2. Seraiah. The 21 names following those of Nehemiah and his secretary are designated as “priests” ( 8). Among these, the high priestly house of Seraiah had, appropriately, precedence. Of all the 21 names, 15 occur in 12:2-7 as leading priests who came up with Jeshua and Zerubbabel from Babylon, and in 12:12-21 as heads of priestly houses. Hence it is obvious these 21 men who signed the agreement did so as heads of their respective families and courses (see on Neh. 12; Luke 1:5).