²² Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers^(A) at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer.^(B)

²⁴ The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south.

²⁶ But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries^(A) in the house of God.

¹⁸ and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,^[a] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom^(A) and Jeiel,^[b] the gatekeepers.

³⁸ He also left Obed-Edom^(A) and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah,^(B) were gatekeepers.

⁵ Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments^(A) I have provided for that purpose.”^(B)

²⁶ the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service.”^{(A) 27} According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more.

²⁸ The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the Lord: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification^(B) of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God. ²⁹ They were in charge of the bread set out on the table,^(C) the special flour for the grain offerings,^(D) the thin loaves made without yeast, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.^{(E) 30} They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening^{(F) 31} and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon^(G) feasts and at the appointed festivals.^(H) They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.

³² And so the Levites^(I) carried out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting,^(J) for the Holy Place and, under their relatives the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the Lord.^(K)