Nehemiah 12:10-47

10Jeshua 1became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim 2became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib 3became the father of Joiada, 11and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua.

12Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of fathers’ households were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14of 4Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22As for the Levites, the heads of fathers’ households were registered in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan and Jaddua; so were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23The sons of Levi, the heads of fathers’ households, were registered in the Book of the Chronicles up to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 24The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, 5to praise and give thanks, 6as prescribed by David the man of God, 7division corresponding to division. 25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping watch at 8the storehouses of the gates. 26These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of 9Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.

27Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs 10to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around Jerusalem, and from 11the villages of the Netophathites, 29from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30The priests and the Levites 12purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall.

31Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I appointed two great 13choirs, 1415the first proceeding to the right on top of the wall toward 16the Refuse Gate. 32Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them, 33with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35and some of the sons of the priests with trumpets; and 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, 36and his 17kinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani, 18with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37At 19the Fountain Gate they went directly up 20the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall above the house of David to 21the Water Gate on the east.

3822The second 23choir proceeded to the 24left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, 25above the Tower of Furnaces, to 26the Broad Wall, 39and above 27the Gate of Ephraim, by 28the Old Gate, by the 29Fish Gate, 30the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at 31the Gate of the Guard. 40Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me; 41and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah, with the trumpets; 42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers 32sang, with Jezrahiah their leader, 43and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because 33God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

44On that day 34men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who 35served. 45For they performed the 36worship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers 37in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon. 46For in the days of David and 38Asaph, in ancient times, there were 3940leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God. 47So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers 41as each day required, and 42set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron.