1 Chronicles 9 Study Notes

9:1-34 At this point the Chronicler spotlights the postexilic community (see Neh 11:3-19).

9:1 Accurate genealogies were essential because so much was dependent on a person’s tribal affiliation (Ezr 2:62). The northern kingdom of Israel was deported in 722 BC by the Assyrians. Judah went into exile in several stages, with the final deportation carried out by the Babylonians in 587 BC. However, the exiles from Judah were allowed to return to their homeland approximately fifty years later.

9:2 The decree to return, issued by Cyrus of Persia, directed that they should rebuild the temple (2Ch 36:23). It was natural that most of these people would be directly associated with the temple: priests, Levites, and temple servants.

9:3-9 This portion of the list contains the laity among the returning exiles.

9:3 Among those returning to Judah were also some people of the northern tribes, including Ephraim and Manasseh. Not everyone from the so-called ten lost tribes was “lost.” Still, the subsequent passage does not list anyone from the northern tribes by name.

9:4 The descendants of Perez listed here could be related to the royal line, but there was no more kingdom.

9:7 A large contingent of those returning to Judah were members of the tribe of Benjamin. This tribe had remained loyal to the southern kingdom of Judah, and they escaped the earlier deportation by Assyria and profited from the edict to return to their homeland.

9:10-13 The list of priests is significant. This listing indicates the accurate continuation of the genealogies and shows that the priests must have maintained their knowledge so they could take up their duties as soon as they returned to Judah.

9:14-34 This portion of the list contains the Levites who returned from exile.

9:14-16 The Levites were also ready to take up their duties again. This is an introductory genealogy.

9:17-34 This portion of the list contains the gatekeepers.

9:17-18 Shallum was a veteran, having been in charge of a gate some forty years earlier before the temple’s destruction. Now he led the entire crew of gatekeepers.

9:19 Because of the makeshift nature of the rebuilt temple, its first appearance was not all that different from the tabernacle (see v. 23). Without the surrounding courtyards, guarding the entrance was similar to guarding the thresholds of the tent, a duty with a long and proud tradition.

9:22 We get a brief glimpse here of Samuel as administrator of the tabernacle, setting a precedent that was resumed by David. The idea that guard duty was distributed among people from all over the country must have promoted a feeling of ownership among all Israelites.

9:28 The temple priests performed many functions, including many different types of sacrifices, all of which required utensils. Trustworthy people were needed to look after the utensils and other equipment.

9:30 A priest could not perform official religious duties until he turned thirty years old. The sons of many priests, while learning their profession, would also be involved in mixing the spices used in the sacrificial system.

9:31 This Shallum was the veteran gatekeeper (vv. 17-18).

9:33 The singers were expected to be ready at a moment’s notice whenever a ceremony or sacrifice called for musical accompaniment.

9:35-44 The genealogy of Benjamin in these verses is the same as that in 8:29-38. In chap. 8 the emphasis was on their residence in Jerusalem (8:28,32); here the genealogy sets up the story of Saul in chap. 10.