Nehemiah 12:22-26

The people kept records for many years of the families of the priests and the *Levites. (Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua were the chief priests during these years.) These records were very important. Only the *descendants of Levi, the son of Jacob, could serve as *Levites. Only the *descendants of Aaron, who was a *Levite and the brother of Moses, could serve as priests (Nehemiah 7:63-65).

Some of the *Levites praised and thanked God. This was their special task at the *temple. Centuries before, King David had made rules about the *worship at the *temple. David also wrote many of the Psalms (songs) that these *Levites used to praise God.

Other *Levites took care of the *temple and the equipment for the *temple.

v27 The people had finished the construction of the wall of Jerusalem. So they had a happy occasion. They went to look for the *Levites who were living in the towns. And the people brought the *Levites to Jerusalem. The *Levites were very happy. They sang and they thanked God. They used different types of musical instruments. v28 The families of the singers gathered from the district round Jerusalem. They came from the villages round Netophah. v29 They also came from Beth Gilgal and from the land at Geba and Azmaveth. (The singers had built villages for themselves round Jerusalem.) v30 Then the priests and *Levites carried out a ceremony so that they would be ready to serve God. Then they carried out similar ceremonies on behalf of the people, for the gates, and for the wall.