A List of Priests and Levites
1 Many priests and Levites had returned from Babylonia with Zerubbabel and Joshua as their leaders. Those priests were Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and another Jedaiah. These were the leading priests and their assistants during the time of Joshua.
8 The Levites who returned were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah. They and their assistants were responsible for the songs of praise, 9 while Bakbukiah and Unno, together with their assistants, were responsible for the choral responses.
Descendants of Joshua the High Priest
10 Joshua was the father of Joiakim, the grandfather of Eliashib, and the great-grandfather of Joiada. 11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan and the grandfather of Jaddua.
Leaders of the Priestly Clans
12 When Joiakim was high priest, the following priests were leaders of their clans: Meraiah of the Seraiah clan, Hananiah of Jeremiah, 13 Meshullam of Ezra, Jehohanan of Amariah, 14 Jonathan of Malluchi, Joseph of Shebaniah, 15 Adna of Harim, Helkai of Meraioth, 16 Zechariah of Iddo, Meshullam of Ginnethon, 17 Zichri of Abijah, Piltai of Moadiah, 18 Shammua of Bilgah, Jehonathan of Shemaiah, 19 Mattenai of Joiarib, Uzzi of Jedaiah, 20 Kallai of Sallai, Eber of Amok, 21 Hashabiah of Hilkiah, and Nethanel of Jedaiah.
The Priestly and Levite Families
22 During the time of the high priests Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, and including the time that Darius was king of Persia, a record was kept of the heads of the Levite and priestly families. 23 However, no official record was kept of the heads of the Levite clans after the death of Johanan, the grandson of Eliashib.
24 Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their assistants organized two choirs of Levites to offer praises to God, just as King David, the man of God, had commanded.
25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were responsible for guarding the storerooms near the temple gates.
26 All of these men lived during the time of Joiakim and during the time that I was governor and Ezra, a teacher of the Law of Moses, was priest.
Nehemiah Dedicates the City Wall
27 When the city wall was dedicated, Levites from everywhere in Judah were invited to join in the celebration with songs of praise and with the music of cymbals, small harps, and other stringed instruments. 28-29 The Levite singers lived in villages around Jerusalem, and so they came from there, as well as from the villages around Netophah, Beth-Gilgal, Geba, and Azmaveth. 30 The priests and Levites held special ceremonies to make themselves holy, and then they did the same for the rest of the people and for the gates and walls of the city.
31 I brought the leaders of Judah to the top of the city wall and put them in charge of the two groups that were to march around on top of the wall, singing praises to God. One group marched to the right in the direction of Garbage Gate. 32 Hoshaiah and half of the leaders followed them. 33 Then came the priests Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 all of them blowing trumpets. Next, there was Zechariah of the Asaph clan 36 and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They played musical instruments like those that had been played by David, the man of God. And they marched behind Ezra, the teacher of the Law. 37 When they reached Fountain Gate, they climbed the steps to David's City and went past his palace, before stopping at the Water Gate near the eastern wall of the city.
38 The second group of singers marched along the wall in the opposite direction, and I followed them, together with the other half of the leaders of Judah. We went past Oven Tower, Broad Wall, 39 Ephraim Gate, Old Gate, Fish Gate, Hananel Tower, Hundred Tower, and on to Sheep Gate. Finally, we stopped at Gate of the Guard, 40 where we stood in front of the temple with the other group, praising God. In the group with me were half of the leaders, 41 as well as the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, who were blowing trumpets. 42 Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer also stood there, as Jezrahiah led the singers. 43 God had made the people very happy, and so on that day they celebrated and offered many sacrifices. The women and children joined in the festivities, and joyful shouts could be heard far from the city of Jerusalem.
Preparation for Worship
44 On that same day, some leaders were appointed to be responsible for the safekeeping of gifts for the temple and to be in charge of receiving the first part of the harvest and the ten percent of the crops and livestock that was offered to God. These same leaders also collected the part of crops that the Law of Moses taught was to be given to the Levites.
Everyone was pleased with the work of the priests and Levites, 45 when they performed the ceremonies to make people acceptable to worship God. And the singers and the temple guards did their jobs according to the instructions given by David and his son Solomon. 46 In fact, ever since the days of David and Asaph, there had been song leaders and songs of praise and worship. 47 During the time that Zerubbabel and I were in charge, everyone in Israel gave what they were supposed to give for the daily needs of the singers and temple guards from the Levi tribe. Then the Levites would give the priests their share from what they had received.
1 Šie ir priesteri un levīti, kas bija devušies augšup uz Jeruzālemi kopā ar Zerubābelu, Šealtiēla dēlu, un Ješuu, proti: Seraja, Jeremija, Ezra, 2 Amarja, Malluhs, Hatušs, 3 Šehanja, Harims, Meremots, 4 Ido, Ginnetojs, Abija, 5 Mijamīns, Maādja, Bilga, 6 Šemaja, Jojaribs, Jedaja, 7 Sallus, Amoks, Hilkija, Jedaja. Šie bija priesteru un viņu brāļu vadoņi Ješuas laikā. 8 Levīti bija: Ješua, Binnujs, Kadmiēls, Šerebja, Jūda, Matanja; viņš un viņa brāļi bija slavas dziesmu vadītāji, 9 un Bakbukja un Unnijs, viņu brāļi, ar nodaļām stāvēja viņiem tieši pretī. 10 Un Ješua bija Jojakima tēvs, Jojakims bija Ēljašiba tēvs, Ēljašibs bija Jojadas tēvs, 11 Jojada bija Johanana tēvs, un Johanans bija Jaduas tēvs. 12 Un Jojakima dienās bija šādi priesteri - tēvu namu galvenie: no Serajas tēvu nama Meraja; no Jeremijas Hananja; 13 no Ezras Mešullāms; no Amarjas Johanans; 14 no Malluha Jonatāns; no Šebanjas Jāzeps; 15 no Harima Adna; no Merajota Helkajs; 16 no Ido Zaharja; no Ginnetona Mešullāms; 17 no Abijas Sihrijs; no Minjamīna, no Moadjas Piltajs; 18 no Bilgas Šamua; no Šemajas Jonatāns; 19 no Jojariba Matenajs; no Jedajas Usijs; 20 no Sallus Kallajs; no Amoka Ebers; 21 no Hilkijas Hašabja; no Jedajas Netaneēls. 22 No levītiem Ēljašiba, Jojadas, Johanana un Jaduas dienās tika pierakstīti tēvu namu galvenie; arī priesteri līdz persieša Dārija valdīšanai. 23 Levija dēli, tēvu namu galvenie, tika pierakstīti Laiku grāmatā, un proti, līdz Johanana, Ēljašiba dēla, dienām. 24 Un levītu galvenie bija Hašabja, Šerebja un Ješua, Kadmiēla dēls, un viņu brāļi, kas stāvēja viņiem pretim, lai slavētu un pateiktos pēc Dāvida, Dieva vīra, pavēles, nodaļa pretim nodaļai. 25 Matanja, Bakbukja, Obaja, Mešullāms, Talmons, Akubs bija vārtu sargi un stāvēja sardzē pie vārtu noliktavām. 26 Un šie bija laikabiedri Jojakimam, Ješuas dēla, Jocadaka dēladēlam, un zemes pārvaldniekam Nehemijam un priesterim un rakstu mācītājam Ezram. 27 Un Jeruzālemes mūru iesvētīšanai sameklēja levītus no visām viņu vietām, lai atvestu viņus uz Jeruzālemi svinēt iesvētīšanu ar prieku un ar slavas dziesmām, ar dziedāšanu, ar cimbālēm, arfām un lirām. 28 Un dziedātājiem piederīgie sapulcējās no visas Jeruzālemes apkārtnes, kā arī no Netofas ciemiem, 29 tāpat no Bēt-Gilgalas un no Gebas laukiem un Asmavetas; jo dziedātāji sev bija uzcēluši ciemus visapkārt Jeruzālemei. 30 Un priesteri un levīti šķīstījās, un viņi šķīstīja arī tautu un vārtus, un mūri. 31 Tad es liku uzkāpt Jūdas lielkungiem augšā uz mūra, un es sakārtoju divus lielus slavas dziesmu korus un sarīkoju svētku gājienus. Viens no tiem devās pa labi no mūra virzienā uz Mēslu vārtiem, 32 un aiz viņiem gāja Hošaja un puse no Jūdas lielkungiem, proti: 33 Asarja, Ezra, Mešullāms, 34 Jūda, Benjamīns, Šemaja, Jeremija, 35 un daži no priesteru dēliem ar trompetēm, proti: Zaharja, Jonatāna dēls, tas Šemajas dēls, tas Matanjas dēls, tas Mihas dēls, tas Zakura dēls, tas Asafa dēls, 36 un viņu brāļi: Šemaja, Azareēls, Milalajs, Gilalajs, Maājs, Netaneēls un Jūda, Hananijs ar Dāvida, Dieva vīra, mūzikas instrumentiem; pats rakstu mācītājs Ezra gāja viņiem pa priekšu. 37 Tālāk viņi devās virzienā uz Avota vārtiem un tur kāpa taisni uz priekšu un augšup pa Dāvida pilsētas kāpnēm līdz uzejai augšā uz mūri un tad augšpus ķēniņa Dāvida pilij līdz Ūdens vārtiem austrumos. 38 Un otrs slavas dziesmu koris devās uz pretējo pusi, un es pats aiz viņiem līdzi ar pusi no ļaudīm augšā pa mūri, garām Cepļu tornim, līdz Platajam mūrim, 39 tad garām Efraima vārtiem un Vecajiem vārtiem, un Zivju vārtiem, garām Hananeēla tornim un Meas tornim līdz Avju vārtiem; pie Sardzes vārtiem viņi apstājās. 40 Tā abi svētku kori nostājās pie Dieva nama, arī es un puse no priekšniekiem kopā ar mani. 41 Tad priesteri Ēljakīms, Maāseja, Minjamīns, Miha, Zaharja un Hananja pūta trompetes, 42 bet Maāseja, Šemaja, Ēleāzars, Usija, Johanans, Malkija, Ēlāms un Ēzers, dziedātāji, nodziedāja dažas dziesmas Jisrahjas vadībā. 43 Tajā dienā viņi nesa lielus kaujamos upurus un priecājās, jo Dievs Tas Kungs bija iepriecinājis viņus ar lielu prieku; arī sievas un bērni priecājās, un Jeruzālemes gaviles bija tālu dzirdamas. 44 Tajā pašā dienā tika iecelti arī vīri pār mantu noliktavām, kuras bija paredzētas pirmo augļu un desmitās tiesas novietošanai, lai savāktu tur no pilsētu tīrumiem likumīgās daļas priesteriem un levītiem; jo Jūda priecājās par priesteriem un levītiem, kas bija kalpošanas darbā; 45 un tie pildīja savus pienākumus pret Dievu un veica šķīstīšanu; tāpat veica savu darbu arī dziedātāji un vārtu sargi pēc Dāvida un viņa dēla Salamana pavēlēm, 46 jo jau kopš seniem laikiem, Dāvida un Asaja dienās, bija bijuši dziedātāju vadītāji un bija dziedātas Dievam slavas dziesmas un pateicības dziesmas. 47 Un Zerubābela dienās un Nehemijas dienās viss Israēls katru dienu deva dziedātājiem un vārtu sargiem nodevas, ikdienas devu, un nodeva svēto tiesu levītiem, un levīti nodeva svēto tiesu Ārona dēliem.
