Nehemiah 12

List of Priests and Levites

1-7 Priests who came with Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: 22 in number.

8-11 Levites, beginning with Jeshua, whose lineage is named and ending with Mattaniah who with his associates was in charge of thanksgiving. Also, Bakbukiah and Unno who stood opposite them. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown have this comment about what this means:

that is, according to some, their stations--the places where they stood when officiating--"ward over against ward" (Nehemiah 12:24); or, according to others, in alternate watches, in course of rotation.

And this comment on why Jeshua’s lineage is specific here, which I found interesting:

This enumeration was of great importance, not only as establishing their individual purity of descent, but because the chronology of the Jews was henceforth to be reckoned, not as formerly by the reigns of their kings, but by the successions of their high priests.

12-21 Heads of ancestral houses in the days of Jeshua’s son Joiakim. Named here are the sons of most of those named in verses 1-7, to show the successions of priests.

22-26 Mentions an existing list that names the ancestral heads in the days of Jeshua’s descendants down to the 6th generation, until the reign of Darius. Then it lists worship leaders and gatekeepers in the days of Nehemiah and Ezra.

Dedication of the City Wall

27-30 All the Levites are brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with singing, cymbals, harps and lyres. Priests and Levites purify themselves, the people, the gates, and the walls.

31-37 Nehemiah brings up leaders and divides them into two companies, one going to the right to the Dung Gate and beyond, some with trumpets, with Ezra in front of them.

38-43 The other company goes to the left, with Nehemiah bringing up the rear.

They offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

Reminds me of the day they laid the foundation of the temple, recorded in Ezra 3:12:

But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy,

Temple Responsibilities

44 Men appointed over stores, contributions, first fruits, and tithes, making sure the Levites received their portions, “for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.” This verse touched me. It’s probably because I’m the wife of a preacher. You’d do what you do anyway, in God’s kingdom, but it’s so much easier when people appreciate it. And, as I think about it, is there any profession or service where this would not be true?

45-47 They performed services the way it was done in the days of David and Solomon. The Levites received their portion from which they in turn gave the “descendants of Aaron” (the priests) their portion. The Old Testament version of the Restoration Movement, restoring worship to the days of the original temples.