25
Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, and Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, (and) Akkub, were keepers of the gates, and of the porches before the gates. (Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were the guards, or the doorkeepers, standing guard at the gate-houses.)
26
These men were (serving) in the days of Joiakim, the son of Joshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah, the duke, and of Ezra, the priest and writer. (These men served in the days of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, or Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah, the governor, and of Ezra, the priest and writer/the priest and teacher of the Law.)
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;)