Nehemiah 12

1 Now these the priests and the Levites that went up with Zorobabel the son of Salathiel and Jesus: Saraia, Jeremia, Esdra,
2 Amaria, Maluch,
3 Sechenia.
7 These the chiefs of the priests, and their brethren in the days of Jesus.
8 And the Levites , Jesus, Banui, Cadmiel, Sarabia, Jodae, Matthania: he over the bands,
9 and his brethren to the daily courses.
10 And Jesus begot Joakim, and Joakim begot Eliasib, and Eliasib Jodae,
11 and Jodae begot Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jadu.
12 And in the days of Joakim, his brethren the priests and the heads of families to Saraia, Amaria; to Jeremia, Anania;
13 to Esdra, Mesulam; to Amaria, Joanan;
14 to Amaluch, Jonathan; to Sechenia, Joseph;
15 to Are, Mannas; to Marioth, Elcai;
16 to Adadai, Zacharia; to Ganathoth, Mesolam;
17 to Abia, Zechri; to Miamin, Maadai; to Pheleti, ;
18 to Balgas, Samue; to Semia, Jonathan;
19 to Joarib, Matthanai; to Edio, Ozi;
20 to Salai, Callai; to Amec, Abed;
21 to Elkia, Asabias; to Jedeiu, Nathanael.
22 The Levites in the days of Eliasib, Joada, and Joa, and Joanan, and Idua, recorded heads of families: also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.
23 And the sons of Levi, heads of families, written in the book of the chronicles, even to the days of Joanan son of Elisue.
24 And the heads of the Levites Asabia, and Sarabia, and Jesu: and the sons of Cadmiel, and their brethren over against them, were to sing hymns of praise, according to the commandment of David the man of God, course by course.
25 When I gathered the porters,
26 in the days of Joakim son of Jesus, son of Josedec, and in the days of Neemia: and Esdras the priest scribe.
27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep a feast of dedication and gladness with thanksgiving, and they sounded cymbals with songs, and psalteries and harps.
28 And the sons of the singers were assembled both from the neighbourhood round about to Jerusalem, and from the villages,
29 and from the country: for the singers built themselves villages by Jerusalem.
30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people, and the porters, and the wall.
31 And they brought up the princes of Juda on the wall, and they appointed two great for thanksgiving, and they passed on the right hand on the wall of the dung-gate.
32 And after them went Osaia, and half the princes of Juda,
33 and Azarias, and Esdras, and Mesollam,
34 and Juda, and Benjamin, and Samaias and Jeremia.
35 And of the sons of the priest with trumpets, Zacharias son of Jonathan, son of Samaias, son of Matthania, son of Michaia, son of Zacchur, son of Asaph:
36 and his brethren, Samaia, and Oziel, Gelol, Jama, Aia, Nathanael, and Juda, Anani, to praise with the hymns of David the man of God; and Esdras the scribe before them,
37 at the gate, to praise before them, and they went up by the steps of the city of David, in the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water-gate
39 of Ephraim, and to the fish-gate, and by the tower of Anameel, and as far as the sheep-gate.
42 And the singers were heard, and were numbered.
43 And in that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced; for God had made them very joyful: and their wives and their children rejoiced: and the joy in Jerusalem was heard from afar off.
44 And in that day they appointed men over the treasuries, for the treasures, the first-fruits, and the tithes, and the chiefs of the cities who were assembled among them, portions for the priests and Levites: for joy in Juda over the priests and over the Levites that waited.
45 And they kept the charges of their God, and the charges of the purification, and the singers and the porters, according to the commandments of David and his son Solomon.
46 For in the days of David Asaph was originally first of the singers, and hymns and praise to God.
47 And all Israel in the days of Zorobabel, and in the days of Neemias, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, a daily rate: and consecrated them to the Levites: and the Levites consecrated them to the sons of Aaron.

Nehemiah 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

The priests and Levites that returned. (1-26) The dedication of the wall. (27-43) The officers of the temple settled. (44-47)

Verses 1-26 It is a debt we owe to faithful ministers, to remember our guides, who have spoken to us the word of God. It is good to know what our godly predecessors were, that we may learn what we should be.

Verses 27-43 All our cities, all our houses, must have holiness to the Lord written upon them. The believer should undertake nothing which he does not dedicate to the Lord. We are concerned to cleanse our hands, and purify our hearts, when any work for God is to pass through them. Those that would be employed to sanctify others, must sanctify themselves, and set themselves apart for God. To those who are sanctified, all their creature-comforts and enjoyments are made holy. The people greatly rejoiced. All that share in public mercies, ought to join in public thanksgivings.

Verses 44-47 When the solemnities of a thanksgiving day leave such impressions on ministers and people, that both are more careful and cheerful in doing their duty, they are indeed acceptable to the Lord, and turn to good account. And whatever we do, must be purified by the blood of sprinkling, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit, or it cannot be acceptable to God.

Chapter Summary

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.

Nehemiah 12 Commentaries

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.