Nehemiah 12:27-43

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 1to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres.
28 So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around Jerusalem, and from 2the 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 3purified 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, 4the first proceeding to the right on top * of the wall toward 5the 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, 6with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.
37 At 7the Fountain Gate they went directly up 8the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall above * the house of David to 9the Water Gate on the east.
38 10The second choir proceeded to the left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, 11above * the Tower of Furnaces, to 12the Broad Wall,
39 and above * 13the Gate of Ephraim, by 14the Old Gate, by the 15Fish Gate, 16the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at 17the Gate of the Guard.
40 Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me;
41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah, with the trumpets;
42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang, with Jezrahiah their leader,
43 and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because 18God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

Cross References 18

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Lit "thanksgiving choirs"
  • [b]. Heb "and processions to the right"
  • [c]. Lit "brothers"
  • [d]. Lit "thanksgiving choir"
  • [e]. Lit "front"
  • [f]. Lit "caused their voices to be heard"
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