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Texts -- Nehemiah 12:1-31 (NET)

Context
The Priests and the Levites Who Returned to Jerusalem
12:1 These are the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua : Seraiah , Jeremiah , Ezra , 12:2 Amariah , Malluch , Hattush , 12:3 Shecaniah , Rehum , Meremoth , 12:4 Iddo , Ginnethon , Abijah , 12:5 Mijamin , Moadiah , Bilgah , 12:6 Shemaiah , Joiarib , Jedaiah , 12:7 Sallu , Amok , Hilkiah , and Jedaiah . These were the leaders of the priests and their colleagues in the days of Jeshua . 12:8 And the Levites : Jeshua , Binnui , Kadmiel , Sherebiah , Judah , and Mattaniah , who together with his colleagues was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving . 12:9 Bakbukiah and Unni , their colleagues , stood opposite them in the services . 12:10 Jeshua was the father of Joiakim , Joiakim was the father of Eliashib , Eliashib was the father of Joiada , 12:11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan , and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua . 12:12 In the days of Joiakim , these were the priests who were leaders of the families : of Seraiah , Meraiah ; of Jeremiah , Hananiah ; 12:13 of Ezra , Meshullam ; of Amariah , Jehohanan ; 12:14 of Malluch , Jonathan ; of Shecaniah , Joseph ; 12:15 of Harim , Adna ; of Meremoth , Helkai ; 12:16 of Iddo , Zechariah ; of Ginnethon , Meshullam ; 12:17 of Abijah , Zicri ; of Miniamin and of Moadiah , Piltai ; 12:18 of Bilgah , Shammua ; of Shemaiah , Jehonathan ; 12:19 of Joiarib , Mattenai ; of Jedaiah , Uzzi ; 12:20 of Sallu , Kallai ; of Amok , Eber ; 12:21 of Hilkiah , Hashabiah ; of Jedaiah , Nethanel . 12:22 As for the Levites , in the days of Eliashib , Joiada , Johanan and Jaddua the heads of families were recorded , as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian . 12:23 The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib . 12:24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah , Sherebiah , Jeshua son of Kadmiel , and their colleagues , who stood opposite them to offer praise and thanks , one contingent corresponding to the other, as specified by David the man of God . 12:25 Mattaniah , Bakbukiah , Obadiah , Meshullam , Talmon , and Akkub were gatekeepers who were guarding the storerooms at the gates . 12:26 These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua , the son of Jozadak , and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priestly scribe .
The Wall of Jerusalem is Dedicated
12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem , they sought out the Levites from all the places they lived to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and songs accompanied by cymbals , harps , and lyres . 12:28 The singers were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites 12:29 and from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth , for the singers had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem . 12:30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people , the gates , and the wall . 12:31 I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall , and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks . One was to proceed on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate .

Pericope

NET
  • Neh 12:1-26 -- The Priests and the Levites Who Returned to Jerusalem
  • Neh 12:27-47 -- The Wall of Jerusalem is Dedicated

Bible Dictionary

  • Nehemiah

    [ebd] comforted by Jehovah. (1.) Ezra 2:2; Neh. 7:7. (2.) Neh. 3:16. (3.) The son of Hachaliah (Neh. 1:1), and probably of the tribe of Judah. His family must have belonged to Jerusalem (Neh. 2:3). He was one of the "Jews of the d...
    [isbe] NEHEMIAH - ne-he-mi'-a, ne-hem-i'-a (nechemyah, "comforted of Yah"): 1. Family 2. Youth 3. King's Cupbearer 4. Governor of Judea 5. Death LITERATURE Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah, is the Jewish patriot whose life is recorded...
    [nave] NEHEMIAH 1. Son of Hachaliah, Neh. 1:1. Cupbearer of Artaxerxes, Neh. 1:11; 2:1. Is grieved over the desolation of his country, Neh. 1. Is sent by the king to rebuild Jerusalem, Neh. 2:1-8. Register of the people whom he...

  • Ezra

    [ebd] help. (1.) A priest among those that returned to Jerusalem under Zerubabel (Neh. 12:1). (2.) The "scribe" who led the second body of exiles that returned from Babylon to Jerusalem B.C. 459, and author of the book of Scriptur...
    [isbe] EZRA - ez'-ra (Aramaic or Chaldee, `ezra', "help"; a hypocoristicon, or shortened form of Azariah, "Yahweh has helped." The Hebrew spells the name `ezrah, as in 1 Ch 4:17, or uses the Aramaic spelling of the name, as in Ezr ...
    [nave] EZRA 1. A famous scribe and priest, Ezra 7:1-5, 6, 10, 21; Neh. 12:36. Appoints a fast, Ezra 8:21. Commissioned by Artaxerxes, returns to Jerusalem with a large company of Jews, Ezra 7:8. His charge to the priests, Ezra 8...

  • Darius

    [ebd] the holder or supporter, the name of several Persian kings. (1.) Darius the Mede (Dan. 11:1), "the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes" (9:1). On the death of Belshazzar the Chaldean he "received the kingdom" of Babyl...
    [isbe] DARIUS - da-ri'-us: The name of three or four kings mentioned in the Old Testament. In the original Persian it is spelled "Darayavaush"; in Babylonian, usually "Dariamush"; in Susian(?), "Tariyamaush"; in Egyptian "Antaryuas...
    [smith] (lord), the name of several kings of Media and Persia. DARIUS THE MEDE, (Daniel 6:1; 11:1) "the son of Ahasuerus," (Daniel 9:1) who succeeded to the Babylonian kingdom ont he death of Belshazzar, being then sixty-two years o...
    [nave] DARIUS 1. The Mede, king of Persia, Dan. 5:31; 6; 9:1. 2. King of Persia. Emancipates the Jews, Ezra 5; 6; Hag. 1:1, 15; Zech. 1:1. 3. The Persian, Neh. 12:22.

  • Zerubbabel

    [isbe] ZERUBBABEL - ze-rub'-a-bel (zerubbabhel, probably a transliteration of the Babylonian name Zeru-Babili, "seed of Babylon"; Zorobabel): 1. Name: Is commonly called the son of Shealtiel (Ezr 3:2,8; 5:2; Neh 12:1; Hag 1:1,12,14...
    [nave] ZERUBBABEL, called also Sheshbazzar. Directs the rebuilding of the altar and temple after his return from captivity in Babylon, Ezra 3:2-8; 4:2, 3; 5:2, 14-16; Hag. 1:12-14. Leads the emancipated Jews back from Babylon, Ezra...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Levites

    [nave] LEVITES The descendants of Levi. Set apart as ministers of religion, Num. 1:47-54; 3:6-16; 16:9; 26:57-62; Deut. 10:8; 1 Chr. 15:2. Substituted in the place of the firstborn, Num. 3:12, 41-45; 8:14, 16-18; 18:6. Religious ...

  • GENEALOGY, 8 part 2

    [isbe] GENEALOGY, 8 part 2 - I. Primeval Genealogies (1 Chronicals 1:1-54). To show Israel's place among the nations; follows Genesis closely, omitting only the Cainites; boldly, skillfully compressed, as if the omitted facts were ...

  • Meshullam

    [ebd] befriended. (1.) One of the chief Gadites in Bashan in the time of Jotham (1 Chr. 5:13). (2.) Grandfather of Shaphan, "the scribe," in the reign of Josiah (2 Kings 22:3). (3.) A priest, father of Hilkiah (1 Chr. 9:11; Neh. 1...
    [isbe] MESHULLAM - me-shul'-am (meshullam, "resigned" or "devoted"; compare Arabic Muslim; Mesollam): An Old Testament name very common in post-exilic times. (1) The grandfather of Shaphan (2 Ki 22:3). (2) A son of Zerubbabel (1 Ch...
    [smith] (friend). Ancestor of Shaphan the scribe. (2 Kings 22:3) The son of Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:19) A Gadite in the reign of Jotham king of Judah. (1 Chronicles 5:13) A Benjamite, of the sons of Elpaal. (1 Chroni...
    [nave] MESHULLAM 1. Grandfather of Shaphan, 2 Kin. 22:3. 2. A son of Zerubbabel, 1 Chr. 3:19. 3. A Gadite of Bashan, 1 Chr. 5:13. 4. Three Benjamites, 1 Chr. 8:17; 9:7, 8. 5. An Aaronite, 1 Chr. 9:11; Neh. 11:11. 6. A priest, ...

  • Zichri

    [isbe] ZICHRI - zik'-ri (zikhri, meaning uncertain): (1) Levites: (a) grandson of Kohath (Ex 6:21, where some the King James Version editions read wrongly, "Zithri"); (b) an Asaphite (1 Ch 9:15), called "Zabdi" in Neh 11:17, where ...
    [smith] (memorable). Son of Ishar the son of Kohath. (Exodus 6:21) (B.C. 1401.) A Benjamite of the sons of Shimhi. (1 Chronicles 8:19) (B.C. 1440.) A Benjamite of the sons of Shashak. (1 Chronicles 8:23) A Benjamite of the son...
    [nave] ZICHRI 1. Son of Izhar, Ex. 6:21. 2. Three Benjamites, 1 Chr. 8:19, 23, 27. 3. A Levite, 1 Chr. 9:15. 4. Two chiefs in the days of David, 1 Chr. 26:25; 27:16. 5. Father of Amasiah, 2 Chr. 17:16. 6. Father of Elishaphat,...

  • Joiakim

    [ebd] (whom Jehovah has set up) = Jehoiakim, a high priest, the son and successor of Jeshua (Neh. 12:10, 12, 26).
    [isbe] JOIAKIM - joi'-a-kim (yoyaqim, "Yahweh raises up"; compare JEHOIAKIM; JOKIM): Son of Jeshua and father of Eliashib, the high priest (Neh 12:10,12,26).
    [smith] (whom Jehovah sets up), a high priest, son of the renowned Jeshua. (Nehemiah 12:10) (B.C. before 446.)
    [nave] JOIAKIM, a high priest, Neh. 12:10, 12, 26.

  • Jeshua

    [ebd] (1.) Head of the ninth priestly order (Ezra 2:36); called also Jeshuah (1 Chr. 24:11). (2.) A Levite appointed by Hezekiah to distribute offerings in the priestly cities (2 Chr. 31:15). (3.) Ezra 2:6; Neh. 7:11. (4.) Ezra 2:...
    [smith] (a saviour), another form of the name of Joshua of Jesus. Joshua the son of Nun. (Nehemiah 8:17) [JOSHUA] A priest in the reign of David, to whom the nine course fell by David, to whom the ninth course fell by lot. (1 Chr...
    [nave] JESHUA 1. Called also Jeshuah. A priest, head of the ninth course, 1 Chr. 24:11. Nine hundred and seventy-three of his descendants returned from Babylon, Ezra 2:36; Neh. 7:39. 2. A Levite, had charge of the tithes, 2 Chr. ...

  • Joiada

    [ebd] (whom Jehovah favours) = Jehoiada. (1.) Neh. 3:6. (2.) One of the high priests (12:10, 11, 22).
    [isbe] JOIADA - joi'-a-da (yoyadha`, "Yahweh knows"; compare JEHOIADA): (1) A repairer of the Jerusalem walls (Neh 3:6); the King James Version "Jehoiada." (2) Son of Eliashib the high priest (Neh 12:10,11,22; 13:28).
    [nave] JOIADA, son and successor of Eliashib in the high priesthood, Neh. 12:10, 11, 22; 13:28.

  • Jaddua

    [ebd] known. (1.) One of the chiefs who subscribed the covenant (Neh. 10:21). (2.) The last high priest mentioned in the Old Testament (Neh. 12:11, 22), sons of Jonathan.
    [isbe] JADDUA - jad'-u-a, ja-du'-a (yaddua`, "known"): (1) One of the "chiefs of the people" who with Nehemiah sealed the covenant, thus signifying their voluntary acceptance of the law and their solemn promise to submit to its yok...
    [smith] (known). Son and successor in the high priesthood of Jonathan or Johanan. He is the last of the high priests mentioned in the Old Testament, and probably altogether the latest name in the canon. (Nehemiah 12:11,22) (B.C. 406...
    [nave] JADDUA Neh. 10:21; 12:11; 12:22

  • Jehohanan

    [ebd] Jehovah-granted, Jeroboam II. (1.) A Korhite, the head of one of the divisions of the temple porters (1 Chr. 26:3). (2.) One of Jehoshaphat's "captains" (2 Chr. 17:15). (3.) The father of Azariah (2 Chr. 28:12). (4.) The son...
    [isbe] JEHOHANAN - je-ho-ha'-nan (yehochanan, "Yahweh is (or has been) gracious"): (1) A Korahite doorkeeper in David's reign, "son" of Meshelemiah (1 Ch 26:3). Septuagint, Luc, has "Jehonathan." (2) One of the five captains over K...
    [smith] (whom Jehovah gave), a name of which John is the contraction. A Korhite Levite, one of the doorkeepers to the tabernacle. (1 Chronicles 26:3) comp. 1Chr 25:1 (B.C. 1014.) One of the principal men of Judah under King Jehos...
    [nave] JEHOHANAN 1. A porter of the tabernacle, 1 Chr. 26:3. 2. A military chief under Jehoshaphat, whose corps consisted of two hundred and eighty thousand men, 2 Chr. 17:15. Probably identical with a captain of a hundred, in 2 ...

  • Jedaiah

    [isbe] JEDAIAH - je-da'-ya, je-di'-a: (1) (yedha`yah, "Yah knows"): (a) A priest in Jerusalem (1 Ch 9:10; 24:7). (b) Ezr 2:36 = Neh 7:39, where "children of Jedaiah" are mentioned = "Jeddu" in 1 Esdras 5:24. (c) Jedaiah is among "t...
    [nave] JEDAIAH 1. Descendant of Simeon, 1 Chr. 4:37. 2. A returned exile, Neh. 3:10. 3. A priest of the captivity, 1 Chr. 9:10; 24:7; Ezra 2:36; Neh. 7:39. 4. A priest who dwelt at Jerusalem after the return of the captivity, Ne...

  • Joiarib

    [ebd] (whom Jehovah defends) = Jehoiarib. (1.) The founder of one of the courses of the priests (Neh. 11:10). (2.) Neh. 11:5; a descendant of Judah. (3.) Neh. 12:6. (4.) Ezra 8:16, a "man of understanding" whom Ezra sent to "bring...
    [isbe] JOIARIB - joi'-a-rib (yoyaribh, "Yahweh pleads" or "contends"; compare JEHOIARIB): (1) A "teacher" of Ezra's time (Ezr 8:16). (2) A Judahite (Neh 11:5). (3) In Neh 11:10; 12:6,19 = JEHOIARIB (which see).
    [smith] (whom Jehovah defends.) A layman who returned form Babylon with Ezra. (Ezra 8:16) (B.C. 459.) The founder of one of the courses of priests, elsewhere called in full JEHOIARIB. (Nehemiah 12:6,19) A Shilonite --i.e. probably a...
    [nave] JOIARIB 1. A returned exile, Ezra 8:16. 2. A descendant of Judah, Neh. 11:5. 3. A priest who returned from Babylon, Neh. 12:6, 19. 4. See: Jehoiarib.

  • Priest

    [nave] PRIEST. Before Moses Melchizedek, Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6, 10, 11; 6:20; 7:1-21. Jethro, Ex. 2:16. Priests in Israel before the giving of the law, Ex. 19:22, 24. Called angel, Eccl. 5:6. Mosaic Ex. 28:1-4; 29:9, 44; Num....

  • Hashabiah

    [ebd] regarded by Jehovah. (1.) Merarite Levite (1 Chr. 6:45; 9:14). (2.) A son of Jeduthun (25:3, 19). (3.) Son of Kemuel (26:30). (4.) One of the chief Levites (2 Chr. 35:9). (5.) A Levite (Neh. 11:22). (6.) One of the chief pri...
    [isbe] HASHABIAH - hash-a-bi'-a (chashabhyah): (1) Two Levites of the family of Merari (1 Ch 6:45; 9:14). (2) A Levite who dwelt in Jerusalem at the time of Nehemiah (Neh 11:15). (3) A son of Jeduthun (1 Ch 25:3). (4) A Hebronite, ...
    [smith] (whom God regards). A Merarite Levite. (1 Chronicles 6:45) Another Merarite Levite. (1 Chronicles 9:14) The fourth of the six sons of Jeduthun, (1 Chronicles 25:3) who had charge of the twelfth course. ver. 19. (B.C...
    [nave] HASHABIAH 1. Son of Amaziah, a Levite, 1 Chr. 6:45. 2. Son of Jeduthun, a Levite, 1 Chr. 25:3, 19. 3. Son of Kemuel, 1 Chr. 26:30; 27:17. 4. A chief Levite, 2 Chr. 35:9. 5. Son of Bui, 1 Chr. 9:14; Neh. 11:15. 6. Son of...

  • PRIESTS AND LEVITES

    [isbe] PRIESTS AND LEVITES - (kohen, "priest"; nothing is definitely known as to the origin of the word; Lewi, "Levite," on which see LEVI): I. DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE HISTORY 1. The Old View 2. The Graf-Wellhausen View 3. Mediating...

  • Jonathan

    [smith] that is, "the gift of Jehovah, " the eldest son of King Saul. (B.C. about 1095-1056.) He was a man of great strength and activity. (2 Samuel 1:23) He was also famous as a warrior, (1 Chronicles 12:2) as is shown by the ...
    [nave] JONATHAN 1. A Levite of Bethlehem, who becomes a priest for Micah; accepts idolatry; joins the Danites, Judg. 17:7-13; 18:1-30. 2. Son of Saul, 1 Sam. 14:49. Victory of, over the Philistine garrison of Geba, 1 Sam. 13:3, 4...
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  • Concerning the eternal Sonship of Christ, Ryrie has this to say: I agree with Buswell (A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, pp. 105-12) that generation is not an exegetically based doctrine. The concept it tri...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The writer evidently chose, under divine inspiration, to open his book with genealogies to help his readers appreciate their heritage and to tie themselves to Adam, Abraham, and David in particular. Adam was important as the ...
  • The Assyrian government encouraged its residents to move to Israel and to settle there after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C. This was official government policy during the reigns of the Assyrian kings Esarhaddon ...
  • The use of the first person identifies the author as Nehemiah, the governor of the Persian province of Judah (1:1-2:20; 13:4-31). His name means "Yahweh has comforted."The mention of Darius the Persian in 12:22 probably refer...
  • The years of history the book covers are 445-431 B.C. or perhaps a few years after that.In 445 B.C. (the twentieth year of Artaxerxes' reign, 1:1) Nehemiah learned of the conditions in Jerusalem that led him to request permis...
  • I. The fortification of Jerusalem chs. 1-7A. The return under Nehemiah chs. 1-21. The news concerning Jerusalem 1:1-32. The response of Nehemiah 1:4-113. The request of Nehemiah 2:1-84. The return to Jerusalem 2:9-20B. The re...
  • "The first seven chapters of Nehemiah as well as 12:31-13:31 are written in the first person. This, as well as all or part of Neh 11 and the rest of Neh 12, constitutes what is called the Nehemiah Memoirs. As such it offers a...
  • Eliashib (v. 1) was evidently the grandson of Jeshua (12:10; Ezra 3:2). Construction was an act of consecration because this was a project that God had ordained.Archaeologists are currently studying the exact location of the ...
  • One writer viewed chapters 8-13 (really 7:73-13:37) as the third part of the tripartite structure of Ezra-Nehemiah. Ezra 1:1-4 deals with "potentiality,"the decree to the community to build God's house. Ezra 1:5--Nehemiah 7:7...
  • The names in verses 2-8 are those of the heads of 21 priestly families (cf. 12:12-21). Verses 9-13 record the names of 17 Levites. Then the writer gave the names of 44 heads of other leading families (vv. 14-27)....
  • When the exiles returned to the Promised Land, living in Jerusalem was not an attractive prospect because the city lay in ruins. However with the rebuilding of the temple and the walls the capital became a more desirable plac...
  • The priests and Levites were the most important people who returned from exile because they reestablished worship in the land. Verses 1-7 give the names of 22 leaders among them who had returned in 537 B.C. with Zerubbabel an...
  • One large choir mounted the city wall and walked around it counterclockwise, evidently beginning at the Valley Gate (vv. 31-37). Another choir mounted it, probably at the same place, and proceeded in a clockwise direction (vv...
  • The Book of Nehemiah records the fortification of Jerusalem and the restoration of the Jews, two essential steps that were necessary to reestablish God's people in His will and in their land.Nehemiah continued the good work t...
  • This message to the people involved another symbolic act (cf. 13:1-11). This incident may have occurred between 609 and 605 B.C.19:1 Yahweh told Jeremiah to take some of Judah's elders and senior priests and to go and purchas...
  • 5:29 Belshazzar kept his promise (v. 16) though Daniel's honors only lasted a few hours at most, typical of the honors of this world. The king's response is surprising. We might have expected him to execute Daniel for confron...
  • 1:1 Yahweh sent a message to Zerubbabel and Joshua through the prophet Haggai, though it went to all the Israelites too (vv. 2, 4). Zerubbabel was the political governor (overseer) of the Persian province of Judah who had led...
  • The title of this book comes from its traditional writer, as is true of all the prophetical books of the Old Testament. The name "Zechariah"(lit. Yahweh remembers) was a common one among the Israelites identifying as many as ...
  • Zechariah's inspired preaching began in the eighth month of 520 B.C. (1:1). His eight night visions followed three months later in 520 B.C. (1:7), when he was a young man (2:4). He delivered the messages in chapters 7-8 in 51...
  • Zechariah began ministering among the Jews who had returned from captivity in Babylon (i.e., the restoration community) two months after Haggai began preaching (1:1; 7:1; cf. Neh. 12:10-16; Hag. 1:1). In a sense, Zechariah's ...
  • That this pericope introduces the whole book seems clear since verse 7 introduces the eight night visions that follow it (1:7-6:8). Its content is also foundational to all that follows."It strikes the keynote of the entire bo...
  • "Haggai and Zechariah . . . are noteworthy for the chronological precision with which they related their lives and ministries to their historical milieu. This is not the case at all with Malachi. In fact, one of the major pro...
  • Paul continued the emphasis he began in the previous section (vv. 3-10) by appealing to Timothy to pursue spiritual rather than physical goals in his life. He seems to have intended his instructions for all the faithful Ephes...
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