Nehemiah 12:27
in Nehemiah 12At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And 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 thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
KJV
And 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 thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
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This verse in Nehemiah 12
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAt the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, etc. The city had already been built for some time, but it was not fitting to dedicate it until inhabitants were gathered, appropriate ministers for the temple were assigned, and guards were appointed for the gates and …
This site's exposition
at the dedication of the wall
on Nehemiah 12:27-30
After twenty-six verses of roster the narrative returns to the dedication of the wall: the Levites are sought out of all their places and the singers gathered from villages built up around Jerusalem, at Netophathi, Beth-Gilgal, Geba and Azmaveth, proof the temple singers had grown into settled towns of their own since the return. The priests and Levites purify themselves before anything else, and only then purify the people, the gates and the wall, cleansing moving outward from the leaders to what they lead. Worship was prepared this way once before, at the altar raised ahead of the temple's foundation in Ezra 3, and the wall now receives the same order.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
They sought out the Levites from all their dwellings, etc. Spiritual Levites, that is, those chosen for the lot of the kingdom, are also sought from all their places, when the Son of Man shall send His angels, and gather His elect from the four …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And they restored it to God by this dedication, withal imploring the presence, and favour, and blessing of to this city by solemn prayers, and praises, and sacrifices, wherewith this dedication was accompanied.
And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The dedication of the wall - The ceremony had been deferred for the space of nearly 12 years Neh 13:6. Perhaps Nehemiah required an express permission from the Persian king before he could venture on a solemnity which might have been liable to misrepresentation. Out of all their places - i. e., out of the various cities of Judah and Benjamin in which they dwelt Neh 11:36.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
It also contained the temple which was hallowed by the manifestation of His presence, and anew set apart to His service. It was on these accounts that Jerusalem was called "the holy city," and by this public and solemn act of religious observance, after a long period of neglect and desecration, it was, as it were, restored to its rightful proprietor.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
At the dedication of the wall - They sent for the Levites from all quarters, that this dedication might be as solemn and majestic as possible; and it is likely that this was done as soon as convenient after the walls were finished. The dedication seems to have consisted in processions of the most eminent persons around the walls, and thanksgivings to God, who had enabled them to bring the work to so happy a conclusion: and no doubt to all this were added a particular consecration of the city to God, and the most earnest invocation that he would take it under his guardian care, and defend it and its inhabitants against all their enemies. The ancients consecrated their cities to the gods, and the very walls were considered as sacred. Ovid gives us an account of the ceremonies used in laying the foundations of the walls of the city of Rome, by Romulus. After having consulted together who should give name to the city, and have the direction of the wall by which it was necessary to surround it, they agreed to let the case be decided by the flight of birds. One brother went to the top of the Mons Palatinus, the other to that of Mount Aventine. Romulus saw twelve birds, Remus saw but six; the former, therefore, according to agreement, took the command. […]
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבַחֲנֻכַּ֞ת | uvachanukat | and at [the] dedication of | H2598 → | |
| חוֹמַ֣ת | chomat | [the] wall of | H2346 → | 133 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| בִּקְשׁ֤וּ | bikshu | people sought | H1245 → | 225 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַלְוִיִּם֙ | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | from all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מְק֣וֹמֹתָ֔ם | mekomotam | places their | H4725 → | 401 times |
| לַהֲבִיאָ֖ם | lahaviam | to bring them | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | lirushalim | to Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| לַעֲשֹׂ֨ת | laasot | to celebrate | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חֲנֻכָּ֤ה | chanukah | dedication | H2598 → | |
| וְשִׂמְחָה֙ | vesimchah | and joy | H8057 → | 94 times |
| וּבְתוֹד֣וֹת | uvetodot | and with thanksgivings | H8426 → | 31 times |
| וּבְשִׁ֔יר | uveshir | and with song | H7892 → | 59 times |
| מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם | metziltayim | cymbals | H4700 → | |
| נְבָלִ֥ים | nevalim | lyres | H5035 → | |
| וּבְכִנֹּרֽוֹת׃ | uvekhinorot | and with harps | H3658 → |
וּבַחֲנֻכַּ֞תand at [the] dedication of
uvachanukatH2598 →
חוֹמַ֣ת[the] wall of
chomatH2346 →133 times
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
בִּקְשׁ֤וּpeople sought
bikshuH1245 →225 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַלְוִיִּם֙the Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
מִכָּל־from all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
מְק֣וֹמֹתָ֔םplaces their
mekomotamH4725 →401 times
לַהֲבִיאָ֖םto bring them
lahaviamH935 →2568 times
לִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑םto Jerusalem
lirushalimH3389 →643 times
לַעֲשֹׂ֨תto celebrate
laasotH6213 →2628 times
חֲנֻכָּ֤הdedication
chanukahH2598 →
וְשִׂמְחָה֙and joy
vesimchahH8057 →94 times
וּבְתוֹד֣וֹתand with thanksgivings
uvetodotH8426 →31 times
וּבְשִׁ֔ירand with song
uveshirH7892 →59 times
מְצִלְתַּ֖יִםcymbals
metziltayimH4700 →
נְבָלִ֥יםlyres
nevalimH5035 →
וּבְכִנֹּרֽוֹת׃and with harps
uvekhinorotH3658 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Chronicles 15:28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 13:8
David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and on harps and lyres, with tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 13:8
Through
2 Chronicles 5:13The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice. They lifted up their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the LORD: “For He…
it leads to
- Ezra 3:11
And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to…
- 2 Chronicles 7:3
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and…
- Jeremiah 33:11
the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those bringing thank offerings into the house of the LORD, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD of…
- Revelation 5:8–14
When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which…
- Isaiah 52:8
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, together they shout for joy. For every eye will see when the LORD returns to Zion.
- Ezra 3:11
Through
2 Chronicles 29:30Then King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the LORD in the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their…
it leads to
- Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
- Psalms 32:11
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
- Philippians 4:4
About Nehemiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.