UNROLL
First light at a plain wooden gate in a low fieldstone wall on a ridge: a Levite gatekeeper in undyed linen and a dark cloak pushes the gate open beside a small clay lamp still burning, the dark shape of a tent beyond and a small hill town gray below, under a calm, pale dawn sky.

The Book of

1 Chronicles 26

Gates, storehouses and treasure: the quiet jobs that kept God’s house open, and the families God blessed to do them.

32 verses≈ 5 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–9GenealogiesAll Israel, from Adam
  2. 10Saul fallsThe kingdom turned to David
  3. 11–12David kingAll Israel gathers
  4. 13–16The arkBrought home with songs
  5. 17The covenantA house forever
  6. 18–20David's warsThe LORD gave victory
  7. 21The siteOrnan's threshing floor
  8. 22–27Preparing the templePriests, Levites and singersChapter 26
  9. 28–29David's farewellBe strong, and do the work

The Divisions of the Gatekeepers

Family line

Meshelemiah and Obed-edom

  1. Meshelemiah
    • Zechariah
    • Jediael
    • Zebadiah
    • Jathniel
    • Elam
    • Jehohanan
    • Eliehoenai

    From the Korahites

    These were the divisions of the gatekeepers:

    From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.

    Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

    Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh.

    • Shemaiah
    • Jehozabad
    • Joah
    • Sachar
    • Nethanel
    • Ammiel
    • Issachar
    • Peullethai

    Eight sons

    And Obed-edom also had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,

    Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

The walled courtyard of a stone house at harvest, full grain jars, a goat with kids, a woman grinding grain and children playing; the master of the house stands in the doorway of an inner room where the gold ark rests on a mat in the dimness behind him.

For God had blessed Obed-edom.

For God had blessed Obed-edom.

1 Chronicles 26:5

Family line

Strong, capable men

  1. Shemaiah
    • Othni
    • Rephael
    • Obed
    • Elzabad

    strong, capable men

    Also to his son Shemaiah were born sons who ruled over their families because they were strong, capable men.

    Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his brothers were Elihu and Semachiah, also capable men.

    • 62 in all

    Obed-edom’s line

    All these were descendants of Obed-edom; they and their sons and brothers were capable men with strength to do the work—62 in all from Obed-edom.

    • 18 in all

    Meshelemiah’s line

    Meshelemiah also had sons and brothers who were capable men—18 in all.

  4. Hosah
    • Shimri
    • Hilkiah
    • Tebaliah
    • Zechariah

    Merarite

    Shimri appointed first

    Hosah the Merarite also had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him as the first),

    Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth.

    • 13 in all

    Hosah’s line

    The sons and brothers of Hosah numbered 13 in all.

These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their chief men, had duties for ministering in the house of the LORD, just as their relatives did. They cast lots for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.

Gates on every side

his sonsThe housefor Solomon tobuildNorth GateZechariah · 4 a dayEast GateShelemiah · 6a daySouth GateObed-edom · 4 a dayWest GateShuppim, Hosah· 4 + 2StorehousesObed-edom’s sons · 2pairs

Whiteboard

North at the top, east on the right. Each gate had its family by lot and its guards by day; the East Gate, the main way in, had six. A plan of duty for a house still to be built, not a drawing of its walls.

Late afternoon at a fieldstone storehouse beside a tent court: a heavy plank door with a wooden bar stands half open on stacked jars of grain and oil, and two pairs of Levite gatekeepers in linen and wool cloaks stand at it with staffs.

Gatekeepers

A lot for every gate

  1. East

    East Gate: Shelemiah

    The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah.

  2. North

    North Gate: Zechariah the counselor

    Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.

  3. South

    South Gate and storehouses: Obed-edom

    The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-edom, and the lot for the storehouses to his sons.

  4. West

    West and Shallecheth: Shuppim, Hosah

    The lots for the West Gate and the Shallecheth Gate on the ascending highway fell to Shuppim and Hosah.

  5. Guards at every watch

    There were guards stationed at every watch.

  6. Each day

    Six east, four north, four south

    Each day there were six Levites on the east, four on the north, four on the south, and two pairs at the storehouse.

  7. West

    Four at the highway, two at the court

    As for the court on the west, there were four at the highway and two at the court.

These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.

1 Chronicles 26:19

Question

Quick question

Every family drew a lot for its gate, “young and old alike.”

Whose family received the lot for the South Gate?

The Treasurers, Officers, and Judges

Now their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated things. From the descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and heads of the families of Ladan the Gershonite, were Jehieli, the sons of Jehieli, Zetham, and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

Family line

Moses’ line at the treasury

  1. Four Kohathite clans

    From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:

  2. Shebuel

    Of Gershom son of Moses

    in charge of the treasuries

    Shebuel, a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was the officer in charge of the treasuries.

  3. EliezerRehabiahJeshaiahJoramZichriShelomith

    Through Eliezer

    His relatives through Eliezer included Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.

From the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons had the outside duties as officers and judges over Israel.

Reflect

Gifts that last

Commanders gave part of what they won “to the repair of the house of the LORD,” and the gifts of Samuel, Saul, Abner and Joab were still kept safe in David’s last years. What have you won or earned that could be given to God? Write down one thing you would want still to be serving others long after you.

Jordan RiverSea of GalileeDead SeaGileadReubenGadHalf of ManassehJerusalemJazer (site uncertain)

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

West and east of the Jordan

Hashabiah’s 1,700 Hebronites served west of the Jordan, the side where Jerusalem stands. Jerijah’s 2,700, found at Jazer in Gilead, served Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh on the east side, in every matter of God and of the king. (Jazer’s site is uncertain.)

From the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, had charge of the affairs of Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the service of the king.

Late afternoon in the rounded hills of Gilead: below a small walled town of stone and mud brick on a low hill, a few Hebronite men in wool cloaks walk out on the road to meet two Levite officers, one with a rolled scroll under his arm, under a calm amber sky.

As for the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief of the Hebronites, according to the genealogies of his ancestors. In the fortieth year of David’s reign the records were searched, and strong, capable men were found among the Hebronites at Jazer in Gilead.

0:14

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Among Jerijah’s relatives there were 2,700 capable men who were heads of families. King David appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.

Pray

The work no one sees

Thank God for the people who keep the doors open, count the money honestly and do the work no one sees. Pray for faithful stewards of what is given to Him. Ask that all your work, sacred and ordinary, would be done for Him, “for every matter pertaining to God.” And pray for those who serve far from the center, on the other side of the river.

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1 Chronicles 26

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A verse to carry with you

For God had blessed Obed-edom.

1 Chronicles 26:5

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