14 From Levi’s descendants who returned to Yehudah there were: Shemayah (who was Hasshuv’s son, Hasshuv was Azrikam’s son, Azrikam was Hashavyah’s son, Hashavyah was a descendant of Levi’s youngest son Merari), 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, Mattanyah (who was Mika’s son, Mika was Zikri’s son, Zikri was Asaf’s son), 16 Ovadyah (who was Shemayah’s son, Shemayah was Galal’s son, Galal was Yedutun’s son), and Berekyah who lived in one of the villages where the Netofat people lived (Berekyah was Asa’s son, Asa was Elkanah’s son).

17 From Levi’s descendants who returned to Yehudah and who guarded the temple gates there were Shallum, Akkuv, Talmon, Ahiman, and some of their relatives. Shallum was their leader. 18 Those descendents of Levi were gatekeepers at the King’s Gate on the east, and their descendants still are, even to this day.

19 Shallum was Kore’s son, Kore was Evyasaph’s son, and Evyasaph was Korah’s son. Shallum and his relatives from his clan (Korah’s descendants) had the duty of being gatekeepers, responsible for guarding the entrances to Yahweh’s temple, as their ancestors had done. 20 Previously Pinehas (Eleazar’s son) had supervised the gatekeepers. Yahweh was with Pinehas.

21 Zekaryah (Meshelemyah’s son) was gatekeeper of the entrance to the assembly tent. 22 Altogether, there were 212 men chosen to guard the gates. The records of the clans in their villages listed their names. King David and the prophet Shemuel (Samuel) appointed them because they were dependable. 23 They and their sons watched over the gates of Yahweh’s house, that is, the sacred tent, as guards. 24 There were gatekeepers on each of the temple’s four sides: east, west, north, and south. 25 Their relatives in their villages would come in from time to time to relieve them for seven days, 26 because the four leaders of the gatekeepers were Levites, and they were also trusted to supervise the rooms and the treasuries in God’s residence. 27 They would spend the night around the temple while they were in charge, and would open it with the key each morning.

28 Some of them monitored the utensils used in the activities—counting them as they brought them out and when they put them away again. 29 Others took care of the containers and utensils used in the sanctuary, along with the fine flour, the wine and oil, and the frankincense and spices. 30 Some of the priests mixed the fragrances and spices.

31 There was a Levite named Mattithiah (Shallum’s oldest son, who was a descendant of Korah) whose official duty was supervising the baking of the flat breads. 32 Some of Kohat’s descendants prepared the rows of bread to be laid out on the sacred table every rest day.

33 Some of Levi’s descendants were temple musicians and singers. The leaders of those families stayed in the temple accommodations. They didn’t have other duties, because they were expected to serve day and night. 34 Those were the heads of the Levite families according to their generations, and they lived in Yerushalem.