Doorkeepers, Overseers of the Treasures, and Judges: 1 Chronicles 26

Narrator: Ivona Gentwo
1 Chronicles 26  •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 12
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1 Chronicles 26
In 1 Chron. 26:1-211Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 2And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. 4Moreover the sons of Obed-edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, 5Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him. 6Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valor. 7The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah. 8All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obed-edom. 9And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen. 10Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;) 11Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen. 12Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord. 13And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate. 14And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward. 15To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim. 16To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward. 17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two. 18At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar. 19These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari. 20And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things. 21As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli. (1 Chronicles 26:1‑21) we find the courses of the doorkeepers. Obed-Edom is here, as always, the object of special blessing. Whereas Meshelemiah, the son of Korah, numbers eighteen sons and brethren destined to this office in his family, and Hosah of the family of Merari, thirteen sons and brethren, Obed-Edom numbers sixty-two in his direct posterity. He had eight sons, for it is said that God had blessed him (1 Chron. 26:55Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him. (1 Chronicles 26:5)). Had he not, together with his family, been the keeper of the ark in his house for three months? It was at that time that the Lord had blessed his house (1 Chron. 13:14; 16:3814And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had. (1 Chronicles 13:14)
38And Obed-edom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters: (1 Chronicles 16:38)). He had become a doorkeeper of the ark when David brought it up to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 15:1818And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the porters. (1 Chronicles 15:18)). We see him and his numerous family with him here as doorkeepers of Solomon's future temple. Of his sons it is said that they were rulers in their father's house, that they were mighty men of valor, able men in strength for the service. We do not reflect often enough that the service of the doorkeepers, like that of the priests (1 Chron. 9:1313And 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. (1 Chronicles 9:13)), required these qualities. It is hardly enough to say that this unprepossessing task requires humility, dependence, zeal, and self-forgetfulness; strength and valor are necessary also.
The doorkeepers had charge of all the gates of the temple. They must be able to repel any undertakings against the house of God besides watching with continual energy so that no defiled person might enter the courts of the Lord, but also must keep the doors open so that no member of the priesthood who had the right to enter the temple might be excluded.
The doorkeepers of the future temple were indicated by lot, which moreover designated the keepers of each gate. Shelemiah had charge of the door to the east; Zechariah, his son, a wise counselor, had charge of the gate northward; Obed-Edom was in charge of the door to the south, but he was always specially blessed among all the others, for his sons had under their direction the storehouse.
Among the Levites (1 Chron. 26:20-2820And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things. 21As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli. 22The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the Lord. 23Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: 24And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures. 25And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son. 26Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated. 27Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord. 28And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren. (1 Chronicles 26:20‑28)) we find those appointed over the treasures of the house of God and over the treasures of the holy things. During this period which preceded the reign of peace a descendant of Moses (1 Chron. 26:2424And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures. (1 Chronicles 26:24)) was the overseer of the treasures; another, Shelomith with his brethren, had charge "over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which king David, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated (from the wars and out of the spoils had they dedicated them, to maintain the house of Jehovah), and all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated: all that was dedicated was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren" (1 Chron. 26:26-2826Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated. 27Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord. 28And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren. (1 Chronicles 26:26‑28)), until the moment when all these treasures would be employed by Solomon. Here for the third time Joab's activity is seen in a favorable light.
Other Levites from among the Jizharites were officers and judges (1 Chron. 26:2929Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges. (1 Chronicles 26:29)). Those who remained at Hebron, where David's kingship had begun, were established "for the administration of Israel on this side Jordan westward, for all the business of Jehovah, and for the service of the king" (1 Chron. 26:3030And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valor, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the Lord, and in the service of the king. (1 Chronicles 26:30)), and "king David made" them "rulers over the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and the affairs of the king" (1 Chron. 26:3232And his brethren, men of valor, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king. (1 Chronicles 26:32)). Thus those who from the beginning of David's reign had been his witnesses and companions receive a special distinction.