1 Crónicas 26

VBL · Chapter 26/29

1Esta es una lista de las divisiones de los porteros. De los corasitas: Meselemías hijo de Coré, uno de Los hijos de Asaf.

2Los hijos de Meselemías: Zacarías (el mayor), Jediael (el segundo), Zebadías (el tercero), Jatniel (el cuarto),

3Elam (el quinto), Johanán (el sexto) y Elioenai (el séptimo).

4Los hijos de Obed-edom: Semaías (el mayor), Jozabad (el segundo), Joa (el tercero), Sacar (el cuarto), Natanel (el quinto),

5Ammiel (el sexto), Isacar (el séptimo) y Peuletai (el octavo), porque Dios había bendecido a Obed-edom.

6Semaías, hijo de Obed-edom, tenía hijos que eran líderes capaces y tenían gran autoridad en la familia de su padre.

7Los hijos de Semaías: Othni, Refael, Obed y Elzabad. Sus parientes, Elihú y Semaquías, también eran hombres capaces.

8Todos estos descendientes de Obed-edom, más sus hijos y nietos, un total de sesenta y dos, eran hombres capaces, bien calificados para su servicio.

9Los dieciocho hijos y hermanos de Meselemías también eran hombres capaces.

10Hosa, uno de los hijos de Merari, puso a Simri como líder entre sus hijos, aunque no era el primogénito.

11Entre sus otros hijos estaban Hilcías (el segundo), Tebalías (el tercero) y Zacarías (el cuarto). El total de los hijos y parientes de Osa era de trece.

12Estas divisiones de los porteros, a través de sus jefes de familia, servían en la casa del Señor, al igual que sus hermanos.

13Cada puerta fue asignada por sorteo a diferentes familias, la menos importante igual a la más importante.

14La suerte de la puerta oriental recayó en Meselemías. Entonces echaron suertes sobre su hijo Zacarías, consejero sabio y perspicaz, y la suerte de la puerta del norte le correspondió a él.

15La suerte de la puerta del sur correspondió a Obed-edom, y la del almacén a sus hijos.

16Supim y Hosa recibieron la puerta del oeste y la puerta de Salet en el camino que sube. Estaban siempre vigiladas.

17Había seis levitas de servicio cada día en la puerta oriental, cuatro en la puerta norte, cuatro en la puerta sur y dos a la vez en el almacén.

18Seis estaban de servicio todos los días en la puerta oeste, cuatro en el camino principal y dos en el patio.

19Estas eran las divisiones de los porteros de Los hijos de Coré y Los hijos de Merari.

20Otros levitas bajo el mando de Ahías estaban a cargo de los tesoros de la casa de Dios y de los tesoros de lo que había sido dedicado a Dios.

21De Los hijos de Ladán, que eran los descendientes de los gersonitas a través de Ladán, y eran los jefes de familia de Ladán el gersonita: Jehieli.

22Los hijos de Jehieli, Zetam y su hermano Joel, estaban a cargo de los tesoros de la casa del Señor.

23De los amramitas, los izaritas, los hebronitas y los uzielitas:

24Sebuel, descendiente de Gersón, hijo de Moisés, era el principal encargado de los tesoros.

25Sus parientes por parte de Eliezer fueron Rehabías, Jesaías, Joram, Zicri y Selomot.

26Selomot y sus parientes estaban a cargo de todos los tesoros de todo lo que había sido dedicado por el rey David, por los jefes de familia que eran los comandantes de millares y de centenas, y por los comandantes del ejército.

27Dedicaron una parte del botín que habían ganado en la batalla para ayudar a mantener la casa del Señor.

28Selomot y sus parientes también se encargaron de las ofrendas dedicadas al Señor por Samuel el vidente, Saúl hijo de Cis, Abner hijo de Ner y Joab hijo de Sarvia. Todas las ofrendas dedicadas eran responsabilidad de Selomot y sus parientes.

29De los izaritas: Quenanías y sus hijos recibieron funciones externas como funcionarios y jueces sobre Israel.

30De los hebronitas: Hasabías y sus parientes, 1.700 hombres capaces, fueron puestos a cargo del Israel al oeste del Jordán, responsables de todo lo relacionado con la obra del Señor y el servicio del rey.

31También de los hebronitas salió Jericó, el líder de los hebronitas según las genealogías familiares. En el año cuarenta del reinado de David se examinaron los registros, y se descubrieron hombres de gran capacidad en Jazer de Galaad.

32Entre los parientes de Jericó había 2.700 hombres capaces que eran líderes familiares. El rey David los puso a cargo de las tribus de Rubén y Gad y de la media tribu de Manasés. Eran responsables de todo lo relacionado con la obra del Señor y el servicio del rey.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

The temple gatekeepers are organized, responsible for guarding the entrances on every side, along with other Levites in charge of the sacred treasuries and the administration of outside and judicial affairs throughout the territory of Israel.

Explanation

The role of gatekeeper may seem humble, but the chapter shows it was a position of great trust, since it involved protecting access to the temple and guarding the sacred treasures kept there, including spoils of war consecrated by kings and generals across generations. The specific mention of the blessing on the house of Obed-Edom, the same man who hosted the ark for three months in chapter 13, shows a lasting reward for his willingness to welcome the presence of God even amid the widespread fear after the death of Uzzah. The extension of these Levitical responsibilities to administrative and judicial matters outside the temple shows that, for the Israelites, faith also permeated public and civic life, not remaining confined only to the religious sphere.

Fun facts

  • Obed-Edom and his family are described here as having 62 capable people serving as gatekeepers, a remarkable growth from a family that, decades earlier, was known only for temporarily hosting the ark of the covenant.
  • The mention of Levites assigned to 'outside business' among the tribes east of the Jordan shows how Jerusalem's religious and administrative influence extended across the whole territory of Israel, not just in the capital.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 1 Crónicas 26:1The temple gatekeepers are organized by lot for each direction — north, south, east, west — and by shift, like a well-defined security and watch system, not just people standing at a door.
  2. 1 Crónicas 26:2The seven sons of Meshelemiah open the list of gatekeeper families — each one numbered by birth order, the same organizational care David applied to priests and musicians.
  3. 1 Crónicas 26:3Meshelemiah’s seven sons are rounded out with three more names — an entire family devoted to guarding the temple gates.
  4. 1 Crónicas 26:4The sons of Obed-edom begin to be listed — the same man whose house kept the ark for three months and was blessed because of it, now with a family large enough to produce an entire line of gatekeepers.
  5. 1 Crónicas 26:5Obed-edom’s eighth son closes the list, and the text recalls the reason for so much prosperity: ‘for God blessed him’ — a blessing that translates into a large family and a role of honor.
  6. 1 Crónicas 26:6Even Obed-edom’s grandson, Shemaiah’s son, is born leading his own household — the blessing on this family passes from generation to generation without losing strength.
  7. 1 Crónicas 26:7More of Obed-edom’s grandsons are described as mighty men — the same language used for David’s great warriors, but applied here to gatekeepers, not battle fighters.
  8. 1 Crónicas 26:8In all, Obed-edom’s family adds up to sixty-two men fit for service — an enormous number that confirms, in practice, the blessing mentioned earlier.
  9. 1 Crónicas 26:9Meshelemiah’s family adds up to eighteen mighty men — much smaller than Obed-edom’s, but still a significant contribution to the body of gatekeepers.
  10. 1 Crónicas 26:10Simri leads the family of Hosah even though he is not the firstborn — his own father chose him as chief, showing that birth order did not always determine who led the family.
  11. 1 Crónicas 26:11Hosah’s family is rounded out with three more names, thirteen in all — one more clan contributing to the temple’s great body of gatekeepers.
  12. 1 Crónicas 26:12From these families comes the organization of the gatekeeper divisions, each with its own chiefs, all serving side by side in the house of the LORD.
  13. 1 Crónicas 26:13The lot cast to decide which family would take which gate follows the same principle of equality used with the priests and the musicians: large and small families enter the same drawing.
  14. 1 Crónicas 26:14The east gate falls to Shelemiah, and a second lot for his son, Zechariah — described as a wise counselor — decides the north gate.
  15. 1 Crónicas 26:15Obed-edom gets the south gate, and his sons gain the extra responsibility of caring for the storehouse — one more role of trust for this already so blessed family.
  16. 1 Crónicas 26:16Shuppim and Hosah get the west gate, near a road going up, with guards positioned facing one another — a cross-watch system designed for maximum security.
  17. 1 Crónicas 26:17The text spells out the shift schedule: six Levites at the east, four a day at the north and the south, and two at a time watching the storehouses — a very specific security logistics.
  18. 1 Crónicas 26:18More shift details in an area called Parbar, on the west side — showing that the security system covered every corner of the temple complex.
  19. 1 Crónicas 26:19A summary closes this part: these were the gatekeeper divisions from the families of Korah and Merari — the two Levite lines chosen for this role of guard.
  20. 1 Crónicas 26:20The subject changes: now come the Levites responsible for the treasures of the house of God, starting with Ahijah, in charge of both the general treasury and the dedicated things.
  21. 1 Crónicas 26:21The genealogy of the treasurers begins with the family of Laadan the Gershonite — the same family name already seen in the organization of the Levites in chapter 23.
  22. 1 Crónicas 26:22The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and Joel, are put in charge of the treasures of the house of the LORD — the specific role of keeping the riches dedicated to worship.
  23. 1 Crónicas 26:23The text lists the four Kohathite families that also had representatives in this treasury role — the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites.
  24. 1 Crónicas 26:24Shebuel, a direct descendant of Moses through Gershom, is the chief officer over the treasures — a reminder that the family of Israel’s greatest prophet kept serving as ordinary Levites, without special privilege, yet with real responsibility.
  25. 1 Crónicas 26:25A chain of generations through the line of Eliezer, Moses’ other son, reaches down to Shelomith — five generations summed up quickly before the next verse details his role.
  26. 1 Crónicas 26:26These treasurers were specifically in charge of the war spoils dedicated by earlier kings and generals, from Samuel to Joab — a kind of financial department for the temple, separate from the day-to-day money of worship.
  27. 1 Crónicas 26:27Part of this treasure came straight from the spoils of war, set aside specifically to repair and maintain the house of the LORD — battle money financing worship.
  28. 1 Crónicas 26:28The treasury also included old donations, from Samuel, from Saul, from Abner, and even from Joab — showing that this dedicated wealth had been building up for generations, not just from David’s reign.
  29. 1 Crónicas 26:29Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons are appointed officers and judges for the outward affairs of Israel — an administrative and judicial role, outside the temple.
  30. 1 Crónicas 26:30Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and seventeen hundred relatives handle Israel’s affairs west of the Jordan, both for the service of God and for the service of the king himself.
  31. 1 Crónicas 26:31The census of this Hebronite family happens quite late, in the fortieth year of David’s reign — a rare detail that helps date this passage precisely, showing that the organization continued almost to the end of his rule.
  32. 1 Crónicas 26:32Another two thousand seven hundred mighty relatives complete this family, and David puts them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh — closing out the whole administrative structure all the way to the tribes on the other side of the Jordan.

Chapters

Our apps

Our apps →

Bible in Stories

The Bible told as a story, with audio and videos.

📱 Get the app

World in Stories

True stories of humanity that sound made up.

Feito! Pequenas Vitórias

A light daily routine for people who lose track of the day.