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David Appoints Gatekeepers for the Temple

26 The following were the divisions of the gatekeepers: For Korah’s descendants there was Meshelemiah, the son of Kore, from the descendants of Asaph. Meshelemiah’s sons were Zechariah (the firstborn), Jediael (the second), Zebadiah (the third), Jathniel (the fourth), Elam (the fifth), Jehohanan (the sixth), Eliehoenai (the seventh).

⌞Also for Korah’s descendants⌟ there were Obed Edom’s sons Shemaiah (the firstborn), Jehozabad (the second), Joah (the third), Sachar (the fourth), Nethanel (the fifth), Ammiel (the sixth), Issachar (the seventh), Peullethai (the eighth). God had blessed Obed Edom. His son Shemaiah had sons who ruled their families because they were soldiers. Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, and Othni’s skilled brothers Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, as well as Elihu and Semachiah. All of these people were Obed Edom’s descendants. They, their sons, and their relatives were skilled and had the ability to perform the service. Obed Edom’s family included 62 men.

Meshelemiah’s sons and relatives were 18 skilled men.

10 From the descendants of Merari there were Hosah’s sons. Shimri was the head, although he was not the firstborn. His father appointed him head. 11 Hosah’s other sons were Hilkiah (the second), Tebaliah (the third), and Zechariah (the fourth). There were 13 sons and relatives of Hosah.

12 These divisions of gatekeepers through their head men were assigned duties with their relatives to serve in the Lord’s temple. 13 They drew lots by families, youngest and oldest alike, for every gate. 14 Shelemiah was chosen for the east side. His son Zechariah, a counselor who displayed insight, was chosen for the north side. 15 Obed Edom was chosen for the south side, and his sons were chosen for the storerooms. 16 Shuppim and Hosah were chosen for the west side with Shallecheth Gate at the gateway that goes to the palace.

One squad of guards served its watch after another. 17 On the east side there were six Levites. On the north there were four every day. On the south there were four every day. At the storerooms there were four, two at each entrance. 18 At the courtyard on the west there were four Levites at the gateway to the palace and two at the courtyard itself. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among Korah’s and Merari’s descendants.

David Appoints Treasurers for the Temple

20 Ahijah, a Levite, was in charge of the treasuries in God’s temple and the treasuries of the gifts dedicated to God. 21 ⌞There were also⌟ the descendants of Ladan, who was descended from Gershon. ⌞Those who served⌟ for Ladan, the descendant of Gershon, were the heads of Ladan’s families: Jehiel 22 ⌞and⌟ Jehiel’s sons Zetham and Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries in the Lord’s temple. 23 For the descendants of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, 24 there was Shebuel, a descendant of Moses’ son Gershom. He was the highest-ranking official in charge of the treasuries. 25 From his relatives on Eliezer’s side of the family was Shelomith. (Eliezer’s son was Rehabiah; his grandson was Jeshaiah; his great-grandson was Joram. Joram’s son was Zichri; his grandson was Shelomith.) 26 He and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries of the gifts dedicated to God that King David, the heads of families, the commanders of regiments and battalions, and the commanders of the army had donated. 27 (They had donated some of the loot taken in battle to support the Lord’s temple.) 28 Everything that Samuel the seer,[a] Saul (son of Kish), Abner (son of Ner), and Joab (son of Zeruiah) had donated—everything that had been donated—was under the supervision of Shelomith and his relatives.

David Appoints Levites to Oversee Israel’s Worship

29 From Izhar’s descendants Chenaniah and his sons were assigned duties. They served as officials and judges outside ⌞the temple⌟ in Israel. 30 From Hebron’s descendants Hashabiah and his 1,700 skilled, male relatives were appointed to serve Israel west of the Jordan River. They did everything the Lord wanted them to do, and they served the king. 31 Jeriah was the head of Hebron’s descendants. In the fortieth year of David’s reign, the ancestry of Hebron’s descendants was researched family by family. Warriors from these families were found at Jazer in Gilead. 32 Jeriah’s relatives were 2,700 skilled men, who were heads of families. King David appointed them to be overseers in every matter involving God or the king for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh.

Footnotes

  1. 26:28 A seer   is a prophet.

The Gatekeepers

26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:(A)

From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.

Meshelemiah had sons:

Zechariah(B) the firstborn,

Jediael the second,

Zebadiah the third,

Jathniel the fourth,

Elam the fifth,

Jehohanan the sixth

and Eliehoenai the seventh.

Obed-Edom also had sons:

Shemaiah the firstborn,

Jehozabad the second,

Joah the third,

Sakar the fourth,

Nethanel the fifth,

Ammiel the sixth,

Issachar the seventh

and Peullethai the eighth.

(For God had blessed Obed-Edom.(C))

Obed-Edom’s son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders in their father’s family because they were very capable men. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also able men. 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.

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)

The Treasurers and Other Officials

20 Their fellow Levites(K) were[d] in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the dedicated things.(L)

21 The descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite,(M) were Jehieli, 22 the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries(N) of the temple of the Lord.

23 From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites:(O)

24 Shubael,(P) a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was the official in charge of the treasuries. 25 His relatives through Eliezer: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zikri his son and Shelomith(Q) his son. 26 Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries for the things dedicated(R) by King David, by the heads of families who were the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and by the other army commanders. 27 Some of the plunder taken in battle they dedicated for the repair of the temple of the Lord. 28 And everything dedicated by Samuel the seer(S) and by Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner and Joab son of Zeruiah, and all the other dedicated things were in the care of Shelomith and his relatives.

29 From the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were assigned duties away from the temple, as officials and judges(T) over Israel.

30 From the Hebronites: Hashabiah(U) and his relatives—seventeen hundred able men—were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and for the king’s service. 31 As for the Hebronites,(V) Jeriah was their chief according to the genealogical records of their families. In the fortieth(W) year of David’s reign a search was made in the records, and capable men among the Hebronites were found at Jazer in Gilead. 32 Jeriah had twenty-seven hundred relatives, who were able men and heads of families, and King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 26:14 A variant of Meshelemiah
  2. 1 Chronicles 26:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. 1 Chronicles 26:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. 1 Chronicles 26:20 Septuagint; Hebrew As for the Levites, Ahijah was