1 Chronicles 9
The Voice
9 All the tribes of Israel were recorded in the book of the kings of Israel; then Judah was exiled to Babylon for their unfaithfulness to God.
It might seem strange that the Jews’ genealogy continues seamlessly from pre-exilic Judah and Israel to their return home, especially since the generations of people who live in exile are lost from the list. But it is important that those who return, who become known as “Jews” while they are exiled in Babylon, are connected to the Israelites. The Jews are the continuation of God’s covenant, so they should remember the long history of faithful ancestors and use them as examples in building the new Israel.
2 At the end of our exile, the first people who returned to their cities were Israelites, Levites, the priests and the temple servants.
3 Some people from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem: 4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, son of Perez, son of Judah. 5 From the Shilonites were Asaiah (the firstborn) and his sons. 6 From the Zerahites were Jeuel and 690 relatives. 7 From the Benjaminites were Sallu (son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah), 8 Ibneiah (son of Jeroham), Elah (son of Uzzi, son of Michri), Meshullam (son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah), 9 and 956 relatives. All these were leaders of their clans.
10 From the priests were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, 11 Azariah (son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub—the chief officer of the temple), 12 Adaiah (son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah), Maasai (son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer), 13 and their chiefs. These men totaled 1,760 workers in the temple. These were all talented men fit for service in the temple.
14 The Levites who returned included Shemaiah (son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Merari), 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, Mattaniah (son of Mica, son of Zichri, son of Asaph), 16 Obadiah (son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun), and Berechiah (son of Asa, son of Elkanah). They lived among the Netophathites.[a]
17-18 The gatekeepers, who guarded the entrances and performed other daily chores, were Shallum (stationed at the king’s gate in the east), Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. 19 These were the gatekeepers for the congregation tent and monitored activities there (as their fathers had ruled the camp of the Eternal One as keepers of the entrance): Shallum (son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah) and his fellow Korahites. 20 Phinehas (son of Eleazar) ruled them previously, and the Eternal was with him. 21 Zechariah (son of Meshelemiah) was gatekeeper at the entrance of the congregation tent. 22 All the men who were gatekeepers numbered 212. They were recorded in the local genealogies and were chosen by King David and the seer Samuel.
23 They and their sons guarded the gates of the temple and the congregation tent. 24 The gatekeepers were stationed on all sides: to the north, south, east, and west. 25 Their relatives joined the gatekeepers once per week to keep them company. 26 The four chief gatekeepers (who were Levites) had the important task of controlling the chambers and treasuries in the temple. 27 Because guarding was their primary task, they spent their nights watching the temple and opened it each morning. 28 Others were in charge of the vessels of service; the vessels were counted as they were brought into and taken out of the temple. 29 Still others were in charge of the sanctuary’s furniture and utensils, and of the flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices. 30 Some of the sons of the priests mixed these spices. 31 Mattithiah (a Levite and the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite) was responsible for things baked in pans for offerings. 32 Some of their Kohathite relatives baked the unleavened bread used as showbread every sabbath. 33 These are the singers, the chiefs of the Levites during their own generations, who lived in the chambers of the temple in Jerusalem free from other service because they worked day and night. 34 All these men were the chiefs of the Levites during their own generations, and they all lived in Jerusalem.
All priests may be Levites, but not all Levites are priests. Priests are descendants of Aaron, Israel’s first high priest, and perform sacrifices in the temple. Levites who are descendants of the other Levite patriarchs perform all the other duties necessary in the temple; they are elders, custodians, musicians, assistants, handymen, gatekeepers, treasurers, etc. All jobs are equally necessary to the functioning of the temple, so no one of them should be more highly regarded than another. Even the high priest is no more important than the young Levite who sweeps the floor every day.
35 Jeiel (the leader of Gibeon) lived in Gibeon with his wife Maacah. 36 Their firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38 Mikloth fathered Shimeam. These lived with their relatives in Jerusalem, across from their other relatives. 39 Ner fathered Kish, whose son was Saul (father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal). 40 Jonathan’s son was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal’s son was Micah. 41 Micah fathered Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz. 42 Ahaz’s son was Jarah, who fathered Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri fathered Moza, 43 whose lineage descended four generations: Binea, Rephaiah, Eleasah, and Azel. 44 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan.
Footnotes
- 9:16 People from an area about three miles southeast of Bethlehem
1 Chronicles 9
New King James Version
Priests and Levites in Jerusalem
9 So (A)all Israel was [a]recorded by genealogies, and indeed, they were inscribed in the book of the kings of Israel. But Judah was carried away captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. 2 (B)And the first inhabitants who dwelt in their possessions in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and (C)the Nethinim.
Dwellers in Jerusalem
3 Now in (D)Jerusalem the children of Judah dwelt, and some of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh: 4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the descendants of Perez, the son of Judah. 5 Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. 6 Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brethren—six hundred and ninety. 7 Of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; 8 Ibneiah the son of Jeroham; Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri; Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; 9 and their brethren, according to their generations—nine hundred and fifty-six. All these men were heads of a father’s house in their fathers’ houses.
The Priests at Jerusalem
10 (E)Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin; 11 [b]Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the (F)officer over the house of God; 12 Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah; Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 13 and their brethren, heads of their fathers’ houses—one thousand seven hundred and sixty. They were [c]very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
The Levites at Jerusalem
14 Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of (G)Zichri, the son of Asaph; 16 (H)Obadiah the son of (I)Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
The Levite Gatekeepers
17 And the gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brethren. Shallum was the chief. 18 Until then they had been gatekeepers for the camps of the children of Levi at the King’s Gate on the east.
19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, from his father’s house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, [d]gatekeepers of the tabernacle. Their fathers had been keepers of the entrance to the camp of the Lord. 20 And (J)Phinehas the son of Eleazar had been the officer over them in time past; the Lord was with him. 21 (K)Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was [e]keeper of the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
22 All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred and twelve. (L)They were recorded by their genealogy, in their villages. David and Samuel (M)the seer had appointed them to their trusted office. 23 So they and their children were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, the house of the tabernacle, by assignment. 24 The gatekeepers were assigned to the four directions: the east, west, north, and south. 25 And their brethren in their villages had to come with them from time to time (N)for seven days. 26 For in this trusted office were four chief gatekeepers; they were Levites. And they had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 And they lodged all around the house of God because [f]they had the (O)responsibility, and they were in charge of opening it every morning.
Other Levite Responsibilities
28 Now some of them were in charge of the serving vessels, for they brought them in and took them out by count. 29 Some of them were appointed over the furnishings and over all the implements of the sanctuary, and over the (P)fine flour and the wine and the oil and the incense and the spices. 30 And some of the sons of the priests made (Q)the ointment of the spices.
31 Mattithiah of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the trusted office (R)over the things that were baked in the pans. 32 And some of their brethren of the sons of the Kohathites (S)were in charge of preparing the showbread for every Sabbath.
33 These are (T)the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who lodged in the chambers, and were free from other duties; for they were employed in that work day and night. 34 These heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites were heads throughout their generations. They dwelt at Jerusalem.
The Family of King Saul
35 Jeiel the father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was (U)Maacah, dwelt at Gibeon. 36 His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, [g]Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38 And Mikloth begot [h]Shimeam. They also dwelt alongside their relatives in Jerusalem, with their brethren. 39 (V)Ner begot Kish, Kish begot Saul, and Saul begot Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal. 40 The son of Jonathan was Merib-Baal, and Merib-Baal begot Micah. 41 The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, [i]Tahrea, (W)and[j] Ahaz. 42 And Ahaz begot [k]Jarah; Jarah begot Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begot Moza; 43 Moza begot Binea, [l]Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
44 And Azel had six sons whose names were these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan; these were the sons of Azel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 9:1 enrolled
- 1 Chronicles 9:11 Seraiah, Neh. 11:11
- 1 Chronicles 9:13 Lit. mighty men of strength
- 1 Chronicles 9:19 Lit. thresholds
- 1 Chronicles 9:21 gatekeeper
- 1 Chronicles 9:27 the watch was committed to them
- 1 Chronicles 9:37 Zecher, 1 Chr. 8:31
- 1 Chronicles 9:38 Shimeah, 1 Chr. 8:32
- 1 Chronicles 9:41 Tarea, 1 Chr. 8:35
- 1 Chronicles 9:41 So with Arab., Syr., Tg., Vg. (cf. 8:35); MT, LXX omit and Ahaz
- 1 Chronicles 9:42 Jehoaddah, 1 Chr. 8:36
- 1 Chronicles 9:43 Raphah, 1 Chr. 8:37
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
