1 Chronicles 26:10

10 Hosah, from the descendants of M'rari, had sons: Shimri the chief, for although he was not the firstborn, nevertheless his father made him the chief;

1 Chronicles 26:10 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 26:10

Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons
Who was a fellow porter of Obededom's at the ark, ( 1 Chronicles 16:38 ) .

Simri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father
made him the chief);
the firstborn being unfit for service, either through want of an intellectual capacity, or of strength of body, or through some defect or another; according to the Syriac version, he was dead; so some understand the words, he, the father, had no firstborn remaining or living.

1 Chronicles 26:10 In-Context

8 These were all from the sons of 'Oved-Edom, they and their sons and brothers, men of ability and strength for service, sixty-two from 'Oved-Edom.

9 Meshelemyahu had sons and brothers, valiant men, eighteen.

10 Hosah, from the descendants of M'rari, had sons: Shimri the chief, for although he was not the firstborn, nevertheless his father made him the chief;

11 Hilkiyahu the second, T'valyahu the third and Z'kharyahu the fourth; all the sons and brothers of Hosah were thirteen.

12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, under their chief men, had duties, just as their kinsmen did, serving in the house of ADONAI.