The Gatekeepers

26 As for the divisons of the gatekeepers: of the Ko′rahites, Meshelemi′ah the son of Ko′re, of the sons of Asaph. ² And Meshelemi′ah had sons: Zechari′ah the first-born, Jedi′a-el the second, Zebadi′ah the third, Jath′ni-el the fourth, ³ Elam the fifth, Jehoha′nan the sixth, Eli-e-ho-e′nai the seventh. ⁴ And O′bed-e′dom had sons: Shemai′ah the first-born, Jeho′zabad the second, Jo′ah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethan′el the fifth, ⁵ Am′miel the sixth, Is′sachar the seventh, Pe-ul′lethai the eighth; for God blessed him. ⁶ Also to his son Shemai′ah were sons born who were rulers in their fathers’ houses, for they were men of great ability. ⁷ The sons of Shemai′ah: Othni, Reph′a-el, Obed, and Elza′bad, whose brethren were able men, Eli′hu and Semachi′ah. ⁸ All these were of the sons of O′bed-e′dom with their sons and brethren, able men qualified for the service; sixty-two of O′bed-e′dom. ⁹ And Meshelemi′ah had sons and brethren, able men, eighteen. ¹⁰ And Hosah, of the sons of Merar′i, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the first-born, his father made him chief), ¹¹ Hilki′ah the second, Tebali′ah the third, Zechari′ah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.

¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their chief men, had duties, just as their brethren did, ministering in the house of the Lord; ¹³ and they cast lots by fathers’ houses, small and great alike, for their gates. ¹⁴ The lot for the east fell to Shelemi′ah. They cast lots also for his son Zechari′ah, a shrewd counselor, and his lot came out for the north. ¹⁵ O′bed-e′dom’s came out for the south, and to his sons was allotted the storehouse. ¹⁶ For Shuppim and Hosah it came out for the west, at the gate of Shal′lecheth on the road that goes up. Watch corresponded to watch. ¹⁷ On the east there were six each day,^[a] on the north four each day, on the south four each day, as well as two and two at the storehouse; ¹⁸ and for the parbar^[b] on the west there were four at the road and two at the parbar. ¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the Ko′rahites and the sons of Merar′i.