UBF Daily Bread

DEDICATION OF THE WALL

Passage: Nehemiah 12:1~47

Key verse: 43

Priests and Levites

12 These were the priests^(A) and Levites^(B) who returned with Zerubbabel^(C) son of Shealtiel^(D) and with Joshua:^(E)

Seraiah,^(F) Jeremiah, Ezra,

²Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,

³Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

⁴Iddo,^(G) Ginnethon,^[a] Abijah,^(H)

⁵Mijamin,^[b] Moadiah, Bilgah,

⁶Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,^(I)

⁷Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.

These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua.

⁸The Levites were Jeshua,^(J) Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah,^(K) who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. ⁹Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services.

¹⁰Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib,^(L) Eliashib the father of Joiada, ¹¹Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.

¹²In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families:

of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah;

of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah;

¹³of Ezra’s, Meshullam;

of Amariah’s, Jehohanan;

¹⁴of Malluk’s, Jonathan;

of Shekaniah’s,^[c] Joseph;

¹⁵of Harim’s, Adna;

of Meremoth’s,^[d] Helkai;

¹⁶of Iddo’s,^(M) Zechariah;

of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam;

¹⁷of Abijah’s,^(N) Zikri;

of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai;

¹⁸of Bilgah’s, Shammua;

of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan;

¹⁹of Joiarib’s, Mattenai;

of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi;

²⁰of Sallu’s, Kallai;

of Amok’s, Eber;

²¹of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah;

of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.

²²The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. ²³The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. ²⁴And the leaders of the Levites^(O) were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.^(P)

²⁵Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. ²⁶They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.

Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

²⁷At the dedication^(Q) of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals,^(R) harps and lyres.^(S) ²⁸The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,^(T) ²⁹from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. ³⁰When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people,^(U) the gates and the wall.

³¹I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of^[e] the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of^[f] the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.^(V) ³²Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, ³³along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴Judah, Benjamin,^(W) Shemaiah, Jeremiah, ³⁵as well as some priests with trumpets,^(X) and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, ³⁶and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments^(Y) prescribed by David the man of God.^(Z) Ezra^(AA) the teacher of the Law led the procession. ³⁷At the Fountain Gate^(AB) they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate^(AC) on the east.

³⁸The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of^[g] the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens^(AD) to the Broad Wall,^(AE) ³⁹over the Gate of Ephraim,^(AF) the Jeshanah^[h] Gate,^(AG) the Fish Gate,^(AH) the Tower of Hananel^(AI) and the Tower of the Hundred,^(AJ) as far as the Sheep Gate.^(AK) At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.

⁴⁰The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, ⁴¹as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets— ⁴²and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. ⁴³And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

⁴⁴At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms^(AL) for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes.^(AM) From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites.^(AN) ⁴⁵They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David^(AO) and his son Solomon.^(AP) ⁴⁶For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,^(AQ) there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise^(AR) and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.^(AS)

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Footnotes

Nehemiah 12:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 16); most Hebrew manuscripts Ginnethoi
Nehemiah 12:5 A variant of Miniamin
Nehemiah 12:14 Very many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also verse 3); most Hebrew manuscripts Shebaniah’s
Nehemiah 12:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 3); Hebrew Meraioth’s
Nehemiah 12:31 Or go alongside
Nehemiah 12:31 Or proceed alongside
Nehemiah 12:38 Or them alongside
Nehemiah 12:39 Or Old

The list provided in verses 1-26 gives us insight into the division and structure of spiritual leadership at the time. Their family lineage is also recorded to verify their legitimacy.

In preparation for the dedication of the wall, the priests and the Levites ceremonially purified themselves first and then purified the people, the gates, and the wall (30). Ceremonial cleansing signifies the spiritual revival Israel experienced as they confessed their sins and made a covenant to obey God's Law. The priests and Levites were no exception for the need to purify.

There was a grand ceremony as Ezra and Nehemiah each led a large choir to march along the wall, and the two groups joined in the house of God (40). All the people, including women and children, greatly rejoiced (43). Out of their joy, they also gave firstfruits and tithes to provide for the priests, Levites, and temple workers. They gave this offering to keep their covenant with God, and it was also an expression of their honor and respect for the house of God and the people working there. What practical actions do we take to express our joy in God?

Prayer: Father, in times of great celebration, help us honor you by dedicating the center of our hearts. Help us also to find ways to practically serve you and your people.

One Word: God had given them great joy.