1 Chronicles 9 · WEB
The Returnees from Exile; Jerusalem's Inhabitants and Temple Servants
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.
So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. Judah was carried away captive to Babylon because of their trespass.
2Now the first inhabitants who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim.
3In Jerusalem lived some of the children of Judah, 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 Perez the son of Judah.
5Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons.
6Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brothers, six hundred ninety.
7Of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah,
8and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;
9and their brothers, according to their generations, nine hundred fifty-six. All these men were heads of fathers' houses by their fathers' houses.
10Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, 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 God's house;
12and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;
13and their brothers, heads of their fathers' houses, one thousand seven hundred sixty; very able men for the work of the service of God's house.
14Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
15and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mica, 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, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
17The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the chief);
18who until then was in the king's gate eastward; they were the gatekeepers for the camp of the children of Levi.
19Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father's house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent; and their fathers had been over the camp of Yahweh, keepers of the entry.
20Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, and Yahweh was with him.
21Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper of the door of the Tent of Meeting.
22All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers in the thresholds were two hundred twelve. These were reckoned by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer ordained in their set office.
23So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of Yahweh, even the house of the tent, by wards.
24On the four sides were the gatekeepers, toward the east, west, north, and south.
25Their brothers, in their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them:
26for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the rooms and over the treasuries in God's house.
27They lodged around God's house, because that duty was theirs; and to them pertained the opening thereof every morning.
28Certain of them were in charge of the vessels of service; for by count were these brought in and by count were these taken out.
29Some of them also were appointed over the furniture, and over all the vessels of the sanctuary, and over the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices.
30Some of the sons of the priests prepared the mixing of the spices.
31Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things that were baked in pans.
32Some of their brothers, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the show bread, to prepare it every Sabbath.
33These are the singers, heads of fathers' houses of the Levites, who lived in the rooms and were free from other service; for they were employed in their work day and night.
34These were heads of fathers' houses of the Levites, throughout their generations, chief men; these lived at Jerusalem.
35In Gibeon lived the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife's name was Maacah;
36and his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
37Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.
38Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. They also lived in Jerusalem, over against their brothers, with their brothers.
39Ner became the father of Kish; and Kish became the father of Saul; and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
40The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal; and Merib Baal became the father of Micah.
41The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
42Ahaz became the father of Jarah; and Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza,
43and Moza became the father of Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.
44Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
✶
Summary
Chapter 9 serves as the conclusion to the genealogical preface by listing the people who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile — members of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. The heart of the chapter details the careful organization of priestly and Levitical duties at the temple: gatekeepers assigned to the four sides, those responsible for temple furnishings, bakers, singers, and those preparing the showbread. The chapter closes by repeating Saul's genealogy, directly linking the genealogical preface to the narrative of Saul's death in chapter 10.
Themes
- Restoration and return after exile
- The importance of organized, faithful temple service
- Continuity of worship across generations
Key verses
- 1 Chr 9:1 — “Judah was carried away captive to Babylon because of their trespass.”
- 1 Chr 9:22 — “All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers in the thresholds were two hundred twelve... whom David and Samuel the seer ordained in their set office.”
Context & background
The Babylonian exile (605–538 BC) ended when Cyrus the Great of Persia (modern Iran) issued a decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to their homeland in 538 BC (see Ezra 1). Jerusalem (modern Jerusalem, Israel) was rebuilt under Nehemiah, and the temple was reconstructed under Zerubbabel. The Chronicler's audience was this post-exilic community — people trying to reestablish their identity and worship. This chapter reassures them that the proper structures of worship (gatekeepers, priests, Levites, musicians) were ordained by both David and Samuel and should be maintained.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 9:1 — Kish the father of Saul; Saul's genealogy repeats here as bridge to ch. 10
- Ezra 2 — A parallel list of those who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem
- Nehemiah 11 — Another list of Jerusalem's inhabitants after the exile
- Nehemiah 12:27-43 — The dedication of Jerusalem's wall with Levitical singers
- Revelation 21:12 — The New Jerusalem has twelve gates — echoing the gatekeeping imagery here