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

1 CHRONICLES 9:17KJV
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1 Chronicles 9:17 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 9:17 mean?

1 Chronicles 9:17 identifies the men responsible for guarding entrances and names Shallum as their leader. The verse places Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, and Ahiman within a larger group, showing that the gatekeeping work involved more than the four named men.

The KJV calls these men “porters,” an older English word for gatekeepers. Their work concerned access to the house of God, where people came to worship.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 9:17

  • “porters” — שׁוֹעֵר (shoʿer): This word means a gatekeeper. It points to a person stationed at an entrance, rather than someone who carries luggage.
  • “brethren” — אָח (ʾach): This word can mean brothers or members of a wider family or group. Here it includes the named men’s associates in the gatekeeping company.

Why 1 Chronicles 9:17 matters

  • The gatekeepers had an organized pattern of leadership. Shallum is called “the chief,” and verse 26 also speaks of four chief gatekeepers.
  • Gatekeeping involved careful control of entry. Verse 19 connects Shallum’s family with guarding the thresholds, or entrances, and verse 27 describes their responsibility for opening the house of God each morning.

Where else these words appear

“Ahiman” Hebrew H289 · used in 4 verses

  • Numbers 13:22 And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were.(Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
  • Joshua 15:14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
  • Judges 1:10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron:(now the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

“Talmon” Hebrew H2929 · used in 5 verses

  • Ezra 2:42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.
  • Nehemiah 7:45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.
  • Nehemiah 11:19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two.

“Akkub” Hebrew H6126 · used in 8 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 3:24 And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.
  • Ezra 2:45 The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
  • Nehemiah 8:7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.

“Shallum” Hebrew H7967 · used in 26 verses

  • 2 Kings 15:10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
  • 1 Chronicles 4:25 Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.
  • Ezra 2:42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.