In the days of Joiakim, these priests were the leaders of the families of priests: Meraiah, from Seraiah’s family; Hananiah, from Jeremiah’s family; Meshullam, from Ezra’s family; Jehohanan, from Amariah’s family; Jonathan, from Malluch’s family; Joseph, from Shecaniah’s family; Adna, from Harim’s family; Helkai, from Meremoth’s family; Zechariah, from Iddo’s family; Meshullam, from Ginnethon’s family; Zicri, from Abijah’s family; Piltai, from Miniamin’s and Moadiah’s families; Shammua, from Bilgah’s family; Jehonathan, from Shemaiah’s family; Mattenai, from Joiarib’s family; Uzzi, from Jedaiah’s family; Kallai, from Sallu’s family; Eber, from Amok’s family; Hashabiah, from Hilkiah’s family; and Nethanel, from Jedaiah’s family.
The leaders of the families of the Levites and the priests were written down in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, while Darius the Persian was king. The family leaders among the Levites were written down in the history book, but only up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib. The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their relatives. Their relatives stood across from them and gave praise and thanksgiving to God. One group answered the other group, as David, the man of God, had commanded.
These were the gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms next to the gates: Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub. They served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak. They also served in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and teacher.
When the wall of Jerusalem was offered as a gift to God, they asked the Levites to come from wherever they lived to Jerusalem to celebrate with joy the gift of the wall. They were to celebrate with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. They also brought together singers from all around Jerusalem, from the Netophathite villages, from Beth Gilgal, and from the areas of Geba and Azmaveth. The singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. The priests and Levites made themselves pure, and they also made the people, the gates, and the wall of Jerusalem pure.
I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choruses to give thanks. One chorus went to the right on top of the wall, toward the Trash Gate. Behind them went Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah. Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah also went. Some priests with trumpets also went, along with Zechariah son of Jonathan. (Jonathan was the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah. Mattaniah was the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur. Zaccur was the son of Asaph.) Zechariah’s relatives also went. They were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. These men played the musical instruments of David, the man of God, and Ezra the teacher walked in front of them. They went from the Fountain Gate straight up the steps to the highest part of the wall by the older part of the city. They went on above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.
The second chorus went to the left, while I followed them on top of the wall with half the people. We went from the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim to the Old Gate and the Fish Gate, to the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred. We went as far as the Sheep Gate and stopped at the Gate of the Guard.
The two choruses took their places at the Temple. Half of the leaders and I did also. These priests were there with their trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah. These people were also there: Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choruses sang, led by Jezrahiah. The people offered many sacrifices that day and were happy because God had given them great joy. The women and children were happy. The sound of happiness in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
At that time the leaders appointed men to be in charge of the storerooms. These rooms were for the gifts, the first fruits, and the ten percent that the people brought. The Teachings said they should bring a share for the priests and Levites from the fields around the towns. The people of Judah were happy to do this for the priests and Levites who served. They performed the service of their God in making things pure. The singers and gatekeepers also did their jobs, as David had commanded his son Solomon. Earlier, in the time of David and Asaph, there was a leader of the singers and of the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. So it was in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah. All the people of Israel gave something to the singers and gatekeepers, and they also set aside part for the Levites. Then the Levites set aside part for the descendants of Aaron.
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