| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1These are the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, | 1Here is the list of the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the high priest: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, |
| 2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, | 2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, |
| 3Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, | 3Shecaniah, Harim, Meremoth, |
| 4Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, | 4Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, |
| 5Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah, | 5Miniamin, Moadiah, Bilgah, |
| 6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, | 6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, |
| 7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their colleagues in the days of Jeshua. | 7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Jeshua. |
| 8And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who together with his colleagues was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. | 8The Levites who returned with them were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his associates was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. |
| 9Bakbukiah and Unni, their colleagues, stood opposite them in the services. | 9Their associates, Bakbukiah and Unni, stood opposite them during the service. |
| 10Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, | 10Jeshua the high priest was the father of Joiakim. Joiakim was the father of Eliashib. Eliashib was the father of Joiada. |
| 11Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua. | 11Joiada was the father of Johanan. Johanan was the father of Jaddua. |
| 12In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; | 12Now when Joiakim was high priest, the family leaders of the priests were as follows: Meraiah was leader of the family of Seraiah. Hananiah was leader of the family of Jeremiah. |
| 13of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; | 13Meshullam was leader of the family of Ezra. Jehohanan was leader of the family of Amariah. |
| 14of Malluch, Jonathan; of Shecaniah, Joseph; | 14Jonathan was leader of the family of Malluch. Joseph was leader of the family of Shecaniah. |
| 15of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth, Helkai; | 15Adna was leader of the family of Harim. Helkai was leader of the family of Meremoth. |
| 16of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; | 16Zechariah was leader of the family of Iddo. Meshullam was leader of the family of Ginnethon. |
| 17of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin and of Moadiah, Piltai; | 17Zicri was leader of the family of Abijah. There was also a leader of the family of Miniamin. Piltai was leader of the family of Moadiah. |
| 18of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; | 18Shammua was leader of the family of Bilgah. Jehonathan was leader of the family of Shemaiah. |
| 19of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; | 19Mattenai was leader of the family of Joiarib. Uzzi was leader of the family of Jedaiah. |
| 20of Sallu, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; | 20Kallai was leader of the family of Sallu. Eber was leader of the family of Amok. |
| 21of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel. | 21Hashabiah was leader of the family of Hilkiah. Nethanel was leader of the family of Jedaiah. |
| 22As 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. | 22A record of the Levite families was kept during the years when Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua served as high priest. Another record of the priests was kept during the reign of Darius the Persian. |
| 23The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. | 23A record of the heads of the Levite families was kept in The Book of History down to the days of Johanan, the grandson of Eliashib. |
| 24And 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. | 24These were the family leaders of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, and other associates, who stood opposite them during the ceremonies of praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as commanded by David, the man of God. |
| 25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who were guarding the storerooms at the gates. | 25This included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were the gatekeepers in charge of the storerooms at the gates. |
| 26These 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. | 26These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe. Dedication of Jerusalem’s Wall |
| 27At 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. | 27For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. |
| 28The singers were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites | 28The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites. |
| 29and from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem. | 29They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem. |
| 30When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. | 30The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. |
| 31I 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. | 31I led the leaders of Judah to the top of the wall and organized two large choirs to give thanks. One of the choirs proceeded southward along the top of the wall to the Dung Gate. |
| 32Going after them were Hoshaiah, half the leaders of Judah, | 32Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, |
| 33Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, | 33along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, |
| 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, | 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. |
| 35some 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, | 35Then came some priests who played trumpets, including Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, a descendant of Asaph. |
| 36and 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.) | 36And Zechariah’s colleagues were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They used the musical instruments prescribed by David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe led this procession. |
| 37They 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. | 37At the Fountain Gate they went straight up the steps on the ascent of the city wall toward the City of David. They passed the house of David and then proceeded to the Water Gate on the east. |
| 38The 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, | 38The second choir giving thanks went northward around the other way to meet them. I followed them, together with the other half of the people, along the top of the wall past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, |
| 39over 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. | 39then past the Ephraim Gate to the Old City Gate, past the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel, and on to the Tower of the Hundred. Then we continued on to the Sheep Gate and stopped at the Guard Gate. |
| 40Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations in the temple of God. I did also, along with half the officials with me, | 40The two choirs that were giving thanks then proceeded to the Temple of God, where they took their places. So did I, together with the group of leaders who were with me. |
| 41and the priests--Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with their trumpets-- | 41We went together with the trumpet-playing priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah— |
| 42and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choirs sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah. | 42and the singers—Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director. |
| 43And 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. | 43Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away. Provisions for Temple Worship |
| 44On 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. | 44On that day men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the offerings, the first part of the harvest, and the tithes. They were responsible to collect from the fields outside the towns the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites. For all the people of Judah took joy in the priests and Levites and their work. |
| 45They 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. | 45They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as commanded by David and his son Solomon, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers. |
| 46For 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. | 46The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph. |
| 47So 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. | 47So now, in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel brought a daily supply of food for the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Levites. The Levites, in turn, gave a portion of what they received to the priests, the descendants of Aaron. |
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