Nehemiah dedicated the wall

27 When we dedicated the wall around Jerusalem, we summoned the descendants of Levi who help the priests from the nearby places where they were living. We asked them to join with us to celebrate when we dedicated the wall. We wanted them to sing songs to thank Yahweh and make music by playing cymbals and harps and other stringed instruments. 28 We summoned the descendants of Levi who habitually sang together. They came to Jerusalem from nearby areas where they had settled, and from places around Netophah town southeast of Jerusalem, 29 and from three places northeast of Jerusalem—Beth Gilgal city and the areas around Geba and Azmaveth. Those singers had built villages to live in near Jerusalem.

30 When they came to Jerusalem, the priests and other descendants of Levi who help the priests performed rituals to cause themselves to be acceptable to God, and then they performed similar rituals to purify the other people, the gates, and the wall. 31 Then I gathered together the leaders of Judah on top of the wall, and I appointed them to lead two large groups to march around the city on top of the wall, thanking God. As they faced the city, one group walked to the right toward the Dung Gate. 32 Behind their leaders marched Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah. 33-35 33-35Behind them marched a group of priests who were blowing trumpets. They were Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah. Next came Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, a descendant of Asaph. 36 Behind them marched other members of Zechariah’s clan: Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani. They all were playing the same kinds of musical instruments that King David had played many years previously. Ezra, the man who knew the Jewish laws very well, marched in front of this group. 37 When they reached the Fountain Gate, they went up the steps to David’s City, past his palace, and then to the wall at the Water Gate, on the east side of the city.

38 The other group of those who were thanking Yahweh marched to the left on top of the wall. I followed them with half of the people. We marched past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall. 39 From there we marched past Ephraim Gate, Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of the Hundred Soldiers, to the Sheep Gate. We finished marching near the gate into the temple. 40 Both the groups reached the temple while they were thanking God. They stood in their places there. The leaders who were with me also stood with me in our places.

41 My group included these priests who were all blowing trumpets: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, 42 another Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers, whose leader was Jezrahiah, sang loudly. 43 After we went outside the temple, we offered many sacrifices. We men all rejoiced because God had caused us to be very happy. The women and the children also rejoiced. People far away could hear the noise that we made there in Jerusalem.