The Ruin of the People and the Restoration of Judah and Benjamin. the Levites: 1 Chronicles 9:1-34

From: Meditations on 1 Chronicles By: Henri L. Rossier

1 Chronicles 9‑10 • 3 min. read • grade level: 10

1 Chronicles 9:1-34¹So 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. ²Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims. ³And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh; ⁴Uthai 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. ⁵And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons. ⁶And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety. ⁷And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah, ⁸And 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; ⁹And 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. ¹⁰And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin, ¹¹And 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; ¹²And 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; ¹³And 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. ¹⁴And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; ¹⁵And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph; ¹⁶And 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. ¹⁷And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief; ¹⁸Who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi. ¹⁹And 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. ²⁰And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the Lord was with him. ²¹And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. ²²All 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. ²³So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the Lord, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards. ²⁴In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south. ²⁵And their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come after seven days from time to time with them. ²⁶For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. ²⁷And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them. ²⁸And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale. ²⁹Some 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. ³⁰And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. ³¹And 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. ³²And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the showbread, to prepare it every sabbath. ³³And 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. ³⁴These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 9:1‑34)

1 Chronicles 8 has brought us to the kingship according to the flesh, whose ruin will be shown us in 1 Chron. 10; whereas 1 Chron. 9 shows us the final ruin of the people: "Judah was carried away to Babylon because of their transgression" (1 Chron. 9:1¹So 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. (1 Chronicles 9:1)). We then find the restoration of a feeble remnant, mentioned in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, in order to await the promised Messiah at Jerusalem. This ninth chapter (1 Chron. 9) corresponds to Nehemiah 11. Yet it differs significantly from Neh. 11, both with regard to the number of the sons of Judah and Benjamin who dwelt at Jerusalem, and with regard to their names. 1 Chron. 9 adds collateral branches. With regard to the priests and Levites, it is much closer to Nehemiah. Finally, it defines the functions of the doorkeepers of the temple very exactly. We learn also what Nehemiah does not reveal, that some of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh, probably left in the land of Canaan at the time of the captivity of their tribes, came to dwell at Jerusalem (1 Chron. 9:3³And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh; (1 Chronicles 9:3)) with the children of Judah and of Benjamin.

Let us note yet another detail. In 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) the priests are termed "able men for the work of the service of the house of God." Indeed the same strength is needed for the service of the house of God as for combat. These functions are very different in nature, but the same spiritual energy is necessary for both the one and the other.

In 1 Chron. 9:17-23¹⁷And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief; ¹⁸Who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi. ¹⁹And 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. ²⁰And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the Lord was with him. ²¹And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. ²²All 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. ²³So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the Lord, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards. (1 Chronicles 9:17‑23) we learn what the service, in part, of the Levites was. In these days of restoration they were doorkeepers at the gate of the temple, called "the king's gate." Formerly they had been "keepers of the thresholds of the tent and their fathers, set over the camp of Jehovah, were keepers of the entrance. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them formerly." Of him it was said: "Jehovah was with him" (1 Chron. 9:20²⁰And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the Lord was with him. (1 Chronicles 9:20)), and that says everything. David and Samuel had instituted the doorkeepers in their trust when the temple, called "the house of the tent" in 1 Chron. 9:23²³So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the Lord, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards. (1 Chronicles 9:23), had not yet been built. But still more, these Levite doorkeepers were "over the chambers and over the treasuries of the house of God; for they stayed round about the house of God during the night, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them" (1 Chron. 9:26-27²⁶For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. ²⁷And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them. (1 Chronicles 9:26‑27)). Finally, "part of them had the charge of the instruments of service, for by number they brought them in and by number they brought them out. Part of them also were appointed over the vessels, and over all the holy instruments, and over the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices" (1 Chron. 9:28-29²⁸And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale. ²⁹Some 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. (1 Chronicles 9:28‑29)). Others were "in trust over the things that were made in the pans. And some of the sons of the Kohathites, their brethren, were over the loaves to be set in rows, to prepare them every sabbath." Finally, there were "the singers" (1 Chron. 9:31-33³¹And 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. ³²And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the showbread, to prepare it every sabbath. ³³And 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. (1 Chronicles 9:31‑33)).

How many diverse functions these humble servants carried on! Modest functions, yes, but without them the entire order of the Lord's service would have been interrupted, or even discontinued! Let us think of this, and when the Lord confides a service to us, insignificant though it may appear to be, let us carry it out with zeal, reminding ourselves that it is necessary for the order of the house of God. Whatever may be our task, may we know "how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15¹⁵But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15))!

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