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

1 CHRONICLES 9:26KJV
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1 Chronicles 9:26 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 9:26 mean?

1 Chronicles 9:26 explains that four Levites held the important role of chief porters, being officially responsible for overseeing the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. These Levites had a set office, meaning their duties were established and recognized as part of the temple’s organization.

This verse is part of a section describing the organization of temple workers after the return from exile. The writer is listing those who served in Jerusalem, focusing here on the Levites who managed the entrances and storage areas of the temple. The verse highlights the structured and trusted roles assigned to these Levites, showing the care taken in maintaining the temple’s operations.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 9:26

  • לֵוִי (Levites, lēwî): Refers to members of the tribe of Levi, who were set apart for duties related to the temple. Their special status is central to understanding why they were given these responsibilities.
  • גִּבּוֹר (chief, gibbôr): Often means "mighty" or "strong," but here it points to their status as leading or principal porters, not just ordinary gatekeepers.
  • שַׁעַר (porters, shāʿar): Literally "gatekeepers," these Levites controlled access to the temple, a position of both trust and authority.
  • נֶאֱמָן (office, ne’ĕmān): This word often means "faithful" or "trusted," so their "set office" suggests an entrusted, reliable duty rather than just an assigned task.

Why 1 Chronicles 9:26 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the temple’s organization was deliberate, with specific Levites given authority and responsibility, not just random assignments.
  • It highlights the importance of trustworthy leadership in managing sacred spaces and resources, reflecting the seriousness with which temple service was treated.
  • By naming these roles after the exile, the passage connects the restored community to the traditions and order of earlier generations, showing continuity in worship and administration.

Where else these words appear

“porters” Hebrew H7778 · used in 37 verses

  • 2 Samuel 18:26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.
  • 1 Chronicles 23:5 Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.
  • Ezra 7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

“chambers” Hebrew H3957 · used in 41 verses

  • 1 Samuel 9:22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
  • Nehemiah 13:8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
  • Ezekiel 41:10 And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every side.

“office” Hebrew H530 · used in 49 verses

  • Exodus 17:12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
  • Psalms 88:11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
  • Psalms 119:138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.

“treasuries” Hebrew H214 · used in 70 verses

  • Deuteronomy 28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
  • 2 Chronicles 5:1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.
  • Isaiah 2:7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: