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Duties of the Gatekeepers

26 These are the divisions of the gatekeepers:

From the Korahites, there was Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the family of Abiasaph.[a] The sons of Meshelemiah were Zechariah (the oldest), Jediael (the second), Zebadiah (the third), Jathniel (the fourth), Elam (the fifth), Jehohanan (the sixth), and Eliehoenai (the seventh).

The sons of Obed-edom, also gatekeepers, were Shemaiah (the oldest), Jehozabad (the second), Joah (the third), Sacar (the fourth), Nethanel (the fifth), Ammiel (the sixth), Issachar (the seventh), and Peullethai (the eighth). God had richly blessed Obed-edom.

Obed-edom’s son Shemaiah had sons with great ability who earned positions of great authority in the clan. Their names were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. Their relatives, Elihu and Semakiah, were also very capable men.

All of these descendants of Obed-edom, including their sons and grandsons—sixty-two of them in all—were very capable men, well qualified for their work.

Meshelemiah’s eighteen sons and relatives were also very capable men.

10 Hosah, of the Merari clan, appointed Shimri as the leader among his sons, though he was not the oldest. 11 His other sons included Hilkiah (the second), Tebaliah (the third), and Zechariah (the fourth). Hosah’s sons and relatives, who served as gatekeepers, numbered thirteen in all.

12 These divisions of the gatekeepers were named for their family leaders, and like the other Levites, they served at the house of the Lord. 13 They were assigned by families for guard duty at the various gates, without regard to age or training, for it was all decided by means of sacred lots.

14 The responsibility for the east gate went to Meshelemiah[b] and his group. The north gate was assigned to his son Zechariah, a man of unusual wisdom. 15 The south gate went to Obed-edom, and his sons were put in charge of the storehouse. 16 Shuppim and Hosah were assigned the west gate and the gateway leading up to the Temple.[c] Guard duties were divided evenly. 17 Six Levites were assigned each day to the east gate, four to the north gate, four to the south gate, and two pairs at the storehouse. 18 Six were assigned each day to the west gate, four to the gateway leading up to the Temple, and two to the courtyard.[d]

19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers from the clans of Korah and Merari.

Treasurers and Other Officials

20 Other Levites, led by Ahijah, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the gifts dedicated to the Lord. 21 From the family of Libni[e] in the clan of Gershon, Jehiel[f] was the leader. 22 The sons of Jehiel, Zetham and his brother Joel, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the Lord.

23 These are the leaders that descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel:

24 From the clan of Amram, Shebuel was a descendant of Gershom son of Moses. He was the chief officer of the treasuries. 25 His relatives through Eliezer were Rehabiah, Jeshaiah, Joram, Zicri, and Shelomoth.

26 Shelomoth and his relatives were in charge of the treasuries containing the gifts that King David, the family leaders, and the generals and captains[g] and other officers of the army had dedicated to the Lord. 27 These men dedicated some of the plunder they had gained in battle to maintain the house of the Lord. 28 Shelomoth[h] and his relatives also cared for the gifts dedicated to the Lord by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah. All the other dedicated gifts were in their care, too.

29 From the clan of Izhar came Kenaniah. He and his sons were given administrative responsibilities[i] over Israel as officials and judges.

30 From the clan of Hebron came Hashabiah. He and his relatives—1,700 capable men—were put in charge of the Israelite lands west of the Jordan River. They were responsible for all matters related to the things of the Lord and the service of the king in that area.

31 Also from the clan of Hebron came Jeriah,[j] who was the leader of the Hebronites according to the genealogical records. (In the fortieth year of David’s reign, a search was made in the records, and capable men from the clan of Hebron were found at Jazer in the land of Gilead.) 32 There were 2,700 capable men among the relatives of Jeriah. King David sent them to the east side of the Jordan River and put them in charge of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They were responsible for all matters related to God and to the king.

Footnotes

  1. 26:1 As in Greek version (see also Exod 6:24); Hebrew reads Asaph.
  2. 26:14 Hebrew Shelemiah, a variant spelling of Meshelemiah; compare 26:2.
  3. 26:16 Or the gate of Shalleketh on the upper road (also in 26:18). The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  4. 26:18 Or the colonnade. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  5. 26:21a Hebrew Ladan, a variant spelling of Libni; compare 6:17.
  6. 26:21b Hebrew Jehieli (also in 26:22), a variant spelling of Jehiel; compare 23:8.
  7. 26:26 Hebrew the commanders of thousands and of hundreds.
  8. 26:28 Hebrew Shelomith, a variant spelling of Shelomoth.
  9. 26:29 Or were given outside work; or were given work away from the Temple area.
  10. 26:31 Hebrew Jerijah, a variant spelling of Jeriah; compare 23:19.

The Korahite Trustees

26 The guild[a] of trustees[b] included, from the descendants of Korah, Kore’s son Meshelemiah from Asaph’s descendants; Meshelemiah’s sons Zechariah, his firstborn, Jediael his second, Zebadiah his third, Jathniel his fourth, Elam his fifth, Jehohanan his sixth, and Eliehoenai his seventh; Obed-edom’s sons Shemaiah, his firstborn, Jehozabad his second, Joah his third, Sachar his fourth, Nethanel his fifth, Ammiel his sixth, Issachar his seventh, and Peullethai his eighth, since God had blessed him.

Furthermore, his son Shemaiah had sons born to him who wielded authority in their ancestral households, since they were mighty men of valor. These sons of Shemaiah included[c] Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers were valiant, able men, Elihu and Semachiah. All of these sons of Obed-edom, along with their sons and brothers, were valiant men, fully qualified for duty—62 descendants[d] of Obed-edom. Meshelemiah had 18 sons and brothers who were valiant men. 10 Hosah, one of Merari’s sons, had these[e] sons: Shimri their chief (though not the firstborn, his father had appointed him chief), 11 Hilkiah his second, Tebaliah his third, and Zechariah his fourth, with a total of 13 sons and brothers of Hosah.

12 With respect to their leaders, these courses of trustees had responsibilities, along with their relatives, regarding ministry within the Temple of the Lord 13 assigned by lottery according to their ancestral households, whether large or small alike, for their gate assignments. 14 The lot for the eastern gate[f] fell to Shelemiah. They also cast lots for his son Zechariah, who was a wise counselor, and his lot indicated the northern gate.[g] 15 Obed-edom’s lot indicated the south gate,[h] and his sons were also allotted responsibility for the storehouse. 16 For Shuppim and Hosah the lot indicated the west at the gate of Shallecheth on the ascending road.

Each guard corresponding to each guard, 17 on the east six descendants of Levi were assigned[i] for each day, on the north four for each day, on the south four for each day (as well as two pairs of guards assigned[j] to the storehouse), 18 and for the colonnade on the west four were assigned at the road and two at the colonnade. 19 These were the ranks of trustees assigned among the descendants of Korah and the sons of Merari.

Oversight of the Treasuries

20 Now with respect to the descendants of Levi, Ahijah was responsible for the treasuries of the Temple of God, including the treasuries containing dedicated gifts. 21 With respect to the descendants of Ladan, the Gershonite descendants pertaining to Ladan, the heads of families pertaining to Ladan the Gershonite, there was Jehieli. 22 The descendants of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel, were responsible for the treasuries of the Temple of the Lord.

23 From the descendants of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel were assigned 24 Shebuel, a descendant of Gershom and a descendant of Moses (as chief officer[k] in charge of the treasuries) 25 and his brothers from Eliezer, including his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zichri, and his son Shelomoth.

26 Shelomoth and his brothers were responsible for all of the treasuries of dedicated gifts given by King David, by the heads of families, by the officers of groups of thousands and groups of hundreds, and by the leading army officers. 27 They dedicated gifts for the maintenance of the Temple of the Lord from spoils of war. 28 Furthermore, everything that Samuel the seer, Kish’s son Saul, Ner’s son Abner, and Zeruiah’s son Joab had dedicated—all of their dedicated gifts—were under the care of Shelomoth and his brothers.

29 From the descendants of Izhar, Chenaniah and his sons were assigned as officers and judges with responsibilities relating to external duties. 30 From the descendants of Hebron, Hashabiah and his relatives—1,700 outstanding men—were assigned oversight of Israel west of the Jordan regarding all of the Lord’s work and services on behalf of the king.

31 From the descendants of Hebron, Jerijah was assigned chief of the descendants of Hebron. During the fortieth year of David’s administration, a search was made by genealogical record, family by family, to find men of great ability, including those found at Jazer in Gilead. 32 King David appointed Jerijah,[l] his relatives, and 2,700 competent men who were each family heads, to oversee the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh regarding everything pertaining to God as well as matters relating to the king.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 26:1 Lit. divisions or courses
  2. 1 Chronicles 26:1 Lit. gatekeepers or porters; i.e. attendants who administered access to the Temple
  3. 1 Chronicles 26:7 The Heb. lacks included
  4. 1 Chronicles 26:8 The Heb. lacks descendants
  5. 1 Chronicles 26:10 The Heb. lacks these
  6. 1 Chronicles 26:14 The Heb. lacks gate
  7. 1 Chronicles 26:14 The Heb. lacks gate
  8. 1 Chronicles 26:15 The Heb. lacks gate
  9. 1 Chronicles 26:17 The Heb. lacks assigned; and so throughout the chapter
  10. 1 Chronicles 26:17 Lit. two and two
  11. 1 Chronicles 26:24 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority
  12. 1 Chronicles 26:32 Lit. him