1 Chronicles 26 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
The close of David's reign, around 970 BC
Location
Jerusalem, covering the sanctuary gates on all four sides, the storehouses, and administrative posts across the country
Audience
Readers in the Persian period whose temple ran on the same posts, guarding donated goods in a province with no independent army
Situation
Gatekeeping duties are assigned by lot to Levite families for the east, north, south, and west gates and the storehouses. Other Levites are put over the treasuries of dedicated gifts, and still others serve as officers and judges outside Jerusalem.
Key Background
Gatekeeper sounds menial but was a security and screening role, controlling who and what entered holy space and guarding a treasury holding gold, silver, and spoils dedicated by generations of commanders. Temples across the ancient Near East doubled as strongrooms because their sanctity deterred theft better than walls, which made the men holding the keys genuinely powerful. Assigning posts by lot again prevented the strongest clans from claiming the east gate, the main and most prestigious entrance facing the sunrise, and the chapter notes that ability rather than birth order decided some appointments.
The divisions of the From the — Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.
Meshelemiah's sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
Obed-Edom's sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sakar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,
Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth — because God had given him
To his son Shemaiah, sons were also born who led their father's family — because they were
The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad — and his relatives Elihu and Semachiah were also capable men.
All of these were descendants of Obed-Edom — they, their sons, and their relatives were capable men with the strength for the service. Sixty-two in all from Obed-Edom.
Meshelemiah had sons and relatives — eighteen capable men.
Hosah, from the had sons: Shimri was the leader (though he wasn't the firstborn, his father had appointed him as leader),
Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth. Hosah's sons and relatives totaled thirteen.
These divisions of gatekeepers, through their leaders, had duties just like their relatives — serving in the of
They young and old alike, family by family, for each gate.
The lot for the east gate fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the north gate.
The south gate went to Obed-Edom, and the storehouses went to his sons.
Shuppim and Hosah got the west along with the on the upper road. Guard duty was assigned side by side.
On the east, six Levites per day; on the north, four per day; on the south, four per day; and at the storehouses, two and two.
At the on the west: four at the road and two at the itself.
These were the gatekeeper divisions from the Korahites and the Merarites.
From the Levites, Ahijah was over the of the house of and the holding the to
The descendants of Ladan — the through Ladan — the family leaders of Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.
The sons of Jehieli — Zetham and his brother Joel — were over the treasuries of the house of Yahweh.
From the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites:
Shebuel son of Gershom son of Moses was the chief officer over the treasuries.
His relatives through Eliezer: Eliezer's son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zikri, and his son Shelomith.
This Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries holding the things to by King David, the family leaders, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the army commanders.
They had given Yahweh a share of the from their to keep his house in repair.
Everything that Samuel the Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah had dedicated — all dedicated items were under Shelomith and his relatives' care.
From the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were assigned to duties outside the temple — as and over Israel.
From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives — 1,700 capable men — were responsible for Israel's administration on the west side of the Jordan, handling all of Yahweh's work and the king's service.
Among the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief. (In the of a search was made, and capable men among the Hebronites were found at Jazer in Gilead.)
Jerijah had 2,700 relatives who were capable family leaders. King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the of — for every matter involving God and the king.