1 Chronicles 26:12

THE MESSAGE

These teams of security guards, supervised by their leaders, kept order in The Temple of God , keeping up the traditions of their ancestors. They were all assigned to their posts by the same method regardless of the prominence of their families—each picked his gate assignment from a hat. Shelemiah was assigned to the East Gate; his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, got the North Gate. Obed-Edom got the South Gate; and his sons pulled duty at the storehouse. Shuppim and Hosah were posted to the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the high road. The guards stood shoulder to shoulder: six Levites per day on the east, four per day on the north and on the south, and two at a time at the storehouse. At the open court to the west, four guards were posted on the road and two at the court. These are the teams of security guards from the sons of Korah and Merari. Other Levites were put in charge of the financial affairs of The Temple of God. From the family of Ladan (all Gershonites) came Jehieli, and the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They supervised the finances of the sanctuary of God . From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: Shubael, descended from Gershom the son of Moses, was the chief financial officer. His relatives through Eliezer: his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zicri, and his son Shelomith. Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of valuables consecrated by David the king, family heads, and various generals and commanders from the army. They dedicated the plunder that they had gotten in war to the work of the worship of God . In addition, everything that had been dedicated by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah—anything that had been dedicated, ever, was the responsibility of Shelomith and his family. From the family of the Izharites, Kenaniah and sons were appointed as officials and judges responsible for affairs outside the work of worship and sanctuary. From the family of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives—1,700 well-qualified men—were responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the king's work in the territory west of the Jordan. According to the family tree of the Hebronites, Jeriah held pride of place. In the fortieth year of David's reign (his last), the Hebron family tree was researched and outstanding men were found at Jazer in Gilead, namely, Jeriah and 2,700 men of his extended family: David the king made them responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the work of the king in the territory east of the Jordan—the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
These divisions of the gatekeepers, under their leading men, had duties for ministering in the Lord’s temple, just as their relatives did.

Hebrew Names Version
Of these were the courses of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the house of the LORD.

King James Version
Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord .

English Standard Version
These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their chief men, had duties, just as their brothers did, ministering in the house of the Lord .

New Century Version
These were the leaders of the groups of gatekeepers, and they served in the Temple of the Lord . Their relatives also worked in the Temple.

New English Translation
These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had assigned responsibilities, like their relatives, as they served in the Lord 's temple.

Amplified Bible
To these divisions of the gatekeepers, the chief men, were given duties, like their relatives, to minister in the house of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
To these divisions of the gatekeepers, to the chief men, were given duties like their relatives, to serve in the house of the LORD.

World English Bible
Of these were the courses of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the house of Yahweh.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Of these were the diuisions of the porters of the chiefe men, hauing the charge against their brethren, to serue in the house of the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
To these divisions of the gatekeepers, the chief men, were given responsibilities like their relatives to minister in the house of Yahweh.

Berean Standard Bible
These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their chief men, had duties for ministering in the house of the LORD, just as their brothers did.

Contemporary English Version
The guards were divided into groups, according to their family leaders, and they were assigned duties at the temple, just like the other Levites.

Complete Jewish Bible
These divisions of the gatekeepers, under their chief men, had duties, just as their kinsmen did, serving in the house of Adonai .

Darby Translation
Among these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, among the head-men, as to the charges together with their brethren, for performing the service in the house of Jehovah.

Easy-to-Read Version
These were the leaders of the groups of the gatekeepers. The gatekeepers had a special way to serve in the Lord 's Temple, just as their relatives did.

George Lamsa Translation
Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having watch one opposite another, to minister in the house of the LORD.

Good News Translation
The Temple guards were divided into groups, according to families, and they were assigned duties in the Temple, just as the other Levites were.

Lexham English Bible
These working groups of gatekeepers, corresponding to the chief men, had responsibilities like their brothers to serve in the house of Yahweh.

Literal Translation
To these were the divisions of the gatekeepers for the heads of the men, having charges like their brothers, to minister in the house of Jehovah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This is the ordinaunce of the dorekepers amonge the heades of the valeaunt men in the offyce besyde their brethren, to mynister in the house of the LORDE.

American Standard Version
Of these were the courses of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brethren, to minister in the house of Jehovah.

Bible in Basic English
Of these were the divisions of the door-keepers, men of authority, having responsible positions like their brothers to be servants in the house of the Lord.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Among these was deuided the office of the portership, that they shoulde be auncient men, to wayte with their brethren, when they ministred in the house of the Lorde.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
These courses of the doorkeepers, even the chief men, had wards over against their brethren, to minister in the house of the LORD.

King James Version (1611)
Among these were the diuisions of the porters, euen among the chiefe men, hauing wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
To these were assigned the divisions of the gates, to the chiefs of the mighty men the daily courses, even their brethren, to minister in the house of the Lord.

English Revised Version
Of these were the courses of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having charges like as their brethren, to minister in the house of the LORD.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
These weren departid in to porteris, that euere the princes of kepyngis, as also her britheren, schulden mynystre in the hows of the Lord.

Update Bible Version
Of these were the courses of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the house of Yahweh.

Webster's Bible Translation
Among these [were] the divisions of the porters, [even] among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the LORD.

New King James Version
Among these were the divisions of the gatekeepers, among the chief men, having duties just like their brethren, to serve in the house of the LORD.

New Living Translation
These divisions of the gatekeepers were named for their family leaders, and like the other Levites, they served at the house of the Lord .

New Life Bible
These leaders of the families who were set apart as gate-keepers were given duties like their brothers to work in the Lord's house.

New Revised Standard
These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had duties, just as their kindred did, ministering in the house of the Lord ;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
To these, belonged the courses of door-keepers, to the chiefs of the strong men, belonged charges, equally with their brethren, - to be in attendance in the house of Yahweh.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Among these were the divisions of the porters, so that the chiefs of the wards, as well as their brethren, always ministered in the house of the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their chief men, had duties, just as their brethren did, ministering in the house of the LORD;

Young's Literal Translation
According to these [are] the courses of the gatekeepers; to the heads of the mighty ones [are] charges over-against their brethren, to minister in the house of Jehovah,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
To these divisions of the gatekeepers, the chief men, were given duties like their relatives to minister in the house of the LORD.

Contextual Overview

¹The teams of security guards were from the family of Korah: Meshelemiah son of Kore (one of the sons of Asaph). Meshelemiah's sons were Zechariah, the firstborn, followed by Jediael, Zebadiah, Jathniel, Elam, Jehohanan, and Eliehoenai—seven sons. Obed-Edom's sons were Shemaiah, the firstborn, followed by Jehozabad, Joah, Sacar, Nethanel, Ammiel, Issachar, and Peullethai—God blessed him with eight sons. His son Shemaiah had sons who provided outstanding leadership in the family: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also exceptional. These all came from the line of Obed-Edom—all of them outstanding and strong. There were sixty-two of them. Meshelemiah had eighteen sons and relatives who were outstanding. The sons of Hosah the Merarite were Shimri (he was not the firstborn but his father made him first), then Hilkiah, followed by Tabaliah and Zechariah. Hosah accounted for thirteen. ¹²These teams of security guards, supervised by their leaders, kept order in The Temple of God , keeping up the traditions of their ancestors. They were all assigned to their posts by the same method regardless of the prominence of their families—each picked his gate assignment from a hat. Shelemiah was assigned to the East Gate; his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, got the North Gate. Obed-Edom got the South Gate; and his sons pulled duty at the storehouse. Shuppim and Hosah were posted to the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the high road. The guards stood shoulder to shoulder: six Levites per day on the east, four per day on the north and on the south, and two at a time at the storehouse. At the open court to the west, four guards were posted on the road and two at the court. These are the teams of security guards from the sons of Korah and Merari. Other Levites were put in charge of the financial affairs of The Temple of God. From the family of Ladan (all Gershonites) came Jehieli, and the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They supervised the finances of the sanctuary of God . From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: Shubael, descended from Gershom the son of Moses, was the chief financial officer. His relatives through Eliezer: his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zicri, and his son Shelomith. Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of valuables consecrated by David the king, family heads, and various generals and commanders from the army. They dedicated the plunder that they had gotten in war to the work of the worship of God . In addition, everything that had been dedicated by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah—anything that had been dedicated, ever, was the responsibility of Shelomith and his family. From the family of the Izharites, Kenaniah and sons were appointed as officials and judges responsible for affairs outside the work of worship and sanctuary. From the family of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives—1,700 well-qualified men—were responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the king's work in the territory west of the Jordan. According to the family tree of the Hebronites, Jeriah held pride of place. In the fortieth year of David's reign (his last), the Hebron family tree was researched and outstanding men were found at Jazer in Gilead, namely, Jeriah and 2,700 men of his extended family: David the king made them responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the work of the king in the territory east of the Jordan—the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. ¹⁷The Security Guards The teams of security guards were from the family of Korah: Meshelemiah son of Kore (one of the sons of Asaph). Meshelemiah's sons were Zechariah, the firstborn, followed by Jediael, Zebadiah, Jathniel, Elam, Jehohanan, and Eliehoenai—seven sons. Obed-Edom's sons were Shemaiah, the firstborn, followed by Jehozabad, Joah, Sacar, Nethanel, Ammiel, Issachar, and Peullethai—God blessed him with eight sons. His son Shemaiah had sons who provided outstanding leadership in the family: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also exceptional. These all came from the line of Obed-Edom—all of them outstanding and strong. There were sixty-two of them. Meshelemiah had eighteen sons and relatives who were outstanding. The sons of Hosah the Merarite were Shimri (he was not the firstborn but his father made him first), then Hilkiah, followed by Tabaliah and Zechariah. Hosah accounted for thirteen. These teams of security guards, supervised by their leaders, kept order in The Temple of God , keeping up the traditions of their ancestors. They were all assigned to their posts by the same method regardless of the prominence of their families—each picked his gate assignment from a hat. Shelemiah was assigned to the East Gate; his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, got the North Gate. Obed-Edom got the South Gate; and his sons pulled duty at the storehouse. Shuppim and Hosah were posted to the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the high road. The guards stood shoulder to shoulder: six Levites per day on the east, four per day on the north and on the south, and two at a time at the storehouse. At the open court to the west, four guards were posted on the road and two at the court. These are the teams of security guards from the sons of Korah and Merari. Other Levites were put in charge of the financial affairs of The Temple of God. From the family of Ladan (all Gershonites) came Jehieli, and the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They supervised the finances of the sanctuary of God . From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: Shubael, descended from Gershom the son of Moses, was the chief financial officer. His relatives through Eliezer: his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zicri, and his son Shelomith. Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of valuables consecrated by David the king, family heads, and various generals and commanders from the army. They dedicated the plunder that they had gotten in war to the work of the worship of God . In addition, everything that had been dedicated by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah—anything that had been dedicated, ever, was the responsibility of Shelomith and his family. From the family of the Izharites, Kenaniah and sons were appointed as officials and judges responsible for affairs outside the work of worship and sanctuary. From the family of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives—1,700 well-qualified men—were responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the king's work in the territory west of the Jordan. According to the family tree of the Hebronites, Jeriah held pride of place. In the fortieth year of David's reign (his last), the Hebron family tree was researched and outstanding men were found at Jazer in Gilead, namely, Jeriah and 2,700 men of his extended family: David the king made them responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the work of the king in the territory east of the Jordan—the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. ¹⁸The Security Guards The teams of security guards were from the family of Korah: Meshelemiah son of Kore (one of the sons of Asaph). Meshelemiah's sons were Zechariah, the firstborn, followed by Jediael, Zebadiah, Jathniel, Elam, Jehohanan, and Eliehoenai—seven sons. Obed-Edom's sons were Shemaiah, the firstborn, followed by Jehozabad, Joah, Sacar, Nethanel, Ammiel, Issachar, and Peullethai—God blessed him with eight sons. His son Shemaiah had sons who provided outstanding leadership in the family: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also exceptional. These all came from the line of Obed-Edom—all of them outstanding and strong. There were sixty-two of them. Meshelemiah had eighteen sons and relatives who were outstanding. The sons of Hosah the Merarite were Shimri (he was not the firstborn but his father made him first), then Hilkiah, followed by Tabaliah and Zechariah. Hosah accounted for thirteen. These teams of security guards, supervised by their leaders, kept order in The Temple of God , keeping up the traditions of their ancestors. They were all assigned to their posts by the same method regardless of the prominence of their families—each picked his gate assignment from a hat. Shelemiah was assigned to the East Gate; his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, got the North Gate. Obed-Edom got the South Gate; and his sons pulled duty at the storehouse. Shuppim and Hosah were posted to the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the high road. The guards stood shoulder to shoulder: six Levites per day on the east, four per day on the north and on the south, and two at a time at the storehouse. At the open court to the west, four guards were posted on the road and two at the court. ¹⁹ These are the teams of security guards from the sons of Korah and Merari.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wards: That is, classes against each other. Ward formerly signified a class or division: we still apply the term to the different apartments in hospitals, and to the more extensive districts into which the city of London is divided. 1 Chronicles 25:8

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 9:18 - they 1 Chronicles 26:16 - ward against ward 2 Chronicles 31:14 - the porter Nehemiah 12:25 - keeping

Cross-References

Genesis 24:1
Abraham was now an old man. God had blessed Abraham in every way.

Genesis 26:7
The men of the place questioned him about his wife. He said, "She's my sister." He was afraid to say "She's my wife." He was thinking, "These men might kill me to get Rebekah, she's so beautiful."

Genesis 26:8
One day, after they had been there quite a long time, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac fondling his wife Rebekah. Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "So, she's your wife. Why did you tell us ‘She's my sister'?" Isaac said, "Because I thought I might get killed by someone who wanted her."

Genesis 26:10
Abimelech said, "But think of what you might have done to us! Given a little more time, one of the men might have slept with your wife; you would have been responsible for bringing guilt down on us."

Genesis 26:11
Then Abimelech gave orders to his people: "Anyone who so much as lays a hand on this man or his wife dies."

Job 42:12
God blessed Job's later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third, Darkeyes. There was not a woman in that country as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father treated them as equals with their brothers, providing the same inheritance.

Ecclesiastes 11:6
Go to work in the morning and stick to it until evening without watching the clock. You never know from moment to moment how your work will turn out in the end.

Matthew 13:8
A Harvest Story At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.

Matthew 13:23
"The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men,.... These before named were the principal men of the porters, among which was a division or distribution of them into classes or courses, in which they served weekly in turn:

having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord; meaning either to watch in, as on the north against the south, and the east against the west, and "vice versa". The Jews say t, the priests kept ward in three places in the house of the sanctuary; in the house of Abtines, in the house of Nitzotz, and in the house of Moked; and the Levites in twenty one places, five at the five gates of the mountain of the house, four at the four corners of it within, five at the five gates of the court, four at the four corners of it without, one at the chamber of the offering, one at the chamber of the vail, and another behind the house of atonement, the holy of holies; but rather the sense is, that they had wards or courses answerable to those of the priests, and the other Levites, the singers, and were distributed into twenty four classes or courses as they, which are thus reckoned by Kimchi; at the east six, at the north four, at the south four, at Asuppim two and two, which were four, at the west four, and at Parbar two; lo, twenty four; see 1 Chronicles 26:17.

t Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This verse is obscure, but its probable meaning is the following: “To these divisions of the porters, principal men, (were assigned) the watches, together with their brethren, for service in the house of the Lord;” i. e., the “chief men” 1 Chronicles 26:1-11, amounting to no more than 93, kept the watch and ward of the house, together with a further number of their brethren (4,000, 1 Chronicles 23:5), who assisted them from time to time.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Chronicles 26:12. The rest of this chapter, with the whole of the xxviiith, is wanting both in the Syriac and Arabic.