1 Chronicles 26: The gatekeepers, the treasuries, and the officers and judges

In plain English: For the divisions of the gatekeepers (or: doorkeepers): of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.

In plain English: Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

In plain English: Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh.

In plain English: Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,

Good to know: The text does not say whether this Obed-Edom is the one in 13:13, 15:18 or 16:38. 16:38 says "Obed-Edom with their sixty-eight relatives", and verse 8 here says "sixty-two of Obed-Edom". The text gives both numbers and does not explain them.

In plain English: Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth, for God had blessed him.

In plain English: Sons were also born to his son Shemaiah. They were rulers over the house of their father, for they were mighty men of valor (or: men of ability).

In plain English: The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, whose relatives, Elihu and Semachiah, were men of ability (or: valiant men).

In plain English: All these were sons of Obed-Edom, with their sons and their relatives, able men with strength for the service: sixty-two belonged to Obed-Edom.

In plain English: Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, eighteen men of ability (or: valiant men).

In plain English: Hosah, of the sons of Merari, also had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, his father made him chief),

In plain English: Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth. All the sons and relatives of Hosah were thirteen.

In plain English: These were the divisions of the gatekeepers, belonging to the chief men, with duties like their relatives, to serve in Yahweh's house.

In plain English: They cast lots, the small as well as the great, by their fathers' houses, for each gate (literally: for gate and gate).

In plain English: The lot toward the east fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out toward the north.

In plain English: To Obed-Edom the lot came toward the south, and to his sons the storehouse (literally: the house of the stores).

In plain English: To Shuppim and Hosah it came toward the west, by the gate of Shallecheth, on the highway that goes up, guard opposite guard.

In plain English: To the east there were six Levites, to the north four each day, to the south four each day, and for the storehouse two and two.

In plain English: For the Parbar to the west, four on the highway and two at the Parbar.

In plain English: These were the divisions of the gatekeepers, of the sons of the Korahites and of the sons of Merari.

In plain English: Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasuries of God's house and over the treasuries of the dedicated (or: holy) things.

In plain English: The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites who belonged to Ladan, the heads of the fathers' households belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.

In plain English: The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel, were over the treasuries of Yahweh's house.

In plain English: Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites:

In plain English: Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was the chief over the treasuries.

Good to know: Gershom is the son of Moses whose birth and name are told in Exodus 2:22. The sons of Moses are named in 1 Chronicles 23:15 and Shebuel in 23:16. Here Moses' grandson is chief over the treasuries.

In plain English: His relatives from Eliezer: his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zichri, and his son Shelomoth.

In plain English: This Shelomoth and his relatives were over all the treasuries of the dedicated things which King David, the heads of the fathers' households, the captains of thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the army had dedicated.

In plain English: They dedicated some of the plunder won in battles to repair (or: strengthen) Yahweh's house.

The Hebrew word: "Repair" is chazaq, which the dictionary gives as "to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong ... repair, fortify". It can be read as "repair" or as "strengthen".

What changes: Read as "repair", the plunder went to mend the house. Read as "strengthen", it went to keep it strong. The text says only that some of the plunder from the wars was dedicated for this.

In plain English: Also everything that Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated: whoever dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth and his relatives.

In plain English: Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outside work over Israel, as officers and judges.

In plain English: Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives, one thousand seven hundred men of ability, were over Israel beyond the Jordan westward (see the note), for all the work of Yahweh and for the service of the king.

The Hebrew word: "Beyond the Jordan" is ever, which the dictionary gives as "a region across ... on the opposite side (especially of the Jordan; usually meaning the east)". The Hebrew here adds "westward".

What changes: Read as "across the Jordan, to the west", these men oversaw the land west of the river. The dictionary says the word usually means the east side, and verse 32 puts the Reubenites, the Gadites and half of Manasseh, who are east of the river, under other Hebronites. The text does not explain this.

In plain English: Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief of the Hebronites, by their generations and fathers' households. In the fortieth year of David's reign they were looked for, and mighty men of valor (or: men of ability) were found among them at Jazer of Gilead.

In plain English: His relatives, men of ability, were two thousand seven hundred, heads of fathers' households. King David appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter of God and every matter of the king.