The Book of Nehemiah

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

The priests and Levites

These also are the Priestes and the Leuites that went vp with Zerubbabel, the sonne of Shealtiel, and Ieshua: to wit, Seraiah, Ieremiah, Ezra,

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Shecaniah, Rehum, Merimoth,

Iddo, Ginnetho, Abiiah,

Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Shemaiah, and Ioiarib, Iedaiah,

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

And the Leuites, Ieshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Iudah, Mattaniah were ouer the thankesgiuings, he, and his brethren.

And Bakbukiah and Vnni, and their brethren were about them in the watches.

And Ieshua begate Ioiakim: Ioiakim also begate Eliashib, and Eliashib begate Ioiada.

And Ioiada begate Ionathan, and Ionathan begate Iaddua,

And in the daies of Ioiakim were these, the chiefe fathers of the Priests: vnder Seraiah was Meraiah, vnder Ieremiah, Hananiah,

Vnder Ezra, Meshullam, vnder Amariah, Iehohanan,

Vnder Melicu, Ionathan, vnder Shebaniah, Ioseph,

Vnder Harim, Adna, vnder Maraioth, Helkai,

Vnder Iddo, Zechariah, vnder Ginnithon, Meshullam,

Vnder Abiiah, Zichri, vnder Miniamin, and vnder Moadiah, Piltai,

Vnder Bilgah, Shammua, vnder Shemaiah, Iehonathan,

Vnder Ioiarib, Mattenai, vnder Iedaiah, Vzzi,

Vnder Sallai, Kallai, vnder Amok, Eber,

Vnder Hilkiah, Hashabiah, vnder Iedaiah, Nethaneel.

In the dayes of Eliashib, Ioiada, and Iohanan and Iaddua were the chiefe fathers of the Leuites written, and the Priests in the reigne of Darius the Persian.

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

And the chiefe of the Leuites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Ieshua the sonne of Kadmiel, and their brethren about them to giue prayse and thankes, according to the ordinance of Dauid the man of God, ward ouer against warde.

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

These were in the dayes of Ioiakim, the sonne of Ieshua, the sonne of Iozadak, and in the dayes of Nehemiah the captaine, and of Ezra the Priest and scribe.

Nehemiah dedicates the wall

And in the dedication of the wall at Ierusalem they sought the Leuites out of all their places to bring them to Ierusalem to keepe the dedication and gladnes, both with thankesgiuings and with songs, cymbales, violes and with harpes.

Then the singers gathered themselues together both from the plaine countrey about Ierusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi,

And from the house of Gilgal, and out of the countreis of Geba, and Azmaueth: for the singers had built them villages round about Ierusalem.

And the Priests and Leuites were purified, and clensed the people, and the gates, and the wall.

And I brought vp the princes of Iudah vpon the wall, and appointed two great companies to giue thankes, and the one went on the right hand of the wall toward the dung gate.

And after them went Hoshaiah, and halfe of the princes of Iudah,

And Azariah, Ezra and Meshullam,

Iudah, Beniamin, and Shemaiah, and Ieremiah,

And of the Priests sonnes with trumpets, Zechariah the sonne of Ionathan, the sonne of Shemaiah, the sonne of Mattaniah, the sonne of Michaiah, the sonne of Zaccur, ye sonne of Asaph.

And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azareel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Iudah, Hanani, with the musicall instruments of Dauid the man of God: and Ezra the scribe went before them.

And to the gate of the fountaine, euen ouer against them went they vp by the staires of the citie of Dauid, at the going vp of the wall beyond the house of Dauid, euen vnto the water gate Eastward.

And the seconde companie of them that gaue thankes, went on the other side, and I after them, and the halfe of the people was vpon the wall, and vpon the towre of the furnaces euen vnto the broad wall.

And vpon the gate of Ephraim, and vpon the olde gate, and vpon the fishgate, and the towre of Hananeel, and the towre of Meah, euen vnto the sheepegate: and they stood in the gate of the warde.

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

The Priests also, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, with trumpets,

And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Vzzi, and Iehohanan, and Malchiiah, and Elam, and Ezer: and the singers sang loude, hauing Izrahiah which was the ouerseer.

And the same day they offered great sacrifices and reioyced: for God had giuen them great ioy, so that both the women, and the children were ioyfull: and the ioy of Ierusalem was heard farre off.

Tasks of the temple

Also at the same time were men appointed ouer the chambers of the store for the offerings (for the first fruites, and for the tithes) to gather into them out of the fieldes of the cities, the portions of the Law for the Priests and the Leuites: for Iudah reioyced for the Priests and for the Leuites, that serued.

And both the singers and the Leuites kept the ward of their God, and the warde of the purification according to the commandement of Dauid, and Salomon his sonne.

For in the dayes of Dauid and Asaph, of olde were chiefe singers, and songs of praise and thankesgiuing vnto God.

And in the dayes of Zerubbabel, and in the dayes of Nehemiah did al Israel giue portions vnto the singers and porters, euerie day his portion, and they gaue the holy things vnto the Leuites, and the Leuites gaue the holy things vnto the sonnes of Aaron.

The priests and Levites

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

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

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

Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving songs, he and his brothers.

Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were close to them according to their offices.

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

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

In the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ households: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

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

of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

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

The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ households, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

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

Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storehouses of the gates.

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 and scribe.

Nehemiah dedicates the wall

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, stringed instruments, and with harps.

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

also from Beth Gilgal and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.

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

Then I brought the princes of Judah up 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;

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

and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

and some 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;

and his brothers, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.

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

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 wide wall,

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

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

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

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

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

Tasks of the temple

On that day, men were appointed over the rooms for the treasures, for the wave 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 served.

They performed the duty of their God and the duty of the purification, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son.

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.

All Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the gatekeepers, 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.