CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
1 Chronicles 9
Chapter 9 of 29
Chapter Overview
What happens in 1 Chronicles 9
This chapter bridges the genealogies and the narrative. It lists the families who first returned from Babylon to live in Jerusalem and describes the duties of the Levites, gatekeepers, and other temple workers. It ends with a repeat of Saul's family line, preparing for the story of his death.
Scripture
1 Chronicles 9
The People Who Returned to Jerusalem
Study note
After years of exile in Babylon, the first people to return to Jerusalem included families from Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. The author lists specific family heads and their numbers to show that God's people came back to their homeland as he had promised.
1 Every family in Israel was listed in the records of Israel's kings. Judah's people were taken to Babylon. They had been untrue to God. So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression.
2 The first to go back and settle in their towns were common Israelites. Priests, Levites, and temple workers went back too. Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.
3 People from Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh settled in Jerusalem. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;
4 One of them was Uthai, who descended from Ammihud, then Omri, then Imri, then Bani. He came from the family of Perez son of Judah. Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Pharez the son of Judah.
5 From the Shilonites, Asaiah the oldest son and his sons came. And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons.
6 From Zerah's family, there was Jeuel. Their relatives numbered 690 people. And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety.
7 From the tribe of Benjamin came Sallu. He came from Meshullam, then Hodaviah, then Hassenuah. And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah,
8 Other men from Benjamin were Ibneiah son of Jeroham and Elah son of Uzzi. Elah was Michri's grandson. Meshullam was also there. He was Shephatiah's son, Reuel's grandson, and Ibnijah's great-grandson. And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;
9 According to their official family lists, they had 956 relatives. All of these men were leaders of their family groups. And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty and six. All these men were chief of the fathers in the house of their fathers.
The Priests and Levites in Jerusalem
Study note
The priests and Levites who returned were essential for restarting worship in Jerusalem. These men came from well-documented family lines, proving their right to serve in the temple. There were 1,760 skilled priests ready for the work.
10 The priests who returned included Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin. And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin,
11 There was also Azariah, who descended from Hilkiah, Meshullam, Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub. He served as the chief official in God's temple. And Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;
12 There was also Adaiah son of Jeroham, from the family of Pashhur and Malchijah. And Maasai son of Adiel, who descended from Jahzerah, Meshullam, Meshillemith, and Immer. And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasiai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;
13 Their relatives who were family leaders totaled 1,760. They were all very capable men who served in God's temple. And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and seven hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
14 Among the Levites who returned was Shemaiah, who descended from Hasshub, Azrikam, and Hashabiah. He was from the Merari family. And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
15 Other Levites included Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah son of Mica. He came from the family of Zichri and Asaph. And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph;
16 Also Obadiah son of Shemaiah, who descended from Galal and Jeduthun. And Berechiah son of Asa son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages near Netophah. And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites.
The Gatekeepers and Their Duties
Study note
The gatekeepers had the important job of protecting the temple and controlling who could enter. There were 212 gatekeepers, stationed on all four sides of the temple. David and Samuel had originally set up this system. These guards stayed overnight near the temple and opened the doors each morning.
17 The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was the chief gatekeeper. And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief;
18 Up until that time, they had been stationed at the King's Gate on the east side. They were the gatekeepers for the Levite camps. Who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi.
19 Shallum came from the family of Kore, then Ebiasaph, then Korah. He and his fellow Korahites guarded the entrance to the tabernacle. Their ancestors had done the same job, guarding the entrance to the Lord's camp. And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the host of the LORD, were keepers of the entry.
20 In earlier times, Phinehas son of Eleazar had been their leader, and the Lord was with him. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with him.
21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
22 There were 212 men chosen as gatekeepers. They were registered in the records of their home villages. David and the prophet Samuel had originally given them this trusted responsibility. All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.
23 These men and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the Lord's house, the tabernacle. So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the LORD, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards.
24 Guards were placed on all four sides: east, west, north, and south. In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.
25 Their relatives from the nearby villages came to help them. They took one-week shifts on a regular schedule. And their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come after seven days from time to time with them.
26 Four chief gatekeepers, all Levites, held permanent positions of trust. They were responsible for the rooms and the treasuries in God's house. For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.
27 They spent the night near God's house because it was their job to guard it and to open the doors every morning. And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them.
Temple Supplies and Special Duties
Study note
Various Levites were responsible for counting worship supplies, mixing incense, baking bread, and preparing the showbread. The musicians lived at the temple because their work of praise kept them busy day and night. Each duty was carefully assigned.
28 Some gatekeepers were responsible for the equipment used in worship. They counted the items every time they were taken out and brought back. And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale.
29 Others maintained the supplies. This included the furniture, the holy tools, the fine flour, the wine, the olive oil, the incense, and the spices. Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices.
30 Some of the priests' sons prepared the special spice mixtures for anointing oil. And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices.
31 A Levite named Mattithiah was put in charge of baking the bread used for offerings. He was the oldest son of Shallum the Korahite. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the set office over the things that were made in the pans.
32 Some of their Kohathite relatives were in charge of making fresh bread. They set it before the Lord every Sabbath day. And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath.
33 The musicians, all heads of Levite families, lived in rooms at the temple. They did not have other duties because their work of making music kept them busy day and night. And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night.
34 These were the heads of the Levite families, listed as leaders in their official records. They lived in Jerusalem. These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem.
The Family Line of Saul Repeated
Study note
The genealogy of Saul is repeated from chapter 8, creating a bridge to the narrative section that begins in chapter 10 with the death of Saul. This repetition signals that the genealogy section is ending and the story of Israel's kings is about to begin.
35 Jeiel, the founder of Gibeon, lived there with his wife Maacah. And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife's name was Maachah:
36 His firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, and Nadab. And his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab,
37 He also had sons named Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth.
38 Mikloth had a son named Shimeam. These families also lived near their relatives in Jerusalem. And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem, over against their brethren.
39 Ner had a son named Kish. Kish had a son named Saul. Saul had sons named Jonathan, Malchi-Shua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal. And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
40 Jonathan had a son named Merib-Baal, and Merib-Baal had a son named Micah. And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal: and Merib-baal begat Micah.
41 Micah's sons were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz. And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and Ahaz.
42 Ahaz had a son named Jarah. Jarah had sons named Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri had a son named Moza. And Ahaz begat Jarah; and Jarah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza;
43 Moza had a son named Binea. After Binea came Rephaiah, then Eleasah, then Azel. And Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.
44 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these were the sons of Azel.
Key Themes
Themes in 1 Chronicles 9
Restoration after exileFaithful service in God's houseThe importance of gatekeepers and servantsReturning to God means returning to worship
Apply This Today
Living 1 Chronicles 9
After the exile, the first priority was restoring worship. When you return to God after a season of wandering, start with worship. Faithful service — even in seemingly small roles like gatekeeping — is honored by God and essential to the health of His community.
Go Deeper
Study 1 Chronicles in Covenant Path
Read every chapter with study aids, bookmarks, and daily reading plans — free in the app.