Babylon Returnees (1 Chronicles 9)

Do genealogies teach us life is temporary? What is the real legacy of a generation? Are even mundane duties important? Let’s look at 1 Chronicles 9.

Which tribes settled in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity?

All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. They were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants. Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were: (1 Chronicles 9:1-3 NIV)

Of the tribe of Judah, which families returned to Jerusalem?

Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the descendants of Perez, the son of Judah. Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brethren—six hundred and ninety. (1 Chronicles 9:4-6 NKJV)

Of the tribe of Benjamin, which families returned to Jerusalem?

From the tribe of Benjamin came Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah; Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, son of Micri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah. These men were all leaders of clans, and they were listed in their genealogical records. In all, 956 families from the tribe of Benjamin returned. (1 Chr 9:7-9 NLT)

Among the priestly descendants of Aaron, who returned to Jerusalem?

Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, 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 God’s house; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah; and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; and their brothers, heads of their fathers’ houses, one thousand seven hundred sixty; they were very able men for the work of the service of God’s house. (1 Chr 9:10-13 WEB)

Among the non-priestly descendants of Levi, who returned to Jerusalem?

From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub son of Azrikam son of Hashabiah, from Merari’s family; Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah son of Mica son of Zichri son of Asaph; Obadiah son of Shemaiah son of Galal son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah son of Asa son of Elkanah, who lived in the settlements of the Netophathites. (1 Chr 9:14-16 CEB)

Among the descendants of Levi, who returned to Jerusalem as temple guards?

Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives were the guards at the temple gates. Shallum was the leader of this clan, and for a long time they had been the guards at the King's Gate on the east side of the city. Before that, their ancestors guarded the entrance to the Levite camp. Shallum son of Kore, as well as the other men in the Korahite clan, guarded the entrance to the temple, just as their ancestors had guarded the entrance to the sacred tent. Phinehas son of Eleazar had supervised their work because the Lord was with him. Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was also one of the guards at the temple. There was a total of 212 guards, all of them listed in the family records in their towns. Their ancestors had been chosen by King David and by Samuel the prophet to be responsible for this work, and now they guarded the temple gates. There was one full-time guard appointed to each of the four sides of the temple. Their assistants lived in the villages outside the city, and every seven days a group of them would come into the city and take their turn at guard duty. The four full-time guards were Levites, and they supervised the other guards and were responsible for the rooms in the temple and the supplies kept there. They guarded the temple day and night and opened its doors every morning. (1 Chr 9:17-27 CEV)

What other temple duties did Levites who lived in Jerusalem have?

Some of them had charge of the utensils of service, for they were required to count them when they were brought in and taken out. Others of them were appointed over the furniture and over all the holy utensils, also over the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the incense, and the spices. Others, of the sons of the priests, prepared the mixing of the spices, and Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with making the flat cakes. Also some of their kinsmen of the Kohathites had charge of the showbread, to prepare it every Sabbath. Now these, the singers, the heads of fathers' houses of the Levites, were in the chambers of the temple free from other service, for they were on duty day and night. These were heads of fathers' houses of the Levites, according to their generations, leaders. These lived in Jerusalem. (1 Chr 9:28-34 ESV)