List of Priests and Levites
1 The following is a list of the priests and Levites who returned from exile with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with the High Priest Joshua:
2-7 Priests:Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah.These men were leaders among all their fellow priests in the days of Joshua.
8 Levites:The following were in charge of the singing of hymns of thanksgiving: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah.
9 The following formed the choir that sang the responses: Bakbukiah, Unno, and their fellow Levites.
Descendants of the High Priest Joshua
10 Joshua was the father of Joiakim; Joiakim was the father of Eliashib; Eliashib was the father of Joiada; 11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan; and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
Heads of the Priestly Clans
12-21 When Joiakim was High Priest, the following priests were the heads of the priestly clans:
Priest ClanMeraiah SeraiahHananiah JeremiahMeshullam EzraJehohanan AmariahJonathan MalluchiJoseph ShebaniahAdna HarimHelkai MeraiothZechariah IddoMeshullam GinnethonZichri Abijah… MiniaminPiltai MoadiahShammua BilgahJehonathan ShemaiahMattenai JoiaribUzzi JedaiahKallai SallaiEber AmokHashabiah HilkiahNethanel JedaiahRecord of the Priestly and Levite Families
22 A record was kept of the heads of the Levite families and of the priestly families during the lifetimes of the following High Priests: Eliashib, Joiada, Jonathan, and Jaddua. This record was finished when Darius was emperor of Persia.
23 The heads of the Levite families, however, were recorded in the official records only until the time of Jonathan, the grandson of Eliashib.
Assignment of Duties in the Temple
24 Under the direction of Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, Binnui, and Kadmiel, the Levites were organized into groups. Two groups at a time praised God responsively and gave thanks to him, in accordance with the instructions given by King David, the man of God.
25 The following Temple guards were in charge of guarding the storerooms by the gates to the Temple: Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub.
26 These people lived during the time of Joiakim, the son of Joshua and grandson of Jehozadak, and the time of Nehemiah the governor, and the time of Ezra, the priest who was a scholar of the Law.
Nehemiah Dedicates the City Wall
27 When the city wall of Jerusalem was dedicated, the Levites were brought in from wherever they were living, so that they could join in celebrating the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals and harps. 28 The Levite families of singers gathered from the area where they had settled around Jerusalem and from the towns around Netophah, 29 and from Bethgilgal, Geba, and Azmaveth. 30 The priests and the Levites performed ritual purification for themselves, the people, the gates, and the city wall.
31 I assembled the leaders of Judah on top of the wall and put them in charge of two large groups to march around the city, giving thanks to God.
The first group went to the right on top of the wall toward the Rubbish Gate. 32 Hoshaiah marched behind the singers, followed by half the leaders of Judah. 33-35 The following priests, blowing trumpets, marched next: Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. Next came Zechariah, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Shemaiah. (His ancestors also included Mattaniah, Micaiah, and Zaccur, of the clan of Asaph.) 36 He was followed by other members of his clan—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani—all of whom carried musical instruments of the kind played by King David, the man of God. Ezra the scholar led this group in the procession. 37 At the Fountain Gate they went up the steps that led to David's City, past David's palace, and back to the wall at the Water Gate, on the east side of the city.
38 The other group of those who gave thanks went to the left along the top of the wall, and I followed with half of the people. We marched past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39 and from there we went past Ephraim Gate, Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. We ended our march near the gate to the Temple.
40 So both the groups that were giving thanks to God reached the Temple area.
In addition to the leaders who were with me, 41 my group included the following priests, blowing trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah; 42 and they were followed by Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers, led by Jezrahiah, sang at the top of their voices.
43 That day many sacrifices were offered, and the people were full of joy because God had made them very happy. The women and the children joined in the celebration, and the noise they all made could be heard for miles.
Providing for Worship in the Temple
44 At that time men were put in charge of the storerooms where contributions for the Temple were kept, including the tithes and the first grain and fruit that ripened each year. These men were responsible for collecting from the farms near the various cities the contributions for the priests and the Levites which the Law required. All the people of Judah were pleased with the priests and the Levites, 45 because they performed the ceremonies of purification and the other rituals that God had commanded. The Temple musicians and the Temple guards also performed their duties in accordance with the regulations made by King David and his son Solomon. 46 From the time of King David and the musician Asaph long ago, the musicians have led songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 In the time of Zerubbabel and also in the time of Nehemiah, all the people of Israel gave daily gifts for the support of the Temple musicians and the Temple guards. The people gave a sacred offering to the Levites, and the Levites gave the required portion to the priests.
أسماء الكهنة واللاويـين
1 وهؤلاءِ همُ الكهَنةُ واللاَّويُّونَ الّذينَ صَعِدوا معَ زَربَّابِلَ بنِ شألتئيلَ ويشوعَ رئيسِ الكَهنةِ: سَرايا ويرْميا وعَزرا 2 وأمَرْيا ومَلَّوخُ وحَطُّوشُ 3 وشكَنْيا ورحومُ ومَريموثُ 4 وعِدُّو وجِنْتويُ وأبـيَّا 5 وميَّامينُ ومَعَدْيا وبلْجةُ 6 وشمَعْيا ويوياريـبُ ويَدَعْيا 7 وسلُّو وعاموقُ وحِلْقيَّا ويَدَعْيا. هؤلاءِ هُم رؤوسُ الكهَنةِ وأنسباؤُهُم في أيّامِ يشوعَ.
8 واللاَّويُّونَ: يشوعُ وبنُّويُ وقَدميئيلُ وشَرَبْيا ويَهوذا ومَتَّنْيا الّذي كانَ يَتَولَّى التَّهليلَ بِـحَمدٍ للهِ وأنسباؤُهُ 9 وبَقبقْيا وعُنِّي اللَّذانِ وقَفا مُقابِلَهُم في الحِراسةِ. 10 ويشوعُ رئيسُ الكَهنَةِ ولَدَ يُوياقيمَ ويُوياقيمُ ولَدَ ألياشيـبَ وألياشيـبُ ولَدَ يُوياداعَ 11 ويُوياداعُ ولَدَ يوناثانَ ويُوناثانُ ولَدَ يدُّوعَ.
رؤساء عشائر الكهنة
12 وفي أيّامِ يُوياقيمَ كانَ هؤلاءِ الكهَنةُ رؤساءَ عشائِرِهِم: لعشيرةِ سَرايا مَرايا، وليَرْميا حَنَنْيا، 13 ولِعَزْرا مشُلامُ، ولأمَرْيا يهوحانانُ، 14 ولمَليكو يوناثانُ، ولشَبْنيا يوسُفُ، 15 ولِحَريمَ عَدْنا، ولمَرايوثَ حَلْقايُ، 16 ولعِدُّو زكريَّا، ولحِنُّثونَ مَشُلامُ، 17 ولأبـيَّا زِكْري، ولمِنْيامينَ ومُوعِديا فِلْطايُ، 18 ولِبلْجةَ شَمُّوعُ، ولِشَمَعْيا يهوناثانُ، 19 وليوياريـبَ مَتْنايُ، وليَدَعْيا عُزِّي، 20 ولِسَلاَّيَ فَلاَّيُ، ولعامُوقَ عابِرُ، 21 ولِحِلْقيَّا حَشَبْيا وليَدَعْيا نثَنَئيلُ.
22 وكانَ رؤساءُ عشائرِ اللاَّويِّينَ في أيّامِ ألياشيـبَ ويُوياداعَ ويُوحانانَ ويَدُّوعَ مُدوَّنينَ في سِفْرِ أخبارِ الأيّامِ، وكذلِكَ الكهَنةُ، في أيّامِ داريوسَ الفارسيِّ. 23 وأمَّا رؤساءُ عشائرِ اللاَّويِّينَ فلم يُدَوَّنوا إلاَّ في أيّامِ يوحانانَ بنِ ألياشيـبَ.
24 وكانَ رؤساءُ اللاَّويِّينَ: حَشَبْيا وشَرَبْيا ويشوعُ بنُ قَدمئيلَ وأنسباؤُهُم فِرْقةً تَتبادلُ الحَمدَ والتَّهليلَ في هَيكلِ اللهِ بِـحسَبِ وصيَّةِ داوُدَ رجلِ اللهِ. 25 وكانَ مَتَّنيا وبَقْبقْيا وعُوبَديا ومَشُلامُ وطَلْمونُ وعَقُّوبُ بوَّابـينَ يتولَّونَ الحِراسةَ عِندَ دهاليزِ الأبوابِ. 26 هؤلاءِ كانوا في أيّامِ يُوياقيمَ بنِ يشوعَ بنِ يُوصاداقَ، وفي أيّامِ نَحَمْيا الحاكمِ، وعزرا الكاهنِ العالِمِ بالشَّريعةِ.
تدشين سور أورشليم
27 فلمَّا دُشِّنَ سُورُ أورُشليمَ دُعي اللاَّويُّونَ مِنْ جميعِ أماكِنِهِم لِلحُضورِ إلى أورُشليمَ ليُدَشِّنوا بالفَرحِ والتَّسبـيحِ والغِناءِ، على أنغامِ الصُّنوجِ والرَّبابِ والقياثيرِ. 28 فاجتَمعَ المُغنُّونَ بَنو لاويّ مِنْ ضواحي أورُشليمَ ومِنْ قُرى النَّطوفيِّينَ 29 ومِنْ بَيتِ الجِلْجالِ وحُقولِ جبَعَ وعَزْموتَ، لأنَّ المُغنِّينَ كانوا بَنوا لهُم قُرىً حَولَ أورُشليمَ. 30 وتَطهَّرَ الكهَنةُ واللاَّويُّونَ بِـحسَبِ الشَّريعةِ وكذلِكَ طَهَّروا الشَّعبَ والأبوابَ والسُّورَ.
31 فأصْعَدتُ أعيانَ يَهوذا على السُّورِ وعَيَّنْتُ فِرْقتينِ عظيمَتَينِ للتَّسبـيحِ للهِ. فسارتِ الأُولى جِهةَ اليمينِ على السُّورِ نحو بابِ الزِّبْلِ. 32 وبَعدَها سارَ هوشَعْيا ونِصفُ زُعماءِ يَهوذا. 33 وعزَرْيا وعزرا ومَشُلامُ 34 ويَهوذا وبَنيامينُ وشمَعْيا وإِرْميا. 35 وسارَ بَنو الكهَنةِ الحامِلونَ الأبواقَ وهُم زكريَّا بنُ يُوناثانَ بنِ شَمَعْيا بنِ مَتَّنْيا بنِ ميخايا بنِ زكُّورَ بنِ آسافَ 36 وأنسِباؤُه شَمَعْيا وعَزَرْئيلُ ومِلَلايُ وجِلَلايُ وماعايُ ونَثَنئيلُ ويَهوذا وحناني، وهُم حاملونَ آلاتِ الألحانِ الّتي أقَرَّها داوُدُ رجُلُ اللهِ، يتَقَدَّمَهُم عزرا العالِمُ بالشَّريعةِ. 37 فصَعِدوا عِندَ بابِ العَينِ الّذي مُقابِلَهُم على دَرَجِ مدينةِ داوُد عِندَ مَطْلعِ السُّورِ، فوقَ بَيتِ داوُدَ، إلى بابِ المياهِ جِهَةَ المَشرقِ. 38 وسارَت فِرْقةُ التَّسبـيحِ الأخرى قُبالَتَهُم، وأنا وَراءَها، ونِصفُ الشَّعبِ على السُّورِ مِنْ عِندِ بُرْجِ التَّنانيرِ إلى السُّورِ العريضِ. 39 ومِنْ فوقِ بابِ أفرايمَ والبابِ العتيقِ وبابِ السَّمَكِ وبُرجِ حَنَنئيلَ وبُرجِ المِئةِ إلى بابِ الغنَمِ، ووقفوا في بابِ السِّجنِ. 40 ووقفت فِرْقتا التَّسبـيحِ في بَيتِ اللهِ، وأنا نِصفُ الزُّعماءِ معي، 41 وكذلِكَ الكهَنةُ ألياقيمُ ومَعْسِيا ومِنْيامينُ وميخايا وألوعينايُ وزكريَّا وحَنَنْيا، وهُم حاملونَ الأبواقَ، 42 ومَعْسِيا وشَمَعْيا وألعازارُ وعُزِّي ويُوحانانُ ومَلْكِيَّا وعيلامُ وعازرُ. وغنَّى المُغنُّونَ بأصواتِهِم يقودُهُم يزرَحْيا. 43 وفي ذلِكَ اليومِ ذبَحوا ذبائِـحَ عظيمةً وفرِحوا لأنَّ اللهَ فَرَّحَهُم فرَحا عظيما، وفرِحَتِ النِّساءُ والأولادُ، وسُمِعَ فرَحُ أورُشليمَ مِنْ مسافةٍ بعيدةٍ.
44 وأُقيمَ في ذلِكَ اليومِ رِجالٌ على الغُرَفِ الّتي تُخزَنُ فيها القرابـينُ والبواكيرُ والعُشورُ، ليجمعوا مِنْ حُقولِ المُدُنِ ما جعَلَتْهُ الشَّريعةُ مِنْ نصيـبِ الكهَنةِ واللاَّويِّينَ، لأنَّ بَني يَهوذا فرِحوا بالكهَنةِ واللاَّويِّينَ القائمينَ بعمَلِهِم 45 في خِدمةِ إلهِهِم ومراسِمِ التَّطهيرِ وتقيَّدَ البوَّابونَ والمُغنُّونَ بما أمرَ بهِ داوُدُ وسليمانُ ابنُهُ. 46 فمِنَ القديمِ مِنْ أيّامِ داوُدَ وآسافَ، تمَّ ترتيـبُ رؤساءِ المُغَنّينَ وأغاني التَّسبـيحِ والاعتراف للهِ. 47 وكانَ جميعُ بَني إِسرائيلَ في أيّامِ زرُبَّابِلَ ونَحَمْيا يُؤدُّونَ ما علَيهِم للمُغنِّينَ والبوَّابـينَ، كُلَّ يومٍ في يَومِهِ. وكانوا يُقدِّمونَ إلى اللاَّويِّينَ عطاياهُمُ المُكَرَّسةَ للرّبِّ، واللاَّويُّونَ يُقدِّمونَ مِنها إلى الكهَنةِ بَني هرونَ.