Font Size
1 Chronicles 26:1-19
New International Reader's Version
1 Chronicles 26:1-19
New International Reader's Version
The Men Who Guarded the Gates
26 Here are the groups of men who guarded the gates.
From the family of Korah came
Meshelemiah, the son of Kore. Kore was one of the sons of Asaph. 2 Meshelemiah had sons.
Zechariah was his first son.
Jediael was his second son.
Zebadiah was the third.
Jathniel was the fourth.
3 Elam was the fifth.
Jehohanan was the sixth.
And Eliehoenai was the seventh.
4 Obed-Edom also had sons.
Shemaiah was his first son.
Jehozabad was his second son.
Joah was the third.
Sakar was the fourth.
Nethanel was the fifth.
5 Ammiel was the sixth.
Issachar was the seventh.
And Peullethai was the eighth.
God had blessed Obed-Edom.
6 Obed-Edom’s son Shemaiah also had sons. They were leaders in their family. That’s because they were men of great ability. 7 The sons of Shemaiah were
Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad.
Elzabad’s relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also capable men.
8 All of them belonged to the family line of Obed-Edom. They and their sons and relatives were capable men. They were strong enough to do their work. The total number of men in the family line of Obed-Edom was 62.
9 Meshelemiah’s sons and relatives were capable men. Their total number was 18.
10 Hosah belonged to the family line of Merari. Hosah’s first son was
Shimri. But Shimri wasn’t the oldest son. His father had made him the first.
11 Hilkiah was Hosah’s second son.
Tabaliah was the third.
Zechariah was the fourth.
The total number of Hosah’s sons and relatives was 13.
12 Those groups of men guarded the gates. They worked under their leaders. They served at the Lord’s temple, just as their relatives had served. 13 Lots were cast for each gate, family by family. Young and old alike were chosen.
14 The lot chosen for the East Gate was for Shelemiah.
Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, who gave wise advice. The lot chosen for the North Gate was for Zechariah.
15 The lot chosen for the South Gate was for Obed-Edom. The lot chosen for the storeroom was for his sons.
16 Lots were chosen for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road. Those lots were chosen for Shuppim and Hosah.
One guard stood next to another.
17 There were six Levites a day on the east.
There were four a day on the north.
There were four a day on the south.
And there were two at a time at the storeroom.
18 Two Levite guards were at the courtyard to the west. And four were at the road.
19 Those were the groups of the men who guarded the gates. They belonged to the family lines of Korah and Merari.
Read full chapter
1 Chronicles 26:1-19
New International Version
1 Chronicles 26:1-19
New International Version
The Gatekeepers
26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:(A)
From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.
2 Meshelemiah had sons:
Zechariah(B) the firstborn,
Jediael the second,
Zebadiah the third,
Jathniel the fourth,
3 Elam the fifth,
Jehohanan the sixth
and Eliehoenai the seventh.
4 Obed-Edom also had sons:
Shemaiah the firstborn,
Jehozabad the second,
Joah the third,
Sakar the fourth,
Nethanel the fifth,
5 Ammiel the sixth,
Issachar the seventh
and Peullethai the eighth.
(For God had blessed Obed-Edom.(C))
6 Obed-Edom’s son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders in their father’s family because they were very capable men. 7 The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also able men. 8 All these were descendants of Obed-Edom; they and their sons and their relatives were capable men with the strength to do the work—descendants of Obed-Edom, 62 in all.
9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, who were able men—18 in all.
10 Hosah the Merarite had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him the first),(D) 11 Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third and Zechariah the fourth. The sons and relatives of Hosah were 13 in all.
12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their leaders, had duties for ministering(E) in the temple of the Lord, just as their relatives had. 13 Lots(F) were cast for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.
14 The lot for the East Gate(G) fell to Shelemiah.[a] Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah,(H) a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him. 15 The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-Edom,(I) and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons. 16 The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah.
Guard was alongside of guard: 17 There were six Levites a day on the east, four a day on the north, four a day on the south and two at a time at the storehouse. 18 As for the court[b] to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court[c] itself.
19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.(J)
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 26:14 A variant of Meshelemiah
- 1 Chronicles 26:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- 1 Chronicles 26:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.