ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Nehemiah 12

12:1–26 High Priests and Leading Levites since the Time of Zerubbabel. This section records the priests and Levites from the time of Zerubbabel (c. 538–535 b.c.) to Nehemiah. The aim is to show that the Levitical service continued during a very difficult time in Israel’s history.

Neh. 12:1a Zerubbabel . . . and Jeshua. See note on Ezra 2:2a. Zerubbabel was the first leader of the returning exiles following King Cyrus’s decree in 538 b.c., about a century before Nehemiah. Jeshua the high priest returned with him.

Neh. 12:12–21 Joiakim was high priest after Jeshua (see v. 10), so this list gives the priests in his day, including Ezra (v. 13). heads of fathers’ houses (v. 12). The list proceeds by family names: thus, Meraiah was priest in the (priestly) family of Seraiah.

Neh. 12:22–23 As with the priests, a record of Levites was kept by families.

Neh. 12:22 Darius the Persian is Darius I (522–486 b.c.), king of Persia at the time of Zerubbabel and the building of the temple (see Ezra 4:5; 24; 5:1–17; 6:1–22).

Neh. 12:23 Book of the Chronicles. This is not the biblical book of that name, but simply a record of names, perhaps kept by the priests.

Neh. 12:24–26 This is a similar record (see v. 23) for the time of Joiakim and later (see v. 10). David the man of God. See v. 36; 1 Chron. 25:2; 2 Chron. 8:14 in connection with David’s organizing priests and Levites for temple service. Joiakim was high priest in Ezra’s time (see Neh. 12:12).

12:27–43 Dedication of the Walls. This section describes the Levites’ role at the dedication of the completed city wall. Two great choirs precede the leaders in two companies on the wall, north and south.

Neh. 12:28–29 Levitical singers had settled in villages around Jerusalem near their work. The Netophathites were from Netophah, near Bethlehem. Beth-gilgal is presumably Gilgal, near Jericho (see Josh. 4:19). Geba and Azmaveth were north of Jerusalem.

Neh. 12:30 They had purified themselves, as in readiness for worship (see Ex. 19:10, 14–15; Num. 8:5–7).

Neh. 12:31–40 Two great choirs symbolically enclose the whole city for the dedication. Ezra goes with the southern group, Nehemiah with the northern. Dung Gate (v. 31). See note on 2:13–15. Fountain Gate . . . Water Gate (12:37). See note on 3:26. For details of the wall’s layout, see 2:11–16 and 3:1–32. Both groups continue into the temple area to conclude the ceremony.

Neh. 12:44–13:31 Nehemiah Deals with Problems in the Community. This section records problems that arose in relation to storing contributions for the temple and its personnel. It also describes Nehemiah’s ongoing problems with his people and his opponents.

12:44–47 The Administration of Offerings for the Temple. These verses emphasize that the work of the priests and Levites had been in place since ancient times, and that since the days of Zerubbabel (a century before Nehemiah) they had been duly provided for. On that day. Arrangements for tithes and other offerings are made once again, at the dedication of the wall. portions required by the Law. The Mosaic requirement (Lev. 7:33) applied only to the priests, but here it is widened to include all the Levites.