After the Exile

All Israel was registered in the genealogies that are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled(A) to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. The first(B) to live in their towns on their own property again were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.(C)

These people from the descendants of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh settled in Jerusalem:

Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, a descendant[a] of Perez son of Judah;

from the Shilonites:

Asaiah the firstborn and his sons;

and from the descendants of Zerah:

Jeuel and their relatives—690 in all.

The Benjaminites: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah;

Ibneiah son of Jeroham;

Elah son of Uzzi, son of Michri;

Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah;

and their relatives according to their family records—956(D) in all. All these men were heads of their ancestral families.[b]

10 The priests:(E) Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jachin;

11 Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the chief official(F) of God’s temple;

12 Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah;

Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer;

13 and their relatives, the heads of their ancestral families—1,760 in all. They were capable men employed in the ministry of God’s temple.

14 The Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah of the Merarites;

15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah, son of Mica, son of Zichri, son of Asaph;

16 Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun;

and Berechiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah who lived in the settlements of the Netophathites.

17 The gatekeepers:(G) Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives.

Shallum was their chief; 18 he was previously stationed at the King’s Gate on the east side.(H) These were the gatekeepers from the camp of the Levites.

19 Shallum son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah and his relatives from his ancestral family, the Korahites, were assigned to guard the thresholds of the tent.[c] Their ancestors had been assigned to the Lord’s camp as guardians of the entrance.(I) 20 In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar had been their leader, and the Lord was with him.(J) 21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(K)

22 The total number of those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds was 212. They were registered by genealogy in their settlements. David and the seer Samuel had appointed them(L) to their trusted positions. 23 So they and their sons were assigned as guards to the gates of the Lord’s temple, which had been the tent-temple. 24 The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north, and south. 25 Their relatives came from their settlements(M) at fixed times to be with them seven days,(N) 26 but the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of God’s temple.(O) 27 They spent the night in the vicinity of God’s temple, because they had guard duty and were in charge of opening it every morning.(P)

28 Some of them were in charge of the utensils used in worship. They would count them when they brought them in and when they took them out. 29 Others were put in charge of the furnishings and all the utensils of the sanctuary,(Q) as well as the fine flour,(R) wine, oil, incense, and spices. 30 Some of the priests’ sons mixed the spices.(S) 31 A Levite called Mattithiah, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread.[d] 32 Some of the Kohathites’ relatives were responsible for preparing the rows of the Bread of the Presence(T) every Sabbath.

33 The singers,(U) the heads of the Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other tasks because they were on duty day and night.(V) 34 These(W) were the heads of the Levite families, chiefs according to their family records; they lived in Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:4 Lit Bani, from the sons
  2. 9:9 Lit the house of their fathers, also in vv. 13,19
  3. 9:19 = the temple
  4. 9:31 Lit with things prepared in pans

So all Israel was listed in the genealogical records in The Book of the Kings of Israel.

The Returning Exiles

The people of Judah were exiled to Babylon because they were unfaithful to the Lord. The first of the exiles to return to their property in their former towns were priests, Levites, Temple servants, and other Israelites. Some of the people from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh came and settled in Jerusalem.

One family that returned was that of Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.

Others returned from the Shilonite clan, including Asaiah (the oldest) and his sons.

From the Zerahite clan, Jeuel returned with his relatives.

In all, 690 families from the tribe of Judah returned.

From the tribe of Benjamin came Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah; Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, son of Micri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah.

These men were all leaders of clans, and they were listed in their genealogical records. In all, 956 families from the tribe of Benjamin returned.

The Returning Priests

10 Among the priests who returned were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jakin, 11 Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub. Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God.

12 Other returning priests were Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah, and Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer.

13 In all, 1,760 priests returned. They were heads of clans and very able men. They were responsible for ministering at the house of God.

The Returning Levites

14 The Levites who returned were Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, a descendant of Merari; 15 Bakbakkar; Heresh; Galal; Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zicri, son of Asaph; 16 Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the area of Netophah.

17 The gatekeepers who returned were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was the chief gatekeeper. 18 Prior to this time, they were responsible for the King’s Gate on the east side. These men served as gatekeepers for the camps of the Levites. 19 Shallum was the son of Kore, a descendant of Abiasaph,[a] from the clan of Korah. He and his relatives, the Korahites, were responsible for guarding the entrance to the sanctuary, just as their ancestors had guarded the Tabernacle in the camp of the Lord.

20 Phinehas son of Eleazar had been in charge of the gatekeepers in earlier times, and the Lord had been with him. 21 And later Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was responsible for guarding the entrance to the Tabernacle.[b]

22 In all, there were 212 gatekeepers in those days, and they were listed according to the genealogies in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed their ancestors because they were reliable men. 23 These gatekeepers and their descendants, by their divisions, were responsible for guarding the entrance to the house of the Lord when that house was a tent. 24 The gatekeepers were stationed on all four sides—east, west, north, and south. 25 Their relatives in the villages came regularly to share their duties for seven-day periods.

26 The four chief gatekeepers, all Levites, were trusted officials, for they were responsible for the rooms and treasuries at the house of God. 27 They would spend the night around the house of God, since it was their duty to guard it and to open the gates every morning.

28 Some of the gatekeepers were assigned to care for the various articles used in worship. They checked them in and out to avoid any loss. 29 Others were responsible for the furnishings, the items in the sanctuary, and the supplies, such as choice flour, wine, olive oil, frankincense, and spices. 30 But it was the priests who blended the spices. 31 Mattithiah, a Levite and the oldest son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread used in the offerings. 32 And some members of the clan of Kohath were in charge of preparing the bread to be set on the table each Sabbath day.

33 The musicians, all prominent Levites, lived at the Temple. They were exempt from other responsibilities since they were on duty at all hours. 34 All these men lived in Jerusalem. They were the heads of Levite families and were listed as prominent leaders in their genealogical records.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:19 Hebrew Ebiasaph, a variant spelling of Abiasaph; compare Exod 6:24.
  2. 9:21 Hebrew Tent of Meeting.