1 Chronicles 9:23-33

23 They and their descendants continued to guard the gates to the Temple.
24 There was a gate facing in each direction, north, south, east, and west, and each had a chief guard.
25 These guards were assisted by their relatives, who lived in the villages and who had to take turns at guard duty for seven days at a time.
26 The four chief guards were Levites and had the final responsibility. They were also responsible for the rooms in the Temple and for the supplies kept there.
27 They lived near the Temple, because it was their duty to guard it and to open the gates every morning.
28 Other Levites were responsible for the utensils used in worship. They checked them out and checked them back in every time they were used.
29 Others were in charge of the other sacred equipment, and of the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices.
30 But the responsibility for mixing the spices belonged to the priests.
31 A Levite named Mattithiah, oldest son of Shallum, of the clan of Korah, was responsible for preparing the baked offerings.
32 Members of the clan of Kohath were responsible for preparing the sacred bread for the Temple every Sabbath.
33 Some Levite families were responsible for the Temple music. The heads of these families lived in some of the Temple buildings and were free from other duties, because they were on call day and night.

1 Chronicles 9:23-33 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. baked offerings: [Thin cakes of flour and olive oil which were baked and then presented as offerings to God (see Lv 2.4-6).]
  • [b]. sacred bread: [Twelve loaves of bread which were placed on a table in the Temple each Sabbath as an offering to God (see Lv 24.5-9).]
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.