English Standard Version

New Living Translation

Priests and Levites

These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

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A History of the Priests and Levites

Here is the list of the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the high priest:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

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Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

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Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

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Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

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Shecaniah, Harim,a Meremoth,

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Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

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Iddo, Ginnethon,b Abijah,

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Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

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Miniamin, Moadiah,c Bilgah,

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Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

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Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

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Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.

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Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Jeshua.

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And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.

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The Levites who returned with them were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his associates was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.

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And Bakbukiah and Unni and their brothers stood opposite them in the service.

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Their associates, Bakbukiah and Unni, stood opposite them during the service.

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And Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada,

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Jeshua the high priest was the father of Joiakim.
Joiakim was the father of Eliashib.
Eliashib was the father of Joiada.

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Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.

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Joiada was the father of Johanan.d
Johanan was the father of Jaddua.

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And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

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Now when Joiakim was high priest, the family leaders of the priests were as follows:
Meraiah was leader of the family of Seraiah.
Hananiah was leader of the family of Jeremiah.

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of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

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Meshullam was leader of the family of Ezra.
Jehohanan was leader of the family of Amariah.

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of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

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Jonathan was leader of the family of Malluch.e
Joseph was leader of the family of Shecaniah.f

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of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

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Adna was leader of the family of Harim.
Helkai was leader of the family of Meremoth.g

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of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

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Zechariah was leader of the family of Iddo.
Meshullam was leader of the family of Ginnethon.

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of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

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Zicri was leader of the family of Abijah.
There was also ah leader of the family of Miniamin.
Piltai was leader of the family of Moadiah.

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of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

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Shammua was leader of the family of Bilgah.
Jehonathan was leader of the family of Shemaiah.

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of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

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Mattenai was leader of the family of Joiarib.
Uzzi was leader of the family of Jedaiah.

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of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

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Kallai was leader of the family of Sallu.i
Eber was leader of the family of Amok.

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of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

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Hashabiah was leader of the family of Hilkiah.
Nethanel was leader of the family of Jedaiah.

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In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded as heads of fathers’ houses; so too were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian.

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A record of the Levite families was kept during the years when Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua served as high priest. Another record of the priests was kept during the reign of Darius the Persian.j

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As for the sons of Levi, their heads of fathers’ houses were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

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A record of the heads of the Levite families was kept in The Book of History down to the days of Johanan, the grandsonk of Eliashib.

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And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers who stood opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch by watch.

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These were the family leaders of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui,l Kadmiel, and other associates, who stood opposite them during the ceremonies of praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as commanded by David, the man of God.

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Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the gates.

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This included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah.
Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were the gatekeepers in charge of the storerooms at the gates.

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These were 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.

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These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak,m and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.

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Dedication of the Wall

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.

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Dedication of Jerusalem’s Wall

For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres.

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And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites;

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The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites.

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also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem.

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They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem.

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And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

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The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

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Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate.

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I led the leaders of Judah to the top of the wall and organized two large choirs to give thanks. One of the choirs proceeded southwardn along the top of the wall to the Dung Gate.

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And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah,

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Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,

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and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

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along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

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Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

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Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.

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and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph;

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Then came some priests who played trumpets, including Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, a descendant of Asaph.

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and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.

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And Zechariah’s colleagues were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They used the musical instruments prescribed by David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe led this procession.

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At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by 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.

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At the Fountain Gate they went straight up the steps on the ascent of the city wall toward the City of David. They passed the house of David and then proceeded to the Water Gate on the east.

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The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall,

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The second choir giving thanks went northwardo around the other way to meet them. I followed them, together with the other half of the people, along the top of the wall past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,

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and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah,a and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard.

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then past the Ephraim Gate to the Old City Gate,p past the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel, and on to the Tower of the Hundred. Then we continued on to the Sheep Gate and stopped at the Guard Gate.

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So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;

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The two choirs that were giving thanks then proceeded to the Temple of God, where they took their places. So did I, together with the group of leaders who were with me.

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and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

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We went together with the trumpet-playing priests — Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah —

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and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader.

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and the singers — Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director.

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And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

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Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.

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Service at the Temple

On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.

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Provisions for Temple Worship

On that day men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the offerings, the first part of the harvest, and the tithes. They were responsible to collect from the fields outside the towns the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites. For all the people of Judah took joy in the priests and Levites and their work.

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And 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.

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They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as commanded by David and his son Solomon, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers.

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For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songsb of praise and thanksgiving to God.

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The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph.

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And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

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So now, in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel brought a daily supply of food for the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Levites. The Levites, in turn, gave a portion of what they received to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

Parallel

English Standard Version

New Living Translation

Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 12