2 Esdras (Nehemias) 12
12
1Now these are the priests and the Levites, that went up with Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue: Saraia, Jeremias, Esdras,
2Amaria, Melluch, Hattus,
3Sebenias, Rheum, Merimuth,
4Addo, Genthon, Abia,
5Miamin, Madia, Belga,
6Semeia, and Joiarib, Idaia, Sellum, Amoc, Helcias,
7Idaia. These were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren in the days of Josue.
8And the Levites: Jesua, Bennui, Cedmihel, Sarebia, Juda, Mathanias. They and their brethren were over the hymns.
9And Becbecia, and Hanni, and their brethren every one in his office.
10And Josue begot Joacim, and Joacim begot Eliasib, and Eliasib begot Joiada,
11And Joiada begot Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jeddoa.
12And in the days of Joacim the priests and heads of the families were: Of Saraia, Maraia: of Jeremias, Hanania:
13Of Esdras, Mosollam: and of Amaria, Johanan:
14Of Milicho, Jonathan: of Sebenia, Joseph:
15Of Haram, Edna: of Maraioth, Helci:
16Of Adaia, Zacharia: of Genthon, Mosollam:
17Of Abia, Zechri: of Miamin and Moadia, Phelti:
18Of Belga, Sammua of Semaia, Jonathan:
19Of Joiarib, Mathanai: of Jodaia, Azzi:
20Of Sellai, Celai: of Amoc, Heber:
21Of Helcias, Hasebia: of Idaia, Nathanael.
22The Levites the chiefs of the families in the days of Eliasib, and Joiada, and Johanan, and Jeddoa, were recorded: and the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian.
23The sons of Levi, heads of the families, were written in the book of Chronicles, even unto the days of Jonathan the son of Eliasib.
24Now the chief of the Levites were Hasebia, Serebia, and Josue the son of Cedmihel. And their brethren by their courses: to praise and to give thanks according to the commandment of David the man of God, and to wait equally in order.
25Mathania, and Becbecia, Obedia, and Mosollam, Telmon, Accub, were keepers of the gates and of the entrances before the gates.
26These were in the days of Joacim the son of Josue, the son of Josedec, and in the days of Nehemias the governor, and of Esdras the priest and scribe.
27And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, and to keep the dedication, and to rejoice with thanksgiving, and with singing, and with cymbals and psalteries and harps.
28And the sons of the singing men were gathered together out of the plain country about Jerusalem, and out of the villages of Nethuphati:
29And from the house of Galgal, and from the countries of Geba and Azmaveth. For the singing men had built themselves villages round about Jerusalem.
30And the priests and the Levites purified: and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
31And I made the princes of Juda go up upon the wall, and I appointed two great choirs to give praise. And they went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dunghill gate.
32And after them went Osaias, and half of the princes of Juda:
33And Azarias, Esdras, and Mosollam, Judas, and Benjamin, and Semeia, and Jeremias.
34And of the sons of the priests with trumpets, Zacharias the son of Jonathan, the son of Semeia, the son of Mathania, the son of Michaia, the son of Zechur, the son of Asaph:
35And his brethren Semeia, and Azareel Malalai, Galalai, Maai, Nathanael, and Judas, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God: and Esdras the scribe before them at the fountain gate.
36And they went up over against them by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall of the house of David, and to the water gate eastward:
37And the second choir of them that gave thanks went on the opposite side. And I after them; and the half of the people upon the wall, and upon the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad wall,
38And above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Emath, and even to the flock gate. And they stood still in the watch gate.
39And the two choirs of them that gave praise stood still at the house of God: and I and the half of the magistrates with me.
40And the priests, Eliachim, Maasia, Miamin, Michea, Elioenai, Zacharia, Hanania with trumpets,
41And Maasia, and Semeia, and Eleazar, and Azzi, and Johanan, and Melchia, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sung loud, and Jezraia was their overseer.
42And they sacrificed on that day great sacrifices, and they rejoiced: for God had made them joyful with great joy. Their wives also and their children rejoiced; and the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
43They appointed also in that day men over the storehouses of the treasure, for the libations, and for the first-fruits, and for the tithes: that the rulers of the city might bring them in by them in honour of thanksgiving, for the priests and Levites. For Juda was joyful in the priests and Levites that assisted.
44And they kept the watch of their God, and the observance of expiation. And the singing men, and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
45For in the days of David and Asaph from the beginning there were chief singers appointed, to praise with canticles and give thanks to God.
46And all Israel, in the days of Zorobabel, and in the days of Nehemias, gave portions to the singing men, and to the porters, day by day, and they sanctified the Levites, and the Levites sanctified the sons of Aaron.
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2 Esdras (Nehemias) 12: DRC1752
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Nehemiah 12
12
Priests and Levites
1These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,
3Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4Iddo, Ginnethon,#12:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 16); most Hebrew manuscripts Ginnethoi Abijah,
5Mijamin,#12:5 A variant of Miniamin Moadiah, Bilgah,
6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua.
8The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services.
10Joshua was the father of Joiakim,
Joiakim the father of Eliashib,
Eliashib the father of Joiada,
11Joiada the father of Jonathan,
and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.
12In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families:
of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah;
of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah;
13of Ezra’s, Meshullam;
of Amariah’s, Jehohanan;
14of Malluk’s, Jonathan;
of Shekaniah’s,#12:14 Very many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also verse 3); most Hebrew manuscripts Shebaniah’s Joseph;
15of Harim’s, Adna;
of Meremoth’s,#12:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 3); Hebrew Meraioth’s Helkai;
16of Iddo’s, Zechariah;
of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam;
17of Abijah’s, Zikri;
of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai;
18of Bilgah’s, Shammua;
of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan;
19of Joiarib’s, Mattenai;
of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi;
20of Sallu’s, Kallai;
of Amok’s, Eber;
21of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah;
of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.
22The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. 24And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.
25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. 26They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.
Dedication of the wall of Jerusalem
27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem – from the villages of the Netophathites, 29from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
31I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of#12:31 Or go alongside the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of#12:31 Or proceed alongside the wall to the right, towards the Dung Gate. 32Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, 36and his associates – Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani – with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. 37At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.
38The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of#12:38 Or them alongside the wall, together with half the people – past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah#12:39 Or Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.
40The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41as well as the priests – Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets – 42and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
44At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. 45They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. 46For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
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