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The People Who Returned from Captivity

All the people of Israel were listed according to their families, and this information was recorded in The book of the Kings of Israel.

The people of Judah had been deported to Babylon as punishment for their sins. (A)The first to return to their property in the cities included Israelite citizens, priests, Levites, and Temple workers. People from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh went to live in Jerusalem.

4-6 There were 690 families of the tribe of Judah who lived in Jerusalem.

The descendants of Judah's son Perez had as their leader Uthai, the son of Ammihud and grandson of Omri. His other ancestors included Imri and Bani.

The descendants of Judah's son Shelah had as their leader Asaiah, who was the head of his family.

The descendants of Judah's son Zerah had Jeuel as their leader.

7-8 The following members of the tribe of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem:

    Sallu son of Meshullam, who was the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah
    Ibneiah son of Jeroham
    Elah, the son of Uzzi and grandson of Michri
    Meshullam son of Shephatiah, who was the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah

There were 956 families of this tribe living there. All the men named above were heads of families.

The Priests Who Lived in Jerusalem

10-12 The following priests lived in Jerusalem:

    Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin
    Azariah son of Hilkiah (the chief official in the Temple), whose ancestors included Meshullam, Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub
    Adaiah son of Jeroham, whose ancestors included Pashhur and Malchijah
    Maasai son of Adiel, whose ancestors included Jahzerah, Meshullam, Meshillemith, and Immer

13 The priests who were heads of families totaled 1,760. They were experts in all the work carried on in the Temple.

The Levites Who Lived in Jerusalem

14-16 The following Levites lived in Jerusalem:

    Shemaiah son of Hasshub, whose ancestors included Azrikam and Hashabiah, of the clan of Merari
    Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal
    Mattaniah son of Mica, whose ancestors included Zichri and Asaph
    Obadiah son of Shemaiah, whose ancestors included Galal and Jeduthun
    Berechiah, the son of Asa and grandson of Elkanah, who lived in the territory that belonged to the town of Netophah

The Temple Guards Who Lived in Jerusalem

17 The following Temple guards lived in Jerusalem: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, and Ahiman. Shallum was their leader. 18 Down to that time members of their clans had been stationed at the eastern entrance to the King's Gate.[a] Formerly they had stood guard at the gates to the camps of the Levites.

19 Shallum, the son of Kore and grandson of Ebiasaph, together with his fellow members of the clan of Korah, was responsible for guarding the entrance to the Tent of the Lord's presence, just as their ancestors had been when they were in charge of the Lord's camp. 20 Phinehas son of Eleazar—may the Lord be with him!—had supervised them at one time.

21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was also a guard at the entrance to the Tent of the Lord's presence.

22 In all, 212 men were chosen as guards for the entrances and gates. They were registered according to the villages where they lived. It was King David and the prophet Samuel who had put their ancestors in these responsible positions. 23 They and their descendants continued to guard the gates to the Temple. 24 There was a gate facing in each direction, north, south, east, and west, and each had a chief guard. 25 These guards were assisted by their relatives, who lived in the villages and who had to take turns at guard duty for seven days at a time. 26 The four chief guards were Levites and had the final responsibility. They were also responsible for the rooms in the Temple and for the supplies kept there. 27 They lived near the Temple, because it was their duty to guard it and to open the gates every morning.

The Other Levites

28 Other Levites were responsible for the utensils used in worship. They checked them out and checked them back in every time they were used. 29 Others were in charge of the other sacred equipment, and of the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices. 30 But the responsibility for mixing the spices belonged to the priests.

31 A Levite named Mattithiah, oldest son of Shallum, of the clan of Korah, was responsible for preparing the baked offerings.[b] 32 Members of the clan of Kohath were responsible for preparing the sacred bread[c] for the Temple every Sabbath.

33 Some Levite families were responsible for the Temple music. The heads of these families lived in some of the Temple buildings and were free from other duties, because they were on call day and night.

34 The men named above were heads of Levite families, according to their ancestral lines. They were the leaders who lived in Jerusalem.

The Ancestors and Descendants of King Saul(B)

35 Jeiel founded the city of Gibeon and settled there. His wife was named Maacah. 36 His oldest son was Abdon, and his other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth, 38 the father of Shimeah. Their descendants lived in Jerusalem near other families of their clan.

39 Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul. Saul had four sons: Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.[d] 40 Jonathan was the father of Meribbaal,[e] who was the father of Micah. 41 Micah had four sons: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.[f] 42 Ahaz was the father of Jarah, who was the father of three sons: Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza, 43 Moza the father of Binea, Binea of Rephaiah, Rephaiah of Eleasah, and Eleasah of Azel.

44 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 9:18 The east gate of the Temple, through which the king usually entered.
  2. 1 Chronicles 9:31 Thin cakes of flour and olive oil which were baked and then presented as offerings to God (see Lv 2.4-6).
  3. 1 Chronicles 9:32 Twelve loaves of bread which were placed on a table in the Temple each Sabbath as an offering to God (see Lv 24.5-9).
  4. 1 Chronicles 9:39 Called Ishbosheth in 2 S 2.8 and elsewhere in 2 Samuel.
  5. 1 Chronicles 9:40 Called Mephibosheth in 2 S 4.4 and elsewhere in 2 Samuel.
  6. 1 Chronicles 9:41 Some ancient translations Ahaz (see 1 Ch 8.35); Hebrew does not have this name.

So all Israel was registered by genealogies, and these were written in the book of the kings of Israel. And Judah was led into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness.

Now the first ones to dwell in their possessions in their cities were children of Israel, priests, Levites, and temple servants.

A Post-Exilic Genealogy(A)

Some of the sons of Judah dwelt in Jerusalem alongside some of the sons of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh:

Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the sons of Perez the son of Judah;

of the Shilonites:

Asaiah the firstborn and his sons;

of the sons of Zerah:

Jeuel and their brothers, six hundred and ninety.

Those of the sons of Benjamin were

Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;

Ibneiah the son of Jeroham; Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Mikri; Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;

and their brothers according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty-six. All these men were heads of families according to their fathers’ houses.

10 Those of the priests were

Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jakin;

11 Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the head official of the house of God;

12 Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;

13 and their brothers, heads of the houses of their fathers, one thousand seven hundred and sixty very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

14 Those of the Levites were

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 Mika, the son of Zikri, the son of Asaph; 16 Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; Berekiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

17 Now the gatekeepers were

Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the head officer 18 who until then had served at the king’s eastern gate). They were the gatekeepers for the camps of the Levites. 19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers from his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, gatekeepers of the tabernacle. Their fathers had been over the camp of the Lord, guards at the entrance. 20 Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the official over them in previous times, and the Lord was with him. 21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

22 All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred and twelve. They were registered by their genealogy in their villages. Now David and Samuel the seer established them in their trusted offices. 23 So they and their sons were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, that is, the house of the tabernacle, as guards. 24 The gatekeepers were on four sides: east, west, north, and south. 25 Their brothers in their villages were to come for seven days from time to time to serve with them. 26 For in their trusted offices the four main gatekeepers who were Levites had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 They spent the night around the house of God, for the watch was entrusted to them, and they were responsible for opening it every morning.

28 Some of them were in charge of the vessels of service, that they should bring them in and out by number. 29 Some others were appointed over the furnishings and all the implements of the sanctuary as well as the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the frankincense, and the spices. 30 And some of the sons of the priests mixed the ointment of the spices. 31 Mattithiah, one of the Levites (he was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite), was entrusted with making the flat cakes. 32 Others of the sons of the Kohathites and from their brothers were given charge over the showbread to prepare it every Sabbath.

33 Now these are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who stayed in the temple chambers, free from other service, because they were occupied with the work day and night.

34 These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their generations, leaders, who dwelt in Jerusalem.

The Genealogy of Saul(B)

35 Now Jeiel the father of Gibeon,

whose wife’s name was Maakah, dwelt in Gibeon. 36 His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38 Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. These also dwelt in Jerusalem with their own families near their brothers.

39 Ner became the father of Kish; Kish the father of Saul; Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal.

40 The son of Jonathan was

Merib-Baal, and Merib-Baal became the father of Micah.

41 The sons of Micah were

Pithon, Melek, Tahrea, and Ahaz.

42 Ahaz became the father of Jarah, and Jarah the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza, 43 and Moza became the father of Binea, Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.

44 Azel had six sons, and these were their names:

Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.