Nehemiah 12: The Dedication of Jerusalem’s Wall – Clear and Engaging Audio Bible Reading | Joyful Procession, Priests and Levites, and Musical Instruments

Listen to the clear and engaging audio recording of Nehemiah 12 and experience the joyous dedication of Jerusalem’s rebuilt wall. Follow the procession of the people as they celebrate and sing, accompanied by the sounds of musical instruments. Discover the roles of priests and Levites in the ceremony and their contributions to the worship. Perfect for meditation, study, or reflection, immerse yourself in this powerful chapter of the Bible and witness the faith and devotion of God’s people.

NEHEMIAH 12 (NIV)

1 These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of
Shealtiel and with Joshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,

3 Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of
Joshua.

8 The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also
Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of
thanksgiving.

9 Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in
the services.

10 Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib
the father of Joiada,

11 Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the
father of Jaddua.

12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families:
of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah;
of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra’s, Meshullam;
of Amariah’s, Jehohanan;

14 of Malluk’s, Jonathan;
of Shekaniah’s, Joseph;

15 of Harim’s, Adna;
of Meremoth’s, Helkai;

16 of Iddo’s, Zechariah;
of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah’s, Zikri;
of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah’s, Shammua;
of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan;

19 of Joiarib’s, Mattenai;
of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi;

20 of Sallu’s, Kallai;
of Amok’s, Eber;

21 of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah;
of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.

22 The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan
and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of
Darius the Persian.

23 The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to
the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals.

24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of
Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and
thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the
man of God.

25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers
who guarded the storerooms at the gates.

26 They served in the days of Joiakim
son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor
and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.

27 At the dedication 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, harps and
lyres.

28 The musicians also were brought together from the region around
Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,

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, the gates and the wall.

31 I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two
large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the
right, toward the Dung Gate.

32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah
followed them,

33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

34 Judah, Benjamin,
Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

35 as well as some priests with trumpets, 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 prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the
teacher of the Law led the procession.

37 At the Fountain Gate 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 on the east.

38 The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on
top of the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens to
the Broad Wall,

39 over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate,
the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate.
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 for the
contributions, firstfruits and tithes. 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.

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 and his son Solomon.

46 For long ago, in the days of David
and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of
praise 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.