FRAMEWORKS:
1 Chronicles 9: Resettlers, Priests, Levites Saul's family
[Preliminary
Comment: We see
from verse 1 the timing of the book – post 587BC when Jerusalem
fell and Judah were taken in to exile and, indeed, post the return
of the people after exile [see v.2].
It
is in fact a record of those from Judah and Benjamin as well as
the Levites [including priests] who returned to Jerusalem after
the exile. It goes on to focus on the gatekeepers [which would
suggest after the temple and the walls have been rebuilt], a significant
role in a newly resurrected city. It concludes with the families
of Saul and Jonathan, a repeat from the previous chapter, presumably
as a precursor to chapter 10 that records Saul's death, another
precursor to the reign of David which is the focus of the rest
of the book.
The
chapter is, therefore, largely an insert between the records of
Saul and Jonathan, almost as a reminder of the end of the present
story of the kings of Judah that ended in Exile and then Restoration.]
v.1
The context
v.1
All
Israel was listed in the genealogies in the book of the kings
of Israel and Judah. They were taken captive to Babylon
because of their unfaithfulness.
v.2,3
Resettling back
in Jerusalem
v2
Now
the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns
were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.
v.3
Those
from Judah,
from Benjamin,
and from Ephraim
and
Manasseh
who
lived in Jerusalem
were:
v.4-6
The people of Judah who returned
v.4
Uthai
son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani,
a descendant of Perez son of Judah.
v.5
Of
the Shelanites: Asaiah
the firstborn and his sons.
v.6
Of
the Zerahites: Jeuel.
The
people from Judah numbered 690.
v.7-9
The people of Benjamin who returned
v.7
Of
the Benjaminites :
Sallu
son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;
v.8
Ibneiah
son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Mikri; and Meshullam
son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah.
v.9
The
people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956.
All these men were heads of their families.
v.10-13
The priests who returned
v.10
Of the priests :
Jedaiah;
Jehoiarib; Jakin;
v.11
Azariah
son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son
of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the
house of God;
v.12
Adaiah
son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai
son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son
of Meshillemith, the son of Immer.
v.13
The
priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were
able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God.
v.14-16
The Levites who returned
v.14
Of the Levites :
Shemaiah
son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite;
v.15
Bakbakkar,
Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zikri, the
son of Asaph;
v.16
Obadiah
son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah
son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the
Netophathites.
v.17-24
Those who were gatekeepers
v.17
The
gatekeepers:
Shallum,
Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their fellow Levites, Shallum their
chief
v.18
being
stationed at the King's Gate on the east, up to the present time.
These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites.
v.19
Shallum
son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow
gatekeepers from his family (the Korahites) were responsible for
guarding the thresholds of the tent just as their ancestors had
been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of
the Lord .
v.20
In
earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was the official in charge
of the gatekeepers, and the Lord
was with him.
v.21
Zechariah
son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent
of meeting.
v.22
Altogether,
those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212.
They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers
had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel
the seer.
v.23
They
and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of
the house of the Lord
– the
house called the tent of meeting.
v.24
The
gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south.
v.25-34
The various roles of some of the Levites and priests
v.25
Their
fellow Levites in their villages had to come from time to time
and share their duties for seven-day periods.
v.26
But
the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted
with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house
of God.
v.27
They
would spend the night stationed round the house of God, because
they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening
it each morning.
v.28
Some
of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service;
they counted them when they were brought in and when they were
taken out.
v.29
Others
were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other
articles of the sanctuary, as well as the special flour and wine,
and the olive oil, incense and spices.
v.30
But
some of the priests took care of mixing the spices.
v.31
A
Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite,
was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering
bread.
v.32
Some
of the Kohathites, their fellow Levites, were in charge of preparing
for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table.
v.33
Those
who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms
of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were
responsible for the work day and night.
v.34
All
these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their
genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.
v.35-39
The genealogy of Saul [a repeat of that found in the previous
chapter]
v.35
Jeiel
the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon.
His
wife's name was Maakah,
v.36
and
his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish
, Baal, Ner,
Nadab,
v.37
Gedor, Ahio,
Zechariah and Mikloth.
v.38
Mikloth
was the father of Shimeam. They too lived near their relatives
in Jerusalem.
v.39
Ner
was
the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul,
and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua,
Abinadab and Esh-Baal.
v.40-44
Jonathan's family tree [largely
a repeat of that found in the previous chapter]
v.40
The
son of Jonathan:
Merib-Baal,
who was the father of Micah.
v.41
The
sons of Micah:
Pithon,
Melek, Tahrea and Ahaz.
v.42
Ahaz
was the father of Jadah, Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth
and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza.
v.43
Moza
was the father of Binea; Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son
and Azel his son.
v.44
Azel
had six sons, and these were their names:
Azrikam,
Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons
of Azel.
Continue
to Ch.10