1 Chronicles 9

1So all Israel was listed in the family records, written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. The people of Judah were taken into exile in Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

2The first people to return and live again in their own towns were priests, Levites, and temple servants.

3Some of the people of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem:

4Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.

5Of the Shilonites there were: Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons.

6Of the descendants of Zerah there was: Jeuel. Their relatives numbered six hundred ninety.

7Of the people of Benjamin there were: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah,

8Ibneiah son of Jeroham, Elah son of Uzzi, son of Micri, and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah.

9Their relatives, listed by their family records, numbered nine hundred fifty-six. All these men were heads of their families.

10Of the priests there were: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jakin,

11Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the official in charge of God's house;

12Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer.

13Their relatives, heads of their families, numbered one thousand seven hundred sixty — capable men for the work of serving in the house of God.

14Of the Levites there were: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, a descendant of Merari;

15Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah son of Mika, son of Zikri, son of Asaph;

16Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun, and Berekiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

17The gatekeepers were: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was their leader.

18Up to that time they had guarded the King's Gate on the east side. They were gatekeepers among the divisions of the Levites.

19Shallum son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his relatives from his own family, the Korahites, were in charge of guarding the entrances to the tabernacle, just as their ancestors had guarded the entrance to the camp of the LORD.

20Phinehas son of Eleazar had been their leader in the past, and the LORD was with him.

21Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

22Altogether there were two hundred twelve men chosen as gatekeepers. They were listed by their family records in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their positions of trust.

23They and their descendants were responsible for guarding the gates of the house of the LORD, the tent, in shifts.

24The gatekeepers were stationed on all four sides — east, west, north, and south.

25Their relatives in their villages had to come and serve with them for seven-day periods, taking turns.

26But the four main gatekeepers, who were Levites, held a position of trust. They were also in charge of the rooms and treasuries of the house of God.

27They spent the night stationed around the house of God, because they were responsible for guarding it, and it was their duty to open it every morning.

28Some of them were in charge of the articles used in worship; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out.

29Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the articles of the sanctuary, along with the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the incense, and the spices.

30Some of the priests mixed the spices.

31Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread for the offerings.

32Some of their relatives from the Kohathites were responsible for preparing the bread of the presence for every Sabbath.

33The singers, heads of the Levite families, stayed in the temple rooms and were excused from other duties, because they were busy with their work day and night.

34These were heads of Levite families, chief men listed in the family records, and they lived in Jerusalem.

35The father of Gibeon, Jeiel, lived in Gibeon. His wife's name was Maakah.

36His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,

37Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.

38Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They also lived near their relatives in Jerusalem, alongside them.

39Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal.

40The son of Jonathan was Merib-Baal, and Merib-Baal was the father of Micah.

41The sons of Micah were: Pithon, Melek, Tahrea, and Ahaz.

42Ahaz was the father of Jadah, and Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza,

43And Moza was the father of Binea. His son was Rephaiah, his son was Eleasah, and his son was Azel.

44Azel had six sons, whose names were: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.