📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 9:27
What does 1 Chronicles 9:27 mean?
"They stayed around God’s house, because that duty was on them; and to their duty was its opening morning by morning."
— 1 Chronicles 9:27 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
On the four sides were the gatekeepers, toward the east, west, north, and south.
Their brothers, in their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them:
for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the rooms and over the treasuries in God’s house.
They stayed around God’s house, because that duty was on them; and to their duty was its opening morning by morning.
Certain of them were in charge of the vessels of service; for these were brought in by count, and these were taken out by count.
Some of them also were appointed over the furniture, and over all the vessels of the sanctuary, over the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the frankincense, and the spices.
Some of the sons of the priests prepared the mixing of the spices.
Explanation
First Chronicles 9:27 describes the gatekeepers of God's house, the Levites who were assigned to guard the temple precincts. The verse simply states that these men remained stationed around the house of God because guarding it was their appointed responsibility, and each morning it fell to them to open its doors. In plain terms, this is a description of a nightly watch: certain Levites slept near or around the temple grounds so they could stand guard through the night and be ready to unlock the gates at daybreak for the day's worship and sacrifices to begin.
The book of 1 Chronicles was written after the Babylonian exile, likely compiled by a priestly or Levitical author (traditionally associated with Ezra) for the returning Jewish community. Its purpose was to reconnect that community with its history, its worship practices, and especially with the temple and its proper order. Chapters 1–
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