Nehemiah 12:26-36

26 These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of ¹Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.

Dedication of the Wall

27 Now 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 ²to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres.

28 So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around Jerusalem, and from ³the villages of the Netophathites,

29 from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.

30 The priests and the Levites ⁴purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall.

Procedures for the Temple

31 Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top * of the wall, and I appointed two great choirs, ⁵the first proceeding to the right on top * of the wall toward ⁶the Refuse Gate.

32 Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed * them,

33 with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

35 and 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,

36 and his kinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani, ⁷with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.

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Nehemiah 12:26-36 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 12

This chapter gives an account of the chief of the priests and Levites in the days of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Joiakim, Eliashib, and Nehemiah, Ne 12:1-26, of the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, and of the joy expressed on that occasion, Ne 12:27-43, and of the appointment of some persons over the treasuries for the priests, Levites, singers, and porters, Ne 12:44-47.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 7

1. Nehemiah 8:9
2. 1 Chronicles 15:16, 28
3. 1 Chronicles 9:16
4. Nehemiah 13:22, 30
5. Nehemiah 12:38
6. Nehemiah 2:13
7. Nehemiah 12:24

Footnotes 3

[a]. Lit "thanksgiving choirs"
[b]. Heb "and processions to the right"
[c]. Lit "brothers"