12Here is the list of the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the high priest: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,H3548H3881H5927H2216H1121H7597H3442H8304H3414H58302Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,H568H4409H24073Shecaniah, Harim, Meremoth,H7935H7348H48224Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,H5714H1599H295Miniamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,H4326H4573H10836Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,H8098H3114H30487Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Jeshua.H5543H5987H2518H3048H7218H3548H251H3117H34428The 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.H3881H3442H1131H6934H8274H3063H4983H1960H2519Their associates, Bakbukiah and Unni, stood opposite them during the service.H1229H6042H251H493110Jeshua the high priest was the father of Joiakim. Joiakim was the father of Eliashib. Eliashib was the father of Joiada.H3442H3205H3113H3113H3205H475H475H3205H311111Joiada was the father of Johanan. Johanan was the father of Jaddua.H3111H3205H3129H3129H3205H303712Now 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.H3117H3113H3548H7218H1H8304H4811H3414H260813Meshullam was leader of the family of Ezra. Jehohanan was leader of the family of Amariah.H5830H4918H568H307614Jonathan was leader of the family of Malluch①. Joseph was leader of the family of Shecaniah②./ ①As in Greek version (see also 10.4; 12.2); Hebrew reads Malluchi. ②As in many Hebrew manuscripts, some Greek manuscripts, and Syriac version (see also 12.3); most Hebrew manuscripts read ShebaniahH4409H3129H7645H313015Adna was leader of the family of Harim. Helkai was leader of the family of Meremoth.H2766H5733H4812H251716Zechariah was leader of the family of Iddo. Meshullam was leader of the family of Ginnethon.H5714H2148H1599H491817Zicri was leader of the family of Abijah. There was also a leader of the family of Miniamin. Piltai was leader of the family of Moadiah.H29H2147H4509H4153H640818Shammua was leader of the family of Bilgah. Jehonathan was leader of the family of Shemaiah.H1083H8051H8098H308319Mattenai was leader of the family of Joiarib. Uzzi was leader of the family of Jedaiah.H3114H4982H3048H581320Kallai was leader of the family of Sallu. Eber was leader of the family of Amok.H5543H7040H5987H567721Hashabiah was leader of the family of Hilkiah. Nethanel was leader of the family of Jedaiah.H2518H2811H3048H541722A 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.H3881H3117H475H3111H3110H3037H3789H7218H1H3548H4438H1867H654223A record of the heads of the Levite families was kept in The Book of History down to the days of Johanan, the grandson of Eliashib.H1121H3878H7218H1H3789H5612H1697H3117H3110H1121H47524These were the family leaders of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, 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.H7218H3881H2811H8274H3442H1121H6934H251H1984H3034H4687H1732H376H430H4929H5980H492925This included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were the gatekeepers in charge of the storerooms at the gates.H4983H1229H5662H4918H2929H6126H7778H8104H4929H624H817926These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.H3117H3113H1121H3442H1121H3136H3117H5166H6346H5830H3548H560827For 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.H2598H2346H3389H1245H3881H4725H935H3389H6213H2598H8057H8426H7892H4700H5035H365828The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites.H1121H7891H622H3603H5439H3389H2691H520029They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem.H1004H1537H1019H7704H1387H5820H7891H1129H2691H5439H338930The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.H3548H3881H2891H2891H5971H8179H234631I led the leaders of Judah to the top of the wall and organized two large choirs to give thanks. One of the choirs proceeded southward along the top of the wall to the Dung Gate.H5927H8269H3063H2346H5975H8147H1419H8426H8418H3225H2346H830H817932Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them,H310H3212H1955H2677H8269H306333along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,H5838H5830H491834Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.H3063H1144H8098H341435Then 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.H3548H1121H2689H2148H1121H3129H1121H8098H1121H4983H1121H4320H1121H2139H1121H62336And 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.H251H8098H5832H4450H1562H4597H5417H3063H2607H7892H3627H1732H376H430H5830H5608H644037At 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.H5869H8179H5927H4609H5892H1732H4608H2346H1004H1732H4325H8179H421738The second choir giving thanks went northward 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,H8145H8426H1980H4136H310H2677H5971H2346H4026H8574H7342H234639then past the Ephraim Gate to the Old City Gate, 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.H8179H669H3465H8179H1709H8179H4026H2606H4026H3968H6629H8179H5975H4307H817940The 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.H5975H8147H8426H1004H430H2677H546141We went together with the trumpet-playing priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah—H3548H471H4641H4509H4320H454H2148H2608H268942and the singers—Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director.H4641H8098H499H5813H3076H4441H5867H5829H7891H8085H3156H649643Many 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.H3117H2076H1419H2077H8055H430H8055H1419H8057H802H3206H8055H8057H3389H8085H735044On 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.H3117H582H6485H5393H214H8641H7225H4643H3664H7704H5892H4521H8451H3548H3881H3063H8057H3548H3881H597545They 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.H7891H7778H8104H4931H430H4931H2893H4687H1732H8010H112146The 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.H3117H1732H623H6924H7218H7891H7892H8416H3034H43047So 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.H3478H3117H2216H3117H5166H5414H4521H7891H7778H3117H1697H6942H3881H3881H6942H1121H175
13On that same day, as the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the passage was found that said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be permitted to enter the assembly of God.H3117H7121H5612H4872H241H5971H4672H3789H5984H4125H935H6951H430H5704H57692For they had not provided the Israelites with food and water in the wilderness. Instead, they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing.H6923H1121H3478H3899H4325H7936H1109H7043H430H2015H7045H12933When this passage of the Law was read, all those of foreign descent were immediately excluded from the assembly.H8085H8451H914H3478H61544Before this had happened, Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and who was also a relative of Tobiah,H6440H475H3548H5414H3957H1004H430H7138H29005had converted a large storage room and placed it at Tobiah's disposal. The room had previously been used for storing the grain offerings, the frankincense, various articles for the Temple, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil (which were prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers), as well as the offerings for the priests.H6213H1419H3957H6440H5414H4503H3828H3627H4643H1715H8492H3323H4687H3881H7891H7778H8641H35486I was not in Jerusalem at that time, for I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign, though I later asked his permission to return.H3389H8147H7970H8141H783H4428H894H935H4428H7093H3117H7592H44287When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I learned about Eliashib's evil deed in providing Tobiah with a room in the courtyards of the Temple of God.H935H3389H995H7451H475H6213H2900H6213H5393H2691H1004H4308I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah's belongings out of the room.H3415H3966H7993H1004H3627H2900H2351H39579Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God's Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense.H559H2891H3957H7725H3627H1004H430H4503H382810I also discovered that the Levites had not been given their prescribed portions of food, so they and the singers who were to conduct the worship services had all returned to work their fields.H3045H4521H3881H5414H3881H7891H6213H4399H1272H376H770411I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, "Why has the Temple of God been neglected?" Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties.H7378H5461H559H1004H430H5800H6908H5975H597712And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms.H935H3063H4643H1715H8492H3323H21413I assigned supervisors for the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites. And I appointed Hanan son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah as their assistant. These men had an excellent reputation, and it was their job to make honest distributions to their fellow Levites.H686H214H8018H3548H6659H5608H3881H6305H3027H2605H1121H2139H1121H4983H2803H539H2505H25114Remember this good deed, O my God, and do not forget all that I have faithfully done for the Temple of my God and its services.H2142H430H4229H2617H6213H1004H430H492915In those days I saw men of Judah treading out their winepresses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in grain, loading it on donkeys, and bringing their wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of produce to Jerusalem to sell on the Sabbath. So I rebuked them for selling their produce on that day.H3117H7200H3063H1869H1660H7676H935H6194H6006H2543H3196H6025H8384H4853H935H3389H7676H3117H5749H3117H4376H671816Some men from Tyre, who lived in Jerusalem, were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise. They were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah—and in Jerusalem at that!H3427H6876H935H1709H1709H4377H4376H7676H1121H3063H338917So I confronted the nobles of Judah. "Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?" I asked.H7378H2715H3063H559H7451H1697H6213H2490H7676H311718"Wasn't it just this sort of thing that your ancestors did that caused our God to bring all this trouble upon us and our city? Now you are bringing even more wrath upon Israel by permitting the Sabbath to be desecrated in this way!"H6213H1H935H430H935H7451H5892H935H3254H2740H3478H2490H767619Then I commanded that the gates of Jerusalem should be shut as darkness fell every Friday evening, not to be opened until the Sabbath ended. I sent some of my own servants to guard the gates so that no merchandise could be brought in on the Sabbath day.H8179H3389H6751H6440H7676H559H1817H5462H559H6605H310H7676H5288H5975H8179H4853H935H7676H311720The merchants and tradesmen with a variety of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice.H7402H4376H4465H3885H2351H3389H6471H814721But I spoke sharply to them and said, "What are you doing out here, camping around the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you!" And that was the last time they came on the Sabbath.H5749H559H3885H5048H2346H8138H7971H3027H6256H935H767622Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the gates in order to preserve the holiness of the Sabbath. Remember this good deed also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love.H559H3881H2891H935H8104H8179H6942H7676H3117H2142H430H2347H7230H261723About the same time I realized that some of the men of Judah had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.H3117H7200H3064H3427H802H796H5984H412524Furthermore, half their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of some other people and could not speak the language of Judah at all.H1121H1696H2677H797H5234H1696H3066H3956H5971H597125So I confronted them and called down curses on them. I beat some of them and pulled out their hair. I made them swear in the name of God that they would not let their children intermarry with the pagan people of the land.H7378H7043H5221H582H4803H7650H430H5414H1323H1121H5375H1323H112126"Wasn't this exactly what led King Solomon of Israel into sin?" I demanded. "There was no king from any nation who could compare to him, and God loved him and made him king over all Israel. But even he was led into sin by his foreign wives.H8010H4428H3478H2398H7227H1471H4428H157H430H430H5414H4428H3478H1571H5237H802H239827How could you even think of committing this sinful deed and acting unfaithfully toward God by marrying foreign women?"H8085H6213H1419H7451H4603H430H3427H5237H80228One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, so I banished him from my presence.H1121H3111H1121H475H1419H3548H2860H5571H2772H127229Remember them, O my God, for they have defiled the priesthood and the solemn vows of the priests and Levites.H2142H430H1352H3550H1285H3550H388130So I purged out everything foreign and assigned tasks to the priests and Levites, making certain that each knew his work.H2891H5236H5975H4931H3548H3881H376H439931I also made sure that the supply of wood for the altar and the first portions of the harvest were brought at the proper times. Remember this in my favor, O my God.H6086H7133H6256H2163H1061H2142H430H2896
Dublin, OH
, Meremoth,H7935
