These {are} now the chief of their fathers, and {this is} the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.

And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished {it}, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. {commandment: Chaldee, decree}

And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, {that} wine {was} before him: and I took up the wine, and gave {it} unto the king. Now I had not been {beforetime} sad in his presence.

Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:

And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

And these {are they} whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.

The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.

Now this {is} the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, {even} a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four. {Hodaviah: also called, Judah or Hodevah}

And the porters {were}, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum {was} the chief;

And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. {abode: or, pitched}

Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

These {are} now the chief of their fathers, and {this is} the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.

Moreover four thousand {were} porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, {said David}, to praise {therewith}.

All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, {were} three hundred ninety and two.

And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, {and} to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. {I told...: Heb. I put words in their mouth}

And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, {that} wine {was} before him: and I took up the wine, and gave {it} unto the king. Now I had not been {beforetime} sad in his presence.