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1 Chronicles 26

The chapter records how named Levite households share responsibility for guarding God’s house, overseeing its treasures, and administering Israel’s affairs.

Levite families receive assignments as doorkeepers, treasury keepers, and officers during David’s reign. The record names their households, notes their strength and ability, and describes how lots assign responsibility for each gate. Other Levites guard the treasures of God’s house and gifts dedicated by Israel’s leaders, including spoils from battle. The closing section names officers and judges whose responsibilities extend across Israel, covering matters pertaining to God and the king’s affairs.

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1For the divisions of the doorkeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
4Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,
6Sons were also born to Shemaiah his son, who ruled over the house of their father; for they were mighty men of valor.
8All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom with their sons and their brothers, able men in strength for the service: sixty-two of Obed-Edom.
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),
12Of these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the LORD’s house.
13They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate.
14The lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise 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, watchman opposite watchman.
17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the storehouse two and two.
20Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of God’s house and over the treasures of the dedicated things.
21The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers’ households belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.
22The sons of Jehieli: Zetham, and Joel his brother, over the treasures of the LORD’s house.
23Of the Amramites, of the Izharites, of the Hebronites, of the Uzzielites:
24Shebuel 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’ households, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the army, had dedicated.
27They dedicated some of the plunder won in battles to repair the LORD’s house.
28All that Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, 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 of his brothers.
29Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were appointed to the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.
30Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand seven hundred men of valor, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the business of the LORD and for the service of the king.
31Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers’ households. They were sought for in the fortieth year of the reign of David, and mighty men of valor were found among them at Jazer of Gilead.
32His relatives, men of valor, were two thousand seven hundred, heads of fathers’ households, whom King David made overseers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.
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Key verses
1 Chronicles 26:1The opening introduces the doorkeeper divisions through named families, establishing the household structure behind their service.
1 Chronicles 26:20The focus shifts from guarding gates to overseeing treasures, placing the care of dedicated resources among Levite responsibilities.
1 Chronicles 26:26Shelomoth’s charge connects the gifts of David and Israel’s leaders with named people responsible for their safekeeping.
Where this chapter reaches

Numbers shares the theme of Levite households assigned responsibility for the sanctuary, while Nehemiah also records gatekeepers and the care of temple stores. 2 Chronicles continues these links through accounts of gatekeepers, dedicated gifts, and oversight of the treasures belonging to God’s house.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What stands out to you about the care taken to name households and assign each gate?

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How does this record of guards, treasurers, and judges shape your view of service to God?

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Questions people ask about 1 Chronicles 26

Who were the gatekeepers in 1 Chronicles 26?

The doorkeepers were Levites from Korahite and Merarite households, including the families of Meshelemiah, Obed-Edom, and Hosah. They received assignments at gates and the storehouse. The chapter describes them as strong, capable men and counts their gatekeeping among the offices of service in YHWH’s house.

Why did the gatekeepers cast lots in 1 Chronicles 26?

Lots assigned the households to particular gates. Verse 13 says that the process included “the small as well as the great,” and the following verses record the resulting assignments. The chapter does not describe the objects used for casting lots or explain the procedure in detail.

What were the dedicated treasures in 1 Chronicles 26?

These were resources set apart by David, other leaders, and earlier figures such as Samuel and Saul. Some came from battle plunder and were dedicated to repairing YHWH’s house. Shelomoth and his brothers oversaw them. The chapter distinguishes these dedicated things from the other treasures of God’s house.

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1 Chronicles · 29 chapters
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).