The Priests and Levites Who Returned

1Now these are the priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel (sown in Babylon) son of Shealtiel (I have asked of God) and with Jeshua (he is saved):

Seraiah (YHWH is ruler), Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), Ezra (help),

2Amariah (YHWH has promised), Malluch (Malluchi),a Hattush (assembled),

3Shecaniah (dweller with YHWH), Rehum (Harim),b Meremoth (elevations),

4Iddo (His witness), Ginnethon [Ginnethoi],c Abijah (YHWH is my father),

5Mijamin (Miniamin),d Maadiah (Moadiah),e Bilgah (Bilgai),f

6Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), Joiarib (YHWH contends), Jedaiah (YHWH has known),

7Sallu (weighed), Amok (to be deep), Hilkiah (my portion is YHWH), and Jedaiah (YHWH has known).

These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Jeshua (he is saved).

8The Levites were Jeshua (he is saved), Binnui (built up), Kadmiel (God is the ancient one), Sherebiah (YHWH has scorched), Judah (praised), and Mattaniah (gift of YHWH), who, with his associates, led the songs of thanksgiving. 9Bakbukiah (wasting of YHWH) and Unni (afflicted), their associates, stood across from them in the services.

10Jeshua (he is saved) was the father of Joiakim (YHWH raises up),

Joiakim was the father of Eliashib (God restores),

Eliashib was the father of Joiada (YHWH knows),

11Joiada (YHWH knows) was the father of Jonathan (Johanan),g

and Jonathan (YHWH has given) was the father of Jaddua (knowing).

12In the days of Joiakim (YHWH raises up), these were the heads of the priestly families:

of the family of Seraiah (YHWH is ruler), Meraiah (rebellion);

of Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), Hananiah (God has favored);

13of Ezra (help), Meshullam (friend);

of Amariah (YHWH has promised), Jehohanan (YHWH has graced);

14of Malluchi (Malluch),h Jonathan (YHWH has given);

of Shebaniah (Shecaniah),i Joseph (YHWH has added);

15of Harim (dedicated), Adna (rest / pleasure);

of Meraioth (Meremoth),j Helkai (my portion is YHWH);

16of Iddo (YHWH has adorned Himself), Zechariah (YHWH remembers);

of Ginnethon (gardener), Meshullam (friend);

17of Abijah (YHWH is my father), Zichri (memorable);

of Miniamin (from the right hand) and of Moadiah (Maadiah),k Piltai (my deliverances);

18of Bilgah (cheerfulness), Shammua (renowned);

of Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), Jonathan (YHWH has given);

19of Joiarib (YHWH contends), Mattenai (gift of YHWH);

of Jedaiah (YHWH has known), Uzzi (strong);

20of Sallai (Sallu),l Kallai (swift);

of Amok (to be deep), Eber (the region beyond);

21of Hilkiah (my portion is YHWH), Hashabiah (YHWH has considered);

and of Jedaiah (YHWH has known), Nethanel (given of God).

22In the days of Eliashib (God restores), Joiada (YHWH knows), Johanan (Jonathan),m and Jaddua (knowing), during the reign of Darius (lord) the Persian, the heads of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded.

23As for the descendants of Levi (joined to), the family heads up to the days of Johanan (YHWH has graced) son of Eliashib (God restores) were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles (the Book of the Annals).n 24The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah (YHWH has considered), Sherebiah (YHWH has scorched), and Jeshua (he is saved) son of Kadmiel (Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, and Kadmiel),o along with their associates, who stood across from them to give praise and thanksgiving as one section alternated with the other, as prescribed by David (beloved) the man of God {Elohim}.

25Mattaniah (gift of YHWH), Bakbukiah (wasting of YHWH), Obadiah (servant of YHWH), Meshullam (friend), Talmon (oppressor), and Akkub (insidious) were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. 26They served in the days of Joiakim (YHWH raises up) son of Jeshua (he is saved), the son of Jozadak (Jehozadak),p and in the days of Nehemiah (YHWH comforts) the governor and Ezra (help) the priest and scribe.

The Dedication of the Wall

27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem (city of peace), the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28The singers were also assembled from the region around Jerusalem (city of peace), from the villages of the Netophathites, 29from Beth-gilgal (the house of the wheel), and from the fields of Geba (hill) and Azmaveth (strong unto death), for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem (city of peace). 30After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

31Then I brought the leaders of Judah (praised) up on the wall, and I appointed two great thanksgiving choirs. One was to proceed along the top of the wall (alongside the wall)q to the right, toward the Dung Gate. 32Hoshaiah (YHWH as saved) and half the leaders of Judah (praised) followed, 33along with Azariah (YHWH has helped), Ezra (help), Meshullam (friend), 34Judah (praised), Benjamin (son of the right hand), Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), 35and some of the priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah (YHWH remembers) son of Jonathan (YHWH has given), the son of Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), the son of Mattaniah (gift of YHWH), the son of Micaiah (Mica),r the son of Zaccur (mindful), the son of Asaph (gatherer), 36and his associates—Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), Azarel (God has helped), Milalai (eloquent), Gilalai, Maai (compassionate), Nethanel (given of God), Judah (praised), and Hanani (gracious)—with the musical instruments prescribed by David (beloved) the man of God {Elohim}. Ezra (help) the scribe led the procession. 37At the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps of the City of David (beloved) on the ascent to the wall and passed above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.

38The second thanksgiving choir proceeded to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39over the Gate of Ephraim (doubly fruitful), the Jeshanah (storage) Gate (the Old City Gate),s the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel (God has favored), and the Tower of the Hundred (hundred), as far as the Sheep Gate. And they stopped at the Gate of the Guard.

40The two thanksgiving choirs then stood in the house of God {Elohim}, as did I, along with the half of the officials accompanying me, 41as well as the priests with their trumpets—Eliakim (GGod sets up), Maaseiah (work of YHWH), Miniamin (from the right hand), Micaiah (who is like God), Elioenai (unto YHWH are my eyes), Zechariah (YHWH remembers), and Hananiah (God has favored)— 42and also Maaseiah (work of YHWH), Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), Eleazar (God has helped), Uzzi (strong), Jehohanan (YHWH has graced), Malchijah (my king is YHWH), Elam (eternity), and Ezer (treasure). Then the choirs sang out under the direction of Jezrahiah (YHWH will shine).

43On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God {Elohim} had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem (city of peace) was heard from afar.

Provisions for Temple Worship

44And on that same day men were appointed over the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes. The portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites were gathered into these storerooms from the fields of the villages, because Judah (praised) rejoiced over the priests and Levites who were serving.

45They performed the service of their God {Elohehem} and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David (beloved) and his son Solomon (peace) had prescribed. 46For long ago, in the days of David (beloved) and Asaph (gatherer), there were directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God {Elohim}.

47So in the days of Zerubbabel (sown in Babylon) and Nehemiah (YHWH comforts), all Israel (he wrestles with God) contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for the descendants of Aaron (light bringer).