1 Chronicles 9

The People of Jerusalem

1 So all Israel was recorded in the genealogies written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

2 Now the first to resettle their own property in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants. ^[a]

3 Some of the descendants of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem:

4 Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.

5 From the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.

6 From the Zerahites: Jeuel and 690 relatives.

7 From the Benjamites: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;

8 Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Michri; Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;

9 and 956 of their relatives according to their genealogy. All these men were heads of their families.

10 From the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin;

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

12 Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah; Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, ^[b] the son of Immer;

13 and 1,760 of their relatives, the heads of their families, able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

14 From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a descendant of Merari;

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

16 Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

17 These were the gatekeepers: 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. These were the gatekeepers from the camp of the Levites.

19 Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, ^[c] the son of Korah, and his relatives from the Korahites were assigned to guard the thresholds of the Tent, just as their fathers had been assigned to guard the entrance to the dwelling of the LORD.

20 In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar had been in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him.

21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

22 The number of those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds was 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their positions of trust.

23 So they and their descendants were assigned to guard the gates of the house of the LORD—the house called the Tent.

24 The gatekeepers were stationed on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.

25 Their relatives came from their villages at fixed times to serve with them for seven-day periods.

26 But the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of the house of God.

27 They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they were responsible for guarding it and opening it every morning.

28 Some of them were in charge of the articles used in worship, to count them whenever they were brought in or taken out.

29 Others were put in charge of the furnishings and other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices.

30 And some of the sons of the priests mixed the spices.

31 A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread.

32 Some of their Kohathite relatives were responsible for preparing the rows of the showbread every Sabbath.

33 Those who were musicians, the heads of Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night.

34 All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs according to their genealogies, and they lived in Jerusalem.

The Descendants of Saul

35 Jeiel the father ^[d] of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah.

36 Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,

37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.

38 Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. ^[e] They too lived alongside their relatives in Jerusalem.

39 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

40 The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, who was the father of Micah.

41 The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz. ^[f]

42 Ahaz was the father of Jarah; Jarah ^[g] was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri was the father of Moza.

43 Moza was the father of Binea. Rephaiah ^[h] was his son, Elasah his son, and Azel his son.

44 And Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

1 Chronicles 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

Genealogies.

- This chapter expresses that one end of recording all these genealogies was, to direct the Jews, when they returned out of captivity, with whom to unite, and where to reside. Here is an account of the good state into which the affairs of religion were put, on the return from Babylon. Every one knew his charge. Work is likely to be done well when every one knows the duty of his place, and makes a business of it. God is the God of order. Thus was the temple a figure of the heavenly one, where they rest not day nor night from praising God, ( Revelation 4:8 ) . Blessed be His name, believers there shall, not in turn, but all together, without interruption, praise him night and day: may the Lord make each of us fit for the inheritance of the saints in light.

Footnotes

• [a] Hebrew Nethinim
• [b] Meshillemith is a variant of Meshillemoth; see Nehemiah 11:13.
• [c] Ebiasaph is a variant of Abiasaph; see Exodus 6:24.
• [d] Or the founder
• [e] Shimeam is a variant of Shimeah; see 1 Chronicles 8:32.
• [f] Vulgate and Syriac (see also LXX and 1 Chronicles 8:35); Hebrew Pithon, Melech, and Tahrea; note that Tahrea is a variant of Tarea.
• [g] Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX Jadah; Jadah; note that Jarah and Jadah are variants of Jehoaddah; see 1 Chronicles 8:36.
• [h] Rephaiah is a variant of Raphah; see 1 Chronicles 8:37.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 9

The genealogies of the several tribes being given, according as they were written in the books of the kings of Israel, 1Ch 9:1, an account follows of those who first settled in Jerusalem after their return from the Babylonish captivity; of the Israelites, 1Ch 9:2-9, of the priests, 1Ch 9:10-13 of the Levites, and of the charge and offices of several of the priests and Levites, 1Ch 9:14-34, and the chapter is concluded with a repetition of the genealogy of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel, 1Ch 9:35-44.