Stand in the sanctuary and, together with the Levites, represent the family divisions of your countrymen. ¹ 

Then the leaders ¹  of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got ready ²  to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. ³ 

Be careful with them and protect them, until you weigh them out before the leading priests and the Levites and the family leaders of Israel in Jerusalem, ¹  in the storerooms of the temple of the Lord.”

These are the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify ¹  their family connection ²  or their ancestry, ³  as to whether they were really from Israel):

The Lord says, “I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. ¹  Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. ²  Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site. ³ 

He will demolish the sacred pillars in the temple of the sun ¹  in Egypt and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.”’”

Their relatives, listed according to their families, ¹  included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber – seven in all.

The descendants of Ladan, ¹  who were descended from Gershon through Ladan and were leaders of the families of Ladan the Gershonite, included Jehieli ² 

This includes 3,000 talents ¹  of gold from Ophir and 7,000 talents of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings,

They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders. They came to Jerusalem, ¹ 

Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses, jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. ¹  Her time is almost up, ²  her days will not be prolonged. ³ 

Indeed, look! The Lord is giving the command. ¹  He will smash the large house to bits, and the small house into little pieces.

For some of these insinuate themselves ¹  into households and captivate weak women ²  who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions.

And because the midwives feared God, he made ¹  households ²  for them.

You must not kindle a fire ¹  in any of your homes ²  on the Sabbath day.” ³ 

And they were as follows: The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name individually.

Now the leader ¹  of the clan ²  of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.

Now the leader of the clan of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

‘How ¹  beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, and your dwelling places, O Israel!

Josiah also removed all the shrines on the high places in the cities of Samaria. The kings of Israel had made them and angered the Lord. ¹  He did to them what he had done to the high place in Bethel. ²