Nehemiah 12:1-12

Ne 12:1

Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

Now we come to the listing of those Levites and priests who came up with Zerubbabel the first return to the land about 516 B.C. to build the temple.  This would be about 75 years prior to the return of Nehemiah to rebuild the walls.  The Jeremiah mentioned here would not have been the prophet Jeremiah because he would not have lived that long.  It would be the same as with Ezra, because he would have lived to be a very old man and probably would have not been able to climb that high wooden pulpit and bellow forth the word of God.

Ne 12:2

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah, (Nehemiah 10:3)

Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, (Nehemiah 10:4)

Ne 12:3

Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, (Nehemiah 10:5)

Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this; (Nehemiah 7:7)

Ne 12:4

Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, (Zechariah 1:1)

Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, (Nehemiah 10:6)

Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, (Nehemiah 10:7)

Ne 12:5

Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; (Nehemiah 12:17)

Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests. (Nehemiah 10:8)

Ne 12:6

Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin, (1 Chronicles 9:10)

Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests. (Nehemiah 10:8)

Ne 12:7

Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

There were 24 courses of the High Priests which were listed from verse 1 to 7.  The 24 courses were established by David.  The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. (1 Chronicles 24:18)

Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; (Nehemiah 12:20)

Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. (Ezra 3:2)

Ne 12:8

Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

These were the ones who were the song directors in the temple and they were in charge of the singers which especially performed at the time of the daily sacrifice and sang the song of thanksgiving.

Ne 12:9

Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.

And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (1 Chronicles 23:6)  The Levites were divided into 24 wards and stood against each other for the purpose of waiting their turn to perform the duties of the sanctuary.

Ne 12:10

And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,

The listings of the High Priests afforded time frames since things were simply discussed as “something in the days of a certain High Priest.”  Just like in the days of Caiaphas Jesus was crucified. 

Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel. (Nehemiah 3:1)

These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe. (Nehemiah 12:26)

And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. (Nehemiah 13:28)

Ne 12:11

And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.

It is believed that Jaddua was Jaddus the High priest who went to visit Alexander the Great when he had desired to invade Jerusalem, instead after his meeting with Jaddus, he changed his plans and looked favorably upon the Jews.

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. (Nehemiah 12:22)

Ne 12:12

And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;