The priests had already been divided into twenty-four courses in order to organize their work more efficiently. Now, the Levites who cared about the service of the temple, the porters, are organized in the same way.

What Does It Say?

1. Unto Shemaiah were sons born who _________ throughout the house of their father; for they were mighty men of __________.
2. The sons and brethren of Obededom were able men of _________ for the __________.
3. The divisions of the porters were made among the chief men having _________ one against another to ___________ in the house of the Lord.
4. Zechariah, the son of Shelemiah, was known as a wise ____________.
5. The gate called Shallecheth was by the __________ of the going up.

What Does It Mean?

1. The porters (v.1) were descended from the family of the Korhites. The Korhites were the descendants of Korah (Exodus 6:24And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.
   See All...). Korah descended from Kohath (Numbers 16:1Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
   See All...), one of the three main families of the tribe of Levi. Read Numbers 4:4-20 [4] This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: [5] And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: [6] And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. [7] And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: [8] And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof. [9] And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: [10] And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar. [11] And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: [12] And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar: [13] And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: [14] And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it. [15] And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. [16] And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof. [17] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying, [18] Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: [19] But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: [20] But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
   See All... and describe the work of the Kohathites.
2. Several sons of Hosah are mentioned (v.10-11). The first one mentioned is “Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief.” In Bible times, the firstborn son was to be chief in his family after his father died. However, the Bible records a number of instances where exception is made to this common rule. How many examples can you think of?
3. In this chapter, the doorkeepers of the temple are divided into wards (v.16-19). Count the groups in verses 17-19 and add them up. How many wards are there? How does this compare with what David did with the priests (1 Chronicles 24:5-19 [5] Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. [6] And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar. [7] Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, [8] The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, [9] The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, [10] The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, [11] The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah, [12] The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, [13] The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, [14] The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, [15] The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses, [16] The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel, [17] The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul, [18] The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. [19] These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.
   See All...) and the singers (1 Chronicles 25:8-31 [8] And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. [9] Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve: [10] The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [11] The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [12] The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [13] The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [14] The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [15] The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [16] The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [17] The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [18] The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [19] The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [20] The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [21] The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [22] The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [23] The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [24] The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [25] The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [26] The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [27] The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [28] The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [29] The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [30] The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: [31] The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.
   See All...)?

What Does It Mean to Me?

1. Divisions of the porters were made “for every gate” (v.13). In 1 Chronicles 9:19And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the host of the LORD, were keepers of the entry.
   See All..., these men are called the “keepers of the gates of the tabernacle.”  In 1 Chronicles 15:24And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.
   See All..., they are called “doorkeepers for the ark.” What do you think it meant to be a doorkeeper? Porters were those who carried something. Why do think their job changed from porter to doorkeeper at this point in Israel’s history? What does this knowledge add to your understanding of David’s statement in Psalm 84:11For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
   See All...?
2. Obededom is one of the doorkeepers in the house of the Lord (1 Chronicles 15:24And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.
   See All...). He also plays a harp in praise to God (1 Chronicles 15:21And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.
   See All...) and is blessed with a great family (1 Chronicles 26:4-8 [4] Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth. [5] Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him. [6] Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour. [7] The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah. [8] All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.
   See All...). Read 2 Samuel 6:10-12 [10] So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. [11] And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household. [12] And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.
   See All... and tell why Obededom was blessed so much. How can we follow in his example?