Original Word: תַּהֲלֻכָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: tahalukah
Pronunciation: tah-hah-loo-KAH
Phonetic Spelling: (tah-hal-oo-kaw')
KJV: X went
NASB: proceeding
Word Origin: [from H1980 (הָלַך - go)]

1. a procession

folly

From halak; a procession -- X went.

see HEBREW halak

Word Origin
from halak
Definition
procession
NASB Translation
proceeding (1).

[תַּהֲלוּכָה] noun feminine procession, only plural תַּהֲלֻכֹת Nehemiah 12:31 of thanksgiving-processions at dedication of wall.

Definition and Conceptual Scope

תַּהֲלֻכָה (tahalukhah) denotes an ordered, celebratory “procession,” especially a worshipful parade of people moving together in thanksgiving to God. Its scope includes both the physical act of advancing in a line and the spiritual mood of public praise attached to that movement.

Old Testament Occurrence

Nehemiah 12:31 records its lone appearance: “Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs and processions; one went to the right on top of the wall toward the Dung Gate”. The term describes the carefully organized, praise-filled march that dedicated the rebuilt wall of Jerusalem.

Historical and Cultural Background

In the ancient Near Eastern world, triumphal marches were common after military victories or temple renovations. For Israel, however, procession took on a uniquely covenantal character: the people moved together before the LORD, proclaiming His faithfulness rather than their own achievements. Nehemiah’s era (late fifth century BC) had witnessed the return from exile, the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 6), and finally the restoration of Jerusalem’s fortifications. The tahalukhah capped decades of divine mercy by publicly linking civic security with worship.

Theological Significance

1. Corporate Praise: The word underscores thanksgiving as a shared, bodily expression. Israel’s leaders, singers, priests, and people physically aligned themselves in gratitude, embodying Psalm 95:2—“Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving.”
2. Covenant Memory: Marching on the newly completed wall reminded the nation that God had “hedged” them about (Zechariah 2:5). The wall dedication procession served as a living monument to the fulfilled promises of restoration in Jeremiah 29:10–14.
3. Holistic Worship: Nehemiah’s choirs alternated between song and movement, showing that worship involves voice, instrument, and action. Such integration anticipates New Testament calls to present our “bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1).

Liturgical and Devotional Implications

Processions became a staple in later Jewish feast practice (e.g., the water-drawing procession at the Feast of Tabernacles, alluded to in John 7:37). In Christian worship history, Palm Sunday and Easter sunrise marches echo Nehemiah’s paradigm: God’s redeemed community moves in public testimony. Private devotion can likewise become a “procession” when believers order daily routines around praise and thanksgiving.

Christological and Eschatological Foreshadowing

Nehemiah’s tahalukhah prefigures the greater triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9) and ultimately the Lamb-led multitude of Revelation 7:9–10. Earthly processions anticipate the consummate heavenly procession in which all nations unite in an unending parade of worship.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Community Celebrations: Churches may employ prayer walks or neighborhood praise parades to bear witness, mirroring Nehemiah 12’s public gratitude.
• Leadership Modeling: Just as governors, priests, and singers stood together, modern church leaders should visibly join congregants in shared acts of thanksgiving.
• Spiritual Formation: Structuring worship services with movement—such as coming forward for communion or corporate Scripture reading—can reinforce the biblical pattern of embodied praise.

Related Biblical Themes and Cross-References

Psalm 68:24; Psalm 118:27; 2 Samuel 6:14–19; 1 Chronicles 15:25–28; Isaiah 30:29; Matthew 21:8–11; Revelation 7:9–12

וְתַהֲלֻכֹ֤ת ותהלכת vetahaluChot wə·ṯa·hă·lu·ḵōṯ wəṯahăluḵōṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts