In contrast to Nehemiah, where only one verse is dedicated to the gatekeepers (1 Chronicles 11:19), Chronicles includes an elaborate section on them, a section that is unparalleled in biblical literature. This elaborate and extensive subsection on the Levites can be divided into a general introduction to the Levitical lineage (1 Chronicles 9:14–16), a description of the gatekeepers and their functions (1 Chronicles 9:17–27), a description of other functions performed by Levites (1 Chronicles 9:28–32), an introduction to the musicians (1 Chronicles 9:33), and a conclusion to the section on the Levites (1 Chronicles 9:34).1
The Levites were given various duties that included leading the singing, guarding the sanctuary, and maintaining its equipment and supplies. In the wilderness period, Levites were in charge of guarding the sanctuary, assisting the priests in their duties, and carefully wrapping and transporting the tabernacle and its furnishings through the wilderness. An even wider range of duties fell on the Levites in David’s time (see 1 Chronicles 23:4–5).2
The Chronicler slightly expands the genealogy of the Levites when compared to the parallel in Nehemiah 11:15–18, mentioning seven family leaders among the eighteen names listed (versus six family leaders and sixteen names in Nehemiah).3 Here, attention is drawn to four families: Shemaiah, Mattaniah, Obadiah, and Berechiah. Shemaiah belonged to the Merari clan, which was one of the three original Levitical clan leaders, the other two being Kohath and Gershom (1 Chronicles 6:37, 1 Chronicles 6:43, 1 Chronicles 6:47). The other three, Bakbakkar (probably the same as Bakbukiah in Nehemiah 11:17), Heresh and Galal (1 Chronicles 9:15), are separate individuals of whom no genealogical data is given, who probably assisted in the musical side of temple worship.4
The families of Shemaiah, Mattaniah, and Obadiah are emphasized because they represent the important descendants of the Levitical tribal organization, Merari, Asaph, and Jeduthun. Mattaniah was a descendant of Asaph who belonged to the Gershom clan. Zichri, one of his ancestors, is probably the same man called Zabdi in Nehemiah 11:17.5 Obadiah was the son of Jeduthun. Asaph and Jeduthun are significant because they were heads of musical guilds organized by King David for temple worship (1 Chronicles 25:1, 1 Chronicles 25:3, 1 Chronicles 25:6; 2 Chronicles 5:12–14; 2 Chronicles 35:15; the headings to Psalm 39:1–13; Psalm 62:1–12; Psalm 77:1–20).6
Berechiah probably belonged to the Kohathite clan (1 Chronicles 6:33–38). Though he lived in the villages of the Netophathites to the south of Jerusalem, about 5 kilometres from Bethlehem, he and other singers are associated with the inhabitants of Jerusalem, probably because that is where they resided when on duty (1 Chronicles 6:25, 1 Chronicles 6:33). Earlier, the Chronicler lists the Netophathites next to Bethlehem as descendants of Salma 1 Chronicles 2:54). Singers from Netophah were among those present when the walls of Jerusalem were dedicated (Nehemiah 12:28).7 Historically, Netopah was connected with Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:54) and David (2 Samuel 23:28–29).8
As indicated in Nehemiah 11:1–36, these are the musicians, a factor only hinted at here by the derivation of Mattaniah from Asaph and Obadiah from Jeduthun. Their ancestors, as already noted, were choir leaders in David’s day (1 Chronicles 6:39; 1 Chronicles 15:17; 1 Chronicles 25:2–3), and the leaders in this list led Israel’s praise in Nehemiah’s time (Nehemiah 12:8).9
14 Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;