28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the qvillages 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 rpurified 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. sOne went to the right hand on the wall ttoward 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 uwith 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 vthe musical winstruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 xBy the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up ythe stairs of the zCity of David, on the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David, as far as athe Water Gate eastward.

38 bThe other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the cTower of the Ovens as far as dthe Broad Wall, 39 eand above the Gate of Ephraim, above fthe Old Gate, above gthe Fish Gate, hthe Tower of Hananel, the Tower of 9the Hundred, as far as ithe Sheep Gate; and they stopped by jthe 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, 1Minjamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers 2sang 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 kafar off.

Temple Responsibilities

44 lAnd at the same time some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the mtithes, 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 3ministered. 45 Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification, naccording to the command of David and Solomon his son. 46 For in the days of David oand 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 peach day. qThey also 4consecrated holy things for the Levites, rand the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron.