1 Chronicles 26:9-19

9 Meshelemiah’s eighteen sons and relatives were also very capable men.

10 Hosah, of the Merari clan, appointed Shimri as the leader among his sons, though he was not the oldest.

11 His other sons included Hilkiah (the second), Tebaliah (the third), and Zechariah (the fourth). Hosah’s sons and relatives, who served as gatekeepers, numbered thirteen in all.

12 These divisions of the gatekeepers were named for their family leaders, and like the other Levites, they served at the house of the LORD .

13 They were assigned by families for guard duty at the various gates, without regard to age or training, for it was all decided by means of sacred lots.

14 The responsibility for the east gate went to Meshelemiah and his group. The north gate was assigned to his son Zechariah, a man of unusual wisdom.

15 The south gate went to Obed-edom, and his sons were put in charge of the storehouse.

16 Shuppim and Hosah were assigned the west gate and the gateway leading up to the Temple. Guard duties were divided evenly.

17 Six Levites were assigned each day to the east gate, four to the north gate, four to the south gate, and two pairs at the storehouse.

18 Six were assigned each day to the west gate, four to the gateway leading up to the Temple, and two to the courtyard.

19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers from the clans of Korah and Merari.

1 Chronicles 26:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 26

In this chapter we have a further account of the disposition and distribution of the Levites, to serve in other offices, as of porters at the several gates of the temple, for which they cast lots, 1Ch 26:1-19 of others, as over the treasures of the house of the Lord, 1Ch 26:20-28, and of others that were appointed judges in the land, to administer justice to the people, 1Ch 26:29-32.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew Shelemiah, a variant spelling of Meshelemiah; compare 26:2 .
• [b]. Or the gate of Shalleketh on the upper road (also in 26:18 ). The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
• [c]. Or the colonnade. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.