1 Chronicles 9

1 So all Israel were listed by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. Judah was carried away captive to Babylon for their disobedience.

The [names of all the] people of Israel were listed/written with the names of their clans, and that information was written in the scroll/book named ‘The Record of the Kings of Israel’. [Many of] the people of Judah were captured and forced to go to Babylon. That happened because they did not faithfully [do what was pleasing to] God.

2 Now the first inhabitants who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the temple servants.

The first people who returned [to Judah 70 years later] and lived in their own land and in their own cities and towns were some Israeli priests, other descendants of Levi, and men who worked in the temple.

3 In Jerusalem, there lived of the children of Judah, of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh:

[Other] people from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh [also returned to Judah and] lived in Jerusalem. This is a list of those people [of the tribe of Judah]:

4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Perez the son of Judah.

Uthai the son of Ammihud. Ammihud was the son of Omri; Omri was the son of Imri; Imri was the son of Bani; Bani was a descendant of Perez; Perez was the son of Judah.

5 Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.

Asaiah and his sons were descendants of Shelah. Asaiah was the oldest son in his family.

6 Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel and their brothers, six hundred ninety.

Jeuel and others of his relatives in Zerah’s clan. There were 690 people in this clan.

7 Of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;

From the tribe of Benjamin, Sallu, the son of Meshullam. Meshullam was the son of Hodaviah; Hodaviah was the son of Hassenuah.

8 and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri; and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;

Ibneiah the son of Jeroham. Elah the son of Uzzi. Uzzi was the son of Micri. Meshullam the son of Shephatiah. Shephatiah was the son of Reuel; Reuel was the son of Ibnijah.

9 and their brothers, according to their generations, nine hundred fifty-six. All these men were heads of fathers’ households by their fathers’ houses.

In other records of the people descended from Benjamin, there are the names of 956 people who were living in Jerusalem. All these were leaders of their clans.

10 Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin,

Some of the priests [who returned to Judah were]: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jakin,

11 and Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of God’s house;

and Azariah who was the son of Hilkiah. Hilkiah who was the son of Meshullam; Meshullam who was the son of Zadok, Zadok who was the son of Meraioth; Meraioth who was the son of Ahitub; Ahitub who supervised the temple guards;

12 and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah; and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;

Adaiah who was the son of Jeroham; Jeroham who was the son of Pashhur; Pashhur who was the son of Malchijah; Maasai who was the son of Adiel; Adiel who was the son of Jahzerah; Jahzerah who was the son of Meshullam; Meshullam who was the son of Meshillemith; Meshillemith who was the son of Immer.

13 and their brothers, heads of their fathers’ houses, one thousand seven hundred sixty; they were very able men for the work of the service of God’s house.

Altogether there were 1,760 priests [who returned to Judah]. They were leaders of their clans, and they all were responsible for doing work in the temple of God.

14 Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;

From the descendants of Levi [who returned to Judah] there was Shemaiah the son of Hasshub. Hasshub was the son of Azrikam; Azrikam was the son of Hashabiah; Hashabiah was a descendant of [Levi’s youngest son] Merari.

15 and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph,

[Other descendants of Levi who returned to Judah were] Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mica. Mica was the son if Zicri; Zicri was the son of Asaph.

16 and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

There was also Obadiah the son of Shemaiah. Shemaiah was the son of Galal. Galal was the son of Jeduthun. There was also Berekiah the son of Asa. Asa was the son of Elkanah, who lived in one of the villages where the Netophath people-clan lived.

17 The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the chief),

From the [descendants of Levi who returned to Judah] who guarded the temple gates there were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and some of their relatives. Shallum was their leader.

18 who previously served in the king’s gate eastward. They were the gatekeepers for the camp of the children of Levi.

Those gatekeepers from the tribe of Levi stood at the King’s Gate on the east side [of the temple].

19 Shallum was the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent. Their fathers had been over the LORD’s camp, keepers of the entry.

Shallum was the son of Kore. Kore was the son of Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph was the son of Korah. Shallum and his relatives were gatekeepers, and they were responsible to guard the gates of the Sacred Tent of Yahweh, like their ancestors had done.

20 Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with him.

Previously Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, had supervised the gatekeepers, and Yahweh (was with/helped) Phinehas.

21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper of the door of the Tent of Meeting.

Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance of the Sacred Tent.

22 All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers in the thresholds were two hundred twelve. These were listed by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer ordained in their office of trust.

Altogether, there were 212 men who were chosen to guard the gates. Their names were written in the records of the clans in their villages. [King] David and the prophet Samuel appointed/chose those men because those men (were dependable/always did what they were told to do).

23 So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the LORD’s house, even the house of the tent, as guards.

The work of those gatekeepers and their descendants was to guard the entrances of the Sacred Tent of Yahweh. That was before the temple was built to replace the Sacred Tent.

24 On the four sides were the gatekeepers, toward the east, west, north, and south.

There were gatekeepers on each of the four sides of the Sacred Tent.

25 Their brothers, in their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them,

Sometimes it was necessary for the relatives of the gatekeepers who lived in those villages to come and help them. Each time some of them came, they helped the gatekeepers for seven days.

26 for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the rooms and over the treasuries in God’s house.

There were four descendants of Levi who [worked every day, and they] supervised the gatekeepers. They also took care of the rooms and treasures in the Sacred Tent of God.

27 They stayed around God’s house, because that was their duty; and it was their duty to open it morning by morning.

They remained awake all during the night to guard the Sacred Tent, and each morning they opened the gates.

28 Certain of them were in charge of the vessels of service, for these were brought in by count, and these were taken out by count.

Some of the gatekeepers took care of the articles that were used in worship. They also took care of the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices [that were used in the sacrifices].

29 Some of them also were appointed over the furniture, and over all the vessels of the sanctuary, over the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the frankincense, and the spices.

Other gatekeepers were appointed to take care of the other things in the Sacred Tent.

30 Some of the sons of the priests prepared the mixing of the spices.

But some of the priests had the work of mixing the spices.

31 Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things that were baked in pans.

There was a descendant of Levi named Mattithiah, the oldest son of Shallum, who was a descendant of Korah. He (was very dependable/always did what he was told to do), so they gave him {he was given} the work of baking the bread that was used in the offerings [on the altar].

32 Some of their brothers, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the show bread, to prepare it every Sabbath.

Some of the gatekeepers who were descended from Kohath prepared the freshly baked loaves of sacred bread that were placed on the table [inside the Sacred Tent] every Sabbath/rest day.

33 These are the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the rooms and were free from other service, for they were employed in their work day and night.

Some of the descendants of Levi were musicians who worked in the Sacred Tent. The leaders of those families [stayed/slept] in the rooms [of the Sacred Tent]. They did not do [any other work] in the Sacred Tent because they were responsible to serve [as musicians] day and night.

34 These were heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, throughout their generations, chief men. They lived at Jerusalem.

Those are [the names of] the leaders of the clans descended from Levi. Their names were written in the records of the clans. They all lived in Jerusalem.

35 Jeiel the father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Maacah, lived in Gibeon.

[One of the descendants of Benjamin, ] Jeiel, lived in Gibeon [city]. He was the city leader. His wife’s name was Maacah.

36 His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,

His oldest son was Abdon. His other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,

37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.

Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.

38 Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. They also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem, near their relatives.

Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. Jeiel’s family lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.

39 Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of [King] Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal.

40 The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal. Merib-baal became the father of Micah.

Jonathan’s son was Merib-Baal. Merib-Baal was the father of Micah.

41 The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.

Micah’s sons were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, [and Ahaz].

42 Ahaz became the father of Jarah. Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza.

Ahaz was the father of Jadah (OR, Jarah). Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza.

43 Moza became the father of Binea, Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.

Moza was the father of Binea. The son of Binea was Rephaiah. The son of Rephaiah was Eleasah. The son of Eleasah was Azel.

44 Azel had six sons, whose names are Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan.