Nehemiah12
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
5Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah.
7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
8Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.
9Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brethren, were over against them according to their offices.
10And Jeshua begat Joiakim, and Joiakim begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,
11and Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.
12And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
13of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
14of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
15of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
16of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
17of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
18of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
19and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
20of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
21of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers’ houses; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.
23The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ houses, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
24And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.
25Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the watch at the store-houses of the gates.
26These 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.
27And 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.
28And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites;
29also from Beth-gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.
30And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
31Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks and went in procession; whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:
32and after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,
33and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
34Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
35and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: 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;
36and his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.
37And by the fountain gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.
38And the other company of them that gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even unto the broad wall,
39and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.
40So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me;
41and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.
43And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
44And on that day were men appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the heave-offerings, for the first-fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.
45And they kept the charge of their God, and the charge of the purification, and so did the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
46For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
47And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, as every day required: and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Nehemiah 12.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The priests and Levites that returned. (1–26). The dedication of the wall. (27–43). The officers of the temple settled. (44–47).
vv1-26
It is a debt we owe to faithful ministers, to remember our guides, who have spoken to us the word of God. It is good to know what our godly predecessors were, that we may learn what we should be.
vv27-43
All our cities, all our houses, must have holiness to the Lord written upon them. The believer should undertake nothing which he does not dedicate to the Lord. We are concerned to cleanse our hands, and purify our hearts, when any work for God is to pass through them. Those that would be employed to sanctify others, must sanctify themselves, and set themselves apart for God. To those who are sanctified, all their creature-comforts and enjoyments are made holy. The people greatly rejoiced. All that share in public mercies, ought to join in public thanksgivings.
vv44-47
When the solemnities of a thanksgiving day leave such impressions on ministers and people, that both are more careful and cheerful in doing their duty, they are indeed acceptable to the Lord, and turn to good account. And whatever we do, must be purified by the blood of sprinkling, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit, or it cannot be acceptable to God.
Key Words
אֵלֶּה: these or those
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
לֵוִיִּי: a Levite or descendant of Levi
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
עָלָה: to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
עִם: adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)
זְרֻבָּבֶל: Zerubbabel, an Israelite
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל: Shealtiel, an Israelite
יֵשׁוּעַ: Jeshua, the name of ten Israelites, also of a place in Palestine
Cross References
Nehemiah 12Abijah is named as the ancestor of John the Baptist's priestly division.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Establishes the twenty-four courses of the priests originally organized by David.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel list of the exiles who returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explains 'ward over against ward' as alternate watches in temple service.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Refers to the Davidic commandment regulating the courses and duties of Levites.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Davidic institution of the musical service, singers, and instruments used at dedication.
Supported by JFB
Previous covenant agreement to supply the chambers with tithes and firstfruits.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Joshua) as leaders of the post-exilic community.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Eliashib the high priest was previously active in building the sheep gate.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Mentions Joiada's son who desecrated the priesthood, connecting to high-priestly succession.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The public registers and chronicles recording the genealogies of the Levites.
Supported by JFB
Mentions the fountain gate and stairs of the city of David.
Supported by JFB
Identifies Ezra the scribe, active alongside Nehemiah during this era.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrasts the proper provision of portions here with later neglect in chapter 13.
Supported by Matthew Henry