Priests and Levites Who Returned with Zerubbabel
Study note
This list records the priestly and Levite families who first returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel and Jeshua, about ninety years before Nehemiah's time. These families formed the foundation of the restored temple worship. Mattaniah was put in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. The names in this list match many of the same family lines found in later generations.
1 These priests and Levites returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah, Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,
5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leading priests and their colleagues during Jeshua's time. Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
8 The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah. Mattaniah and his group led the thank songs. Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.
9 Bakbukiah, Unni, and the others in their group stood across from them during worship. Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.
The Line of High Priests
Study note
This short section traces the high priests from Jeshua down through several generations. Jeshua was the high priest who helped Zerubbabel rebuild the temple after the exile. His descendants served as high priests for many generations. This family line was important because it connected the restored temple to the priesthood God had established long ago.
10 Jeshua fathered Joiakim. Joiakim fathered Eliashib. Eliashib fathered Joiada. And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,
11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan. Jonathan was the father of Jaddua. And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.
Priestly Families in the Days of Joiakim
Study note
When Joiakim was high priest, each priestly family had a specific leader. This list pairs each family name with its head during that period. These records were carefully kept because the priesthood was passed down through families, and each family had specific duties in the temple service.
12 In Joiakim's time, these priests led their family groups. Meraiah led Seraiah's family. Hananiah led Jeremiah's. And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
13 Meshullam led Ezra's. Jehohanan led Amariah's. Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
14 Jonathan led Melicu's. Joseph led Shebaniah's. Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
15 Adna headed Harim's; Helkai headed Meraioth's; Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
16 Zechariah led Iddo's. Meshullam led Ginnethon's. Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
17 Zichri led Abijah's. Piltai led Miniamin's and Moadiah's. Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
18 Shammua led Bilgah's. Jehonathan led Shemaiah's. Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
19 Mattenai headed Joiarib's; Uzzi headed Jedaiah's; And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
20 Kallai headed Sallai's; Eber headed Amok's; Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
21 Hashabiah led Hilkiah's. Nethaneel led Jedaiah's. Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.
Records of Levite Families
Study note
The Levite family heads were recorded in the official chronicles during the time of the high priests Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, up to the reign of Darius the Persian. The Levite leaders organized the worship services according to the instructions King David had given long ago. Gatekeepers guarded the storerooms at the gates.
22 The Levites during the times of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were documented as family heads. The priests were also recorded through King Darius of Persia's reign. 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.
23 The Levite family leaders were written down in the official records up through the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 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.
24 The leading Levites included Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel. Their colleagues stood in teams across from them to offer praise and thanks, following the pattern David, the man of God, had set up. 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.
25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub served as gatekeepers, guarding the storerooms near the gates. Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.
26 They served when Joiakim was priest. Joiakim was the son of Jeshua and grandson of Jozadak. They also served under Governor Nehemiah and Ezra the priest and scribe. 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.
Dedication of the Wall
Study note
The dedication of the wall was a grand celebration. Levites and singers were brought from all around Jerusalem. The priests and Levites first purified themselves, then purified the people, the gates, and the wall. Nehemiah organized two large choirs. One group marched to the right along the top of the wall, and the other marched to the left. They met at the temple, where they offered great sacrifices. The joy was so loud it could be heard far away.
27 For the dedication of Jerusalem's wall, the Levites were brought in from wherever they lived. They were called to Jerusalem for a joyful celebration. They gave thanks and made music with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 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.
28 The temple singers came from all around. They came from the land near Jerusalem. They came from the villages near Netophah. And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;
29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the areas around Geba and Azmaveth. The musicians had built their own villages near Jerusalem. Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.
30 The priests and Levites first purified themselves, then purified the people, the gates, and the wall. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
31 I brought Judah's leaders up onto the wall. I organized two large thanksgiving choirs. One marched to the right along the wall toward the Dung Gate. 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:
32 Hoshaiah and half of Judah's leaders followed behind them, And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,
33 along with Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
35 Some priests carried trumpets. Among them was Zechariah. His family line went back through Jonathan, Shemaiah, Mattaniah, Michaiah, and Zaccur to Asaph. 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:
36 His fellow priests -- Shemaiah, Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, Judah, and Hanani -- carried instruments of the type David, the man of God, had used. Ezra the scribe walked at the head of this group. 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.
37 At the Fountain Gate, they climbed the stairs of the City of David right up the wall. They went past David's palace and kept going east to the Water Gate. 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.
38 The second choir marched in the opposite direction. I walked with them along with half the people, up on the wall past the Tower of the Ovens toward the Broad Wall. 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;
39 They continued past the Ephraim Gate, above the Old Gate, above the Fish Gate, past the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, all the way to the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Gate of the Guard. 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.
40 Both thanksgiving choirs then took their positions inside God's temple. I stood there too, along with half of the officials. 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:
41 The trumpet-carrying priests included Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah. And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 Also there were Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choir sang with great power under Jezrahiah's direction. 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.
43 That day, the people offered massive sacrifices and celebrated with overflowing joy. God had given them tremendous reasons to be happy. Women and children celebrated too. The joyful sounds from Jerusalem carried for miles. 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.
Organizing Temple Support
Study note
After the dedication, officials were appointed to manage the storerooms for the tithes, first fruits, and offerings. The people of Judah were glad to support the priests and Levites who served God. The singers and gatekeepers carried out their duties as David and Solomon had commanded. This system of supporting temple workers went back to the time of Zerubbabel and continued through Nehemiah's time.
44 That same day, they appointed men to oversee the storerooms for contributions, first fruits, and tithes. These men collected the portions the Law required for priests and Levites from the fields around each town. The people of Judah were glad to support the serving priests and Levites. 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.
45 The musicians and gatekeepers did their work for God faithfully. They handled the duties of making things pure. They followed the instructions that David and Solomon had given. 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.
46 Long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were chosen leaders. They led the singers. They led the songs of praise and thanks to God. For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
47 In the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel gave daily shares to the singers and gatekeepers. They set aside the Levites' share, and the Levites set aside the share for Aaron's family. 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.