Bible Study 1 Chronicles 26
‹ 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 26 · WEB

The Gatekeepers, Treasurers, and Officers

Listen — WEB narration 0:00 / 0:00 Narration: World English Bible (David Williams), public domain — AudioTreasure.

Tap a verse to copy it, open the Hebrew, or write a note.

For the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
2Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
3Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
4Obed Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sachar the fourth, and Nethanel the fifth,
5Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him.
6Also to his son Shemaiah were sons born who ruled over their fathers' houses, because they were mighty men of valor.
7The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, whose brothers were valiant men, Elihu and Semachiah.
8All these were of the sons of Obed Edom: they and their sons and their brothers, able men in strength for the service; sixty-two of Obed Edom.
9Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, valiant men, eighteen in all.
10Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief),
11Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brothers of Hosah were thirteen.
12Of these were the divisions of the gatekeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the house of Yahweh.
13They cast lots, the small as well as the great, for their fathers' houses, for every gate.
14The lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a discreet counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
15To Obed Edom southward; and to his sons the storehouse.
16To Shuppim and Hosah westward, by the gate of Shallecheth, at the causeway that goes up, watch against watch.
17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the storehouse two and two.
18For the Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at the Parbar.
19These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the sons of the Korahites, and among the sons of Merari.
20Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasuries of God's house, and over the treasuries of the dedicated things.
21The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers' houses belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.
22The sons of Jehieli: Zetham and Joel his brother, over the treasuries of the house of Yahweh.
23Of the Amramites, of the Izharites, of the Hebronites, of the Uzzielites:
24and Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler over the treasuries.
25His brothers: of Eliezer, Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son.
26This Shelomoth and his brothers were over all the treasuries of the dedicated things which David the king, and the heads of the fathers' houses, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the army, had dedicated.
27Out of the spoil won in battles did they dedicate to repair the house of Yahweh.
28All that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; whoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth and his brothers.
29Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.
30Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, men of valor, one thousand seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the business of Yahweh and for the service of the king.
31Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers' houses. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valor at Jazer of Gilead.
32His brothers, men of valor, were two thousand seven hundred, heads of fathers' houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, for every matter of God and affairs of the king.
✶

Summary

This chapter completes David's organizational structure for the temple by assigning gatekeepers to the four sides of the temple complex, appointing Levites over the temple treasuries (both regular and dedicated offerings), and designating officers and judges for the regions of Israel east and west of the Jordan. Obed-edom — the man who housed the Ark — is notably blessed with sixty-two descendants serving as gatekeepers. Even apparently mundane roles like treasury management and regional administration are organized with the same care as priestly and musical duties.

Themes

  • Faithful stewardship of God's resources
  • Every role in God's service is honorable
  • Blessing flowing to those who honor God's presence

Key verses

  • 1 Chr 26:27-28 — “Out of the spoil won in battles did they dedicate to repair the house of Yahweh... whatever had been dedicated, it was under the hand of Shelomoth and his brothers.”
  • 1 Chr 26:4-5 — “Obed Edom had sons... for God blessed him.”

Context & background

Gatekeepers served a critical security function — they controlled access to the temple precincts and protected the sacred space from defilement. Obed-edom, who had received the Ark into his home three months before and been richly blessed (chapter 13), now has an entire clan of gatekeepers descended from him. The temple treasuries held both regular contributions and the dedicated spoils of war from generations of Israelite kings — a sacred endowment for temple maintenance. The "outward business" officers mentioned at the end of the chapter (v. 29-32) extended the Levitical administrative reach to all twelve tribes across both sides of the Jordan River (modern Israel and Jordan).

Cross-references

  • 1 Chronicles 13:14 — Obed-edom blessed while hosting the Ark; blessing continues here
  • 1 Chronicles 9:17-27 — Earlier mention of gatekeepers who returned from exile
  • Nehemiah 13:4-14 — Gatekeepers and treasuries after the exile; Nehemiah reforms them
  • Numbers 18:21-24 — Levites receive tithes in exchange for their temple service
  • Psalm 84:10 — "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness"

Check your reading

Log in to take the quiz and save your progress.

  1. Observe

    How were the gatekeepers assigned to their stations at the temple?

  2. Observe

    Why was Obed-edom particularly notable among the gatekeepers?

  3. Interpret

    What theological principle is illustrated by Obed-edom's blessing extending to generations of his descendants serving as gatekeepers?

  4. Interpret

    Why does the Chronicler include treasury managers and regional administrators alongside priests and musicians in the temple organization?

  5. Apply

    How should your attitude toward "behind-the-scenes" service in your church or community compare with Psalm 84:10's longing to be a doorkeeper in God's house?

  6. Apply

    What does it look like to consecrate resources gained through hardship — like spoils of war — back to God?

Your journal

Write your own answers — they save automatically, and only you can see them.

Log in to write and save journal answers.

Apply (How does it apply to me?)

Personal notes (anything else about this chapter)