The Duties of the Gatekeepers

17

These were the gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives.

18

Shallum was their chief; he was previously stationed at the King’s Gate on the east side. These were the gatekeepers from the camp of the Levites.

19

Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his relatives from the Korahites were assigned to guard the thresholds of the Tent, just as their fathers had been assigned to guard the entrance to the dwelling of the LORD.

20

In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar had been in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him.

21

Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

22

The number of those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds was 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their positions of trust.

23

So they and their descendants were assigned to guard the gates of the house of the LORD—the house called the Tent.

24

The gatekeepers were stationed on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.

25

Their relatives came from their villages at fixed times to serve with them for seven-day periods.

26

But the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of the house of God.

27

They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they were responsible for guarding it and opening it every morning.

28

Some of them were in charge of the articles used in worship, to count them whenever they were brought in or taken out.

29

Others were put in charge of the furnishings and other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices.

30

And some of the sons of the priests mixed the spices.

31

A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread.

32

Some of their Kohathite brothers were responsible for preparing the rows of the showbread every Sabbath.

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