Nehemiah 12 The Dedication of the Wall

 Nehemiah 12

The Dedication of the Wall

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them, that they might dedicate it with joy, and with thanksgiving, and with singing, with psalteries, and with harps, and with lyres.

28 And the sons of the singers gathered together, both from the plains round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;

29 and from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Gibeah, and from Azmaveth: for the singers had built themselves villages round about Jerusalem.

30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great choirs and processions, one on the right hand upon the wall, at the Dung Gate.

32 After them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, 

33 and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, 

34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah; 

35 and of the sons of the priests, with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 

36 and their brothers, Shemaiah, and Azareel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe went before them. 

37 So they went to the Fountain Gate, and opposite them they went up the stairs of the City of David by the ascent of the wall, from above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east side.

38 And the second choir went before them, and I after them: and half of the people went on the wall, from the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall;

39 And from the Gate of Ephraim, and from the Old Gate, and from the Fish Gate, and the Tower of Hananeel, and the Tower of Meah, even to the Cattle Gate: and they stood at the Prison Gate.

40 Then both choirs stood at the house of God; and I also stood with me, and half of the rulers. 

41 And the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah went with trumpets, 

42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Johanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer; and the singers were heard, together with Jezrahiah the overseer. 

43 And they offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.