Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Nehemiah 12
Close HCSB

Nehemiah 12
Holman Christian Standard Bible

12 These(A) are the priests and Levites(B) who went up with Zerubbabel(C) son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua:

Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo,(D) Ginnethoi, Abijah,(E)
5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,(F)
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.

These were the leaders of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua.(G)

8 The Levites:

Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel,
Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah(H)—
he and his relatives were in charge of the praise songs.
9 Bakbukiah, Unni,[a] and their relatives stood opposite them in the services.
10 Jeshua fathered Joiakim,
Joiakim fathered Eliashib,
Eliashib(I) fathered Joiada,
11 Joiada fathered Jonathan,
and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.[b]

12 In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:

Meraiahof Seraiah,
Hananiahof Jeremiah,
13 Meshullamof Ezra,
Jehohananof Amariah,
14 Jonathanof Malluchi,
Josephof Shebaniah,
15 Adnaof Harim,
Helkaiof Meraioth,
16 Zechariahof Iddo,
Meshullamof Ginnethon,
17 Zichriof Abijah,
Piltaiof Moadiah, of Miniamin,
18 Shammuaof Bilgah,
Jehonathanof Shemaiah,
19 Mattenaiof Joiarib,
Uzziof Jedaiah,
20 Kallaiof Sallai,
Eberof Amok,
21 Hashabiahof Hilkiah,
and Nethanelof Jedaiah.

22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the leaders of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded while Darius the Persian ruled. 23 Levi’s descendants, the leaders of families, were recorded in the Book of the Historical Records(J) during the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 24 The leaders of the Levites—Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their relatives opposite them—gave praise and thanks, division by division, as David the man of God had prescribed.(K) 25 This included Mattaniah,(L) Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates.(M) 26 These served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor(N) and Ezra the priest and scribe.(O)

Dedication of the Wall

27 At the dedication of the wall(P) of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.(Q) 28 The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites,(R) 29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.(S)

31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate.(T) 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph followed 36 as well as his relatives—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God.(U) Ezra the scribe(V) went in front of them. 37 At the Fountain Gate(W) they climbed the steps of the city of David(X) on the ascent of the wall and went above the house of David to the Water Gate(Y) on the east.

38 The second thanksgiving procession went to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens(Z) to the Broad Wall,(AA) 39 above the Gate of Ephraim,(AB) and by the Old Gate,(AC) the Fish Gate,(AD) the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate.(AE) They stopped at the Gate of the Guard.(AF) 40 The two thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials accompanying me, 41 as well as the priests:

Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin,
Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah,
and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar,
Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer.

Then the singers sang, with Jezrahiah as the leader. 43 On that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy.(AG) The women and children also celebrated, and Jerusalem’s rejoicing was heard far away.(AH)

Support of the Levites’ Ministry

44 On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms(AI) that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths.(AJ) The legally required portions for the priests and Levites(AK) were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving.(AL) 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers,(AM) as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.(AN) 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,(AO) there were leaders[c] of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.(AP) 47 So in the days of Zerubbabel(AQ) and Nehemiah,(AR) all Israel contributed the daily portions(AS) for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions(AT) for the descendants of Aaron.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 12:9 Alt Hb tradition reads Unno
  2. Nehemiah 12:11 These men were high priests.
  3. Nehemiah 12:46 Alt Hb tradition reads there was a leader
Listen to Nehemiah 12
Close NIV

Nehemiah 12
New International Version

Priests and Levites

12 These were the priests(A) and Levites(B) who returned with Zerubbabel(C) son of Shealtiel(D) and with Joshua:(E)

Seraiah,(F) Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,

3 Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo,(G) Ginnethon,[a] Abijah,(H)

5 Mijamin,[b] Moadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,(I)

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.

These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua.

8 The Levites were Jeshua,(J) Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah,(K) who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services.

10 Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib,(L) Eliashib the father of Joiada, 11 Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.

12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families:

of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah;

of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra’s, Meshullam;

of Amariah’s, Jehohanan;

14 of Malluk’s, Jonathan;

of Shekaniah’s,[c] Joseph;

15 of Harim’s, Adna;

of Meremoth’s,[d] Helkai;

16 of Iddo’s,(M) Zechariah;

of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah’s,(N) Zikri;

of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah’s, Shammua;

of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan;

19 of Joiarib’s, Mattenai;

of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi;

20 of Sallu’s, Kallai;

of Amok’s, Eber;

21 of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah;

of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.

22 The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. 24 And the leaders of the Levites(O) were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.(P)

25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. 26 They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.

Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

27 At the dedication(Q) of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals,(R) harps and lyres.(S) 28 The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,(T) 29 from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people,(U) the gates and the wall.

31 I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of[e] the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of[f] the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.(V) 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin,(W) Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 as well as some priests with trumpets,(X) and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, 36 and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments(Y) prescribed by David the man of God.(Z) Ezra(AA) the teacher of the Law led the procession. 37 At the Fountain Gate(AB) they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate(AC) on the east.

38 The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of[g] the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens(AD) to the Broad Wall,(AE) 39 over the Gate of Ephraim,(AF) the Jeshanah[h] Gate,(AG) the Fish Gate,(AH) the Tower of Hananel(AI) and the Tower of the Hundred,(AJ) as far as the Sheep Gate.(AK) At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.

40 The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41 as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets— 42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

44 At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms(AL) for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes.(AM) From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites.(AN) 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David(AO) and his son Solomon.(AP) 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,(AQ) there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise(AR) and thanksgiving to God. 47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.(AS)

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 12:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 16); most Hebrew manuscripts Ginnethoi
  2. Nehemiah 12:5 A variant of Miniamin
  3. Nehemiah 12:14 Very many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also verse 3); most Hebrew manuscripts Shebaniah’s
  4. Nehemiah 12:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 3); Hebrew Meraioth’s
  5. Nehemiah 12:31 Or go alongside
  6. Nehemiah 12:31 Or proceed alongside
  7. Nehemiah 12:38 Or them alongside
  8. Nehemiah 12:39 Or Old
Next
Nehemiah 11
Nehemiah 13
Next
dropdown
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV