23. The names of the leaders in Levi's family line up to the time of Johanan were written down. They were written in the official records. Johanan was the son of Eliashib.
24. The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua. Jeshua was the son of Kadmiel. Those who helped them stood across from them to sing praises and give thanks. One group would sing back to the other. That's what David, the man of God, had ordered.
25. Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub stood at the gates of the temple. They guarded the storerooms at the gates.
26. They served in the days of Joiakim. He was the son of Jeshua. Jeshua was the son of Jehozadak. They also served in the days of Nehemiah and Ezra. Nehemiah was governor. Ezra was a priest and a teacher of the law.
27. The wall of Jerusalem was set apart to God. For that occasion, the Levites were gathered together from where they lived. They were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate that happy occasion. They celebrated the fact that the wall was being set apart to God. They did it by singing and giving their thanks to him. They celebrated by playing music on cymbals, harps and lyres.
28. The singers were also brought together. Some of them came in from the area around Jerusalem. Others came from the villages where the people of Netophah lived.
29. Others came from Beth Gilgal. Still others came from the area of Geba and Azmaveth. The singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.
30. The priests and Levites made themselves pure. Then they made the people, the gates and the wall pure and clean.
31. I, Nehemiah, had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also appointed two large choirs to sing and give thanks. I told one of them to walk south on top of the wall. That was toward the Dung Gate.
32. Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them.
33. Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
34. Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah and Jeremiah also followed them.
35. Some priests who had trumpets followed them. So did Zechariah. He was the son of Jonathan. Jonathan was the son of Shemaiah. Shemaiah was the son of Mattaniah. Mattaniah was the son of Micaiah. Micaiah was the son of Zaccur. Zaccur was the son of Asaph.
36. Those who helped Zechariah also marched along. They were Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani. They brought instruments of music with them. That's what David, the man of God, had ordered. Ezra led the group that was marching south. He was a teacher of the law.
37. At the Fountain Gate they continued straight up the steps of the City of David that went up to the wall. Then the group passed above David's house. They continued on to the Water Gate on the east.
38. The second choir went north. I followed them on top of the wall. Half of the people went with me. They went past the Tower of the Ovens. They went to the Broad Wall.