Nehemiah 12

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

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

NoteThe return from Babylon: in 538 BC the Persian king Cyrus allowed the Judeans deported by Babylon two generations earlier to go home. Zerubbabel, a descendant of the old royal line, led that first group as governor, and Jeshua served as high priest. The events of Nehemiah's own lifetime, later in this chapter, come about a century after this.

2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

3Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,

4Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,

5Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

5Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

6Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These men were the leaders of the priests and of their fellow priests in the time of Jeshua.

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

NoteThe names in verses 1–7 are not only individuals but the ancestors of the priestly clans. Priests served in a rotation of family divisions, so a division was known by the name of its founder for centuries afterward, which is why the same names reappear in verses 12–21 as family labels rather than as living men.

8The Levites, the men from the tribe of Levi who served at the temple, were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah. Mattaniah and his fellow Levites led the songs of thanks.

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

NotePriests and Levites were different orders. Priests were descendants of Aaron and alone offered sacrifice; Levites were the rest of the tribe of Levi and handled the supporting work of the temple, music, gatekeeping, storerooms, and preparation.

9Bakbukiah and Unni, their fellow Levites, stood facing them during the times of service.

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

Note"Stood facing them" describes antiphonal singing: two groups of singers positioned opposite each other, each answering the other's line in turn. The "times of service" were the fixed shifts in which the temple staff rotated on duty.

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

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

NoteThis is the line of high priests, not an ordinary family tree. The office passed from father to son, so listing the succession Jeshua–Joiakim–Eliashib–Joiada–Jonathan–Jaddua is a way of measuring out roughly a century and a half of time.

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

11And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.

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

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

13from Ezra, Meshullam; from Amariah, Jehohanan;

13Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14from Melicu, Jonathan; from Shebaniah, Joseph;

14Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15from Harim, Adna; from Meraioth, Helkai;

15Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16from Iddo, Zechariah; from Ginnethon, Meshullam;

16Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17from Abijah, Zichri; from Miniamin and from Moadiah, Piltai;

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

NoteIn the Hebrew text no name is given for the family of Miniamin, a word appears to have dropped out at some point in copying. The gap is in the manuscripts themselves, not in the translation.

18from Bilgah, Shammua; from Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

18Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19from Joiarib, Mattenai; from Jedaiah, Uzzi;

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

20from Sallai, Kallai; from Amok, Eber;

20Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21from Hilkiah, Hashabiah; from Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

21Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

22In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the heads of the Levite families were written down. The priests were written down too, up to the reign of Darius the Persian.

22The 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.

NoteWhich Darius is meant is disputed. Darius II ruled 423–404 BC; Darius III ruled 336–331 BC, which would put this note a full century after Nehemiah and suggest the list was updated by a later hand. The Hebrew says only "Darius the Persian," and leaves it open.

23The descendants of Levi who were heads of families were listed in the book of the chronicles, up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib.

23The 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.

Note"The book of the chronicles" here means an official register of names kept as a running record, not the biblical books of Chronicles. Descent had to be documented, since only men who could prove their line were admitted to priestly or Levitical service.

24The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their fellow Levites, who stood facing them. They gave praise and thanks, one group answering the other, just as David the man of God had ordered.

24And 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.

Note"The man of God" is a standard Hebrew title for someone who speaks or acts under divine commission, used of prophets generally; here it marks David as the authority behind the temple's musical arrangements, which tradition credited to him.

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

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

NoteGatekeepers were not merely doorkeepers. They controlled access to the temple precincts and guarded the storerooms, which held the grain, oil, wine, and silver brought in as offerings, effectively the treasury and food supply of the whole institution.

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

26These 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.

NoteA scribe in this period was a trained scholar and official custodian of the written Law, not a copyist. Ezra's authority came from his mastery of that text.

27When the wall of Jerusalem was to be dedicated, they searched out the Levites from all the places where they lived. They brought them to Jerusalem to hold the dedication with gladness, with songs of thanks, and with singing, cymbals, harps, and lyres.

27And 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.

NoteA dedication was a formal ceremony marking a building as set apart for its purpose. Cymbals, harps, and lyres were the standard temple instruments; the harp and lyre were both hand-held stringed instruments of different sizes, not the large upright harp of modern orchestras.

28The singers also gathered together, coming from the flat country around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites,

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

NoteNetophah was a village a few miles south of Jerusalem, near Bethlehem.

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

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

NoteGeba and Azmaveth lay a few miles north-east of Jerusalem, in the territory of Benjamin. Beth-gilgal means "house of Gilgal" and was probably a settlement in the Jordan valley.

30The priests and the Levites made themselves clean for the ceremony, and then they made the people, the gates, and the wall clean as well.

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

NotePurification was a ritual procedure (washing, sacrifice, and sprinkling) that removed ceremonial impurity and made a person or object fit for sacred use. It has nothing to do with physical dirt: the newly built wall was clean but not yet ritually consecrated.

31Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall. I set up two large choirs to give thanks. One of them went along the top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.

31Then 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:

NoteJerusalem's wall was wide enough on top to walk along in procession. Going "to the right" means turning south, since the two choirs started near the same point and circled the city in opposite directions. The Dung Gate, at the south end, was where refuse was carried out to the valley below.

32Behind them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah,

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

33along with Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

33And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

34and Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

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

35and some of the priests' sons carrying trumpets. Among them was Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph,

35And 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:

NoteThe trumpets were straight silver instruments used by priests for signaling at ceremonies, not curved rams' horns. Asaph was one of the musicians David appointed over temple song; his descendants formed a recognized guild of singers, so "son of Asaph" identifies a professional family line.

36and his brothers Shemaiah, Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, Judah, and Hanani. They carried the musical instruments that David the man of God had ordered, and Ezra the scribe walked at the front of them.

36And 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.

37At the Fountain Gate they went straight ahead and climbed the steps of the City of David, on the slope up to the wall. They passed above the house of David and went on to the Water Gate on the east side.

37And 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.

NoteThe City of David was the oldest and lowest part of Jerusalem, the ridge south of the temple, so the procession had to climb steps to rejoin the wall. The Water Gate faced the Gihon spring, the city's main water source, on the eastern slope.

38The second choir that gave thanks went the other way, and I followed it with half of the people along the top of the wall. They passed the Tower of the Furnaces and went as far as the Broad Wall,

38And 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;

NoteThe Tower of the Furnaces, or Ovens, probably stood near the bakers' quarter. The Broad Wall was a notably thick stretch of fortification on the western side; a section of it, about twenty feet thick, has been uncovered by excavation.

39then above the Gate of Ephraim, the Old Gate, and the Fish Gate, past the Tower of Hananeel and the Tower of Meah, as far as the Sheep Gate. They came to a stop at the Prison Gate.

39And 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.

NoteThe Tower of Meah is the Tower of the Hundred, Hebrew *me'ah* means "hundred," perhaps its height in cubits or the size of its garrison. The Sheep Gate, on the north-east, was where animals for sacrifice were brought in. The Prison Gate, or Gate of the Guard, stood near the detention quarters.

40So the two choirs that gave thanks took their places in the house of God. I did the same, along with the half of the officials who were with me,

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

Note"The house of God" is the temple. Both processions ended in its courts, having encircled the city between them.

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

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

42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang out loudly, led by Jezrahiah.

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

43That day they offered many sacrifices and were full of joy, because God had given them great joy. The women and the children were glad too, and the sound of Jerusalem's joy was heard far away.

43Also 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.

NoteAnimal sacrifice was the ordinary form of public worship: the animals were killed, part burned on the altar, and much of the remainder eaten by the worshipers, so a day of "great sacrifices" was also a large communal feast.

44At that same time men were put in charge of the rooms that held the supplies, the gifts, the first crops of the harvest, and the tenth parts that people gave. From the fields around the towns they were to gather into these rooms the shares that the Law set aside for the priests and Levites. Judah was glad because of the priests and Levites who were serving.

44And 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.

NoteThree kinds of contribution are listed. Gifts, or offerings, were voluntary donations; firstfruits were the earliest portion of each harvest, handed over before the rest could be used; the tenth part, or tithe, was a tenth of produce and livestock owed annually. The priests and Levites held no farmland of their own and lived entirely on these payments, so the storerooms were their food supply.

45The singers and the gatekeepers carried out the service of their God and the service of making things clean, just as David and his son Solomon had ordered.

45And 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.

Note"The service of making things clean" is the work of ritual purification, supervising the washings, inspections, and rites that kept people and objects fit for temple use.

46Long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were leaders for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God.

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

NoteAsaph led the temple singers in David's time roughly five hundred years before this, so "long ago" points back to the arrangements the returned community was consciously reviving.

47So in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel gave the daily shares of food for the singers and the gatekeepers. They set apart the holy gifts for the Levites, and the Levites set apart a share of them for the descendants of Aaron.

47And 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.

NoteThe descendants of Aaron are the priests. The chain described here is set out in the Law: the people gave a tenth of their produce to the Levites, and the Levites in turn gave a tenth of what they received to the priests.