Bilingual reading

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

Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

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

Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving songs, he and his brothers.

Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were close to them according to their offices.

Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada,

and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua.

In the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ households: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers’ households; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.

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

The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers close to them, to praise and give thanks according to the commandment of David the man of God, section next to section.

Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storehouses of the gates.

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 and scribe.

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to keep the dedication with gladness, both with giving thanks and with singing, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and with harps.

The sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites;

also from Beth Gilgal and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.

The priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Then I brought the princes of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two great companies who gave thanks and went in procession. One went on the right hand on the wall toward the dung gate;

and after them went Hoshaiah, with half of the princes of Judah,

and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph;

and his brothers, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.

By the spring gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of David’s city, at the ascent of the wall, above David’s house, even to the water gate eastward.

The other company of those who gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people on the wall above the tower of the furnaces, even to the wide wall,

and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even to the sheep gate; and they stood still in the gate of the guard.

So the two companies of those who gave thanks in God’s house stood, and I and the half of the rulers with me;

and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

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

On that day, men were appointed over the rooms for the treasures, for the wave offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them according to the fields of the cities the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who served.

They performed the duty of their God and the duty of the purification, and so did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son.

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

All Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the gatekeepers, as every day required; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

وهٰؤلاءِ الكَهَنَةُ واللَّاوِيُّونَ الَّذينَ صَعِدوا مع زَرُبَّابَلَ بنِ شأَلْتيئيل ويَشوع: سَرايا وإِرمِيا وعَزْرا

وأَمَرْيا ومَلُّوكُ وحَطُّوشُ

وشَكَنْيا ورَحومُ ومَريموتُ

وَعِدُّو وَجِنْتُويُ وَأَبِيَّا،

وَمِيَّامِينُ وَمَعَدْيَا وَبَلْجَةُ،

وَشَمَعْيَا وَيُويَارِيبُ وَيَدَعْيَا،

وسَلُّو وعاموقُ وحِلقِيَّا ويَدَعْيا. هٰؤُلاءِ رُؤَساءُ الكَهَنَةِ وإِخوَتُهم في أَيَّامِ يَشوع

واللَّاوِيُّون: يَشوعُ وبِنُّوِي وقَدْميئيلُ وشَرَبْيا ويَهوذا ومَتَّنْيا الَّذي كانَ على التَّسْبيح، هو وإِخوَتُه

وبَقْبُقْيا وعُنِّي، مع أَنَّهما أَخَواهم، كانا تَحتَ تَصَرُّفِهم لِلحِراسة

وَيَشُوعُ وَلَدَ يُويَاقِيمَ، وَيُويَاقِيمُ وَلَدَ أَلِيَاشِيبَ، وَأَلِيَاشِيبُ وَلَدَ يُويَادَاعَ،

ويوياداعُ وَلَدَ يوناتان، ويوناتانُ وَلَدَ يَدُّوع

وفي أَيَّامِ يوياقيم، كانَ الكَهَنَةُ رُؤَساءُ الآباءِ لِسرايا: مَرايا، ولإِرمِيا: حَنَنْيا

ولِعَزْرا: مَشُلَّام، ولِأَمَرْيا: يوحانان

ولِمَليكو: يوناتان، ولِشَبَنْيا: يوسُف

ولِحاريم: عَدْنا، ولِمَرايوت: حَلْقاي

ولِعِدُّو: زَكَرِيَّا، ولِجِنَّتون: مَشُلَّام

ولِأَبِيَّا: زِكْري، ولِمِنْيامين… ولِموعَدْيا: فِلْطاي

ولِبِلْجَة: شَمُّوع، ولِشَمَعْيا: يوناتان

وَلِيُويَارِيبَ مَتْنَايُ، وَلِيَدَعْيَا عُزِّي،

وَلِسَلاَّيَ قَلاَّيُ، وَلِعَامُوقَ عَابِرُ،

ولِحِلِقِيَّا: حَشَبْيا، ولِيَدَعْيا: نَتَنائيل

وكانَ اللَّاوِيُّونَ، في أَيَّامِ أَلْياشيبَ ويوياداعَ ويوحانانَ ويَدّوع، مُسَجَّلينَ رُؤَساءَ آباءَ، وكذٰلك الكَهَنَةُ في عَهدِ دارِيوسَ الفارِسِيّ

وأَمَّا بَنو لاوي، رُؤَساءُ الآباء، فكانوا مُسَجَّلينَ في سِفرِ أَخْبارِ الأَيَّامِ إِلى أَيَّامِ يوحانانَ بنِ أَلْياشيب

وكانَ رُؤَساءُ اللَّاوِيِّين: حَشَبْيا وشَرَبْيا ويَشوعُ بنُ قَدْميئيل وإِخوَتُهمُ الَّذينَ بإِزائهم لِلحَمدِ والتَّسْبيح، وَفقًا لِأَمرِ داوُد، رَجُلِ الله، فِرقَةً قُبالَةَ فِرقَة

وكانَ مَتَّنْيا وبَقْبُقْيا وعوبَدْيا ومَشُلَّامُ وطَلْمونُ وعَقُّوبُ بَوَّابينَ يَتَوَلَّونَ حِراسَةَ الخَزائِنِ عِندَ الأَبْواب

هٰؤُلاءِ كانوا في أَيَّامِ يوياقيمَ بنِ يَشوعَ بنِ يوصاداقَ وأَيَّامِ نَحَمْيا الوالي وعَزْرا الكاهِنِ الكاتِب

فلَمَّا دُشِّنَ سورُ أُورَشَليم، طُلِبَ اللَّاوِيُّونَ مِن جَميعِ أَماكِنِهم أُن يَحضُروا إِلى أُورَشَليم، لِيُدَشِّنوا بِالفَرَحِ والحَمدِ والغِناءِ بِالصُّنوجِ والعيدانِ والكِنَّارات

فٱجتَمَعَ بَنو المُغَنِّينَ مِن المِنطَقَةِ المُحيطَةِ بِأُورَشَليمَ ومِن قُرى النَّطوفِيِّين

وبَيتِ الجِلْجالِ وحُقولِ جَبْعَ وعَزْموت، لِأَنَّ المُغَنِّينَ كانوا قد بَنَوا لِأَنفُسِهم قُرًى حَولَ أُورَشَليم

وَتَطَهَّرَ الْكَهَنَةُ وَاللاَّوِيُّونَ، وَطَهَّرُوا الشَّعْبَ وَالأَبْوَابَ وَالسُّورَ.

فأَصعَدتُ رُؤَساءَ يَهوذا على السُّور، وعَيَّنتُ جَوقَتَينِ عظيمَتَين. فسارَتِ الجَوقَةُ الأُولى جِهَةَ اليَمينِ على السُّورِ نَحوَ بابِ الزِّبْل

وبَعدَها سارَ هوشَعْيا ونِصْفُ رُؤَساءِ يَهوذا

وَعَزَرْيَا وَعَزْرَا وَمَشُلاَّمُ،

ويَهوذا وبَنْيامينُ وَشَمَعْيا وإِرمِيا

ومِن بَني الكَهَنَةِ بِالأَبْواق: زَكَرِيَّا بنُ يوناتانَ بنِ شَمَعْيا بنِ مَتَّنْيا بنِ ميخا بنِ زَكُّورِ بنِ آساف

وإِخوَتُه: شَمَعْيا وعَزَرْئيلُ ومَلَلايُ وجِلَلايُ ومَعايُ ونَتَنائيلُ ويَهوذا وحَناني بِآلاتِ طَرَبِ داوُد، رَجُلِ الله، وعَزْرا الكاتِبُ قُدَّامَهم

فصَعِدوا عِندَ بابِ العَينِ الَّذي مُقابِلَهم على دَرَجِ مَدينَةِ داوُدُ، عِندَ مَطلَعِ السُّور، فَوقَ بَيتِ داوُد، إِلى بابِ المِياه، جِهَةَ المَشرِق

وسارَتِ الجَوقَةُ الأُخْرى قُبالَتَهم، وأَنا وَراءَها ونِصفُ الشَّعبِ على السُّور، مِن فَوقِ بُرجِ التَّنانير، إِلى السُّورِ العَريض

ومِن فَوقِ بابِ أَفْرائيمَ والبابِ العَتيقِ وبابِ السَّمَكِ وبُرجِ حَنَنْئيلُ وبُرجِ المِئَةِ إِلى بابِ الغَنَم، ووَقَفوا في بابِ الحَرَس

ووَقَفَتِ الجَوقَتانِ في بَيتِ الله، وأَنا ونِصفُ الرُّؤَساءِ معي

والكَهَنَةُ أَلْياقيمُ ومَعَسْيا ومِنْيامينُ وميخا وأَلْيوعاني وزَكَرِيَّا وحَنَنْيا بِالأَبْواق

ومَعَسْيا وشَمَعْيا وأَلِعازارُ وعُزِّي ويوحانانُ ومَلِكيَّا وعَيْلامُ وعازَرُ، وأَشادَ المُغَنُّونَ بِأَصْواتِهم بِتَوجيهِ يِزْرَحْيا

وفي ذٰلك اليَوم، ذَبَحوا ذَبائِحَ عَظيمة، وفرحوا، لِأَنَّ اللهَ فَرَّحَهم فَرَحًا عَظيمًا، وفَرِحَتِ النِّساءُ والأَولاد، وسُمِعَ فَرَحُ أُورَشَليمَ مِن بَعيد

وأُقيمَ في ذٰلك اليَومِ رِجالٌ على غُرَفِ الخَزينَةِ وعلى التَّقادِمِ والبَواكيرِ والعُشور، لِيَجمَعوا مِن حُقولِ المُدُنِ حِصَصَ الشَّريعَةِ للكَهَنَةِ واللَّاوِيِّين، لِأَنَّ بَني يَهوذا فَرِحوا بِالكَهَنَةِ واللَّاوِيِّينَ القائمينَ بِخِدمَتِهم

وقامَ المُغَنُّونَ والبَوَّابونَ بِخِدمَةِ إِلٰهِهم وخِدمَةِ التَّطْهير، على حَسَبِ أَمرِ داوُدَ وسُلَيْمانَ ٱبنِه

لِأَنَّه مِن أَيَّامِ داوُدَ وآساف، مِن القِدَم، كانَ رَئيسُ مُغَنِّينَ وأَغانِيُّ تَسْبيحٍ وحَمدٍ لله

وكانَ كُلُّ إِسْرائيلَ، في أَيَّامِ زَرُبَّابَلَ ونَحَمْيا، يُؤَدِّي حِصَصَ المُغَنِّينَ والبَوَّابين، أَمرَ كُلِّ يَومٍ في يَومِه. وكانوا يُعْطونَ التَّقادِمَ المُقَدَّسَةَ لِلَّاوِيِّين، وكانَ اللَّاوِيُّونَ يُعْطونَها لِبَني هارون