Gatekeepers

(1 Chronicles 9:18) 18 and until then he was at the king’s gate to the east. These were the gatekeepers of the camps of the Levites.

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Temple Gates. East Gate. Nehemiah’s reconstruction account tells us that the keeper of the East Gate shared in the repair work. (Ne 3:29) Thus the East Gate is not designated as a gate in Jerusalem’s wall, as some have thought. The East Gate may have been approximately in line with the Inspection Gate in the city wall. This gate is evidently the one mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:18 as “the king’s gate to the east,” ” being the gate where the king went into or came out from the temple.


(1 Chronicles 9:22) 22 All those selected as gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were in their settlements by their genealogical enrollment. David and Samuel the seer appointed these to their office of trust. The days of Samuel brought additional reverses for the Philistines (1Sa 7:13, 14) and proved to be a period marked by outstanding Passover celebrations. (2Ch 35:18) Samuel also seems to have worked out some arrangement for the Levite gatekeepers, and his arrangement may have served as a basis for the organization put into operation by David. (1Ch 9:22) From his home at Ramah in the mountainous region of Ephraim, Samuel annually made a circuit of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, judging Israel at all these places. (1Sa 7:15-17) Never did he abuse his position. His record was without blame. (1Sa 12:2-5) But his sons, Joel and Abijah, perverted justice.—1Sa 8:2, 3.

(1 Chronicles 9:26, 27) 26 There were four chief gatekeepers in the office of trust. They were Levites, and they were in charge of the chambers and of the treasuries of the house of the true God. 27 They would spend the night in their stations all around the house of the true God, for they cared for the guard service and were in charge of the key and would open up the house from morning to morning.

The Levite gatekeepers occupied an office of great trust. They were given the key to the entrance to the holy areas of the temple. They proved to be reliable in opening the gates each day. We have been entrusted with the responsibility of reaching out to the people in our territory and helping them to come to worship Jehovah. Should we not prove to be just as dependable and trustworthy as the Levite gatekeepers?

Quotation in part from w05 10/1 p. 9 par. 8 and other sources