Bible Commentaries
Nehemiah 12

Verses 1-47

Chapter 12

In chapter 12:

Now these are the priests and the Levites ( Nehemiah 12:1 )

And so it gives the names of those priests and Levites that were serving at the time, and it gives their genealogy in verses Nehemiah 12:10-21. And then it tells the chief of the Levites the priests. So when we get to verse Nehemiah 12:27 of chapter 12,

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all the places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgiving, and with singing, with cymbals, and psalteries, and with harps ( Nehemiah 12:27 ).

And so the time of the dedication of the wall was to be a time of great festivities, a lot of singing, a lot of music, a lot of just excitement and worship as they were dedicating the wall. So gathering the Levites were most of them the musicians among the people, so to gather them together.

And the sons of the singers they gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and the villages; and also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba ( Nehemiah 12:28-29 )

And so forth. And from all over the people gathered. And then he said,

I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and I appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand of the wall toward the dung gate ( Nehemiah 12:31 ):

And those that went down in that direction.

And also that day they offered great sacrifices, they rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: and the wives also of the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off ( Nehemiah 12:43 ).

So a tremendous day dedicating the wall and worshipping God, and just the shout and the joy and the singing was so glorious it was heard for a long distance.

And at that time some were appointed over the chambers of the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields. And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. For in the days of David, Asaph was appointed as the chief singer, to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified the holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron ( Nehemiah 12:44-47 ). "