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.
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 alternating with group, according to the command of David the man of God.
These [lived] in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.