Nehemiah 12:13-24

Ne 12:13 - Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;


Ne 12:14 - Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;


Ne 12:15 - Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;


Ne 12:16 - Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;


Ne 12:17 - Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;


Ne 12:18  -Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;


Ne 12:19 - And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;


Ne 12:20 - Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;


Ne 12:21 - Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

 

Ne 12:22

The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.

 

Joiada was the fourth High Priest.  These were the principal men among the Levites.  The Darius in view here is Darius Codomannus who was the last Persian king before they were conquered by Alexander.

 

Ne 12:23

The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

 

The book of 1 Chronicles chapter 9 beginning in verse 14 lists the names of the fathers of the Levites however the book of chronicles in view is not available and has probably been destroyed with the other temple records in 70 A.D.  It probably went the way of books like the book of Jasher which was not really an inspired book but was more of a book of records.

 

Ne 12:24

And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

 

Here we transition from the priests to the Levites who were in charge of the singers.  The ward over against ward was the fact that each group was waiting their turn to take part in the daily sacrifice as the singers or choir.  They were placed in divisions and each one would have their opportunity to serve in the temple with song.

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