וְאֵלֶּה הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם אֲשֶׁר עָלוּ עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל וְיֵשׁוּעַ שְׂרָיָה יִרְמְיָה עֶזְרָא

These are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubavel son of She’altiel, and Yeshua, the High Priest: Seraya, Yirmeya, Ezra,

אֲמַרְיָה מַלּוּךְ חַטּוּשׁ

Amarya, Malukh, Hatush,

שְׁכַנְיָה רְחֻם מְרֵמוֹת

Shekhanya, Rehum, Meremot,

עִדּוֹא גִנְּתוֹי אֲבִיָּה

Ido, Ginetoi, Aviya,

מִיָּמִין מַעַדְיָה בִּלְגָּה

Miyamin, Maadya, Bilga,

שְׁמַעְיָה וְיוֹיָרִיב יְדַעְיָה

Shemaya, Yoyariv, Yedaya,

סַלּוּ עָמוֹק חִלְקִיָּה יְדַעְיָה אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי הַכֹּהֲנִים וַאֲחֵיהֶם בִּימֵי יֵשׁוּעַ

Salu, Amok, Hilkiya, Yedaya. These were the heads of the priests and their brethren in the days of Yeshua.

וְהַלְוִיִּם יֵשׁוּעַ בִּנּוּי קַדְמִיאֵל שֵׁרֵבְיָה יְהוּדָה מַתַּנְיָה עַל־הֻיְּדוֹת הוּא וְאֶחָיו

The Levites were Yeshua, Binui, Kadmiel, Sherevya, Yehuda, and Matanya, who was in charge of the psalms of thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

וּבַקְבֻּקְיָה וְעֻנִּי אֲחֵיהֶם לְנֶגְדָּם לְמִשְׁמָרוֹת

Bakbukya and Uni, their brethren, were divided into groups opposite them, corresponding to them, in the watches.

וְיֵשׁוּעַ הוֹלִיד אֶת־יוֹיָקִים וְיוֹיָקִים הוֹלִיד אֶת־אֶלְיָשִׁיב וְאֶלְיָשִׁיב אֶת־יוֹיָדָע

The following is a genealogical list of priests, possibly High Priests: Yeshua begot Yoyakim, and Yoyakim begot Elyashiv, and Elyashiv begot Yoyada,

וְיוֹיָדָע הוֹלִיד אֶת־יוֹנָתָן וְיוֹנָתָן הוֹלִיד אֶת־יַדּוּעַ

and Yoyada begot Yonatan, and Yonatan begot Yadua.

וּבִימֵי יוֹיָקִים הָיוּ כֹהֲנִים רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לשְׂרָיָה מְרָיָה; לְיִרְמְיָה חֲנַנְיָה;

In the days of Yoyakim, the son of Yehoshua the High Priest, these were priests, heads of the patrilineal houses: For the family of Seraya, who lived in the generation of the first immigrants, the head of the fathers’ house was Meraya; for Yirmeya, the head of the fathers’ house was Hananya;

לְעֶזְרָא מְשֻׁלָּם; לַאֲמַרְיָה יְהוֹחָנָן;

for Ezra, Meshulam; for Amarya, Yehohanan;

לִמְלִיכוּ יוֹנָתָן; לִשְׁבַנְיָה יוֹסֵף;

for Melikhu, Yonatan; for Shevanya, Yosef;

לְחָרִים עַדְנָא; לִמְרָיוֹת חֶלְקָי;

for Harim, Adna; for Merayot, Helkai;

לְעִדּוֹא זְכַרְיָה לְגִנְּתוֹן מְשֻׁלָּם;

for Ido, Zekharya, perhaps the well-known prophet Zekharya son of Ido, who was active in the days of Darius; for Gineton, Meshulam;

לַאֲבִיָּה זִכְרִי; לְמִנְיָמִין ולְמוֹעַדְיָה פִּלְטָי;

for Aviya, Zikhri; for Minyamin and for Moadya, Piltai;

לְבִלְגָּה שַׁמּוּעַ; לִשְׁמַעְיָה יְהוֹנָתָן;

for Bilga, Shamua; for Shemaya, Yehonatan;

וּלְיוֹיָרִיב מַתְּנַי; לִידַעְיָה עֻזִּי;

and for Yoyariv, Matenai; for Yedaya, Uzi;

לְסַלַּי קַלַּי; לְעָמוֹק עֵבֶר;

for Salai, Kalai; for Amok, Ever;

לְחִלְקִיָּה חֲשַׁבְיָה; לִידַעְיָה נְתַנְאֵל

for Hilkiya, Hashavya; for Yedaya, Netanel.

הַלְוִיִּם בִּימֵי אֶלְיָשִׁיב יוֹיָדָע וְיוֹחָנָן וְיַדּוּעַ כְּתוּבִים רָאשֵׁי אָבוֹת וְהַכֹּהֲנִים עַל מַלְכוּת דָּרְיָוֶשׁ הַפַּרְסִי

The Levites in the days of Elyashiv the priest, son of Yoyakim: Yoyada and Yohanan and Yadua were recorded as the heads of the patrilineal houses and so too the priests were likewise inscribed in a book during the reign of Darius the Persian. This is no longer referring to the days of the first immigration to Israel, but to a later period.

בְּנֵי לֵוִי רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים וְעַד־יְמֵי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן־אֶלְיָשִׁיב

The sons of Levi, heads of the patrilineal houses, are written in a book of chronicles, up to the days of Yohanan son of Elyashiv.

וְרָאשֵׁי הַלְוִיִּם חֲשַׁבְיָה שֵׁרֵבְיָה וְיֵשׁוּעַ בֶּן־קַדְמִיאֵל וַאֲחֵיהֶם לְנֶגְדָּם לְהַלֵּל לְהוֹדוֹת בְּמִצְוַת דָּוִיד אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִים מִשְׁמָר לְעֻמַּת מִשְׁמָר

The heads of the Levites were Hashavya, Sherevya, and Yeshua son of Kadmiel, with their brethren opposite them, to praise and give thanks, according to the command of David the man of God, watch opposite watch. Long before, King David had divided the Levites into watches of singers.

מַתַּנְיָה וּבַקְבֻּקְיָה עֹבַדְיָה מְשֻׁלָּם טַלְמוֹן עַקּוּב שֹׁמְרִים שׁוֹעֲרִים מִשְׁמָר בַּאֲסֻפֵּי הַשְּׁעָרִים

In addition to the Levites who served as singers, there were Levites who served as gatekeepers: Matanya and Bakbukya, Ovadya, Meshulam, Talmon, and Akuv were guards, gatekeepers of the watch at the thresholds of the gates.

אֵלֶּה בִּימֵי יוֹיָקִים בֶּן־יֵשׁוּעַ בֶּן־יוֹצָדָק וּבִימֵי נְחֶמְיָה הַפֶּחָה וְעֶזְרָא הַכֹּהֵן הַסּוֹפֵר

These were in the days of Yoyakim, son of Yeshua, son of Yotzadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.

וּבַחֲנֻכַּת חוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלִַם בִּקְשׁוּ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם מִכָּל־מְקוֹמֹתָם לַהֲבִיאָם לִירוּשָׁלִָם לַעֲשֹׂת חֲנֻכָּה וְשִׂמְחָה וּבְתוֹדוֹת וּבְשִׁיר מְצִלְתַּיִם נְבָלִים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought, invited, the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, in order to perform the dedication and rejoicing, with thanks, with song, cymbals, lyres, and with harps.

וַיֵּאָסְפוּ בְּנֵי הַמְשֹׁרְרִים וּמִן־הַכִּכָּר סְבִיבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם וּמִן־חַצְרֵי נְטֹפָתִי

The sons of the singers gathered from all the places; from the plain surrounding Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netofatites, which were camps of sorts for the patrilineal houses, located near Netofa;

וּמִבֵּית הַגִּלְגָּל וּמִשְּׂדוֹת גֶּבַע וְעַזְמָוֶת כִּי חֲצֵרִים בָּנוּ לָהֶם הַמְשֹׁרְרִים סְבִיבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם

from Beit Gilgal, and from the fields of Geva and Azmavet, as the Levite singers did not live within Jerusalem itself, but had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem (see 13:10).

וַיִּטַּהֲרוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וַיְטַהֲרוּ אֶת־הָעָם וְאֶת־הַשְּׁעָרִים וְאֶת־הַחוֹמָה

The priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates, and the wall. They ensured that there was nothing ritually impure in the city.

וָאַעֲלֶה אֶת־שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה מֵעַל לַחוֹמָה וָאַעֲמִידָה שְׁתֵּי תוֹדֹת גְּדוֹלֹת וְתַהֲלֻכֹת לַיָּמִין מֵעַל לַחוֹמָה לְשַׁעַר הָאַשְׁפֹּת

Nehemiah describes in detail the inauguration ceremony of the city walls: I took the princes of Judah up upon the wall, and set two great thanks offerings, with processions to the right upon the wall to the Dung Gate.

וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶם הוֹשַׁעְיָה וַחֲצִי שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה

Hoshaya and half of the princes of Judah followed them,

וַעֲזַרְיָה עֶזְרָא וּמְשֻׁלָּם

with Azarya, Ezra, Meshulam,

יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן וּשְׁמַעְיָה וְיִרְמְיָה

Yehuda, Binyamin, Shemaya, Yirmeya,

וּמִבְּנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת זְכַרְיָה בֶן־יוֹנָתָן בֶּן־שְׁמַעְיָה בֶן־מַתַּנְיָה בֶּן־מִיכָיָה בֶּן־זַכּוּר בֶּן־אָסָף

and some of the sons of the priests who were blowing with trumpets: Zekharya, son of Yonatan, son of Shemaya, son of Matanya, son of Mikhaya, son of Zakur, son of Asaf,

וְאֶחָיו שְׁמַעְיָה וַעֲזַרְאֵל מִלֲלַי גִּלֲלַי מָעַי נְתַנְאֵל וִיהוּדָה חֲנָנִי בִּכְלֵי־שִׁיר דָּוִיד אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וְעֶזְרָא הַסּוֹפֵר לִפְנֵיהֶם

and his brethren, Shemaya, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Netanel, Yehuda, and Hanani, with the musical instruments, or songs, of David, the man of God; Ezra the scribe was marching before them.

וְ עַל שַׁעַר הָעַיִן ונֶגְדָּם עָלוּ עַל־מַעֲלוֹת עִיר דָּוִיד בַּמַּעֲלֶה לַחוֹמָה מֵעַל לְבֵית דָּוִיד וְעַד שַׁעַר הַמַּיִם מִזְרָח

They were continuing to march at the Gate of the Spring, and opposite them, there were those, other people, who ascended the stairs of the City of David, at the stairs to the wall, above the house of David, up to the Water Gate on the east.

וְהַתּוֹדָה הַשֵּׁנִית הַהוֹלֶכֶת לְמוֹאל וַאֲנִי אַחֲרֶיהָ וַחֲצִי הָעָם מֵעַל לְהַחוֹמָה מֵעַל לְמִגְדַּל הַתַּנּוּרִים וְעַד הַחוֹמָה הָרְחָבָה

The second thanks offering proceeded opposite it, the first company, with me, Nehemiah, walking after it, and half the people next to the wall, from above the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,

וּמֵעַל לְשַׁעַר־אֶפְרַיִם וְעַל־שַׁעַר הַיְשָׁנָה וְעַל־שַׁעַר הַדָּגִים וּמִגְדַּל חֲנַנְאֵל וּמִגְדַּל הַמֵּאָה וְעַד שַׁעַר הַצֹּאן וְעָמְדוּ בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּטָּרָה

and above the Ephraim Gate, and near the Old Gate, the gate of the old wall, and near the Fish Gate, and the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, until the Sheep Gate; they stopped, the procession with the thanks offering loaves halted, at the Gate of the Internment.

וַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה שְׁתֵּי הַתּוֹדֹת בְּבֵית הָאֱלֹהִים וַאֲנִי וַחֲצִי הַסְּגָנִים עִמִּי

The two thanks offerings stopped at the House of God, with me and half of the senior prefects who were with me.

וְהַכֹּהֲנִים אֶלְיָקִים מַעֲשֵׂיָה מִנְיָמִין מִיכָיָה אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי זְכַרְיָה חֲנַנְיָה בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת

The priests, Elyakim, Maaseya, Minyamin, Mikhaya, Elio’enai, Zekharya, and Hananya, were blowing on the trumpets

וּמַעֲשֵׂיָה וּשְׁמַעְיָה וְאֶלְעָזָר וְעֻזִּי וִיהוֹחָנָן וּמַלְכִּיָּה וְעֵילָם וָעָזֶר וַיַּשְׁמִיעוּ הַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְיִזְרַחְיָה הַפָּקִיד

with Maaseya, Shemaya, Elazar, Uzi, Yehohanan, Malkiya, Eilam, and Ezer. The singers sang the song aloud, and Yizrahya was acting as the officer over them.

וַיִּזְבְּחוּ בַיּוֹם הַהוּא זְבָחִים גְּדוֹלִים וַיִּשְׂמָחוּ כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים שִׂמְּחָם שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה וְגַם הַנָּשִׁים וְהַיְלָדִים שָׂמֵחוּ וַתִּשָּׁמַע שִׂמְחַת יְרוּשָׁלִַם מֵרָחוֹק

They slaughtered great feast offerings on that day, and rejoiced, for God had caused them to rejoice with great joy, as Jerusalem was rebuilt and finally surrounded by a wall; also the women and the children rejoiced, and the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

וַיִּפָּקְדוּ בַיּוֹם הַהוּא אֲנָשִׁים עַל־הַנְּשָׁכוֹת לָאוֹצָרוֹת לַתְּרוּמוֹת לָרֵאשִׁית וְלַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת לִכְנוֹס בָּהֶם לִשְׂדֵי הֶעָרִים מְנָאוֹת הַתּוֹרָה לַכֹּהֲנִים וְלַלְוִיִּם כִּי שִׂמְחַת יְהוּדָה עַל־הַכֹּהֲנִים וְעַל־הַלְוִיִּם הָעֹמְדִים

On that day, men were appointed to their various tasks over the chambers for the treasures, for the gifts, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to collect in them, from the fields of the cities, portions according to the Torah for the priests and Levites; for the joy of Judah was upon the priests and for the Levites who were present.

וַיִּשְׁמְרוּ מִשְׁמֶרֶת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וּמִשְׁמֶרֶת הַטָּהֳרָה וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִים כְּמִצְוַת דָּוִיד שְׁלֹמֹה בְנוֹ

They observed the charge of the service of their God, and the charge of the purity, to ensure that consecrated items did not become ritually impure, the singers and the gatekeepers began fulfilling their duties, in accordance with the command of David and Solomon his son.

כִּי בִימֵי דָוִיד וְאָסָף מִקֶּדֶם רָאשֵׁ הַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְשִׁיר־תְּהִלָּה וְהוֹדוֹת לֵאלֹהִים

For it was from the days of David and Asaf of old, the heads of the singers, and songs of praise and the thanksgiving to God. The practices of the singing had already been established in King David’s time, and now the ancient customs were fully restored.

וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּימֵי זְרֻבָּבֶל וּבִימֵי נְחֶמְיָה נֹתְנִים מְנָיוֹת הַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִים דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ וּמַקְדִּשִׁים לַלְוִיִּם וְהַלְוִיִּם מַקְדִּשִׁים לִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן

All Israel in the days of Zerubavel and in the days of Nehemiah would give the portions of the singers and the gatekeepers, each day’s matter on its day; they consecrated them for the Levites, and the Levites consecrated the tithe from their tithe for the sons of Aaron.