1 Chronicles 9:14 kjv
And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
1 Chronicles 9:14 nkjv
Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
1 Chronicles 9:14 niv
Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite;
1 Chronicles 9:14 esv
Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
1 Chronicles 9:14 nlt
The Levites who returned were Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, a descendant of Merari;
1 Chronicles 9 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 3:17 | "And these are the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari." | Identifies Merari as one of Levi's sons. |
| Num 3:33-37 | "Of Merari came the family... their charge was the boards...pillars...bases." | Describes the specific duties of the Merarites. |
| Num 4:29-33 | "And the charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards...posts...bases." | Reinforces the Merarite responsibility for structural components. |
| Num 8:19 | "...given to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel..." | Establishes Levites for temple service. |
| 1 Chron 6:1, 19 | "The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari...The sons of Merari: Mahli, Mushi." | Confirms Merari's lineage within Levi. |
| 1 Chron 9:1 | "So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book..." | Highlights the importance of genealogies in Chronicles. |
| 1 Chron 23:3 | "Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years..." | Describes the registration and service of Levites. |
| 1 Chron 23:21 | "The sons of Merari: Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish." | Continues tracing Merarite lineage. |
| 1 Chron 26:10-11 | "And Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons...chief men." | Example of Merarites holding specific posts. |
| Ezra 2:59, 62 | "These are they which went up also from Telmelah...and they could not show their father’s house..." | Illustrates the crucial need for genealogical proof for legitimacy. |
| Ezra 3:8-9 | "...Zerubbabel...began to set forward the work of the house of the Lord...and the Levites." | Levites integral to the rebuilding effort. |
| Ezra 6:18 | "And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses..." | Organizing priestly/Levitical service post-exile. |
| Neh 7:5 | "And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles...and I found a register..." | Emphasizes the importance of official records and genealogies. |
| Neh 11:3-4 | "Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem...And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh..." | Corresponds to 1 Chron 9's listing of residents in Jerusalem. |
| Neh 11:15 | "Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub..." | A parallel passage identifying similar individuals. |
| Gen 10:32 | "These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations..." | Demonstrates the ancient practice and importance of lineage. |
| Matt 1:1 | "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David..." | Highlights the ongoing biblical importance of specific genealogies (Christ's line). |
| Heb 7:13-14 | "For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar...For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah..." | Underscores tribal origin and its relation to priestly roles, emphasizing Christ's unique lineage. |
| Gal 3:16 | "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." | Connects specific lineage to divine promise. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation..." | Reflects the spiritual fulfillment of the Levitical role for believers. |
| Rev 7:4-8 | "And I heard the number of them which were sealed...of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand." | Future reference to tribal distinction and spiritual roles. |
1 Chronicles 9 verses
1 Chronicles 9 14 Meaning
This verse identifies Shemaiah as a significant figure among the Levites who returned and resettled in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. It details his immediate paternal lineage, tracing him back through several generations (Hasshub, Azrikam, Hashabiah) and ultimately to the ancestral division of Merari, one of the three sons of Levi. This listing serves to establish his identity, legitimacy, and hereditary claim to his specific Levitical role in the restored community in Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 9 14 Context
First Chronicles chapter 9, along with portions of Nehemiah 11, documents the resettling of Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian exile. Following a detailed genealogical overview in Chapters 1-8, Chapter 9 lists the specific groups—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, and other temple servants, alongside the general population—who returned and resumed their designated roles in the Holy City. This emphasis on who returned and their specific tribal and familial identity was critical for re-establishing the theocratic order and temple service according to God's law. For the Chronicler, establishing proper lineage demonstrated legitimacy, continuity with Israel's past, and divine faithfulness despite the exile. Verse 14 specifically places Shemaiah within the esteemed Levitical tribe, indicating his inherited role in temple service, upholding the divine appointment for his lineage.
1 Chronicles 9 14 Word analysis
- And Shemaiah: The name "Shemaiah" (שְׁמַעְיָה - Shəma‘yah) means "heard of Yah" or "Yah has heard." This name was common among various groups in ancient Israel, including Levites, and highlights a connection to the Divine. His identity as "Shemaiah" distinguishes him among the many returnees.
- the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah: This segment details Shemaiah's paternal ancestry. Each "son of" phrase establishes direct patrilineal descent. Genealogies in the Hebrew Scriptures were crucial for establishing tribal identity, inheritance rights, land claims, and, most importantly here, eligibility for religious service, especially for priests and Levites. For the post-exilic community, such precise lineage validated their claim to specific duties and helped re-establish social order.
- of the sons of Merari: This crucial phrase connects Shemaiah to Merari (מְרָרִי - Mərāri), one of the three sons of Levi (the other two being Gershon and Kohath). The "sons of Merari" designates the specific lineage within the Levitical tribe responsible for particular duties related to the tabernacle and later the temple. From the Mosaic law, the Merarites were traditionally charged with the transportation and care of the structural elements of the tabernacle—its boards, bars, pillars, and bases (Num 3:36-37, Num 4:31-32). Being identified as "of the sons of Merari" meant Shemaiah belonged to a defined group within the Levites with specific hereditary responsibilities related to the maintenance and sacred operations of the House of God. This indicates his family line maintained its Levitical standing and continued its service in Jerusalem after the return from exile.
1 Chronicles 9 14 Bonus section
- The parallel account in Nehemiah 11:15 lists "Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah..." stopping short of specifying "of the sons of Merari." While similar, the Chronicler's specific addition here, tying him to Merari, highlights the particular emphasis on full Levitical identity and division of labor within the temple staff.
- The meticulous cataloging of these individuals underscores the importance of communal identity and spiritual heritage in the face of returning from exile and rebuilding. It provided a sense of belonging and divine purpose, connecting the present generation to the historical covenant of God with Israel.
- The fact that these specific families are highlighted among the returnees speaks to the meticulous administrative efforts made by leaders like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah to re-establish a functional Israelite society and proper temple worship. Without such records and verified lineages, the structure of the community and the validity of their worship would have been jeopardized.
1 Chronicles 9 14 Commentary
1 Chronicles 9:14 offers a concise yet profoundly significant detail within the larger genealogical and population registers of post-exilic Jerusalem. The naming of Shemaiah with his four-generation lineage terminating in Merari serves multiple purposes. First, it underscores the Chronicler's intense interest in Israel's genealogies, not merely as historical record, but as divine proof of continuity and faithfulness. It affirms that even after the catastrophic exile, God's covenant lines, especially those dedicated to sacred service, remained unbroken. Second, identifying Shemaiah "of the sons of Merari" is a direct assertion of his Levitical legitimacy. This was not a matter of mere curiosity; it was critical for participation in the newly restored temple service, distinguishing those genuinely appointed by heritage from those who might usurp sacred roles without divine sanction. His family line would have resumed the particular duties associated with the Merarites, such as care for the physical structure and maintenance of the sacred dwelling. The inclusion of this detail in the chronicler's record highlights the meticulous process of re-establishing the ordered worship of God in Jerusalem, a worship that relied heavily on the purity and verified lineage of its ministers. This verse is therefore a testament to divine preservation and the community's commitment to returning to biblical order.