Nehemiah 12
The chapter records the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel and those who served in subsequent generations. At the dedication of the wall, two great processions marched in opposite directions on top of the wall and met at the temple with singing and sacrifices of great joy.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, | These are the priests and Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, |
| 2 | Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, | Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, |
| 3 | Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, | Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, |
| 4 | Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah, | Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah, |
| 5 | Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, | Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, |
| 6 | Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, | Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, |
| 7 | Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua. | Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their brothers in the days of Jeshua. |
| 8 | Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren. | The Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. |
| 9 | Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches. | Bakbukiah and Unni and their brothers stood opposite them in the services. |
| 10 | And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, | Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim begat Eliashib, Eliashib begat Joiada, |
| 11 | And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. | Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. |
| 12 | And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; | In the days of Joiakim, the priestly family heads were: for Seraiah, Meraiah; for Jeremiah, Hananiah; |
| 13 | Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; | for Ezra, Meshullam; for Amariah, Jehohanan; |
| 14 | Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; | for Melicu, Jonathan; for Shebaniah, Joseph; |
| 15 | Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; | for Harim, Adna; for Meraioth, Helkai; |
| 16 | Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; | for Iddo, Zechariah; for Ginnethon, Meshullam; |
| 17 | Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; | for Abijah, Zichri; for Miniamin, for Moadiah, Piltai; |
| 18 | Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; | for Bilgah, Shammua; for Shemaiah, Jehonathan; |
| 19 | And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; | for Joiarib, Mattenai; for Jedaiah, Uzzi; |
| 20 | Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; | for Sallai, Kallai; for Amok, Eber; |
| 21 | Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel. | for Hilkiah, Hashabiah; for Jedaiah, Nethanel. |
| 22 | The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian. | The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were recorded as heads of families, as were the priests, until the reign of Darius the Persian. |
| 23 | The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. | The sons of Levi, the heads of families, were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. |
| 24 | And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward. | The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, group corresponding to group. |
| 25 | Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates. | Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the thresholds of the gates. |
| 26 | These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe. | These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe. |
| 27 | And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. | At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from wherever they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with joy — with thanksgiving, singing, cymbals, harps, and lyres. |
| 28 | And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi; | The sons of the singers gathered from the surrounding region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites, |
| 29 | Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmavet: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem. | from Beth-gilgal and from the farms of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. |
| 30 | And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall. | The priests and the Levites purified themselves. They purified the people, the gates, and the wall. |
| 31 | Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate: | Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall and appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One went in procession to the right along the top of the wall toward the Refuse Gate. |
| 32 | And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, | Behind them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, |
| 33 | And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, | with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, |
| 34 | Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, | Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, |
| 35 | And certain of the priests' sons with 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: | some of the sons of the priests with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Michaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; |
| 36 | And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them. | his brothers Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe walked ahead of them. |
| 37 | And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward. | At the Fountain Gate they went straight up the stairs of the City of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east. |
| 38 | And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall; | The second choir giving thanks went to the left. I followed it with half of the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, |
| 39 | And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate. | over the Gate of Ephraim, over the Jeshanah Gate, over the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. |
| 40 | So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me: | So both choirs took their places in the house of God, and so did I, along with half of the officials with me, |
| 41 | And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; | the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets, |
| 42 | And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. | Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loudly, with Jezrahiah as their leader. |
| 43 | Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. | That day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. |
| 44 | And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited. | On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law from the fields of the towns for the priests and Levites, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who were serving. |
| 45 | And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. | They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. |
| 46 | For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. | For long ago in the days of David and Asaph, there were directors of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. |
| 47 | And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron. | In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers. They also set apart the portion for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the portion for the sons of Aaron. |