Nehemiah 12:38
And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall; And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;
Nehemiah 12:38 belongs to the great thanksgiving day for the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem restored under Nehemiah after the return from the Babylonian captivity, marking the restoration and the successful completion of the work despite opposition. Before the procession the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, together with the gates and the wall. The verse describes the second thanksgiving company moving along the top of the wall, with Nehemiah following behind it and half of the people on the wall, going from beyond the Tower of the Furnaces even unto the Broad Wall.
Two great processions of princes, priests, singers, and people went up on the wall at opposite points and marched on top of the wall toward each other until they met and joined into one continuous procession around the whole city. The dedication was kept with gladness, with thanksgiving, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. The united companies then stood still together to give thanks with loud singing under the direction of Jezrahiah.
On that day great sacrifices were offered, and there was great rejoicing because God had made them rejoice, with the wives and the children joining, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. Sacrifices and offerings are almost inseparably connected with thanksgiving, so that material giving is the really practical feature of thanksgiving. The example of the people at Jerusalem in this therefore gives a basis for a thanksgiving program.