The Priests and Levites Who Returned

1These are the priestes and Leuites that went vp with Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel: and with Iesua, Saraia, Ieremia, and Esdras, 2Amaria, Malluch, Hattus, 3Sechania, Rehum, Merimoth, 4Iddo, Genthon, Abia, 5Miamin, Madaia, Belga, 6Semaia, Ioiarib, Iedaia, 7Salu, Amok, Helkia, and Iedaia: These were the heades among the priestes and their brethren in the dayes of Iesua.

8The Leuites were these: Iesua, Bennui, Cadmiel, Sarebia, Iuda, and Mathania, whiche was ouer the office of thankesgeuing, he and his brethren. 9Bacbucio, and Hanni, and their brethren, were about them in the watches.

10Iesua begat Ioakim, Ioakim also begat Eliasib, and Eliasib begat Ioiada: 11Ioiada begat Ionathan, and Ionathan begat Iaddua.

12In the dayes of Ioakim were these the chiefe fathers among the priestes: vnder Saraia, Maraia: vnder Ieremi, Hanania: 13Under Esdras, Mesullam: vnder Amaria, Iehoanan: 14Under Milico, Ionathan: vnder Sebania, Ioseph: 15Under Horim, Adna: vnder Maraioth, Helka: 16Under Iddo, Zacharie: vnder Genthon, Mesullam: 17Under Abia, Zichri: vnder Miniamin, and Moadia, Piltat: 18Under Belga, Sammua: vnder Semaia, Iehonathan: 19Under Ioiarib, Mathenai: vnder Iadaia, Uzzi: 20Under Selai, Kellai: vnder Amok, Eber: 21Under Helchia, Hasabia: vnder Iadaia, Nathanael.

22And in the time of Eliasib, Ioiada, Iohanan, and Iadua, were the chiefe fathers among the Leuites & the priestes written, in the raigne of Darius the Persian. 23The children of Leui the principall fathers, were written in the cronicles, vntill the time of Ionathan the sonne of Eliasib. 24And these were the chiefe among the Leuites: Hasabia, Serebia, and Iesua the sonne of Cadmiel, and their brethren in their presence, to geue prayse and thankes, according as Dauid the man of God had ordeyned it, one watch ouer against another. 25Mathania, Bacbukia, Obadia, Mesullam, Talmon, and Accub, were porters in the watch at the thresholdes of the gates. 26These were in the dayes of Ioiakim the sonne of Iesua, the sonne of Iosedec, and in the dayes of Nehemia the captayne, & of the priest Esdras the scribe.

The Dedication of the Wall

27And in the dedication of the wall at Hierusalem they fought the Leuites out of all their places, that they might be brought to Hierusalem, to kepe the dedication and gladnesse with thankesgeuinges, & singing, with cymbales, psalteries, and harpes. 28And the children of the singers gathered them selues together from euery side, out of the playne countrey about Hierusalem, and from the villages of Nethophathi, 29From the house of Gilgal, and out of the countreys of Geba, and Asmaueth: for the singers had buylded them villages round about Hierusalem. 30And the priestes and Leuites were purified, & clensed the people, & the gates, and the wall.

31And I brought the princes of Iuda vpon the wall, and appoynted two great quyers of men to geue thankes, whiche went on the right hande of the wall towarde the doung gate. 32And after them went Hosaia, and halfe of the princes of Iuda, 33And Asaria, Esdras, and Mesullam, 34Iuda, Beniamin, Semeia, & Ieremi, 35And certayne of the priestes children, with trumpettes: namely Zacharie the sonne of Ionathan, the sonne of Semeia, the sonne of Mathania, the sonne of Michaia, the sonne of Zaccur, the sonne of Asaph, 36And his brethren, Semeia, Asarael, Melalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nathanael, and Iuda, and Hanani, with the musicall instrumentes of Dauid the man of God: And Esdras the scribe went before them. 37And beside the wel gate, they went vp ouer against them vpon the steppes of the citie of Dauid at the goyng vp of the wall, beyonde the house of Dauid, vnto the water gate eastwarde.

38The other quyer of them that gaue thankes went ouer against them, and I after them, and the halfe part of the people vpon the wall beyond the fornace gate, vntill the brode wall, 39And beyonde the port of Ephraim, and beyonde the old gate, beyonde the fishe gate, and the towre of Hananeel, & the towre of Mea, euen vnto the sheepe gate and they stoode still in the prison gate. 40And so stoode the two quyers of them that gaue thankes in the house of God, and I, & the halfe of the rulers with me. 41And the priestes, namely Eliakim, Maasia, Miniamin, Michaia, Elionai, Zachari, & Hanania, with trumpettes: 42And Maasia, Semeia, Eleaser, Uzzi, Ichohanan, Melchiah, Elam, & Ezer: And the singers sange loude, hauing Iesrahiah for their ouerfear. 43And the same day they offered great sacrifices, and reioyced: for God had geuen them great gladnesse, so that both the wiues & children were ioyfull, & the mirth of Hierusale was hearde farre of.

Provisions for Temple Worship

44At the same time were the men appoynted ouer the treasure houses, wherin were the heaue offeringes, the firstlinges, and the tythes, that they shoulde gather them out of the fieldes about the cities, to distribute them vnto the priestes and Leuites according to the lawe: for Iuda was glad of the priestes and Leuites that serued. 45And there stoode and wayted vpon the office of their God, whiche is a pure office, both the singers and porters, after the commaundement of Dauid, and of Solomon his sonne: 46For in the time of Dauid and Asaph, of olde were the chiefe singers founded & the songes of prayse and thankesgeuing vnto God. 47In the time of Zorobabel and Nehemia, did all they of Israel geue portions vnto the singers and porters euery day his portion: and they gaue tythes vnto the Leuites, & the Leuites gaue tythes againe vnto the children of Aaron.