The People in Jerusalem

       The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.
       Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were:
   Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the
       son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of
       Perez son of Judah.
   Of the Shilonites:
       Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.
   Of the Zerahites:
       Jeuel.
       The people from Judah numbered 690.
   Of the Benjamites:
       Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of
       Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; Ibneiah
       son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son
       of Micri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah,
       the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah. The
       people from Benjamin, as listed in their
       genealogy, numbered 956. All these men
       were heads of their families.
   Of the priests:
       Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin; 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; 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. The priests, who were heads of
       families, numbered 1,760. They were able
       men, responsible for ministering in the
       house of GOD.
   Of the Levites:
       Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of
       Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite;
       Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah
       son of Mica, the son of Zicri, the son of
       Asaph; 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.
   The gatekeepers:
       Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their
       brothers, Shallum their chief 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.
       Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph,
       the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers
       from his family (the Korathites) were
       responsible for guarding the thresholds of
       the Tent just as their fathers had been
       responsible for guarding the entrance to the
       dwelling of THE LORD. In earlier times
       Phinehas son of Eleazar was in charge of
       the gatekeepers, and THE LORD was with
       him. Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the
       gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent
       of Meeting.
       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. They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of THE LORD--the house called the Tent. The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. Their brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of GOD. They would spend the night stationed around the house of GOD, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.
       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. Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the flour and wine, and the oil, incense and spices. But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. Some of their Kohathite brothers were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table.
       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.
       All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.


The Book of 1st Chronicles: chapter 9, verses 1 - 34