Wall of Jerusalem Celebration

This is a record of the Levites and priests that returned to Jerusalem. Their leaders appeared to be Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Several of the heads of the priests and Levites were also mentioned, as well as the descendants of Jeshua.

Another account mentioned here is the dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem. The priests and Levites were organized as were the singers and choir for the ceremony. The leaders in this ceremony were also mentioned including the singers and the musicians. Offerings were also collected and they were distributed to the priests, Levites as well as the singers and gatekeepers. The ceremony included lots of thanksgiving, praising and music.



Nehemiah 12

The Priests and Levites

 1 Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi,[a] Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah.
These were the heads of the priests and their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
8 Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who led the thanksgiving psalms, he and his brethren. 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, stood across from them in their duties.
10 Jeshua begot Joiakim, Joiakim begot Eliashib, Eliashib begot Joiada, 11 Joiada begot Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua.
12 Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of the fathers’ houses were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Melichu,[b] Jonathan; of Shebaniah,[c] Joseph; 15 of Harim,[d] Adna; of Meraioth,[e] Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; the son of Minjamin;[f] of Moadiah,[g] Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai,[h] Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22 During the reign of Darius the Persian, a record was also kept of the Levites and priests who had been heads of their fathers’ houses in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua. 23 The sons of Levi, the heads of the fathers’ houses until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib, were written in the book of the chronicles.
24 And the heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers across from them, to praise and give thanks, group alternating with group, according to the command of David the man of God. 25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storerooms of the gates. 26 These lived in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak,[i] and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.

Nehemiah Dedicates the Wall
 
27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem. 30 Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
31 So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate. 32 After them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets—Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 36 and his brethren, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 By the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up the stairs of the City of David, on the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David, as far as the Water Gate eastward.
38 The other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the Tower of the Ovens as far as the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, above the Old Gate, above the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped by the Gate of the Prison.
40 So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, likewise I and the half of the rulers with me; 41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin,[j] Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, JehohananMalchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loudly with Jezrahiah the director.
43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

Temple Responsibilities
 
44 And at the same time some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered. 45 Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification, according to the command of David and Solomon his son. 46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day. They also consecrated holy things for the Levites, and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron.

Hezekiah Restores Temple and Worship of the LORD

After the abomination of his father, Hezekiah became king of Judah and restored much in the worshipping of the LORD. He was among the kings of Judah who did right in the eyes of the LORD. He restored the Temple by reinstating the Levites and commanded them to clear all the unholy things placed in the Temple. Hezekiah renewed the covenant with God, and instructed the Levites to carry out their assigned duties in serving in the Temple. Even before they started their duties, the Levites sanctified themselves, as according the the instructions from God since Moses's time.

Once the Temple was cleanse, Hezekiah led the leaders of Judah and the people to a revival in their covenant walk with the LORD. The ceremony for the restoration of the Temple started off with the offerings, followed by much music worship. They also sang songs written by David. The extraordinary worship and offerings on that day continued and there were so much offerings that the Levites had to help the priests skin them. This was a picture of marvelous return to service and worship of the LORD by the nation of Judah.


2 Chronicles 29

Hezekiah Reigns in Judah

 1 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah[a] the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.

Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple
 
3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. 4 Then he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square, 5 and said to them: “Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place. 6 For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the LORD our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs on Him. 7 They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore the wrath of the LORD fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has given them up to trouble, to desolation, and to jeering, as you see with your eyes. 9 For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.
10 “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.”
12 Then these Levites arose: Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.
15 And they gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. 16 Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of the LORD to the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it out and carried it to the Brook Kidron.
17 Now they began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD. So they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.
18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offerings with all its articles, and the table of the showbread with all its articles. 19 Moreover all the articles which King Ahaz in his reign had cast aside in his transgression we have prepared and sanctified; and there they are, before the altar of the LORD.”

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship
 

25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the LORD by His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 And when they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped. 30 Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.
31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD.” So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32 And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33 The consecrated things were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests. 35 Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering.
So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly.

David's Musicians

This chapter chronicles the assignment of musical roles in what may be one of the earliest military bands. David himself was a skillful musician since his early age, a gift from God that led to his appointment as the personal musician for King Saul. And in David's kingdom, music had a very important role as part of the worship of God. The musicians were divided under Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun who led their sons in various instruments; including cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps. King David himself may have directed Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. The orchestra for the LORD, had a total of 281 people.

Many names of individuals associated with the orchestra is given in this chapter. These individuals mostly appear in this chapter of Scripture and nowhere else. The book of Chronicles 1,2 is fixed in size and only selected topics are included. This inclusion of this chapter indicates the importance of music in the ministry of God.


1 Chronicles 25

The Musicians

 1 Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah;[a] the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king. 3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri,[b] Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six,[c] under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the LORD. 4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel,[d] Shebuel,[e] Jerimoth,[f] Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to exalt his horn.[g] For God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6 All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the authority of the king. 7 So the number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the LORD, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.
8 And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, the teacher with the student.
9 Now the first lot for Asaph came out for Joseph; the second for Gedaliah, him with his brethren and sons, twelve; 10 the third for Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 11 the fourth for Jizri,[h] his sons and his brethren, twelve; 12 the fifth for Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 13 the sixth for Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 14 the seventh for Jesharelah,[i] his sons and his brethren, twelve; 15 the eighth for Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 16 the ninth for Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 17 the tenth for Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 18 the eleventh for Azarel,[j] his sons and his brethren, twelve; 19 the twelfth for Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 20 the thirteenth for Shubael,[k] his sons and his brethren, twelve; 21 the fourteenth for Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 22 the fifteenth for Jeremoth,[l] his sons and his brethren, twelve; 23 the sixteenth for Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 24 the seventeenth for Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 25 the eighteenth for Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 26 the nineteenth for Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 27 the twentieth for Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 28 the twenty-first for Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 29 the twenty-second for Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 30 the twenty-third for Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 31 the twenty-fourth for Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.

David’s Song of Thanksgiving

Again the focus is on the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, highlighting the importance of this.
When the Ark was brought to Jerusalem, it was placed in the tabernacle which David built. David then led the worship by giving burnt offerings and peace offerings. He blessed he people, and reappointed the institution of the Levites to minister before the Ark.

The chief of the Levites was Asaph, followed by Zechariah and so on. David wrote a psalm and handed it to Asaph to thank the LORD. David's psalm is given below, no other words can describe David's praise of God, so have a read below.


1 Chronicles 16

The Ark Placed in the Tabernacle

 1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. 3 Then he distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins.
4 And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God.

David’s Song of Thanksgiving
 
7 On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the LORD:
 8 Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
      Call upon His name;
      Make known His deeds among the peoples!

 9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
      Talk of all His wondrous works!

 10 Glory in His holy name;
      Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

 11 Seek the LORD and His strength;
      Seek His face evermore!

 12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
      His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,

 13 O seed of Israel His servant,
      You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

 14 He is the LORD our God;
      His judgments are in all the earth.

 15 Remember His covenant forever,
      The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

 16 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
      And His oath to Isaac,

 17 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
      To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

 18 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
      As the allotment of your inheritance,”

 19 When you were few in number,
      Indeed very few, and strangers in it.

 20 When they went from one nation to another,
      And from one kingdom to another people,

 21 He permitted no man to do them wrong;
      Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,

 22 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,
      And do My prophets no harm.”[a]

 23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
      Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

 24 Declare His glory among the nations,
      His wonders among all peoples.

 25 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;
      He is also to be feared above all gods.

 26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
      But the LORD made the heavens.

 27 Honor and majesty are before Him;
      Strength and gladness are in His place.

 28 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
      Give to the LORD glory and strength.

 29 Give to the LORD the glory due His name;
      Bring an offering, and come before Him.
      Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

 30 Tremble before Him, all the earth.
      The world also is firmly established,
      It shall not be moved.

 31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
      And let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”

 32 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
      Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.

 33 Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the LORD,
      For He is coming to judge the earth.[b]

 34 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
      For His mercy endures forever.[c]

 35 And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation;
      Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles,
      To give thanks to Your holy name,
      To triumph in Your praise.”

 36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel
      From everlasting to everlasting![d]

   And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD.

Regular Worship Maintained
 
37 So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark regularly, as every day’s work required; 38 and Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brethren, including Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers; 39 and Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place that was at GibeonHeman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because His mercy endures forever; 42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, to sound aloud with trumpets and cymbals and the musical instruments of God. Now the sons of Jeduthun were gatekeepers.
43 Then all the people departed, every man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.