12:40 Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations 1 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 2 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 3 the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah 4 took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering. 5 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 6 his son Solomon. 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors 7 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. 8 They also set aside 9 the portion for the Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
1 tn Heb “stood.”
2 tn Heb “caused to hear.”
3 tc The translation reads מִשְּׂדֶי (missÿde, “from the fields”) rather than the MT reading לִשְׂדֵי (lisdey, “to the fields”).
4 tn Heb “for Judah.” The words “the people of” have been supplied in the translation for clarity, since “Judah” is a proper name as well as a place name.
5 tn Heb “standing.”
6 tc With many medieval Hebrew
7 tn Heb “heads.” The translation reads with the Qere the plural רֹאשֵׁי (ro’shey, “heads”) rather than the Kethib singular רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head”) of the MT.
8 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
9 tn Heb “were sanctifying.”