Nehemiah 12:1-26

1 These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,
3 Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,
5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. 
 These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua.
8 The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services.
10 Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, 11 Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.
12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families: 
 of Seraiah's family, Meraiah; 
 of Jeremiah's, Hananiah;
13 of Ezra's, Meshullam; 
 of Amariah's, Jehohanan;
14 of Malluk's, Jonathan; 
 of Shekaniah's, Joseph;
15 of Harim's, Adna; 
 of Meremoth's, Helkai;
16 of Iddo's, Zechariah; 
 of Ginnethon's, Meshullam;
17 of Abijah's, Zikri; 
 of Miniamin's and of Moadiah's, Piltai;
18 of Bilgah's, Shammua; 
 of Shemaiah's, Jehonathan;
19 of Joiarib's, Mattenai; 
 of Jedaiah's, Uzzi;
20 of Sallu's, Kallai; 
 of Amok's, Eber;
21 of Hilkiah's, Hashabiah; 
 of Jedaiah's, Nethanel.
22 The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. 24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.
25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. 26 They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.

Questions to consider:

• How does where you live affect your opportunities for service and witness?
• Who comes to dwell in Jerusalem?
• What villages are occupied?
• Who are considered chiefs among the Israelites now?

Possibilities for prayer:

It can get a bit overwhelming to read through all of these names that most of us have a difficult time even figuring out how to pronounce! But it’s kind of cool that Nehemiah takes the time to acknowledge each of these people for their roles and contributions to the city. God has a role for each of us in our city as well. Today, let’s ask God to reveal to us the roles that we have in our city, and the contributions that we can make to its functioning.