1So all Israel was recorded in the genealogies written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.
2Now the first to resettle their own property in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.
3Some of the descendants of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem:
23So they and their descendants were assigned to guard the gates of the house of the LORD—the house called the Tent.
24The gatekeepers were stationed on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.
25Their relatives came from their villages at fixed times to serve with them for seven-day periods.
26But the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of the house of God.
27They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they were responsible for guarding it and opening it every morning.
28Some of them were in charge of the articles used in worship, to count them whenever they were brought in or taken out.
29Others were put in charge of the furnishings and other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices.
30And some of the sons of the priests mixed the spices.
31A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread.
32Some of their Kohathite relatives were responsible for preparing the rows of the showbread every Sabbath.
33Those who were musicians, the heads of Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night.
34All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs according to their genealogies, and they lived in Jerusalem.