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.

1Now these are the Priests and the Leuits that went vp with Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel, and Ieshua: Seraiah, Ieremiah, Ezra,

2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3Shecaniah, Rehum, Merimoth,

4Iddo, Ginnetho, Abiiah,

5Miamin, Madish, Bilgah,

6Shemaiah, & Ioiarib, Iedaiah,

7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Iedaiah: these were the chiefe of the Priests, and of their brethren in the dayes of Ieshua.

8Moreouer the Leuites: Ieshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Iudah, and Mattaniah, which was ouer the thankesgiuing, he and his brethren.

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

10 And Ieshua begate Ioiakim, Ioiakim also begate Eliashib, and Eliashib begate Ioiada,

11And Ioiada begate Ionathan, and Ionathan begate Iaddua.

12And in the dayes of Ioiakim, were Priests the chiefe of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah: of Ieremiah, Hananiah:

13Of Ezra, Meshullam: of Amariah, Iehohanan:

14Of Melicu, Ionathan: of Shebaniah, Ioseph:

15Of Harim, Adna: of Meraioth, Helkai:

16Of Iodo, Zechariah: of Ginnethon, Meshullam:

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

18Of Bilgah, Shammua: of Shemaiah, Iehonathan:

19And of Ioiarib, Mattenai: of Iedaiah, Uzzi:

20Of Sallai, Kallai: of Amok, Eber:

21Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah: of Iedaiah, Nethanael.

22 The Leuites in the dayes of Eliashib, Ioiada, and Iohanan, and Iaddua, were recorded chiefe of the fathers: also the Priests, to the reigne of Darius the Persian.

23The sonnes of Leui, the chiefe of the fathers, were written in the booke of the Chronicles, euen vntill the dayes of Iohanan the sonne of Eliashib.

24And the chiefe of the Leuites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Ieshua the sonne of Kadmiel, with their brethren ouer against them, to praise and to giue thankes, according to the commandement of Dauid the man of God, ward ouer against ward.

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

26These were in the dayes of Ioiakim, the sonne of Ieshua, the sonne of Iozadak, and in the dayes of Nehemiah the gouernour, and of Ezra the Priest, the Scribe.

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Ierusalem, they sought the Leuites out of all their places, to bring them to Ierusalem, to keepe the dedication with gladnesse, both with thankesgiuings and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harpes.

28And the sonnes of the Singers gathered themselues together, both out of the plaine countrey round about Ierusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi.

29Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba, and Azmaueth: for the Singers had builded them villages round about Ierusalem.

30And the Priests and the Leuites purified themselues, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

31Then I brought vp the princes of Iudah vpon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gaue thankes, whereof one went on the right hand vpon the wall toward the dounggate:

32And after them went Hoshaiah, and halfe of the Princes of Iudah,

33And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34Iudah, and Beniamin, and Shemaiah, and Ieremiah,

35And certaine of the Priests sonnes with trumpets: namely, Zechariah the sonne of Ionathan, the sonne of Shemaiah, the sonne of Mattaniah, the sonne of Michaiah, the sonne of Zaccur, the sonne of Asaph:

36And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Asarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanael, and Iudah, Hanani, with the musicall instruments of Dauid the man of God; and Ezra the Scribe before them.

37And at the fountaine-gate, which was ouer against them, they went vp by the staires of the citie of Dauid, at the going vp of the wall, aboue the house of Dauid, euen vnto the water-gate, Eastward.

38And the other company of them that gaue thankes, went ouer against them, and I after them, and the halfe of the people vpon the wall, from beyond the towre of the fornaces, euen vnto the broad wall,

39And from aboue the gate of Ephraim, and aboue the olde gate, and aboue the fish-gate, and the towre of Hananeel, and the towre of Meah, euen vnto the sheepegate; and they stood still in the prison gate.

40So stood the two companies of them that gaue thankes in the house of God, and I, and the halfe of the rulers with me:

41And the Priests: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zachariah, and Hananiah with trumpets:

42And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Iehohanan, and Malchiiah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the Singers sang loud, with Iezrahiah their ouerseer.

43Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and reioyced; for God had made them reioyce with great ioy: the wiues also and the children reioyced: so that the ioy of Ierusalem was heard euen afarre off.

44 And at that time were some appointed ouer the chambers for the treasures, 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 Leuites: for Iudah reioyced for the Priests, & for the Leuites that waited.

45And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandement of Dauid, and of Solomon his sonne.

46For in the dayes of Dauid and Asaph of old, there were chiefe of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiuing vnto God.

47And all Israel in the dayes of Zerubbabel, and in the dayes of Nehemiah, gaue the portions of the singers, and the porters, euery day his portion, and they sanctified holy things vnto the Leuites, and the Leuites sanctified them vnto the children of Aaron.

I == Ezra 2:1-2 ; Neh 10:2-8

 

II == Neh 12:14

III == Neh 12:14-15

IV == Neh 12:16

V == Neh 12:17

VII == Ezra 3:2 ; Neh 12:20 ; Hag 1:1 ; Zech 3:1

VIII == Neh 11:17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIII == 1st Chr 9:14-34

 

 

XXIV == 1st Chr 23:25-26 ; Ezra 3:11

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVI == Ezra 7:6 , 11 ; Neh 8:9

 

 

XXVII == Deut 20:5 ; 1st Chr 25:6 ; 2nd Chr 5:13 ; 7:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXI == Neh 2:13 ; 3:13 ; 12:38

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXV == Num 10:2 , 8

 

 

 

XXXVI == 1st Chr 23:5

 

 

 

 

XXXVII == Neh 2:14 ; 3:15 , 26 ; 8:1 , 3 , 16

 

 

XXXVIII == Neh 3:8 , 11 ; 12:31

 

 

XXXIX == 2nd Kings 14:13 ; Neh 3:1 , 3 , 6 , 32 ; 8:16 ; Jer 32:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XLIV == Neh 13:5, 12-13

 

 

 

 

 

XLV == 1st Chr 25:26

 

 

XLVI == 1st Chr 25:1-7 ; 2nd chr 29:30

 

XLVII == Num 18:21 , 24 , 26

 

 

 

1 The following are the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

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

8 The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah; the last-mentioned, together with his brethren, was in charge of the hymns,

9 while Bakbukiah and Unno and their brethren ministered opposite them by turns.

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

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

12 In the days of Joiakim these were the priestly family heads: for Seraiah, Meraiah; for Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 for Ezra, Meshullam; for Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 for Malluchi, Jonathan; for Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 for Harim, Adna; for Meremoth, Helkai;

16 for Iddo, Zechariah; for Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 for Abijah, Zichri; for Miamin, . . . ; for Maadiah, Piltai;

18 for Bilgah, Shammua; for Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

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

20 for Sallu, Kallai; for Amok, Eber;

21 for Hilkiah, Hashabiah; for Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 In the time of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the family heads of the priests were written down in the Book of Chronicles, up until the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 The sons of Levi: the family heads were written down in the Book of Chronicles, up until the time of Johanan, the son of Eliashib.

24 The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel. Their brethren who stood opposite them to sing praises and thanksgiving in fulfillment of the command of David, the man of God, one section opposite the other,

25 were Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah.Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers. They kept watch over the storerooms at the gates.

26 All these lived in the time of Joiakim, son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak (and in the time of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest-scribe).

27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out wherever they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate a joyful dedication with thanksgiving hymns and the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres.

28 The levitical singers gathered together from the region about Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites,

29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the plains of Geba and Azmaveth (for the singers had built themselves settlements about Jerusalem).

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

31 I had the princes of Judah mount the wall, and I arranged two great choirs. The first of these proceeded to the right, along the top of the wall, in the direction of the Dung Gate,

32 followed by Hoshaiah and half the princes of Judah,

33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 priests with the trumpets, and also Zechariah, son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph,

36 and his brethren Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. (Ezra the scribe was at their head.)

37 At the Spring Gate they went straight up by the steps of the City of David and continued along the top of the wall above the house of David until they came to the Water Gate on the east.

38 The second choir proceeded to the left, followed by myself and the other half of the princes of the people, along the top of the wall past the Oven Tower as far as the Broad Wall,

39 then past the Ephraim Gate (the New City Gate), the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Hundred Tower, as far as the Sheep Gate (and they came to a halt at the Prison Gate).

40 The two choirs took up a position in the house of God; I, too, who had with me half the magistrates,

41 the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, with the trumpets,

42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers were heard under the leadership of Jezrahiah.

43 Great sacrifices were offered on that day, and there was rejoicing over the great feast of the LORD in which they shared. The women and the children joined in, and the rejoicing at Jerusalem could be heard from afar off.

44 At that time men were appointed over the chambers set aside for stores, offerings, first fruits, and tithes; in them they were to collect from the fields of the various cities the portions legally assigned to the priests and Levites. For Judah rejoiced in its appointed priests and Levites

45 who carried out the ministry of their God and the ministry of purification (as did the singers and the gatekeepers) in accordance with the prescriptions of David and of Solomon, his son.

46 For the heads of the families of the singers and the hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God came down from the days of David and Asaph in times of old.

47 Thus all Israel, in the days of Zerubbabel (and in the days of Nehemiah), gave the singers and the gatekeepers their portions, according to their daily needs. They made their consecrated offering to the Levites, and the Levites made theirs to the sons of Aaron

v 1-7. These 22 priests returned with Zerubbabel, so they lacked 2 to fulfill the 24 divisions ordered by David.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 8,9. None of these Levites who returned should be confused with similar names who returned with Nehemiah. One of them had the important job of leading songs of thanksgiving. That should be a part of all our lives.

 

v 10-21. This is the genealogy of the priests. From this time on, chronology was reckoned from the succession of high priests instead of by the reign of kings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 22-26. This is a list of Levites, with v 24 being singers and v 25, gatekeepers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 27-30. It is not stated how soon after the wall was finished was the dedication, but all Levites were called in from wherever they had gone to live. The Levites, priests, and even the walls and gates were purified before the ceremonies were begun. This was probably done by the sprinkling of the blood of sacrificial animals or the water of purifying, or separation as it is called in Num. 19:9.   (Verses 27-40 are similar to Ps. 48:8-14, the marching around the wall etc.)

 

 

 

v 31-37. Nehemiah appointed two great choirs, both starting at the Valley Gate. One choir went counterclockwise past the Dung gate and Fountain Gate. At this point they went up the stairs and walked on the wall to the  Water Gate. Apparently they went down here and eventually on to the temple, v 40. Ezra led this group, v 36.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 38-42. The second choir went clockwise and in a short distance, at the tower of the furnaces, they apparently walked on the wall most of the way, finally stopping at the gate of the prison, or the guard. Nehemiah followed rather than led this group. Both groups may have met here in a general direction east of the temple before going on to the temple. It would have been very impressive seeing these two groups marching around on the wall, and a humiliation to any of the enemy who said a fox could break it down, Neh. 4:3. This was accompanied by trumpets, other musical instruments, and loud singing of the choirs.

 

 

v 43. Many sacrifices were offered and the people rejoiced so loudly that  they could be heard a long way off.

 

 

 

v 44-47. Nehemiah used this opportunity to appoint people in charge of the storage of the offerings, first fruits, tithes etc. in the side rooms of the temple. He also placed the singers and gatekeepers, just as David had outlined some 500 years before. The people had pledged in their covenant, chapter 10, to give to the support of the Levites and the Levites to the priests. They fulfilled these obligations at least through the days of Nehemiah.