1 Chronicles 9 Study Notes

9:17-34 This portion of the list contains the gatekeepers.

9:17-18 Shallum was a veteran, having been in charge of a gate some forty years earlier before the temple’s destruction. Now he led the entire crew of gatekeepers.

9:19 Because of the makeshift nature of the rebuilt temple, its first appearance was not all that different from the tabernacle (see v. 23). Without the surrounding courtyards, guarding the entrance was similar to guarding the thresholds of the tent, a duty with a long and proud tradition.

9:22 We get a brief glimpse here of Samuel as administrator of the tabernacle, setting a precedent that was resumed by David. The idea that guard duty was distributed among people from all over the country must have promoted a feeling of ownership among all Israelites.

9:28 The temple priests performed many functions, including many different types of sacrifices, all of which required utensils. Trustworthy people were needed to look after the utensils and other equipment.

9:30 A priest could not perform official religious duties until he turned thirty years old. The sons of many priests, while learning their profession, would also be involved in mixing the spices used in the sacrificial system.

9:31 This Shallum was the veteran gatekeeper (vv. 17-18).

9:33 The singers were expected to be ready at a moment’s notice whenever a ceremony or sacrifice called for musical accompaniment.

9:35-44 The genealogy of Benjamin in these verses is the same as that in 8:29-38. In chap. 8 the emphasis was on their residence in Jerusalem (8:28,32); here the genealogy sets up the story of Saul in chap. 10.