Nehemiah 12:27-43

27 Forsooth in the hallowing of the wall of Jerusalem they sought (out the) deacons of all their places, to bring them into Jerusalem, and to make the hallowing in gladness, in the doing of thankings, and in song, and in cymbals, and in psalteries, and in harps. (And for the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought out the Levites in all the places where they were, to bring them to Jerusalem, to celebrate the dedication with gladness, and thanksgiving, and with songs, and cymbals, and lutes, and harps.)
28 And the sons of (the) singers were gathered together, both from the field places about Jerusalem, and from the towns of Netophathi (and from the towns of the Netophathites),
29 and from the house of Gilgal, and from the country(sides) of Geba, and of Azmaveth; for the singers had builded towns to themselves in the compass of Jerusalem (for the singers had built towns for themselves all around Jerusalem).
30 And [the] priests and deacons were cleansed, and then they cleansed the people, and the gates, and the wall. (And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and then they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.)
31 And I made the princes of Judah to go up on the wall, and I ordained two great choirs, or companies, of men praising the Lord; and they went to the right side on the wall, to the gate of the dunghill. (And I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall, and I ordained two great choirs, or companies, of men to give praise to the Lord; and the first group went up on the wall to the right side, toward the Dung Gate.)
32 And Hoshaiah went after them, and the half part of the princes of Judah (and half of the leaders of Judah),
33 and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremy. [Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.]
35 And of the sons of priests singing in trumps; 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. (And then came some of the priests blowing 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;)
36 And his brethren; Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, and Hanani, in the instruments of song of David, the man of God; and Ezra, the writer, before them, (and his kinsmen; Shemaiah, Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God; and Ezra, the writer/the teacher of the Law, went before them.)
37 in the gate of the well. And (the) men went up (over) against them, in the degrees of the city of David, in the going up of the wall, over the house of David, and unto the gate of the waters at the east coast. (And they went past the Fountain Gate, and then up the steps to the City of David, by the ascent to the city wall, past the house of David, and on to the Water Gate on the east side.)
38 And the second choir of men telling out thankings went over against (them), or on the other side, and I went after them; and half part of the people was on the wall, and on the tower of (the) ovens, and they went unto the broadest wall; (And the second choir of men who gave thanks went to the other side, that is, to the left, along the top of the wall, and I went after them, with half of the people; and they went past the Tower of the Ovens, or the Tower of the Furnaces, unto the Broad Wall;)
39 and over the gate of Ephraim, and over the eld gate, and over the gate of fishes, and over the tower of Hananeel, and over the tower of Meah, and they came unto the gate of (the) flock; and they stood still in the gate of keeping. (and then past the Ephraim Gate, and the Old Gate, or the Jeshanah Gate, and the Fish Gate, and the Tower of Hananeel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at the Gate of the Guardhouse/and they stopped near the Temple Gate.)
40 And the two choirs of men praising stood in the house of God, and I and the half part of (the) magistrates with me. (And then the two choirs of men who gave praise took their places in the House of God, along with me and half of the magistrates;)
41 And the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, in trumps; (and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, who were blowing their trumpets;)
42 and (also) Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer; and the singers sang clearly, and Jezrahiah, their sovereign also (and the singers, led by Jezrahiah, who sang clearly, and loudly).
43 And they offered in that day great sacrifices, and were glad; for God had made them glad with great gladness. But also their wives and their lawful children were joyful, and the gladness of Jerusalem was heard [a]far. (And that day, they offered great, or many, sacrifices, and were joyful; for God had made them very happy. And also their wives and their children were full of joy, and the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.)

Nehemiah 12:27-43 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.