8574 even unto the broad H7342 wall; H2346

39 And from above the gate H8179 of Ephraim, H669 and above the old H3465 gate, H8179 and above the fish H1709 gate, H8179 and the tower H4026 of Hananeel, H2606 and the tower H4026 of Meah, H3968 even unto the sheep H6629 gate: H8179 and they stood still H5975 in the prison H4307 gate. H8179

40 So stood H5975 the two H8147 companies of them that gave thanks H8426 in the house H1004 of God, H430 and I, and the half H2677 of the rulers H5461 with me:

41 And the priests; H3548 Eliakim, H471 Maaseiah, H4641 Miniamin, H4509 Michaiah, H4320 Elioenai, H454 Zechariah, H2148 and Hananiah, H2608 with trumpets; H2689

42 And Maaseiah, H4641 and Shemaiah, H8098 and Eleazar, H499 and Uzzi, H5813 and Jehohanan, H3076 and Malchijah, H4441 and Elam, H5867 and Ezer. H5829 And the singers H7891 sang loud, H8085 with Jezrahiah H3156 their overseer. H6496

43 Also that day H3117 they offered H2076 great H1419 sacrifices, H2077 and rejoiced: H8055 for God H430 had made them rejoice H8055 with great H1419 joy: H8057 the wives H802 also and the children H3206 rejoiced: H8055 so that the joy H8057 of Jerusalem H3389 was heard H8085 even afar off. H7350

44 And at that time H3117 were some H582 appointed H6485 over the chambers H5393 for the treasures, H214 for the offerings, H8641 for the firstfruits, H7225 and for the tithes, H4643 to gather H3664 into them out of the fields H7704 of the cities H5892 the portions H4521 of the law H8451 for the priests H3548 and Levites: H3881 for Judah H3063 rejoiced H8057 for the priests H3548 and for the Levites H3881 that waited. H5975

45 And both the singers H7891 and the porters H7778 kept H8104 the ward H4931 of their God, H430 and the ward H4931 of the purification, H2893 according to the commandment H4687 of David, H1732 and of Solomon H8010 his son. H1121

46 For in the days H3117 of David H1732 and Asaph H623 of old H6924 there were chief H7218 of the singers, H7891 and songs H7892 of praise H8416 and thanksgiving H3034 unto God. H430

47 And all Israel H3478 in the days H3117 of Zerubbabel, H2216 and in the days H3117 of Nehemiah, H5166 gave H5414 the portions H4521 of the singers H7891 and the porters, H7778 every day H3117 his portion: H1697 and they sanctified H6942 holy things unto the Levites; H3881 and the Levites H3881 sanctified H6942 them unto the children H1121 of Aaron. H175


Nehemiah 12:1-47 American Standard (ASV)

1 Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah.

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, `and' Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

9 Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brethren, were over against them according to their offices.

10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, and Joiakim begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,

11 and Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers' `houses': of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers' `houses'; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 The sons of Levi, heads of fathers' `houses', were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

24 And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.

25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the watch at the store-houses of the gates.

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

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites;

29 also from Beth-gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.

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

31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks and went in procession; `whereof one went' on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:

32 and after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,

33 and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 and certain of the priests' sons with trumpets: Zechariah the 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 brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.

37 And by the fountain gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even unto the broad wall,

39 and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.

40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me;

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

42 and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

43 And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

44 And on that day were men appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the heave-offerings, for the first-fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

45 And they kept the charge of their God, and the charge of the purification, and `so did' the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, as every day required: and they set apart `that which was' for the Levites; and the Levites set apart `that which was' for the sons of Aaron.


Nehemiah 12:1-47 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And these `are' the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua; Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah; these `are' heads of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

8 And the Levites `are' Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah, he `is' over the thanksgiving, and his brethren,

9 and Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, `are' over-against them in charges.

10 And Jeshua hath begotten Joiakim, and Joiakim hath begotten Eliashib, and Eliashib hath begotten Joiada,

11 and Joiada hath begotten Jonathan, and Jonathan hath begotten Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim have been priests, heads of the fathers; of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin; of Moadiah, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

22 The Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, are written, heads of fathers, and of the priests, in the kingdom of Darius the Persian.

23 Sons of Levi, heads of the fathers, are written on the book of the Chronicles even till the days of Johanan son of Eliashib;

24 and heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brethren, `are' over-against them, to give praise, to give thanks, by command of David the man of God, charge over-against charge.

25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, `are' gatekeepers, keeping charge in the gatherings of the gates.

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

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them in to Jerusalem, to make the dedication even with gladness, and with thanksgivings, and with singing, `with' cymbals, psalteries, and with harps;

28 and sons of the singers are gathered together even from the circuit round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi,

29 and from the house of Gilgal, and from fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for villages have the singers built for themselves round about Jerusalem;

30 and the priests and the Levites are cleansed, and they cleanse the people, and the gates, and the wall.

31 And I bring up the heads of Judah upon the wall, and appoint two great thanksgiving companies and processions. At the right, on the wall, to the dung-gate;

32 and after them goeth Hoshaiah, and half of the heads of Judah,

33 and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah;

35 and of the sons of the priests with trumpets, Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Michaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph,

36 and his brethren Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with instruments of song of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe `is' before them;

37 and by the gate of the fountain and over-against them, they have gone up by the steps of the city of David, at the going up of the wall beyond the house of David, and unto the water-gate eastward.

38 And the second thanksgiving company that is going over-against, and I after it, and half of the people on the wall from beyond the tower of the furnaces and unto the broad wall,

39 and from beyond the gate of Ephraim, and by the old-gate, and by the fish-gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, and unto the sheep-gate -- and they have stood at the prison-gate.

40 And the two thanksgiving companies stand in the house of God, and I and half of the prefects with me,

41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, with trumpets,

42 and Masseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer, and the singers sound, and Jezrahiah the inspector;

43 and they sacrifice on that day great sacrifices and rejoice, for God hath made them rejoice `with' great joy, and also, the women and the children have rejoiced, and the joy of Jerusalem is heard -- unto a distance.

44 And certain are appointed on that day over the chambers for treasures, for heave-offerings, for first-fruits, and for tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for priests, and for Levites, for the joy of Judah `is' over the priests, and over the Levites, who are standing up.

45 And the singers and the gatekeepers keep the charge of their God, even the charge of the cleansing -- according to the command of David `and' Solomon his son,

46 for in the days of David and Asaph of old `were' heads of the singers, and a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, are giving the portions of the singers, and of the gatekeepers, the matter of a day in its day, and are sanctifying to the Levites, and the Levites are sanctifying to the sons of Aaron.


Nehemiah 12:1-47 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkijah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah, [who was] over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren;

9 and Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them as watches.

10 And Jeshua begot Joiakim, and Joiakim begot Eliashib, and Eliashib begot Joiada,

11 and Joiada begot Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, chief fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin [and] Moadiah, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 of Hilkijah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

22 of the Levites, the chief fathers were recorded in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, and the priests, until the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 The children of Levi, the chief fathers, were recorded in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

24 And the chief Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise [and] to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

25 Mattaniah and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were doorkeepers keeping the ward at the storehouses of the gates.

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

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to hold the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, [with] cymbals, lutes and harps.

28 And the children of the singers were assembled, both from the plain [of Jordan] round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites,

29 also from Beth-Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves hamlets round about Jerusalem.

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

31 And I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great choirs and processions, on the right hand upon the wall towards the dung-gate.

32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,

33 and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34 Judah and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 and [certain] of the priests' sons with trumpets: Zechariah the 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 brethren, Shemaiah, and Azareel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe before them.

37 And at the fountain-gate, and over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water-gate eastward.

38 And the second choir went in the opposite direction upon the wall, and I after them, and the half of the people, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even to the broad wall;

39 and from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the gate of the old [wall], and above the fish-gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even to the sheep-gate; and they stood still in the prison-gate.

40 And both choirs stood in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me;

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

42 and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud; and Jizrahiah was their overseer.

43 And that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and also the women and the children rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

44 And at that time men were appointed over the chambers of the treasures for the heave-offerings, for the first-fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, out of the fields of the cities, the portions assigned by the law for the priests and the Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests, and over the Levites that waited.

45 And, with the singers and the doorkeepers, they kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David [and] of Solomon his son.

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

47 And all Israel, in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the doorkeepers, every day what was needed, and they consecrated things for the Levites; and the Levites consecrated for the children of Aaron.


Nehemiah 12:1-47 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Now these are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah.

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.

8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, [and] Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers.

9 Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were over against them according to their offices.

10 Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada,

11 and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua.

12 In the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers' [houses]: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers' [houses]; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 The sons of Levi, heads of fathers' [houses], were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

24 The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.

25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the watch at the store-houses of the gates.

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

27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with giving thanks, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

28 The sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites;

29 also from Beth Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had built them villages round about Jerusalem.

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

31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah on the wall, and appointed two great companies who gave thanks and went in procession. [One went] on the right hand on the wall toward the dung gate;

32 and after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,

33 and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 and certain of the priests' sons with trumpets: Zechariah the 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 brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.

37 By the spring gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water gate eastward.

38 The other company of those who gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, on the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad wall,

39 and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even to the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.

40 So stood the two companies of those who gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me;

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

42 and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

43 They offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

44 On that day were men appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the heave-offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who waited.

45 They kept the charge of their God, and the charge of the purification, and [so did] the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

47 All Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, as every day required: and they set apart [that which was] for the Levites; and the Levites set apart [that which was] for the sons of Aaron.


Nehemiah 12:1-47 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Now these are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.

8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the music-makers, he and his brothers.

9 And Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were opposite them in their watches.

10 And Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib was the father of Joiada,

11 And Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim there were priests, heads of families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 Of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were listed as heads of families; and the priests, when Darius the Persian was king.

23 The sons of Levi, heads of families, were recorded in the book of the histories, even till the days of Johanan, the son of Eliashib.

24 And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua, the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, to give blessing and praise as ordered by David, the man of God, watch against watch.

25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were door-keepers keeping the watch at the store-houses of the doors.

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

27 And when the time came for the wall of Jerusalem to be made holy, they sent for the Levites out of all their places to come to Jerusalem, to keep the feast with joy, and with praise and melody, with brass and corded instruments of music.

28 And the sons of the music-makers came together from the lowland round about Jerusalem and from the daughter-towns of the Netophathites,

29 And from Beth-gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the music-makers had made daughter-towns for themselves round about Jerusalem.

30 And the priests and the Levites made themselves clean; and they made the people clean, and the doorways and the wall.

31 Then I made the rulers of Judah come up on the wall, and I put in position two great bands of them who gave praise, walking in ordered lines; one went to the right on the wall, in the direction of the doorway where the waste was put;

32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the rulers of Judah,

33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34 Judah and Benjamin and Shemaiah and Jeremiah,

35 And certain of the priests' sons with wind instruments; Zechariah, the 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 brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel and Judah, Hanani, with the music-instruments of David, the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was at their head;

37 And by the doorway of the fountain and straight in front of them, they went up by the steps of the town of David, at the slope up of the wall, over the house of David, as far as the water-doorway to the east.

38 And the other band of those who gave praise went to the left, and I went after them with half the people, on the wall, over the tower of the ovens, as far as the wide wall;

39 And over the doorway of Ephraim and by the old door and the fish door and the tower of Hananel and the tower of Hammeah, as far as the sheep door: and at the doorway of the watchmen they came to a stop.

40 So the two bands of those who gave praise took up their positions in the house of God, and I and half of the chiefs with me:

41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with wind instruments;

42 And Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer. And the makers of melody made their voices loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

43 And on that day they made great offerings and were glad; for God had made them glad with great joy; and the women and the children were glad with them: so that the joy of Jerusalem came to the ears of those who were far off.

44 And on that day certain men were put over the rooms where the things which had been given were stored, for the lifted offerings and the first-fruits and the tenths, and to take into them the amounts, from the fields of every town, fixed by the law for the priests and the Levites: for Judah was glad on account of the priests and the Levites who were in their places.

45 And they kept the watch of their God, and were responsible for making things clean, and so did the music-makers and the door-keepers, as it was ordered by David and Solomon his son.

46 For in the days of David and Asaph in the past, there was a master of the music, and songs of blessing and praise to God.

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave what was needed by the music-makers and the door-keepers day by day: and they made the offerings holy for the Levites; and the Levites did the same for the sons of Aaron.

Commentary on Nehemiah 12 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible


Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 12

This chapter gives an account of the chief of the priests and Levites in the days of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Joiakim, Eliashib, and Nehemiah, Nehemiah 12:1, of the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, and of the joy expressed on that occasion, Nehemiah 12:27, and of the appointment of some persons over the treasuries for the priests, Levites, singers, and porters, Nehemiah 12:44.


Verse 1

Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua,.... Who went up from the captivity in Babylon to Jerusalem with them; the one was the prince, the other the high priest, the same with Joshua the high priest, Zechariah 3:1, the names of the priests are given in this and the six following verses:

Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra; not Jeremiah the prophet, who cannot be thought to live so long as through the captivity; but Ezra may be Ezra the priest and scribe, who might come up with Zerubbabel to Jerusalem, and return to Babylon again, and from thence come again as he did, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, Ezra 7:1, though this by someF13Vid. Rainold de Lib. Apocryph. praelect. 153. p. 402, &c. is not thought very probable.


Verses 2-7

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,.... Whose names are among the sealers of the covenant, Nehemiah 10:3. Malluch is afterwards called Melicu, Nehemiah 12:14,

Shechaniah, called Shebaniah, Nehemiah 12:14 and so in Nehemiah 10:4

Rehum, who, by transposition of letters, is Harim, Nehemiah 12:15, and so in Nehemiah 10:5.

Meremoth, called Meraioth, Nehemiah 12:15,

Iddo, Ginnetho, read Ginnethon, Nehemiah 12:16 so in Nehemiah 10:6.

Abijah; there was a course of a priest of this name, of which Zechariah the father of John the Baptist was, Luke 1:5.

Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah; the first two are called Miniamin and Moadiah, Nehemiah 12:17.

Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu; called Sallai, Nehemiah 12:20.

Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah these were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren, in the days of Jeshua; heads of courses; or, however, priests of the greatest note in the times of Jeshua the high priest.


Verse 8

Moreover the Levites,.... Who lived in the same times: were

Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah; most of these are made mention of in Nehemiah 8:7, the last of them is said to be

over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren; he was the precentor, or had the directing and conducting of the songs of the temple, particularly the thanksgiving song at the daily sacrifices; Jarchi takes the word here used to be the name of a musical instrument.


Verse 9

Also Bakbukiah and Unni,.... Two other Levites; the first is mentioned in Nehemiah 11:17,

their brethren, were over against them in the watches; the Levites were divided into twenty four wards, and these were placed one against another, 1 Chronicles 23:6.


Verse 10-11

And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begot Joiada, and Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua. This is an account of the high priests in succession in the second temple, the first six of them; and if Jaddua, the last mentioned, is the same with Jaddus, as JosephusF14Antiqu. l. 11. c. 8. sect. 5. supposes, who went forth in his pontifical robes to meet Alexander the great returning from his conquests of Tyre and Gaza, from whom he obtained many favours, and whom he had into the temple, and showed him the prophecy of Daniel concerning himself; this paragraph must be written by another hand, and not Nehemiah, since it can hardly be thought he should live so long; and as to his times, this account of him, or the history of his own times, seems not to have gone through the priesthood of Eliashib, the third of those high priests, see Nehemiah 13:28, and to reach no further than to the thirty second of Darius Hystaspis, Nehemiah 13:6 this fragment therefore might be inserted by some godly man under a divine direction in later times, as we have several insertions in the books of Moses and Joshua of the like kind; and particularly in 1 Chronicles 3:19 where the genealogy of Zerubbabel is carried down beyond the times of the Maccabees, and so could not be placed there by Ezra.


Verses 12-21

And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers,.... This was the son and successor of Jeshua, or Joshua, the first high priest of the second temple; the principal men of the priesthood in his time were as follow, and who were the sons, or however the descendants of the priests in the time of his father before mentioned: these were Meraiah, Hananiah, Meshullam, Jehohanan, Jonathan, Joseph, Adna, Helkai, Zechariah, (the prophet of that name,) Meshullam, Zichri, Piltai, Shammua, Jehonathan, Mattenai, Uzzi, Kallai, Eber, Hashabiah, Nethaneel; in all twenty, whereas there are twenty two named, as in his father's days, there being no sons or descendants from two of them, namely, Hattush and Miamin.


Verse 22

The Levites, in the days of Eliashib,.... The third priest of the second temple:

Joiada; he was the son of Eliashib, and the fourth high priest:

and Johanan; the same with Jonathan, Nehemiah 12:11 and whom JosephusF15Antiqu. l. 11. c. 7. sect. 1. also calls Joannes:

and Jaddua; the same as in Nehemiah 12:10 in the days of each of these were

recorded chief of the fathers; the principal men among the Levites:

also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian; thought to be Darius Codomannus, the last king of the Persian monarchy, whom Alexander conquered; and if so, this verse must be inserted after the death of Nehemiah, and as the next verse also seems to be; for these two verses interrupt the natural order of the relation: an account is given of the priests in the times of Joiakim, Nehemiah 12:12, these verses being inserted, the account goes on, Nehemiah 12:24, &c. of the chief of the Levites in the times of Joiakim only.


Verse 23

The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles,.... Some think this refers to 1 Chronicles 9:14, &c.

until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib; from whence Dr. LightfootF16Works, vol. 1. p. 146. concludes, that the Chronicles were written by Ezra in the times of this Johanan.


Verse 24

And the chief of the Levites,.... Here the thread of the history of Nehemiah, interrupted by the insertion of the two preceding verses, is carried from the priests to the Levites in the times of the third high priest:

Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel; these were singers, since it follows:

with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward; which office of theirs they performed by turns in courses, as David under a divine direction ordered, see 1 Chronicles 23:5.


Verse 25

Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters,.... At the gates of the temple, see 1 Chronicles 9:15,

keeping the ward, at the thresholds of the gates; of the temple, where they stood and watched; or "at the collection of the gates", meaning either where the people were gathered together, or where money gathered was laid up; and so some render it, "the treasuries of the gates": unless a place called Asuppim should be meant, 1 Chronicles 26:15.


Verse 26

These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak,.... Who was high priest in Babylon, and whose grandson was now high priest in the time referred to:

and in the days of Nehemiah the governor; the writer of this book:

and of Ezra the priest, the scribe; who was contemporary with him.


Verse 27

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem,.... In which many priests and Levites assisted, and seems to be the reason of the above account of them; the dedication of the wall takes in the whole city, gates, and houses, Nehemiah 12:30, and if a new house was to be dedicated, much more a new city, and especially the holy city, in which stood the temple of the Lord, see Deuteronomy 20:5, this dedication was made by prayer and songs of praise, as follow, and no doubt by sacrifices, and was kept as a festival; and indeed, according to the Jewish writersF17Megillath Thainith, c. 3. apud Selden. de Synedr. l. 3. c. 13. sect. 12. , it was annually observed on the seventh of Elul, or August; it was on the twenty fifth of that month that the wall was finished, Nehemiah 6:15, but the gates were not set up, and all things for the dedication were not ready till Elul, or August, following; and then all being finished, they made and served the seventh of that month as a festival:

they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness; to assist in the solemnity of the day both with vocal and instrumental music, as follows:

both with thanksgiving and with singing; with songs of praise and thankfulness vocally, that they had been able, notwithstanding all the malice of their enemies, to build the wall in so short a time; or with a song, perhaps the thirtieth psalm was sung on this occasion:

with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps; some playing on one, and some on another, which were the three principal instruments of music used by them, see 1 Chronicles 15:16.


Verse 28

And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together,.... Such of the Levites that were singers, and their sons that were trained up as such:

both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem the plain of Jordan by Jericho, and the plain of Saron and Lydda:

and from the villages of Netophathi: see 1 Chronicles 9:16, here they dwelt, when not in their courses, to minister in the temple; but on this public occasion were summoned together.


Verse 29

Also from the house of Gilgal,.... Which likewise was in a champaign country in the plains of Jericho, Deuteronomy 11:30,

and out of the fields of Geba; which was a Levitical city in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 21:17

and Azmaveth; the same with Bethazmaveth, Nehemiah 7:28 where it follows Anathoth and Netophah, as it does in Ezra 2:24, and was very probably in the tribe of Benjamin:

for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem; that they might be near it, to do their duty when required; by which it appears that the said places were near Jerusalem.


Verse 30

And the priests and the Levites purified themselves,.... By washing their bodies and their clothes, perhaps by sprinkling the water of purification on them, see Numbers 8:6.


Verse 31

Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall,.... Which was so broad as to walk upon it, and there was a procession of the princes on it at its dedication, and here is described the manner of it; the princes of Benjamin must be included here:

and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks; he divided the people who were met together to praise God on this occasion into two companies: whereof

one went on the right hand upon the wall; that is, on the southern part of it:

towards the dung gate; of which see Nehemiah 2:13 some Jewish writers, as Jarchi and Ben Melech, give a different sense of שתי תודות, which we render "two companies", and take them to be two eucharistical loaves of leavened bread, with which a rite or ceremony was performed at the enlargement of a court or city; at the utmost boundary of which those were carried, and one was eaten and the other burntF18Miss. Shebuot, c. 2. sect. 2. & Maimon, & Bartenora in ib. ; which rite is thus described by MaimonidesF19Hilchot, Beth-habechirah, c. 6. sect. 12. Vid. Selden. de Synedr. l. 3. c. 13. sect. 6. ,"how do they add to a city? the sanhedrim make two eucharistical sacrifices, and they take the leavened bread in them, and the sanhedrim go after the two eucharistical sacrifices, which follow one another, and they stand with harps, and psalteries, and cymbals, at every corner and at every stone in Jerusalem, and say, I will extol thee, for thou hast lifted up, &c. (#Ps 30:1) until they come to the end of the place they consecrate, there they stand and eat the thanksgiving loaf, one of the two, and the other is burnt.'


Verse 32

And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah. The other half of them, with Hoshaiah at the head of them.


Verse 33

And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam. Not Ezra the priest and the scribe, for he has another place assigned him in this procession, Nehemiah 12:36, but this seems to be one of the princes.


Verse 34

Judah and Benjamin,.... Not the tribes, but the names of the two princes, as Jarchi:

and Shemaiah and Jeremiah; who were two others.


Verse 35

And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets,.... To blow with on this occasion; for these the priests sounded: namely:

Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph; not the Levite, but a priest of this name.


Verse 36

And his brethren,.... The brethren of Zechariah, the priest's son, and such are those that follow:

Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; which were invented by him, and ordered by him to be used in religious service, under the divine direction:

and Ezra the scribe before them; for he being a priest also, and a man of great eminence, was placed at the head of them in this procession.


Verse 37

And at the fountain gate, which was over against them,.... Of which see Nehemiah 2:14 and which was to the south of the dung gate:

they went up; that is, one of the two companies, that which took to the right on the wall, Nehemiah 12:31 with which these words are to be connected:

by the stairs of the city of David; which went up to the city of Zion, built on an eminence:

at the going up of the wall, above the house of David; where the wall was higher, and there was an ascent to it:

even unto the water gate eastward; of which see Nehemiah 3:26 turning from the south to the east, and so drew nigh the temple.


Verse 38

And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them,.... On the left hand, on the northern part of the wall:

and I after them; Nehemiah, he brought up the rear of his company, as Ezra led the van of his:

and the half of the people upon the wall; the chief of them, for all could not walk upon it:

from beyond the tower of the furnaces; where they baked their bread, or their bricks, see Nehemiah 3:11,

even unto the broad wall; where the wall was broader than common, for some reason or another, see Nehemiah 3:8.


Verse 39

And from above the gate of Ephraim,.... The gate which led to the tribe of Ephraim, where that tribe formerly dwelt, see Nehemiah 8:16

and above the old gate; of which mention is made, Nehemiah 3:6

and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate; of all which see Nehemiah 3:1, and they stood still in the prison gate; which was not a gate of the city, but of the court of the prison, Nehemiah 3:25, which was near both the king's palace and the temple, see Jeremiah 20:1.


Verse 40

So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God,.... Having made their procession on the wall in different ways, they met in the temple, that is, in the great court of it, for no other would hold them:

and I, and the half of the rulers with me; Nehemiah, and the other half with Hoshaiah, Nehemiah 12:32.


Verse 41

And the priests,.... They stood there also, whose names follow:

Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; to sound on this occasion.


Verse 42

And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer,.... These seem to be all priests that blew the trumpets:

and the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer; these were the Levites, that sung the songs of praise vocally, and raised their voices very high, Jezrahiah being precentor, who led the tune, as well as played on instruments.


Verse 43

Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced,.... Or many sacrifices, as Ben Melech interprets it; and these perhaps of the larger sort of cattle, oxen; and which, at least many of them, being peace offerings, the people feasted on them, so that it was a festival day:

for God had made them rejoice with great joy; on account of the wall being set up all around, and so were in greater safety from their enemies:

the wives also and the children rejoiced; while the priests blew the trumpets, and the singers sung and played on their instruments, the women and children gave loud shouts for joy:

so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off; as at the laying of the foundation of the temple, Ezra 3:13.


Verse 44

And at that time were some appointed over the chamber for the treasuries,.... On the selfsame day the dedication was; while the people were in a good disposition, and a suitable frame for such service, certain persons from among the priests were appointed to be overseers of the chambers fixed upon for treasuries, to lay up safe in them the following things, and take care of them, that they were put to the use for which they were designed:

for the offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites; what by the law of God were assigned them for their maintenance, and which the people had lately bound themselves to bring in, Nehemiah 10:35,

for Judah rejoiced for the priests, and for the Levites that waited; at the temple, and performed their services there; they were so pleased with their ministrations that day, that they were determined to take care of them, and provide well for them, and that nothing should be wanting to them, enjoined by the law of God, and that they might not be obliged to dwell in fields and villages for the sake of their living, Nehemiah 12:28.


Verse 45

And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of their purification,.... The singers kept their turns in course in the temple, and were not wanting to officiate on all occasions, besides morning and evening services; and the porters they diligently kept the gates of the temple, that no impure person or thing in a ceremonial sense entered:

according to the commandment of David, and Solomon his son; who made very good rules and orders relative to the better and more regular performance of service by them; see 1 Chronicles 25:1.


Verse 46

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers,.... Persons appointed over the rest to instruct them, and see that they did their work aright, as besides Asaph, Haman, and Jeduthun, and their sons, 1 Chronicles 25:2

and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God; such were made by them, some under divine inspiration, which bear the names of David and Asaph, as may be observed in the book of Psalms.


Verse 47

And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters every day his portion,.... While these two men governed they did their duty, and punctually paid the Levites their dues at the proper season:

and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; set them apart for their use, and brought them to them, their offerings, firstfruits, and tithes: and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron; the Levites set apart the tenth part of the tithes, and delivered them to the priests, and so each had what belonged to them.