Nehemiah 12:27-13:6

New International Version

Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem

²⁷ At the dedication^(A) 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,^(B) harps and lyres.^{(C) 28} The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,^{(D) 29} from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. ³⁰ When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people,^(E) the gates and the wall.

³¹ I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of^[a] the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of^[b] the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.^{(F) 32} Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, ³³ along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴ Judah, Benjamin,^(G) Shemaiah, Jeremiah, ³⁵ as well as some priests with trumpets,^(H) 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, ³⁶ and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments^(I) prescribed by David the man of God.^(J) Ezra^(K) the teacher of the Law led the procession. ³⁷ At the Fountain Gate^(L) 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^(M) on the east.

³⁸ The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of^[c] the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens^(N) to the Broad Wall,^{(O) 39} over the Gate of Ephraim,^(P) the Jeshanah^[d] Gate,^(Q) the Fish Gate,^(R) the Tower of Hananel^(S) and the Tower of the Hundred,^(T) as far as the Sheep Gate.^(U) At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.

⁴⁰ The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, ⁴¹ as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets— ⁴² and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. ⁴³ And 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.

⁴⁴ At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms^(V) for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes.^(W) 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.^{(X) 45} They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David^(Y) and his son Solomon.^{(Z) 46} For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,^(AA) there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise^(AB) and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷ So 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.^(AC)

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

13 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,^{(AD) 2} because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam^(AE) to call a curse down on them.^(AF) (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)^{(AG) 3} When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.^(AH)

⁴ Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms^(AI) of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,^{(AJ) 5} and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes^(AK) of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.

⁶ But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes^(AL) king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission