People of Jerusalem

So all Israel was enrolled in genealogies; and behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And (A)Judah was taken into exile to Babylon for their infidelity.

(B)Now the first inhabitants who lived on their own property in their cities were people of Israel, including the priests, the Levites, and (C)the [a]temple servants. Some of the sons of Judah, some of the sons of Benjamin, and some of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh lived in (D)Jerusalem: Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, from the sons of Perez the (E)son of Judah. From the Shilonites were Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. From the sons of Zerah were Jeuel and their relatives, 690 of them. From the sons of Benjamin were Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah, and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; and their relatives according to their generations, (F)956. All these men were heads of fathers’ households according to their fathers’ houses.

10 (G)From the priests were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, 11 and [b]Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, (H)the chief officer of the house of God; 12 and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 13 and their relatives, heads of their fathers’ households, 1,760 competent men for the work of the service of the house of God.

14 (I)Of the Levites, there were Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15 and Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal; and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of [c]Zichri, the son of Asaph, 16 and [d]Obadiah the son of [e]Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the settlements of the Netophathites.

17 Now the gatekeepers were [f]Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives (Shallum the chief 18 being stationed until now at (J)the king’s gate to the east). These were the gatekeepers for the camp of the sons of Levi. 19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of [g]Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his relatives of his father’s house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, doorkeepers of the tent; and their fathers had been in charge of the camp of the Lord, keepers of the entrance. 20 (K)Phinehas the son of Eleazar was supervisor over them previously, and the Lord was with him. 21 (L)Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper of the entrance of the tent of meeting. 22 Those who were chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds were 212 in all. They were registered by genealogy in their settlements, (M)those whom David and Samuel the seer appointed (N)in their official capacity. 23 So they and their sons were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, the house of the tent, in their divisions of service. 24 The gatekeepers were [h]on the four sides, to the east, west, north, and south. 25 Their relatives in their settlements (O)were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with [i]them; 26 for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, served in an official capacity, and were in charge of the chambers and in charge of the treasuries in the house of God. 27 They spent the night around the house of God, (P)because the watch was [j]committed to them; and they were in charge of opening it morning by morning.

28 Now some of them were in charge of the utensils of the service, for [k]they counted them when they brought them in and when they took them out. 29 Some of them also were appointed over the furniture and over all the utensils of the sanctuary, and (Q)over the finely milled flour, the wine, the olive oil, the frankincense, and the balsam oil. 30 Some of (R)the sons of the priests prepared the mixing of the balsam oil. 31 Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had (S)the [l]responsibility for the baking of cakes in pans. 32 Some of their relatives of the sons of the Kohathites (T)were in charge of the showbread to prepare it every Sabbath.

33 Now these are (U)the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the chambers of the temple free of other duties; for they were [m]engaged (V)in their work day and night. 34 These were heads of fathers’ households of the Levites according to their generations, chief men [n]who lived in Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 9:2 Heb Nethinim
  2. 1 Chronicles 9:11 In Neh 11:11, Seraiah
  3. 1 Chronicles 9:15 In Neh 11:17, Zabdi
  4. 1 Chronicles 9:16 In Neh 11:17, Abda
  5. 1 Chronicles 9:16 In Neh 11:17, Shammua
  6. 1 Chronicles 9:17 In v 21, Meshelemiah; in 26:14, Shelemiah; in Neh 12:25, Meshullam
  7. 1 Chronicles 9:19 In Ex 6:24, Abiasaph
  8. 1 Chronicles 9:24 Lit to the four winds
  9. 1 Chronicles 9:25 Lit these
  10. 1 Chronicles 9:27 Lit on them
  11. 1 Chronicles 9:28 Lit by count they brought them in and by count they took them out
  12. 1 Chronicles 9:31 Lit official capacity over
  13. 1 Chronicles 9:33 Lit over them in the work
  14. 1 Chronicles 9:34 Lit these

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.