The Priests and Levites Who Returned to Judah
1Some priests and Levites returned to Judah with Zerubbabel and Joshua. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel. Here are the names of those priests and Levites.
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,
3Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,
5Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,
6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah
All of them were the leaders of the priests and those who helped them. They lived in the days of Joshua.
8The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah and Judah. There were also Mattaniah and those who helped him. They were in charge of the songs for giving thanks. 9Bakbukiah and Unni helped them. They stood and sang across from them during the services.
10Joshua 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.
12Here are the names of the family leaders of the priests. They were the leaders in the days of Joiakim.
Meraiah was from Seraiah’s family.
Hananiah was from Jeremiah’s family.
13Meshullam was from Ezra’s family.
Jehohanan was from Amariah’s family.
14Jonathan was from Malluk’s family.
Joseph was from Shekaniah’s family.
15Adna was from Harim’s family.
Helkai was from Meremoth’s family.
16Zechariah was from Iddo’s family.
Meshullam was from Ginnethon’s family.
17Zikri was from Abijah’s family.
Piltai was from Miniamin’s and Moadiah’s family.
18Shammua was from Bilgah’s family.
Jehonathan was from Shemaiah’s family.
19Mattenai was from Joiarib’s family.
Uzzi was from Jedaiah’s family.
20Kallai was from Sallu’s family.
Eber was from Amok’s family.
21Hashabiah was from Hilkiah’s family.
And Nethanel was from Jedaiah’s family.
22The names of the family leaders of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua were written down. So were the names of the family leaders of the priests. That happened while Darius ruled over Persia. 23The names of the leaders in Levi’s family line up to the time of Johanan were written down. They were written in the official records. Johanan was the son of Eliashib. 24The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua. Jeshua was the son of Kadmiel. Those who helped them stood across from them to sing praises and give thanks. One group would sing back to the other. That’s what David, the man of God, had ordered.
25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub stood at the gates of the temple. They guarded the storerooms at the gates. 26They served in the days of Joiakim. He was the son of Joshua. Joshua was the son of Jozadak. They also served in the days of Nehemiah and Ezra. Nehemiah was the governor. Ezra was a priest and the teacher of the Law.
The Wall of Jerusalem Is Set Apart to God
27The wall of Jerusalem was set apart to God. For that occasion, the Levites were gathered together from where they lived. They were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate that happy occasion. They celebrated the fact that the wall was being set apart to God. They did it by singing and giving their thanks to him. They celebrated by playing music on cymbals, harps and lyres. 28The musicians were also brought together. Some of them came in from the area around Jerusalem. Others came from the villages where the people of Netophah lived. 29Others came from Beth Gilgal. Still others came from the area of Geba and Azmaveth. The musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30The priests and Levites made themselves pure. Then they made the people, the gates and the wall pure and “clean.”
31I, Nehemiah, had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also appointed two large choirs to sing and give thanks. I told one of them to walk south on top of the wall. That was toward the Dung Gate. 32Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them. 33Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah and Jeremiah also followed them. 35Some priests who had trumpets followed them. So did Zechariah. He was the son of Jonathan. Jonathan was the son of Shemaiah. Shemaiah was the son of Mattaniah. Mattaniah was the son of Micaiah. Micaiah was the son of Zakkur. Zakkur was the son of Asaph. 36Those who helped Zechariah also marched along. They were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani. They brought musical instruments with them. That’s what David, the man of God, had ordered. Ezra led the group that was marching south. He was the teacher of the Law. 37At the Fountain Gate they continued straight up the steps of the City of David. The steps went up to the wall. Then the group passed above the place where David’s palace had been. They continued on to the Water Gate on the east.
38The second choir went north. I followed them on top of the wall. Half of the people went with me. They went past the Tower of the Ovens. They went to the Broad Wall. 39They marched over the Gate of Ephraim. They went over the Jeshanah Gate and the Fish Gate. They went past the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred. They continued on to the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.
40Then the two choirs that sang and gave thanks took their places in God’s house. So did I. So did half of the officials. 41And so did the priests. They were Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah. They had their trumpets with them. 42Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer were also there. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43On that day large numbers of sacrifices were offered. The people were glad because God had given them great joy. The women and children were also very happy. The joyful sound in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
Nehemiah Makes Some Final Changes
44At that time some men were put in charge of the storerooms. That’s where all the gifts the people brought were placed. Those gifts included the first shares of their crops. They also included a tenth of everything the Law required. Crops were harvested from the fields around the towns. The people had to bring the shares of those crops that were required by the Law. They gave them to the priests and Levites. That’s because the people of Judah were pleased with the priests and Levites who were serving God. 45The priests and Levites did everything their God wanted them to do. They made things pure and “clean.” The musicians and the men who guarded the temple gates also served God. Everything was done just as David and his son Solomon had commanded. 46A long time ago there had been directors for the musicians. There had also been directors for the songs for giving thanks and praise to God. It was in the time of David and Asaph. 47So now in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all the people of Israel brought their gifts. They gave the musicians and the men who guarded the gates what they were supposed to give them every day. They also set apart the shares for the other Levites. And the Levites set apart the shares for the priests in the family line of Aaron.
Sacerdotes y levitas repatriados
1Estos son los sacerdotes y los levitas que regresaron con Zorobabel hijo de Salatiel, y con Jesúa:
Seraías, Jeremías, Esdras,
2Amarías, Maluc, Jatús,
3Secanías, Rejún, Meremot,
4Idó, Guinetón, Abías,
5Mijamín, Madías, Bilgá,
6Semaías, Joyarib, Jedaías,
7Salú, Amoc, Jilquías y Jedaías.
Estos eran los jefes de los sacerdotes y de sus parientes en los días de Jesúa.
8Los levitas eran Jesúa, Binuy, Cadmiel, Serebías, Judá y Matanías, quien dirigía las acciones de gracias junto con sus hermanos; 9Bacbuquías y Uni, sus hermanos, se colocaban frente a ellos en los servicios.
10Los descendientes de Jesúa eran Joaquim, Eliasib, Joyadá, 11Johanán y Jadúa.
12Los jefes de las familias sacerdotales, en la época de Joaquim, eran:
de Seraías: Meraías;
de Jeremías: Jananías;
13de Esdras: Mesulán;
de Amarías: Johanán;
14de Melicú: Jonatán;
de Sebanías: José;
15de Jarín: Adná;
de Merayot: Jelcay;
16de Idó: Zacarías;
de Guinetón: Mesulán;
17de Abías: Zicrí;
de Minjamín;12:17 En TM no aparece el nombre del jefe de Minjamín.
de Moadías: Piltay;
18de Bilgá: Samúa;
de Semaías: Jonatán;
19de Joyarib: Matenay;
de Jedaías: Uzi;
20de Salay: Calay;
de Amoc: Éber;
21de Jilquías: Jasabías;
de Jedaías: Natanael.
22Los jefes de familia de los levitas y de los sacerdotes en tiempos de Eliasib, Joyadá, Johanán y Jadúa fueron inscritos durante el reinado de Darío el persa. 23Los jefes de familia de los levitas hasta los días de Johanán hijo de Eliasib fueron inscritos en el libro de las crónicas. 24Los jefes de los levitas eran Jasabías, Serebías y Jesúa hijo de Cadmiel. Cuando les llegaba el turno de servicio, sus parientes se colocaban frente a ellos para la alabanza y la acción de gracias, según lo establecido por David, hombre de Dios.
25Matanías, Bacbuquías, Abdías, Mesulán, Talmón y Acub eran los porteros que montaban la guardia en los almacenes cercanos a las puertas. 26Todos estos vivieron en tiempos de Joaquim, hijo de Jesúa y nieto de Josadac, y en tiempos del gobernador Nehemías y del sacerdote y maestro Esdras.
Dedicación de la muralla
27Cuando llegó el momento de dedicar la muralla, buscaron a los levitas en todos los lugares donde vivían, y los llevaron a Jerusalén para celebrar la dedicación con cánticos de acción de gracias, al son de címbalos, arpas y liras. 28Entonces se reunieron los cantores de los alrededores de Jerusalén y de las aldeas de Netofa 29y Bet Guilgal, así como de los campos de Gueba y de Azmávet, ya que los cantores se habían construido aldeas alrededor de Jerusalén. 30Después de purificarse a sí mismos, los sacerdotes y los levitas purificaron también a la gente, las puertas y la muralla.
31Luego hice que los jefes de Judá subieran a la muralla, y organicé dos grandes coros. Uno de ellos marchaba sobre la muralla hacia la derecha, rumbo a la puerta del Basurero, 32seguido de Osaías, la mitad de los jefes de Judá, 33Azarías, Esdras, Mesulán, 34Judá, Benjamín, Semaías y Jeremías. 35A estos los acompañaban los siguientes sacerdotes, que llevaban trompetas: Zacarías hijo de Jonatán, hijo de Semaías, hijo de Matanías, hijo de Micaías, hijo de Zacur, hijo de Asaf, 36y sus parientes Semaías, Azarel, Milalay, Guilalay, May, Natanael, Judá y Jananí, que llevaban los instrumentos musicales de David, hombre de Dios. Al frente de ellos iba Esdras. 37Al llegar a la puerta de la Fuente, subieron derecho por las gradas de la Ciudad de David, por la cuesta de la muralla, pasando junto al palacio de David, hasta la puerta del Agua, al este de la ciudad.
38El segundo coro marchaba en dirección opuesta, a lo largo de la torre de los Hornos hasta el muro Ancho. Yo iba detrás, sobre la muralla, junto con la otra mitad de la gente. 39Pasamos por encima de la puerta de Efraín, la de Jesaná12:39 de Jesaná. Alt. Vieja. y la de los Pescados; por la torre de Jananel y la de los Cien, y por la puerta de las Ovejas, hasta llegar a la puerta de la Guardia. Allí nos detuvimos. 40Los dos coros ocuparon sus sitios en el templo de Dios. Lo mismo hicimos yo, la mitad de los oficiales del pueblo, 41y los sacerdotes Eliaquín, Maseías, Minjamín, Micaías, Elihoenay, Zacarías, Jananías, 42Maseías, Semaías, Eleazar, Uzi, Johanán, Malquías, Elam y Ezer. En seguida los cantores empezaron a cantar en voz alta, dirigidos por Izraías.
43Ese día se ofrecieron muchos sacrificios y hubo fiesta, porque Dios los llenó de alegría. Hasta las mujeres y los niños participaron. Era tal el regocijo de Jerusalén que se oía desde lejos.
Contribución para los sacerdotes y levitas
44Aquel día se nombró a los encargados de los depósitos donde se almacenaban los tesoros, las ofrendas, las primicias y los diezmos, para que depositaran en ellos las contribuciones que provenían de los campos de cada población y que, según la ley, les correspondían a los sacerdotes y a los levitas. La gente de Judá estaba contenta con el servicio que prestaban los sacerdotes y levitas, 45quienes según lo establecido por David y su hijo Salomón se ocupaban del servicio de su Dios y del servicio de purificación, junto con los cantores y los porteros. 46Por mucho tiempo, desde los días de David y de Asaf, había directores de coro y cánticos de alabanza y de acción de gracias a Dios. 47En la época de Zorobabel y de Nehemías, todos los días los israelitas entregaban las porciones correspondientes a los cantores y a los porteros. Así mismo daban las ofrendas sagradas para los demás levitas, y los levitas a su vez les entregaban a los hijos de Aarón lo que a estos les correspondía.
