1 Chronicles 9

So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression.

1All the people of Israel were listed by family. Their names were written in the book of the kings of Israel. The people of Judah were taken away to Babylon because they had not been faithful to God.

2Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.

2Later, some people came back home. The first ones to live again on their own land were regular Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple helpers. Priests led worship. Levites were the family group who helped them.

3And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;

3Some people from the families of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem.

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

4One was Uthai. His father was Ammihud, whose father was Omri, whose father was Imri, whose father was Bani. This family came from Pharez, a son of Judah.

5And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons.

5From the Shilonites came Asaiah, the oldest son, and his sons.

6And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety.

6From the family of Zerah came Jeuel. He had 690 relatives with him.

7And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah,

7From the family of Benjamin came Sallu. His father was Meshullam, whose father was Hodaviah, whose father was Hasenuah.

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

8There was also Ibneiah son of Jeroham. And Elah son of Uzzi, whose father was Michri. And Meshullam son of Shephathiah, whose father was Reuel, whose father was Ibnijah.

9And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty and six. All these men were chief of the fathers in the house of their fathers.

9With them were 956 relatives, listed by family. All these men were leaders of their families.

10And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin,

10From the priests came Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin.

11And Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;

11There was also Azariah. His father was Hilkiah, whose father was Meshullam, whose father was Zadok, whose father was Meraioth, whose father was Ahitub. Azariah was the chief leader of God's house.

12And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasiai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;

12There was Adaiah son of Jeroham, whose father was Pashur, whose father was Malchijah. And Maasiai son of Adiel, whose father was Jahzerah, whose father was Meshullam, whose father was Meshillemith, whose father was Immer.

13And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and seven hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

13With them were 1,760 relatives who led their families. They were strong, skilled men who did the work at God's house.

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

14From the Levites came Shemaiah. His father was Hasshub, whose father was Azrikam, whose father was Hashabiah. This family came from Merari.

15And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph;

15There were also Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal. And Mattaniah son of Micah, whose father was Zichri, whose father was Asaph.

16And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites.

16There was Obadiah son of Shemaiah, whose father was Galal, whose father was Jeduthun. And Berechiah son of Asa, whose father was Elkanah. That family lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

17And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief;

17The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was their leader.

18Who hitherto waited in the king’s gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi.

18Before this, Shallum stood guard at the King's Gate on the east side. All these men guarded the gates for the Levites.

Note"Porters" in the old English does not mean people who carry bags. It means guards who watched the gates and doors.

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.

19Shallum's father was Kore, whose father was Ebiasaph, whose father was Korah. Shallum and his relatives, the Korahites, guarded the doorways of the holy tent. Long before, their fathers had guarded the entrance to God's tent too.

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

20Long ago, Phinehas son of Eleazar was the leader of these guards. The LORD was with him.

21And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

21Zechariah son of Meshelemiah guarded the door of the holy tent where people met with God.

22All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.

22In all, 212 men were chosen to guard the gates. Their names were listed by family in their villages. King David and Samuel the seer, a man who heard from God, gave them these jobs.

NoteA "seer" was another word for a prophet, someone who told people what God said.

23So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the LORD, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards.

23So these men and their sons after them guarded the gates of the LORD's house, the house called the tent.

24In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.

24The gatekeepers stood on all four sides: east, west, north, and south.

25And their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come after seven days from time to time with them.

25Their relatives came in from the villages to help. Each group worked with them for seven days at a time.

26For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.

26But the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, had a steady job. They took care of the rooms and the storerooms in God's house.

27And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them.

27They slept around God's house at night, because it was their job to guard it. Each morning they opened the doors.

28And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale.

28Some of them took care of the dishes used in worship. They counted every dish when it was brought in or taken out.

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

29Others took care of the other holy things. They also cared for the fine flour, the wine, the oil, and the sweet-smelling spices.

30And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices.

30Some of the priests' sons mixed the spices to make sweet-smelling oil.

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

31Mattithiah was a Levite. He was the oldest son of Shallum the Korahite. His steady job was baking the bread in pans.

32And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath.

32Some of their relatives from the Kohathite family got the special bread ready. They did this every Sabbath, the weekly day of rest.

NoteThe "shewbread" was special bread set out in God's house. Fresh loaves were placed there every week.

33And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night.

33These were the singers, leaders of Levite families. They stayed in rooms at God's house. They did no other work, because they sang day and night.

34These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem.

34All these were leaders of Levite families, listed in their family records. They lived in Jerusalem.

35And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife’s name was Maachah,

35In the town of Gibeon lived Jehiel, who started the town. His wife's name was Maachah.

36And his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab,

36His oldest son was Abdon. Then came Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, and Nadab.

37And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth.

37Then came Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.

38And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem, over against their brethren.

38Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. These men also lived in Jerusalem, near their relatives.

39And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

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

40And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal: and Meribbaal begat Micah.

40Jonathan's son was Meribbaal. Meribbaal was the father of Micah.

41And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and Ahaz.

41Micah's sons were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.

42And Ahaz begat Jarah; and Jarah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza;

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

43And Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.

43Moza was the father of Binea. Binea's son was Rephaiah. His son was Eleasah. His son was Azel.

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

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