THE LISTS OF PRIESTS AND THE FINAL CELEBRATION It is difficult to tell exactly when the wall was dedicated. According to some it was dedicated by the end of the twelve years spent by Nehemiah as the Governor of Judah; while according to others it happened after few months from the time the building of the wall was completed. The rite of the celebration of the dedication was done on three stages: a- Singing praise to God by wo processions of singers b- Reading the law c- Separating the foreigners from the people of God This chapter presents to us a list of the names of the high priests and the Levites who returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua 91- 9), even though it does not cover all them, but only those of prominent names who had an active role, and did their work faithfully and with courage, with the goal to exhort the generations to come to follow suit. Another list (10-11) presents the line of the high priests from Jeshua to Jedaiah, who, according to Josephus the Jewish Historian, was the high priest when Alexander the Great invaded Persia in the year 333 BC. https://coptic-treasures.com/ This does not mean that the book was written at that late time, but those lists were added for the sake of completion. Then comes a list of the priests at the time of Joiakim (12 – 21), and the Levites from the days of Eliashib until those of Darius the third (22 – 26). ……... What came in verse 23 are taken from the records of the temple; while what came in verse 24 refer to 1 Chronicles 16: 4 – 6). Going back to our story: The completion of building the wall was followed successively by reading the law, renewal of the covenant; then the dedication of the wall. The Levites and the singers were brought forth from the surrounding villages (27 – 29); and the people and the wall were purified, probably by scattering the blood of a sacrifice on them. Then two great processions moved, probably from the gate to the south-west from which Nehemiah came out some time before (2: 13 – 15): one procession led by Ezra (31 – 37), and another led by Nehemiah (39 – 39). In most of the route, the two processions were On the top of the wall; then they got together in the courts of the temple (40); where they offered sacrifices, and praised God (41 – 43). That celebration happened only once, but the worship in the temple was to be done every day. Hence the people set some Levites to be responsible to fulfill the needs of the workers in the temple (44 – 46), through the commitment of the people to pay the tithes, and to designate and distribute the portions of the priests, the singers and the gatekeepers. 1- The priests and the Levites in the first return 1 - 9 2- The high priests and the Levites since Joiakim 10 - 26 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3- Nehemiah dedicates the wall 27 - 42 4- God is the secret of their joy 43 – 47 1- THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES IN THE FIRST RETURN: “Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra” (1) Shealtiel; Father of Zerubbabel, as it came here and in Ezra 3: 2, 8; Haggai 1: 1. While in 1 Chronicles he was mentioned as his uncle. Jeshua; the high priest about the year 560 - 590 BC (See Ezra 2: 2; Nehemiah 7: 7; 12: 10, 26). Seraiah; also called Azariah in 1 Chronicles 9: 11. Ezra; certainly different than Ezra who returned 80 years later. “Amariah, Malluch, Hattush” (2) “Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth” (3) “ Iddo, Ginnethoi Abijah” (4) “Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah” (5) “Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah” (6) “Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah” (7) https://coptic-treasures.com/ The succession of the twenty-four priestly houses, probably began in the days of king David; of which twenty-two were mentioned in verses 1 – 7 David set the priests in 24 groups (1 Chronicles 24: 8), each of which submits to the one before it. This system endured until the desolation of the temple by the Romans. “Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who led the thanksgiving psalms, he and his brethren” (8) The thanksgiving was the main role of the singers (Nehemiah 11: 17). The system of thanksgiving followed the ‘Antiphonal’ system; when two choirs, or two divisions of the choir, stand one facing the other (Ezra 3: 11) “Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, stood across from them in their duties” (9). 2- THE HIGH PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES SINCE JOIAKIM: Jeshua begot Joiakim, Joiakim begot Eliashib, Eliashib begot Joiada” (10) “ Joiada begot Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua” (11) We are told by Josephus the Jewish Historian that Alexander the Great came against Jerusalem in a very great army to punish the Jews for their loyalty to https://coptic-treasures.com/ Darius king of Persia, but Joiada the high priest (Nehemiah !2: 11, 22), came out to encounter him, leading a procession of priests and Levites. Seeing them, Alexander was so impressed, on account of that he has previously seen the same scene in a vision, that he felt that it is something coming from God. When the high priest told him about the prophecy of the prophet Daniel, that a Greek King shall destroy the kingdom of Persia, which has been actually realized in the year 322 BC. Alexander the Great became a friend of the Jews, and dealt with them with unusual cordiality………….. This reveals that the Jews have already known the Book , and understood from its prophecies that a Greek kingdom will follow that of Persia. “Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of the fathers’ houses were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah” (12) “ of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan” (13) “ of Melichu,[b] Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph” (14) “of Harim,[d] Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai” (15) “of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshulla” (16) “ of Abijah, Zichri; the son of Minjamin; of Moadiah, Piltai” (17) “of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan” (18) “ of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi” (19) “of Sallai,[h] Kallai; of Amok, Eber” (20) “of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel” (21) https://coptic-treasures.com/ ```` “ During the reign of Darius the Persian, a record was also kept of the Levites and priests who had been heads of their fathers’ houses in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua” (22) Darius the Persians; Either Darius the second (423-404 BC), or Darius the third (335-331 BC), the king defeated by Alexander the Great.. “The sons of Levi, the heads of the fathers’ houses until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib, were written in the book of the chronicles” (23) Probably written in the official Chronicles kept in the temple, including diverse lists and records. Compare the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Persia (Ezra 4: 15; Esther 2: 23; 6: 1; 10: 2); the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel, referred to 18 times in the first and the second books of the kings; and the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah, referred to 15 times in the first and the second books of the kings.. “And the heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers across from them, to praise and give thanks, group alternatin with group, according to the command of David the man of God” (24) https://coptic-treasures.com/ .”Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storerooms of the gates” (25) .”These lived in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak,[i] and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe”. (26) 3- NEHEMIAH DEDICATES THE WALL: “Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps” (27) King Solomon before that, dedicated the temple which he built (1 kings 8) According to some this dedication by Nehemiah happened directly after the building of the wall was completed; while according to others, it happened after setting other new establishments in the city.. Levites were called from all their locations to partake of the dedication, on account of that it was not just meant to commend those who built it on their great performance and effort, but it bore many meanings among which were: a- To give thanks to the Lord who helped all to complete the work despite the persistent opposition of the enemies https://coptic-treasures.com/ b- It was the wall of the city, essentially set upon the presence in its midst, of the unique temple of the Lord at that time in the whole world, to represent the divine presence. c- It was to be a holy religious and royal celebration The cymbals; were used in the religious celebrations (2 Samuel 6: 15; 1 Chronicles 16: 42; 25: 1; 2 Chronicles 5: 12; 29: 25; Ezra 3: 10). The stringed instruments were used as well (1 Samuel 10: 5; 2 Samuel 6: 5; 1 Chronicles 15: 16; 20: 28; Psalm 150: 3). The harps; a stringed instrument with some difference in details. “And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites’ (28) The Netophathites; from Netopha, a city close to Bethlehem. “ from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem” (29) The house of Gilgal; probably Gilgal close to Jericho (Joshua 4: 19-20); or Gilgal of Elijah (2 kings 2: 1), 7 miles North of Bethel. “Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall” (30) The word “purified”, refers to the purification of a person who practiced a certain defilement, to prepare him for worship (Leviticus 22: 4-7). The goal of purification is to reveal the holiness of God, and the commitment to be clean from all sins https://coptic-treasures.com/ before the Lord (Leviticus 16: 30). …………..The purification of the gates and walls, most probably refers to the removal of ruins, then to scatter holy water with the ashes of the burnt offering on them (Leviticus 19: 17). For the same way the priests and the Levites are purified to minister to the Holy God, the walls and the gates as, well, are purified; on account of that they are dedicated to serve the city of the Living Holy God. . “So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate” (31) Two great processions probably set forth from the region of the Valley Gate (2: 13, 15; 3: 13) in the middle of the western division of the wall: The first procession, led by Ezra (36) and Hoshaiah (32), moved anticlockwise on the wall; and the second procession, led by Nehemiah moved clockwise.. The twoprocessions encountered one other between the Prison Gate and the Water Gate; then entered the region of the temple (Psalm 48: 12-13). “ After them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah” (32) “and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam” (33) Ezra here is different from Ezra the scribe (36). ………. Every Choir included 7 priests who blew the trumpets; and Levites who played the other musical instruments. “Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah” (34) https://coptic-treasures.com/ “and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets—Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph” (35) Asaph is the founder of one of the three musical choirs (1 Chronicles 35: 1 2). “and his brethren, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe went before them” (36) “By the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up the stairs of the City of David, on the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David, as far as the Water Gate eastward” (37) The procession turned around the southern end of the walls, then turned northward to the eastward wall to the Water Gate. . “ The other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the Tower of the Ovens as far as the Broad Wall’ (38) The second thanksgiving choir, led by Nehemiah walked in the opposite direction of that led by Ezra, namely, clockwise toward the North, around the north-west divisions of the wall. https://coptic-treasures.com/ “and above the Gate of Ephraim, above the Old Gate, above the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped by the Gate of the Prison” (39). He did not refer to the Gate of Ephraim in the third chapter, for it was in good shape and needed no repair. “ So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, likewise I and the half of the rulers with me” (40) “ and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin,Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets” (41) “also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loudly with Jezrahiah the director” (42). “Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off”.(43) 5- GOD IS THE SECRET OF THEIR JOY: https://coptic-treasures.com/ Everything around them was joyful: a- The assembly of both the religious and the civil leaders with one spirit b- The greatcare of all the priests and the Levites for the celebration c- All men, women, and children partook of the celebration. d- The walls were all set and rebuilt. e- Jerusalem was inhabited with more dwellers. f- There were two processions that included the elites to shout aloud with the spirit of gladness. g- Sacrifices were offered to the Lord. h- Thanksgiving was offered to God Above many things that have shaken the souls of all, the author expressed by saying: “For God made them rejoice with great joy” (32). The secret of their joy was the divine presence, and His exalted work in their life. It was God who initiated the work in Nehemiah’s heart; and who consummated it to the end. It was God who granted them success, and put the opposition of the enemies to no avail It was God who granted them the spirit of unity to work together It was God who sanctified the city, the temple, and the wall. It was God who was the Leader of the hidden procession It was God who was the Wall of the true Jerusalem and its gates; For He protects His people, and brings them forth to His glories + He who looks inside himself to the Lord, and his soul is mixed with His light, will have his heart filled with joy. https://coptic-treasures.com/ (The spiritual elder) + The way the trees would not grow if they are not watered; so is the soul, if it does not receive the heavenly joy, it will not grow. nor ascend up high. ……….It is only the souls that received the Spirit and the heavenly joy, that can soar up high; for to them the secrets of the kingdom of heaven are revealed, while still in the body; found the daring before God in everything; and had all her requests answered. + The soul always grows in this joy, is happy with it, ascends by it up to heaven; and, like the body, it has its spiritual food. (St. Anthony the Great) + As the true joy for the soul is the Creator, it is befitting of man, who forsakes the Lord, and searches for joy inside himself, to remain in eternal sorrow. (Pope Gregory the Great) The secret of their joy was not just for rebuilding the wall; nor for the great processions, and the joyful musical choirs, as much as it was for God Himself “who made them rejoice with great joy” (43) https://coptic-treasures.com/ “ And at the same time some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered” (44) “ Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification, according to the command of David and Solomon his son” (45) .”For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to Go” (46) .”In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day. They also consecrated holy things for the Levites, and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron” (47) ------------------------------------ AN INSPIRATION FROM NEHEMIAH 12 O LORD, YOU ARE THE SECRET OF MY JOY + O My Lord, You are the beginning and the end; You started the work with Nehemiah, walked with him, and reached with him to the perfection of success; https://coptic-treasures.com/ Being his Companion; The hosts of darkness could not destroy him; You gave him grace before both the rich and the poor; O my God, You granted Your people the spirit of unity; You were present among them; Working by and in them to the account of Your kingdom. + You were the Leader, the Overseer, and the hidden Sanctifier; You became for them a Wall of fire to protect them; And the Door to enjoy entering to You. + O my God, You are the secret of my joy; All the walls of the world will eventually be destroyed; And all the doors of the temporal life will eventually close; But You are the Wall of my life; To protect me against the strikes of the enemy; And surround me with Your grace; And perpetually renew my depths. https://coptic-treasures.com/ + You are my perpetual joy; By You I challenge death; By You I reach the bosom of Your Father; By You I enjoy eternity; Glory be to You, O Fountain of every heavenly joy.
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