How were the gates, supplies and daily service of the Lord’s house cared for?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Named Levite families served by turns,212 chosen gatekeepers kept the entrances, four Levites oversaw the chambers and treasures, and other families counted vessels, handled supplies and prepared fresh sabbath loaves.

Chapter breakdown

The chapter names Israelites, priests and Levites living in Jerusalem after captivity, describes their service, and repeats Saul’s family line.

All Israel was counted, and the total was written in the book of the kings of Israel and Juda. They were carried away to Babylon for their transgression. The first to live in their possessions and cities were Israelites, priests, Levites and Nathineans.

Challoner’s note identifies the Nathineans as descendants of the Gabaonites whose work was to bring wood, water and other things for the service of the temple.

People of Juda, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasses lived in Jerusalem. Othei was the son of Ammiud, son of Amri, son of Omrai, son of Bonni, from Phares’s line in Juda. From Siloni came Asaia, the firstborn, and his sons. From Zara came Jehuel and their brothers, 690. From Benjamin came Salo, son of Mosollam, son of Oduia, son of Asana; Jobania, son of Jeroham; Ela, son of Ozi, son of Mochori; and Mosallam, son of Saphatias, son of Rahuel, son of Jebania. Their brothers by their families numbered 956. These were family heads by their fathers’ houses.

The priests included Jedaia, Joiarib and Jachin. Azarias was the son of Helcias, son of Mosollam, son of Sadoc, son of Maraioth, son of Achitob, high priest of the house of God. Adaias was the son of Jeroham, son of Phassur, son of Melchias. Maasai was the son of Adiel, son of Jezra, son of Mosollam, son of Mosollamith, son of Emmer. Their brothers, family heads, numbered 1,760 strong and able men for the work of service in the house of God.

The Levites included Semeia, son of Hassub, son of Ezricam, son of Hasebia, of Merari’s descendants; Bacbacar the carpenter; Galal; Mathania, son of Micha, son of Zechri, son of Asaph; Obdia, son of Semeia, son of Galal, son of Idithum; and Barachia, son of Asa, son of Elcana, who lived in the suburbs of Netophati.

The gatekeepers were Sellum, Accub, Telmon and Ahiman; their brother Sellum was chief. Until that time Levi’s sons served by turns at the king’s east gate. Sellum, son of Core, son of Abiasaph, son of Core, with his brothers and father’s house, the Corites, oversaw the work of service and kept the tabernacle gates. Their families took turns keeping the entrance of the Lord’s camp. Phinees, son of Eleazar, was their chief before the Lord. Zacharias, son of Mosollamia, kept the gate of the tabernacle of the testimony.

There were 212 chosen gatekeepers, registered in their own towns, whom David and Samuel the seer appointed in their trust. They and their sons kept the gates of the Lord’s house and the tabernacle by turns. Gatekeepers served in four directions: east, west, north and south. Their brothers lived in villages and came on their sabbath days from time to time. Four Levites had charge of all the gatekeepers and of the chambers and treasures of the Lord’s house. They stayed at their watches around the temple so they could open the gates in the morning when it was time.

Some of their family had charge of the vessels used in service, counting them both when brought in and carried out. Others had charge of the sanctuary instruments, fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense and spices. The priests’ sons made ointments from the spices. Mathathias, a Levite and the firstborn of Sellum the Corite, oversaw the things fried in the fryingpan. Some of their brothers from Caath’s sons had charge of the loaves of proposition, preparing fresh loaves for every sabbath.

The chief singers of the Levite families lived in chambers by the temple so they could serve continually, day and night, in their work. The Levite heads, chiefs in their families, lived in Jerusalem.

Jehiel, the father of Gabaon, lived in Gabaon, and his wife was Maacha. His sons were Abdon, the firstborn, Sur, Cis, Baal, Ner, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zacharias and Macelloth. Macelloth begot Samaan. They lived opposite their brothers in Jerusalem, with their brothers.

Ner begot Cis, and Cis begot Saul. Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Melchisua, Abinadab and Esbaal. Jonathan’s son was Meribbaal, who begot Micha. Micha’s sons were Phithon, Melech, Tharaa and Ahaz. Ahaz begot Jara, whose sons were Alamath, Azmoth and Zamri. Zamri begot Mosa, who begot Banaa. Banaa’s son Raphaia begot Elasa, from whom Asel was born. Asel had six sons: Ezricam, Bochru, Ismahel, Saria, Obdia and Hanan.

The story inside

The chapter begins with a reason for captivity: Israel was carried away for transgression despite being recorded in the royal register. It then names the first dwellers and Jerusalem’s family heads, priests and Levites. The service record describes work that must recur: gates are kept by turns and opened in the morning, vessels are counted going in and out, and fresh loaves are prepared for each sabbath. The singers live near the temple so they can serve day and night. Named families and assigned duties give the account its detail. The closing genealogy returns to Saul through Ner and Cis, then follows Jonathan’s line to Asel’s six sons. The chapter does not add a promise that the residents’ return proves their faithfulness.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The captivity has a stated cause: transgression. The chapter then identifies Israelites, priests, Levites and Nathineans as the first dwellers. Challoner separately explains the Nathineans’ ancestry and wood-and-water service. Their presence does not supply an unstated judgment that all returnees were a faithful remnant.
2
The gatekeeping is both a family responsibility and an assigned trust. David and Samuel appoint 212 chosen men; they and their sons serve by turns. Four Levites have charge of the gatekeepers, chambers and treasures. Staying around the temple has the stated purpose of opening the gates in the morning, without an added account of night vigils or military guarding.
3
The supply duties have their own clear limits. Vessels are counted in and out, priests’ sons make spice ointments, Mathathias oversees fried things, and Caath’s sons prepare fresh loaves every sabbath. The singers’ nearby rooms support service day and night. Keeping each task with its named group preserves the practical arrangements in the source.

Test your recall

Israel’s transgression → captivity in Babylon. David and Samuel appoint 212 gatekeepers → they and their sons keep gates by turns. Watches around the temple → gates can open in the morning. Vessels enter and leave → they are counted. Every sabbath → fresh loaves are prepared. Singers live in nearby chambers → they can serve day and night.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 42261–42265
1 Paralipomenon Chapter 9 The Israelites, priests, and Levites, who first dwelt in Jerusalem after the captivity. A repetition of the genealogy of Saul.
Lines 42266–42272
9:1. And all Israel was numbered: and the sum of them was written in the book of the kings of Israel, and Juda: and they were carried away to Babylon for their transgression. 9:2. Now the first that dwelt in their possessions, and in their cities, were the Israelites, and the priests, and the Levites, and the Nathineans.
Lines 42274–42276
Nathineans.... These were the posterity of the Gabaonites, whose office was to bring wood, water, etc., for the service of the temple.
Lines 42277–42296
9:3. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Juda, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and of Manasses. 9:4. Othei the son of Ammiud, the son of Amri, the son of Omrai, the son of Bonni of the sons of Phares the son of Juda. 9:5. And of Siloni: Asaia the firstborn, and his sons. 9:6. And of the sons of Zara: Jehuel and their brethren, six hundred and ninety. 9:7. And of the sons of Benjamin: Salo the son of Mosollam, the son of Oduia, the son of Asana: 9:8. And Jobania the son of Jeroham: and Ela the son of Ozi, the son of Mochori and Mosallam the son of Saphatias, the son of Rahuel, the son of Jebania: 9:9. And their brethren by their families, nine hundred and fifty-six. All these were heads of their families, by the houses of their fathers.
Lines 42298–42310
9:10. And of the priests: Jedaia, Joiarib, and Jachin: 9:11. And Azarias the son of Helcias, the son of Mosollam, the son of Sadoc, the son of Maraioth, the son of Achitob, high priest of the house of God. 9:12. And Adaias the son of Jeroham, the son of Phassur, the son of Melchias, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jezra, the son of Mosollam, the son of Mosollamith, the son of Emmer. 9:13. And their brethren heads in their families a thousand seven hundred and threescore, very strong and able men for the work of the ministry in the house of God.
Lines 42312–42320
9:14. And of the Levites: Semeia the son of Hassub the son of Ezricam, the son of Hasebia of the sons of Merari. 9:15. And Bacbacar the carpenter, and Galal, and Mathania the son of Micha, the son of Zechri the son of Asaph: 9:16. And Obdia the son of Semeia, the son of Galal, the son of Idithum: and Barachia the son of Asa, the son of Elcana, who dwelt in the suburbs of Netophati.
Lines 42322–42336
9:17. And the porters were Sellum, and Accub, and Telmon, and Ahiman: and their brother Sellum was the prince, 9:18. Until that time, in the king’s gate eastward, the sons of Levi waited by their turns. 9:19. But Sellum the son of Core, the son of Abiasaph, the son of Core, with his brethren and his father’s house, the Corites were over the works of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: and their families in turns were keepers of the entrance of the camp of the Lord. 9:20. And Phinees the son of Eleazar, was their prince before the Lord, 9:21. And Zacharias the son of Mosollamia, was porter of the gate of the tabernacle of the testimony:
Lines 42338–42356
9:22. All these that were chosen to be porters at the gates, were two hundred and twelve: the they were registered in their proper towns: whom David and Samuel the seer appointed in their trust. 9:23. As well them as their sons, to keep the gates of the house of the Lord, and the tabernacle by their turns. 9:24. In four quarters were the porters: that is to say, toward the east, and west, and north, and south. 9:25. And their brethren dwelt in villages, and came upon their sabbath days from time to time. 9:26. To these four Levites were committed the whole number of the porters, and they were over the chambers, and treasures, of the house of the Lord. 9:27. And they abode in their watches round about the temple of the Lord: that when it was time, they might open the gates in the morning.
Lines 42358–42372
9:28. And some of their stock had the charge of the vessels for the ministry: for the vessels were both brought in and carried out by number. 9:29. Some of them also had the instruments of the sanctuary committed unto them, and the charge of the fine flour, and wine, and oil, and frankincense, and spices. 9:30. And the sons of the priests made the ointments of the spices. 9:31. And Mathathias a Levite, the firstborn of Sellum the Corite, was overseer of such things as were fried in the fryingpan. 9:32. And some of the sons of Caath their brethren, were over the loaves of proposition, to prepare always new for every sabbath.
Lines 42374–42379
9:33. These are the chief of the singing men of the families of the Levites, who dwelt in the chambers, by the temple, that they might serve continually day and night in their ministry. 9:34. The heads of the Levites, princes in their families, abode in Jerusalem.
Lines 42381–42390
9:35. And in Gabaon dwelt Jehiel the father of Gabaon, and the name of his wife was Maacha: 9:36. His firstborn son Abdon, and Sur, and Cis, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab, 9:37. Gedor also, and Ahio, and Zacharias, and Macelloth. 9:38. And Macelloth begot Samaan: these dwelt over against their brethren in Jerusalem, with their brethren.
Lines 42392–42410
9:39. Now Ner begot Cis: and Cis begot Saul: and Saul begot Jonathan and Melchisua, and Abinadab, and Esbaal. 9:40. And the son of Jonathan, was Meribbaal: and Meribbaal begot Micha. 9:41. And the sons of Micha, were Phithon, and Melech, and Tharaa, and Ahaz. 9:42. And Ahaz begot Jara, and Jara begot Alamath, and Azmoth, and Zamri. And Zamri begot Mosa. 9:43. And Mosa begot Banaa: whose son Raphaia begot Elasa: of whom was born Asel. 9:44. And Asel had six sons whose names are, Ezricam Bochru, Ismahel, Saria, Obdia, Hanan: these are the sons of Asel.