The temple guards are assigned their duties

1The temple guards were also divided into groups according to clans.

Meshelemiah son of Kore was from the Korah clan and was a descendant of Asaph. 2He had seven sons, who were born in the following order: Zechariah, Jediael, Zebadiah, Jathniel, 3Elam, Jehohanan, and Eliehoenai.

4-5Obed-Edom had been blessed with eight sons: Shemaiah, Jehozabad, Joah, Sachar, Nethanel, Ammiel, Issachar, and Peullethai.26.4,5: 2 S 6.11; 1 Ch 13.14.

6-7Shemaiah was the father of Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, Elihu, and Semachiah. They were all respected leaders in their clan. 8There were sixty-two descendants of Obed-Edom who were strong enough to be guards at the temple.

9Eighteen descendants of Meshelemiah were chosen for this work.

10-11Hosah, from the Merari clan, was the father of Shimri, Hilkiah, Tebaliah, and Zechariah. Hosah had made Shimri the family leader, even though he was not the eldest son. Thirteen men from Hosah's family were chosen to be temple guards.

12The guards were divided into groups, according to their family leaders, and they were assigned duties at the temple, just like the other Levites. 13Each group, no matter how large or small, was assigned a gate to guard, and they let the LORD show them what he wanted done.26.13 they let the LORD show them what he wanted done: The Hebrew text has “they cast lots to find out what the LORD wanted done” (see the note at 6.65).

14Shelemiah26.14 Shelemiah: Another spelling for Meshelemiah. was chosen to guard the East Gate. Zechariah his son was a wise man and was chosen to guard the North Gate. 15Obed-Edom was then chosen to guard the South Gate, and his sons were chosen to guard the storerooms. 16Shuppim and Hosah were chosen to guard the West Gate and the Shallecheth Gate on the upper road.

The guards were assigned the following work schedule: 17each day six guards were on duty on the east side of the temple, four were on duty on the north side, and four were on duty on the south side. Two guards were stationed at each of the two storerooms, 18four were stationed along the road leading to the west courtyard,26.18 courtyard: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. and two guards stayed in the court itself.

19These were the guard duties assigned to the men from the clans of Korah and Merari.

Guards are assigned to the treasury

20The Levites who were relatives of the Korahites and the Merarites were26.20 The Levites…were: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Ahijah the Levite was”. in charge of guarding the temple treasury and the gifts that had been dedicated to God.

21Ladan was from the Gershon clan and was the father of Jehieli. Many of his other descendants were family leaders in the clan.26.21 Many of his other…clan: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. 22Jehieli was the father of Zetham and Joel, and they were responsible for guarding the treasury.

23Other guards at the treasury were from the Kohathite clans of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

24Shebuel was a descendant of Gershom the son of Moses. He was the chief official in charge of the temple treasury. 25The descendants of Gershom's brother Eliezer included Rehabiah, Jeshaiah, Joram, Zichri, and Shelomoth.

26Shelomoth and his relatives were in charge of all the gifts that were dedicated to the LORD. These included the gifts that King David had dedicated, as well as those dedicated by the family leaders, army officers, and army commanders. 27And whenever valuable things were captured in battle, these men brought some of them to the temple. 28Shelomoth and his relatives were responsible for any gifts that had been given to the temple, including those from Samuel the prophet, King Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner,26.28 Abner the son of Ner: Abner was King Saul's uncle (see 9.39). and Joab the son of Zeruiah.

Other officers are assigned their duties

29Chenaniah from the Izhar clan and his sons were government officials and judges. They did not work at the temple.

30Hashabiah from the Hebron clan and one thousand seven hundred of his skilled relatives were the officials in charge of all religious and government business in the Israelite territories west of the River Jordan.

31-32Jerijah was the leader of the Hebron clan. David assigned him and two thousand seven hundred of his relatives, who were all respected family leaders, to be the officials in charge of all religious and government business in the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh. David found out about these men during the fortieth year of his rule, when he had a list made of all the families in the Hebron clan. They were from the town of Jazer in the territory of Gilead.