1 Chronicles 26
The full text of 1 Chronicles 26 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Hebrew. Free to read.
1 The divisions of the gatekeepers: From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.
2 Meshelemiah's sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth and Eliehoenai the seventh.
4 Obed-edom's sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sakar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,
5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh and Peullethai the eighth. (God had blessed Obed-edom.)
6 His son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders in their father's family because they were very capable men.
7 The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also capable men.
8 All these were descendants of Obed-edom; they and their sons and relatives were capable men with the strength to do the work — they numbered 62 in all.
9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, who were capable men — 18 in all.
10 Hosah the Merarite had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him the first),
11 Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third and Zechariah the fourth. The sons and relatives of Hosah were 13 in all.
12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their leaders, had duties for ministering in the temple of the LORD, just as their relatives had.
13 Lots were cast for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.
14 The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.
15 The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-edom, and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons.
16 The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah. Guard was alongside guard:
17 On the east, six Levites a day; on the north, four a day; on the south, four a day; at the storehouse, two and two.
18 As for the court to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court itself.
19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.
20 Their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated things.
21 The descendants of Laadan, who were Gershonites through Laadan and who were heads of families belonging to Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli,
22 the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the temple of the LORD.
23 From the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites:
24 Shubael, a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was the official in charge of the treasuries.
25 His relatives through Eliezer: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son and Shelomith his son.
26 Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries of the things dedicated by King David, by the heads of families who were the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and by the other army commanders.
27 Some of the plunder taken in battle they dedicated for the repair of the temple of the LORD.
28 And everything dedicated by Samuel the seer and by Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner and Joab son of Zeruiah, and all the other dedicated things were in the care of Shelomith and his relatives.
29 From the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were assigned duties away from the temple, as officials and judges over Israel.
30 From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives — seventeen hundred capable men — were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the king's service.
31 According to the genealogical records of the Hebronites, Jeriah was their chief. (In the fortieth year of David's reign a search was made in the records, and capable men among the Hebronites were found at Jazer in Gilead.)
32 His relatives, capable men, were 2,700 in all. King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.
Translation notes (8)
- 1 Chronicles 26:1a Asaph here is likely a shortened form of Ebiasaph, the Korahite ancestor named in 1 Chronicles 9:19, where Kore's line is traced through Ebiasaph to Korah. The singer Asaph belonged to the Gershonite clan and could not head a Korahite family, since the Korahites descended from Kohath.
- 1 Chronicles 26:5a The Hebrew has ki verakho ha'elohim (כִּי בֵּרֲכוֹ אֱלֹהִים), literally 'for God had blessed him'. This parenthetical statement refers to Obed-edom, reiterating the blessing mentioned in 2 Samuel 6:11 and 1 Chronicles 13:14 concerning the prosperity of his household.
- 1 Chronicles 26:10a The Hebrew states plainly that Shimri lo hayah bekhor, 'was not the firstborn', yet his father made him rosh, 'head' or 'chief'. The Chronicler elsewhere notes the transfer of firstborn status, as when Reuben's birthright passed to the sons of Joseph (1 Chronicles 5:1-2), attesting a father's recognized authority to assign precedence apart from birth order.
- 1 Chronicles 26:14a Shelemiah is a shortened form of Meshelemiah, the Korahite gatekeeper named earlier in this chapter (verses 1-2); the two names refer to the same man. Zechariah's description renders the Hebrew yo'ets besekhel, literally 'a counselor with insight'. The East Gate, facing the temple entrance, was the post of greatest honor.
- 1 Chronicles 26:16a The Shalleketh Gate (שַׁלֶּכֶת — shallekheth, 'casting down') refers to the west entrance of the temple complex, which included an ascending road.
- 1 Chronicles 26:18a Parbar (פַּרְבָּר), rendered here as 'court', occurs only in this verse; a related plural form appears in 2 Kings 23:11. Its meaning is uncertain, and the King James tradition left it untranslated as a proper name, Parbar. It may be a loanword denoting an open colonnade or precinct on the west side of the temple enclosure.
- 1 Chronicles 26:28a The mention of Saul among those who dedicated items to the LORD's treasury is notable, as his reign is often characterized by disobedience rather than pious contributions. This detail, unique to Chronicles, highlights a positive aspect of his rule.
- 1 Chronicles 26:31a David reigned forty years in all (1 Chronicles 29:27), so this search of the genealogical records falls in the final year of his reign, part of the administrative preparations for Solomon's succession described in these chapters. Jazer in Gilead lay east of the Jordan, matching the Transjordanian assignment given in the following verse.
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