1 Chronicles 26:1–19

The Men Who Guarded the Gates

26Here are the groups of men who guarded the gates.

From the family of Korah came Meshelemiah, the son of Kore. Kore was one of the sons of Asaph.

²Meshelemiah had sons.

Zechariah was his first son.

Jediael was his second son.

Zebadiah was the third.

Jathniel was the fourth.

³Elam was the fifth.

Jehohanan was the sixth.

And Eliehoenai was the seventh.

⁴Obed-Edom also had sons.

Shemaiah was his first son.

Jehozabad was his second son.

Joah was the third.

Sacar was the fourth.

Nethanel was the fifth.

⁵Ammiel was the sixth.

Issachar was the seventh.

And Peullethai was the eighth.

God had blessed Obed-Edom.

⁶His son Shemaiah also had sons. They were leaders in their family. That’s because they were men of great ability. ⁷The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad. Elzabad’s brothers Elihu and Semakiah were also able men. ⁸All of them belonged to the family line of Obed-Edom. They and their sons and relatives were men of ability. They were strong enough to do their work. The total number of men in the family line of Obed-Edom was 62.

⁹Meshelemiah’s sons and relatives were able men. Their total number was 18.

¹⁰Hosah belonged to the family line of Merari. Hosah’s first son was Shimri. But Shimri wasn’t the oldest son. His father had made him the first. ¹¹Hilkiah was Hosah’s second son. Tabaliah was the third. Zechariah was the fourth. The total number of Hosah’s sons and relatives was 13.

¹²Those groups of men guarded the gates. They worked under their chief men. They served at the Lord’s temple, just as their relatives had served. ¹³Lots were cast for each gate, family by family. Young and old alike were chosen.

¹⁴The lot that was drawn out for the East Gate was for Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah. He gave wise advice. The lot that was drawn out for the North Gate was for him. ¹⁵The lot for the South Gate was for Obed-Edom. The lot for the storeroom was for his sons. ¹⁶Lots were drawn out for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road. Those lots were for Shuppim and Hosah.

One guard stood next to another. ¹⁷There were six Levites a day on the east. There were four a day on the north. There were four a day on the south. And there were two at a time at the storeroom. ¹⁸Two Levite guards were at the courtyard to the west. And four were at the road.

¹⁹Those were the groups of the men who guarded the gates. They belonged to the family lines of Korah and Merari.