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Texts -- Nehemiah 12:23-47 (NET)

Context
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 . 12:32 Going after them were Hoshaiah , half the leaders of Judah , 12:33 Azariah , Ezra , Meshullam , 12:34 Judah , Benjamin , Shemaiah , Jeremiah , 12:35 some of the priests with trumpets , Zechariah son of Jonathan , the son of Shemaiah , the son of Mattaniah , the son of Micaiah , the son of Zaccur , the son of Asaph , 12:36 and his colleagues – Shemaiah , Azarel , Milalai , Gilalai , Maai , Nethanel , Judah , and Hanani – with musical instruments of David the man of God . (Ezra the scribe led them.) 12:37 They went over the Fountain Gate and continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall . They passed the house of David and continued on to the Water Gate toward the east . 12:38 The second choir was proceeding in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people , on top of the wall , past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall , 12:39 over the Ephraim Gate , the Jeshanah Gate , the Fish Gate , the Tower of Hananel , and the Tower of the Hundred , to the Sheep Gate . They stopped at the Gate of the Guard . 12:40 Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations in the temple of God . I did also, along with half the officials with me, 12:41 and the priests – Eliakim , Maaseiah , Miniamin , Micaiah , Elioenai , Zechariah , and Hananiah , with their trumpets – 12:42 and also Maaseiah , Shemaiah , Eleazar , Uzzi , Jehohanan , Malkijah , Elam , and Ezer . The choirs sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah . 12:43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced , for God had given them great joy . The women and children also rejoiced . The rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away . 12:44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions , first fruits , and tithes , to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites , for the people of Judah took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering . 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification , along with the singers and gatekeepers , according to the commandment of David and his son Solomon . 12:46 For long ago , in the days of David and Asaph , there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God . 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah , all Israel was contributing the portions for the singers and gatekeepers , according to the daily need . They also set aside the portion for the Levites , and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • 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...
    [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...

  • Zerubbabel

    [smith] (born at Babel , i.e. Babylon), the head of the tribe of Judah at the time of the return from the Babylonish captivity in the first year of Cyrus. The history of Zerabbabel in the Scriptures is as follows: In the first year o...
    [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...

  • DARIUS

    [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...

  • 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...

  • 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 ...

  • 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...

  • Music

    [nave] MUSIC Teachers of, 1 Chr. 15:22; 25:7, 8; 2 Chr. 23:13. Physical effect of, on people, 1 Sam. 16:15, 16, 23. Discoursed during the offering of sacrifices, 2 Chr. 29:27, 28. Precentor, Neh. 12:42. Chief musician, Neh. 12:...

  • Jerusalem

    [smith] (the habitation of peace), Jerusalem stands in latitude 31 degrees 46? 35" north and longitude 35 degrees 18? 30" east of Greenwich. It is 32 miles distant from the sea and 18 from the Jordan, 20 from Hebron and 36 from Samar...
    [nave] JERUSALEM Called Jebus, Josh. 18:28; Judg. 19:10; Zion, 1 Kin. 8:1; Zech. 9:13; City of David, 2 Sam. 5:7; Isa. 22:9; Salem, Gen. 14:18; Psa. 76:2; Ariel, Isa. 29:1; City of God, Psa. 46:4; City of the Great King, Psa. 48:2;...

  • Dedication

    [nave] DEDICATION Law concerning dedicated things, Lev. 27; Num. 18:14; 1 Chr. 26:26, 27. Must be without blemish, Lev. 22:18-23; Mal. 1:14. Not redeemable, Lev. 27:28, 29. Offering must be voluntary, Lev. 1:3; 22:19. See: Offe...

  • 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 ...

  • Shemaiah

    [ebd] whom Jehovah heard. (1.) A prophet in the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:22-24). (2.) Neh. 3:29. (3.) A Simeonite (1 Chr. 4:37). (4.) A priest (Neh. 12:42). (5.) A Levite (1 Chr. 9:16). (6.) 1 Chr. 9:14; Neh. 11:15. (7.) A Le...
    [isbe] SHEMAIAH - she-ma'-ya, she-mi'-a (shema`yah (in 2 Ch 11:2; 17:8; 31:15; 35:9; Jer 26:20; 29:24; 36:12, shema`yahu), "Jahveh hears"): The name is most frequently borne by priests, Levites and prophets. (1) Codex Vaticanus Sam...
    [smith] (heard by Jehovah). A prophet in the reign of Rehoboam. (1 Kings 12:22; 2 Chronicles 11:2) (B.C. 972.) He wrote a chronicle containing the events of Rehoboam?s reign. (2 Chronicles 12:5,15) The son of Shechaniah, am...
    [nave] SHEMAIAH 1. A prophet in the time of Rehoboam. Prevents Rehoboam from war with Jeroboam, 1 Kin. 12:22-24; 2 Chr. 11:2-4. Prophesies the punishment of Rehoboam by Shishak, king of Egypt, 2 Chr. 12:5, 7. Writes chronicles, 2...

  • Choir

    [nave] CHOIR 2 Sam. 19:35; 1 Kin. 10:12; 1 Chr. 9:33; 15:16, 19, 27; 2 Chr. 5:12, 13; 9:11; 23:13; 29:28; 35:15, 25; Ezra 2:41, 65, 65, 70; 7:7; 10:24; Neh. 7:1, 44, 67, 67, 73; 10:28, 39; 11:22, 23; 12:28, 29, 31, 38, 40, 42, 45, ...

  • Michaiah

    [ebd] (1.) The queen-mother of King Abijah (2 Chr. 13:2). (See MAACAH). (2.) One of those sent out by Jehoshaphat to instruct the people in the law (2 Chr. 17:7). (3.) 2 Kings 22:12. (4.) The son of Gemariah. He reported to the ki...
    [smith] (who is like God?). Same as MICAH 6. (2 Chronicles 34:25) Same as MICHA 3. (1 Chronicles 9:15; Nehemiah 12:35) One of the priests at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 12:41) The daughter of Uriel of Gi...
    [nave] MICHAIAH 1. Father of Achbor, 2 Kin. 22:12. 2. See: Maachah, 4. 3. A prince sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the law in the cities of Judah, 2 Chr. 17:7. 4. A priest of the family of Asaph, Neh. 12:35, 41. 5. Son of Gemariah...

  • Zechariah

    [ebd] Jehovah is renowned or remembered. (1.) A prophet of Judah, the eleventh of the twelve minor prophets. Like Ezekiel, he was of priestly extraction. He describes himself (1:1) as "the son of Berechiah." In Ezra 5:1 and 6:14 h...
    [smith] The eleventh in order of the twelve minor prophets. He is called in his prophecy the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo, whereas in the book of Ezra, (Ezra 5:1; 6:14) he is said to have been the son of Iddo. It is nat...
    [nave] ZECHARIAH 1. A Reubenite, 1 Chr. 5:7. 2. Three Levites in the days of David, 1 Chr. 9:21; 15:18, 20, 24; 16:5; 26:2, 14. 3. A Benjamite, 1 Chr. 9:37. Called Zacher in 1 Chr. 8:31. 4. Two Kohathites, 1 Chr. 24:25; 2 Chr. ...

  • Meshullam

    [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, ...

  • 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...

  • 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 ...

  • Maaseiah

    [isbe] MAASEIAH - ma-a-se'-ya, ma-a-si'a (ma`aseyahu, "Yahweh's work"; Maassaia, and Massaias in the Septuagint): A name common in exilic and late monarchic times (Gray, H P N). (1) A Levite musician named in connection with David'...
    [smith] (work of the Lord), the name of four persons who had married foreign wives. In the time of Ezra, A descendant of Jeshua the priest. (Ezra 10:18) A priest, of the sons of Harim. (Ezra 10:21) A priest, of the sons of Pashur. (...
    [nave] MAASEIAH 1. A Levite musician, 1 Chr. 15:18, 20. 2. A captain of hundreds, 2 Chr. 23:1. 3. An officer of Uzziah, 2 Chr. 26:11. 4. Son of Ahaz. Slain by Zichri, 2 Chr. 28:7. 5. Governor of Jerusalem, 2 Chr. 34:8. 6. The ...

  • Uzzi

    [ebd] the Lord is my strength. (1.) The son of Bukki, and a descendant of Aaron (1 Chr. 6:5, 51; Ezra 7:4). (2.) A grandson of Issachar (1 Chr. 7:2, 3). (3.) A son of Bela, and grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 7:7). (4.) A Benjamite, ...
    [isbe] UZZI - uz'-i ('uzzi, perhaps "my strength"): (1) A descendant of Aaron and high priest, unknown apart from these sources (1 Ch 6:5,6,51 (Hebrew 5:31,32; 6:36); Ezr 7:4). (2) An eponym of a family of Issachar (1 Ch 7:2,3). (3...
    [smith] (strong). Son of Bukki and father of Zerahiah, in the line of the high priests. (1 Chronicles 6:5,61; Ezra 7:4) Though Uzzi was the lineal ancestor of Zadok, it does not appear that he was ever high priest. He must have b...
    [nave] UZZI 1. A priest. Son of Bukki, 1 Chr. 6:5, 6, 51; Ezra 7:4. 2. Grandson of Issachar, 1 Chr. 7:2, 3. 3. Grandson of Benjamin, 1 Chr. 7:7. 4. Son of Michri, 1 Chr. 9:8. 5. An overseer of the Levites, Neh. 11:22. 6. A pri...

  • KORAHITES; SONS OF KORAH

    [isbe] KORAHITES; SONS OF KORAH - ko'-ra-its (qorchi), (beno qorach; in the King James Version appears also as Korhite, Kohathite, Kore): This phrase is used to denote Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph, Korah's 3 individual sons (Ex 6...
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Hymns

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  • [Neh 12:46] Honor And Glory, Thanksgiving And Praise

Questions

  • 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)

  • God ordered that priests should announce His movement of the people by blowing two silver trumpets because the Israelites would not watch the cloud continuously. The blasts from the trumpets would reach the farthest tents in ...
  • 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...
  • Due to the ancient tradition that the same writer composed both parts of the book (chapters 1-6 and 7-10), many scholars believe Ezra produced all of it.5A passage in the Talmud credits Ezra with the authorship of Ezra-Nehemi...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 31:38-39 In the future, Jerusalem would undergo rebuilding for the Lord. It would be built larger than it had been before its destruction by the Babylonians. The tower of Hananel was at the northeast corner of the city (Neh. ...
  • What Jeremiah had predicted for so long finally became a reality for Judah. There are four chapters in the Bible that record the fall of Jerusalem reflecting the importance of this event (39; 52; 2 Kings 25; 2 Chron. 36).39:1...
  • 1:7 In view of the inevitability of coming judgment for idolatry, it was appropriate for the Judeans to be quiet before sovereign Yahweh (cf. Hab. 2:20)."This is a call to the people of Judah to cease every manner of oppositi...
  • "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...
  • This third sign in John's Gospel signaled Jesus' identity and created controversy that followed. Particularly it testified to Jesus' authority over time.2095:1 Some time later Jesus returned to Jerusalem to celebrate one of t...
  • 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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