1 Chronicles 9:21 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

1 Chronicles 9:21 kjv

And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

1 Chronicles 9:21 nkjv

Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was keeper of the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

1 Chronicles 9:21 niv

Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

1 Chronicles 9:21 esv

Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

1 Chronicles 9:21 nlt

And later Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was responsible for guarding the entrance to the Tabernacle.

1 Chronicles 9 21 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
1 Chr 9:18	...Their duties were to guard the entrance of the king's gate.	Role of gatekeepers guarding sanctuary.
1 Chr 9:22	All these, chosen as gatekeepers at the thresholds, were 212... David and Samuel the seer had appointed them...	Gatekeepers appointed by David & Samuel.
1 Chr 26:1	As for the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah...	Confirms Meshelemiah as a prominent gatekeeper family head.
1 Chr 26:2	Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn...	Confirms Zechariah as Meshelemiah's son & firstborn.
1 Chr 26:14	...the lot for the East fell to Shelemiah. His son Zechariah was a wise counselor, and the lot for the North fell to him.	Details Zechariah's specific lot & wisdom.
2 Chr 23:4	...a third of you priests and Levites who keep watch at the thresholds.	Temple thresholds guarded by Levites.
Num 1:53	But the Levites are to encamp around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that wrath will not fall on the Israelite community...	Levites guard Tabernacle against trespass.
Num 3:38	Moses and Aaron and his sons were to encamp before the tabernacle... at the east, toward the sunrise.	Priests guarding the eastern entrance.
Num 18:4	They are to join with you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting...	Levites charged with Tabernacle care.
Num 18:7	But only you and your sons are to serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain...	Limits access to specific sanctuary areas.
Ps 84:10	Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God...	Doorkeeper's devoted desire for God's house.
Exod 25:8	"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them."	Purpose of the sanctuary (tent of meeting).
Lev 10:1-3	Nadab and Abihu... offered unauthorized fire... and fire came out... and consumed them...	Consequences of unauthorized access/service.
1 Chr 23:5	4,000 are to be gatekeepers...	Large number of gatekeepers for organization.
Ezek 44:11	Yet they may serve in my sanctuary as guards at the gates...	Prophecy about Levites' reduced gatekeeper role due to sin.
Neh 11:19	The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their associates, who kept watch at the gates, were 172.	Post-exilic gatekeepers in Nehemiah.
Neh 13:22	...Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates...	Nehemiah orders Levites to guard gates on Sabbath.
Joel 2:17	Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar...	Location of gate area, for sacred petition.
Isa 52:8	Hear! Your watchmen lift up their voices...	Watchmen/guardians, linked to sacred duties.
Ps 24:7	Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.	Poetic reference to sanctuary gates and God's entrance.
Heb 4:16	Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence...	Access to God's presence, mediated through Christ, contrasted with limited Tabernacle access.
Heb 10:19	Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus...	New covenant access to God, replacing guarded physical sanctuary.

1 Chronicles 9 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

1 Chronicles 9 21 Meaning

This verse identifies Zechariah, the son of Meshelemiah, as a gatekeeper responsible for guarding the entrance of the "tent of meeting." It highlights a specific individual fulfilling an essential, divinely ordained Levitical duty related to the proper functioning and sanctity of God's sanctuary.

1 Chronicles 9 21 Context

1 Chronicles chapter 9 is part of the Chronicler's genealogies and registers that focus on the tribes and families who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. It details the inhabitants of Jerusalem, including priests, Levites, gatekeepers, and other Temple servants, emphasizing their re-establishment of the temple services and communal life. The specific section from verse 17 onward deals with the gatekeepers, their lineages, and their duties. This verse (1 Chr 9:21) slots into this enumeration, specifying Zechariah's important role in guarding the entrance to the sanctuary, linking the returned community's service with the long-standing, divinely ordained practices from the Mosaic era through the Solomonic Temple and beyond.

1 Chronicles 9 21 Word analysis

Zechariah: Transliteration: Zekharyah (H2148). Meaning: "Yah has remembered" or "Remembered of Yah." This common Hebrew name for "Yahweh remembers" implies God's faithfulness and intervention, relevant to the post-exilic context of restoration. The name itself reflects a theological hope or a historical truth for the family.
the son of Meshelemiah: Transliteration: Meshelemeyah (H4520). Meaning: "Yah is recompense" or "Yah will repay." This paternal linkage places Zechariah within a known Levitical lineage deeply involved in gatekeeping, as evidenced elsewhere in Chronicles (e.g., 1 Chr 26). The hereditary nature of these roles underscores the divine appointment and continuity of service.
was gatekeeper: Transliteration: sho'er (H7778). Meaning: "gate-keeper," "doorkeeper," "porter." This was a significant and respected Levitical office, not a menial task. Gatekeepers were responsible for guarding the holy precincts, controlling access, maintaining order, securing temple treasures, and ensuring cleanliness. Their role was crucial for upholding the sanctity and order of worship.
at the entrance: Transliteration: pethach (H6607). Meaning: "opening," "doorway," "entrance." This refers to the primary access point to the sacred area, highlighting the strategic and security-focused nature of the gatekeeper's role.
of the tent of meeting: Transliteration: Ohel Mo'ed (H168 'ohel "tent"; H4150 mo'ed "appointed place," "meeting"). This term specifically refers to the portable Tabernacle, the sanctuary used by Israel before the building of Solomon's Temple. The Chronicler’s use of "tent of meeting" when speaking of duties likely performed in the Temple context (after the exile) signifies a deliberate choice to connect the restored post-exilic service directly to the ancient, divinely instituted Tabernacle worship, emphasizing continuity, legitimacy, and adherence to foundational commands. It indirectly affirms the orthodoxy of post-exilic Yahwistic worship by linking it to Moses's era. This term reinforces the unchanging nature of God's prescribed worship.

1 Chronicles 9 21 Bonus section

The meticulous detailing of the gatekeepers in Chronicles (here and 1 Chr 26) suggests a particular concern by the Chronicler to legitimize the returning community's worship and personnel by showing their lineage and adherence to ancient, divinely established orders.
The phrase "tent of meeting" (Tabernacle) rather than "Temple" is a stylistic and theological choice by the Chronicler, likely to evoke a stronger sense of God's direct presence among His people from the earliest days and the unchanging nature of His dwelling and worship requirements.
The gatekeepers often lived in chambers near the gates, emphasizing their constant vigilance and dedication to their duties. They sometimes managed specific aspects of offerings and treasury as well.
The reference to specific individuals and their families serves as a historical record but also a commendation for their faithful service, demonstrating God's remembrance of those dedicated to Him.

1 Chronicles 9 21 Commentary

1 Chronicles 9:21 highlights Zechariah's specific and crucial role as a gatekeeper for Israel's sacred dwelling place. Far from a simple duty, the gatekeeper's role was paramount: protecting the holiness of the sanctuary, controlling access to ensure purity and order, and maintaining security for the offerings and the personnel within. By specifically mentioning "the tent of meeting," the Chronicler connects the post-exilic temple service directly to the foundational Mosaic Tabernacle, asserting the unbroken chain of divine instruction and Levitical service through generations, even amidst exile and restoration. This detailed listing underscores the Chronicler's emphasis on proper, ordered worship according to divine prescription, validating the returned community's legitimate claim to priestly and Levitical service. It teaches that even seemingly lesser roles in God's service are vital and divinely recognized, essential for the function of the whole.