1 Chronicles Chapter 9

At a Glance

  • 1 Chronicles 9 resumes the temple-centered template of genealogical and civic memory by recounting who returned from exile and how they re-inhabited their towns.
  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • Literarily, the chapter functions as a bridge between the broader genealogies and the practical realities of a post-exilic order.
  • - Return and restoration: The focus on who dwells in Jerusalem and the surrounding towns signals a healing process after exile.
  • - Priestly order and worship: The careful listing of priests, Levites, and Nethinims underscores the centrality of temple duties and disciplined worship.

1 Chronicles 9

CHAPTER REFERENCE

Chapter Overview

1 Chronicles 9 resumes the temple-centered template of genealogical and civic memory by recounting who returned from exile and how they re-inhabited their towns. It begins with the sober line: Israel’s people were counted in genealogies and later recorded in the annals of the kings who were carried away to Babylon for transgression. The chapter then moves into the reorganized inventory of Jerusalem’s inhabitants—priests, Levites, Nethinims—paired with details about the tribes’ distribution across their cities and the faithful who resume worship and service. Crucially, this chapter situates the post-exilic community in a lived geography: who dwells where, who maintains the sacred structures, and who serves the house of God. Names and lineages are not mere antiquarian data; they establish legitimacy for temple service and communal governance in a rebuilt spiritual order.

The chapter also emphasizes the disciplined memory of God’s people: the chiefs and families who re-enter the story, their roles in priestly service, and the way Kenites, Kohathites, and Levites contribute to the functioning of the worship life. The sense of order—priests, Levites, and Nethinims—clarifies who does what in the life of the community: who guards the gates, who sings, who teaches, and who maintains the sacred space. The narrative thus advances Chronicles’ overarching aim: to depict a renewed people who reattach themselves to the covenant through proper worship, fidelity, and communal leadership, modeling for readers how a community recovers after loss and displacement.

Historical & Literary Context

As with much of Chronicles, this chapter reflects a post-exilic perspective, likely written in the 5th century BCE by a compiler deeply interested in temple worship, priestly lineage, and the reconstitution of Israelite society after Babylonian exile. The genealogical lists and the order of families showcase how the community reconstructed identity through ritual and lineage, affirming the importance of temple service and the priestly order in the life of the people.

Literarily, the chapter functions as a bridge between the broader genealogies and the practical realities of a post-exilic order. It translates lineage into civic-wiscal function: who returns to inhabit Jerusalem, who administers, and who sustains the temple’s rituals. The theme of restoration underlines the book’s purpose: to remind readers that even after catastrophe, faithful worship and orderly leadership can rebuild a people under God’s oversight.

Key Themes

- Return and restoration: The focus on who dwells in Jerusalem and the surrounding towns signals a healing process after exile.

- Priestly order and worship: The careful listing of priests, Levites, and Nethinims underscores the centrality of temple duties and disciplined worship.

- Community memory as identity: Names, lineages, and settlements anchor a renewed community in its covenant history.

- Social revival through worship: Reestablishing temple employees and services demonstrates how spiritual renewal flows into social and civic life.

- Covenant continuity: Despite displacement, the lineages emphasize God’s faithfulness and the people’s commitment to return to proper worship.

Modern Application

- Post-crisis rebuilding: Chronicles 9 offers a blueprint for communities recovering from disruption—clear roles, restored worship, and intentional placement of families within a city’s life.

- Civic worship and leadership: The chapter highlights the interdependence of spiritual and civil leadership. Modern readers can see the importance of lay leadership, temple or church leadership, and the daily rhythms that sustain a faith community.

- Memory as moral imagination: Remembering who returned and why fosters gratitude and responsibility: to honor those who preserved faith and to invest in future generations.

- Inclusion of diverse servant roles: The listing of priests, Levites, and Nethinims reminds us that every calling—music, gatekeeping, teaching, caretaking—contributes to the whole.

- Rebuilding identity through liturgy: The chapter reinforces that right worship is foundational to identity, unity, and social healing.

- Ezra 2 (returnees and genealogies)

- Nehemiah 7 (census and division of the people)

- 1 Chronicles 6 (Levitical families)

- 2 Chronicles 31 (reforms and temple service)

Recommended Personas

- Ezra or Nehemiah (leadership in restoration and city-building)

- Priest or Levite (worship, liturgy, and temple governance)

- Nehemiah (organization, governance, and renewal in a relocated people)

Chapter Text

1

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.

2

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

3

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

4

Uthai 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.

5

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

6

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

7

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

8

And 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;

9

And 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.

10

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

11

And 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;

12

And 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;

13

And 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.

14

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

15

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

16

And 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.

17

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

18

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

19

And 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.

20

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

21

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

22

All 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.

23

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

24

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

25

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

26

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

27

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

28

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

29

Some 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.

30

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

31

And 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.

32

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

33

And 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.

34

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

35

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

36

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

37

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

38

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

39

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

40

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

41

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

42

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

43

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

44

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

Discuss This Chapter with Biblical Personas

Explore 1 Chronicles Chapter 9 with Biblical figures who can provide unique perspectives grounded in Scripture.

Ask Apostle PaulAsk MosesAsk King DavidAsk Jesus Christ
← 1 Chronicles 81 Chronicles 10 →