(KJV) 1 Chronicles 261

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⥃The Divisions of the Gatekeepers

[1] Concerning the divisions2 of the porters3: Of the Korhites4 [was] Meshelemiah5 the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph6. [2] And the sons of Meshelemiah [were], Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, [3] Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. [4] Moreover the sons of Obed–edom7 [were], Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, [5] Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him8. [6] Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they [were] mighty men of valour9. [7] The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren [were] strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah. [8] All these of the sons of Obed–edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men10 for strength for the service, [were] threescore and two of Obed–edom. [9] And Meshelemiah11 had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen. [10] Also Hosah12, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for [though] he was not the firstborn, yet his father13 made him the chief;) [11] Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah [were] thirteen. [12] Among these [were] the divisions of the porters, [even] among the chief men, [having] wards14 one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord.

[13] [¶]And they cast lots, as well the small as the great15, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate. [14] And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah16. Then for Zechariah17 his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward. [15] To Obed–edom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim18. [16] To Shuppim and Hosah19 [the lot came forth] westward, with the gate Shallecheth20, by the causeway21 of the going up, ward against ward22. [17] Eastward23 [were] six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim24 two [and] two. [18] At Parbar25 westward, four at the causeway, [and] two at Parbar. [19] These [are] the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore26, and among the sons of Merari.

⥃The Treasurers, Officers, and Judges

[20] And of the Levites, Ahijah [was] over the treasures27 of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things28. [21] [As concerning] the sons of Laadan29; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, [even] of Laadan the Gershonite, [were] Jehieli. [22] The sons of Jehieli30; Zetham, and Joel his brother, [which were] over the treasures31 of the house of the Lord. [23] Of the Amramites32, [and] the Izharites, the Hebronites, [and] the Uzzielites: [24] And Shebuel33 the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, [was] ruler of the treasures. [25] And his brethren by Eliezer34; Rehabiah35 his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith36 his son. [26] Which Shelomith and his brethren [were] over all the treasures37 of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated. [27] Out38 of the spoils won in battles39 did they dedicate to maintain40 the house of the Lord. [28] And all that Samuel41 the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner42 the son of Ner, and Joab43 the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; [and] whosoever had dedicated [any thing], [it was] under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren.

[29] Of the Izharites44, Chenaniah and his sons [were] for the outward45 business over Israel, for officers46 and judges. [30] [And] of the Hebronites47, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour48, a thousand and seven hundred, [were] officers49 among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the Lord, and in the service of the king. [31] Among the Hebronites [was] Jerijah50 the chief, [even] among the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth51 year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer52 of Gilead. [32] And his brethren, men of valour53, [were] two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers54, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites55, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs56 of the king.

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  1. 1Chr 26:1, The divisions of the porters; 1Chr 26:13, The gates assigned by lot; 1Chr 26:20, The Levites that had charge of the treasures; 1Chr 26:29, Officers and judges. ↩

  2. There were four classes of these, each of which belonged to the four gates of the temple, which opened to the four cardinal points of heaven. The eastern gate fell to Shelemiah; the northern to Zechariah (1Chr 26:14); the southern to Obed–edom (1Chr 26:15); and the western to Shuppim and Hosah (1Chr 26:16). These several persons were captains of these porter-bands, or door-keepers, at the different gates. There were probably a thousand men under each of these captains; as we find, from 1Chr 23:5, that their whole number was four thousand. ↩

  3. 1Chr 9:17-27, 1Chr 15:18, 1Chr 15:23-24; 2Chr 23:19 ↩

  4. Num 26:9-11; Ps 44:1, Ps 49:1 *titles ↩

  5. ωΡμξιδ ( ‎שֶׁלֶמְיָה‎ ), Shelemiah, is merely an abbreviation of ξωΡμξιδ ( ‎מְשֶׁלֶמְיָה‎ ), Meshelemiah, by the apheresis of ξ, mem. 1Chr 26:14, Shelemiah ↩

  6. This variation arises from the rejection of the word ΰα ( ‎אָב‎ ), av, "father," and the mutation of ι, yood, into ΰ, aleph; being written in the parallel passages ΰαιρσ ( ‎אֶבְיָסָף‎ ), Ebiasaph, and here ΰρσ ( ‎אָסָף‎ ), Asaph. 1Chr 6:37, 1Chr 9:19, Ebiasaph ↩

  7. 1Chr 15:18, 1Chr 15:21, 1Chr 15:24, 1Chr 16:5, 1Chr 16:38 ↩

  8. "That is, Obed–edom, as 1Chr 13:14." Ps 128:1 ↩

  9. They were not only porters, or door keepers, in the ordinary sense of the word, but they were a military guard to the gate, as Dr. Delaney suggests that the word shoarim should be rendered here, and perhaps in this sense alone are we to understand their office, which appears to have been of considerable dignity, and conferred only on men of the first rank. They were appointed to attend the temple, to guard all the avenues to it, to open and shut all the outer gates, and attend at them, not only for state but for service. They were also required to direct and instruct those who were going to worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the conduct they were to observe, to encourage those who were timid, to send back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against thieves and others who were enemies to the house of God. 1Chr 26:8, 1Chr 12:28; Judg 6:12; 2Sam 2:7 *marg. 2Chr 26:17; Neh 11:14; 1Tim 6:12; 2Tim 2:3 ↩

  10. Matt 25:15; 1Cor 12:4-11; 2Cor 3:6; 1Pet 4:11 ↩

  11. 1Chr 26:1, 1Chr 26:14 ↩

  12. 1Chr 16:38 ↩

  13. 1Chr 5:1-2 ↩

  14. That is, classes against each other. Ward formerly signified a class or division. We still apply the term to the different apartments in hospitals, and to the more extensive districts into which the city of London is divided. 1Chr 25:8 ↩

  15. Heb. or, as well for the small as for the great, 1Chr 24:31, 1Chr 25:8 ↩

  16. 1Chr 26:1, Meshelemiah ↩

  17. 1Chr 26:2 ↩

  18. Heb. gatherings, ( ‎אָסֻף‎ ), 1Chr 26:17; 2Chr 25:24; Neh 12:25; Eccl 12:11; Or collections; probably the place where either the supplies of the porters, or the offerings made for the priests and Levites, were laid up. Obed–edom is said to have had the charge of the treasures, etc., in 2Chr 25:24. ↩

  19. 1Chr 26:10-11 ↩

  20. That is, ejection; probably the gate through which all the filth which from time to time might accumulate in the temple and its courts, was cast out. ↩

  21. 1Kgs 10:5; 2Chr 9:4 ↩

  22. That is, their stations were opposite to each other; as the north to the south, and the east to the west. 1Chr 26:12, 1Chr 25:8; Neh 12:24 ↩

  23. 1Chr 9:24; 2Chr 8:14 ↩

  24. 1Chr 26:15 ↩

  25. i.e. the outside place; he annulled the corn; a quarter of Jerusalem (Strong), ( ‎פַּרְבָּר‎ ), 1Chr 26:18, Also, 2Kgs 23:11 Parbar is most probably the same as parwar, which denotes suburbs (2Kgs 23:11), in which sense it is often used in the Chaldee Targums; and consequently this may be considered as leading to the suburbs. ↩

  26. Kore, or rather, Korhi, χψηι ( ‎קׇרְחִי‎ ), is essentially the same with χψη ( ‎קֹרַח‎ ), Korah, merely having a paragogic ι, yood. Num 16:11, Korah ↩

  27. 1Chr 26:22, 1Chr 9:26-30, 1Chr 22:3-4, 1Chr 22:14-16, 1Chr 28:12-19, 1Chr 29:2-8; 1Kgs 14:26, 1Kgs 15:18; Mal 3:10 ↩

  28. Heb. holy things, 1Chr 26:26-28, 1Chr 18:11; 1Kgs 7:51; 2Chr 31:11-12 ↩

  29. 1Chr 6:17, Libni, 1Chr 23:7 ↩

  30. Jehieli, ιηιΰμι ( ‎יְחִיאֵלִי‎ ), is the same as Jehiel, ιηιΰμ ( ‎יְחִיאֵל‎ ), with the addition of ι, yood. 1Chr 23:8, 1Chr 29:8, Jehiel ↩

  31. 1Chr 26:20; Neh 10:38 ↩

  32. 1Chr 23:12; Num 3:19, Num 3:27 ↩

  33. The difference between ωΡεαΰμ ( ‎שְׁבוּאֵל‎ ), Shubael, and ωΡαΰμ ( ‎שְׁבוּאֵל‎ ), Shebuel, simply arises from the elision of ε, wav and a change of vowels. 1Chr 23:15-16, 1Chr 24:20, Shubael ↩

  34. 1Chr 23:15; Exod 18:4 ↩

  35. 1Chr 23:17 ↩

  36. 1Chr 23:18 ↩

  37. 1Chr 18:11, 1Chr 22:14, 1Chr 29:2-9; Num 31:30-52 ↩

  38. Josh 6:19 ↩

  39. Heb. battles and spoils ↩

  40. 2Kgs 12:14; Neh 10:32-34 ↩

  41. 1Sam 9:9 ↩

  42. 1Sam 14:47-51, 1Sam 17:55 ↩

  43. 2Sam 10:9-14 ↩

  44. 1Chr 26:23, 1Chr 23:12 ↩

  45. 2Chr 34:13; Neh 11:16 ↩

  46. 1Chr 23:4; 2Chr 19:8-11 ↩

  47. 1Chr 23:12, 1Chr 23:19 ↩

  48. 1Chr 26:6 ↩

  49. Heb. over the charge ↩

  50. 1Chr 23:19, Jeriah ↩

  51. 1Chr 29:27; 1Kgs 2:11 ↩

  52. Josh 21:39; Isa 16:9 ↩

  53. 1Chr 26:6-9 ↩

  54. 1Chr 15:12, 1Chr 23:24, 1Chr 24:31 ↩

  55. 1Chr 12:37 ↩

  56. Heb. and thing, 2Chr 19:11; There were more Levites employed as judges with the two tribes and half on the other side of Jordan, than with all the rest of the tribes; there were two thousand seven hundred, whereas on the west side of Jordan there were only one thousand seven hundred. Either those remote tribes were not so well furnished as the rest with judges of their own, or because they lay farthest from Jerusalem, on the borders of the neighbouring nations, and were thus much in danger of being infected with idolatry, they most needed the help of Levites to prevent their running into the abominations of the idolaters. ↩