Nehemiah 7:45

The Enrolling Of The Gatekeepers (Nehemiah 7:45).

The Gatekeepers were another special order of Levites. In 1 Chronicles 9:17 we are informed that in earlier pre-Exilic days the gatekeepers included ‘Shallum and Akkab and Talmon, and Ahiman and their brothers. Shallum was the chief'. These were the ones who dwelt in Jerusalem. Others dwelt in their own towns and could be called on at special times (1 Chronicles 9:25). The gatekeepers were responsible for opening the Temple doors each morning; watching over the chambers and treasuries; having charge of the vessels of service; and having responsibility for the furniture, the vessels of the sanctuary, the fine flour and wine and oil, and the frankincense and spices (1 Chronicles 9:26).

Nehemiah 7:45

‘The Gate-keepers.'

Details are now given of the ‘gatekeepers' that is those who had overall responsibility for watching over the security of the Temple. The list in Ezra 2 speaks of them as ‘the sons of the gate-keepers'. The compiler of the later list shortened this to ‘the gate-keepers' to bring it into line with the other related headings. This is another example of ‘tidying up' which confirms that the list here is later than that of Ezra 2.

Nehemiah 7:45

‘The sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, one hundred thirty and eight.'

The number of gate-keepers has reduced by one compared with the list in Ezra 2, no doubt due to comings of age and deaths. The gatekeepers are listed in six orders, and in the case of three of them (Shallum, Talmon and Akkab) their descent is from the gatekeepers mentioned above who dwelt in Jerusalem. Of the remaining three (Ater, Hatita and Shobai) we know nothing positive. Their descent was no doubt from those who dwelt in the towns outside Jerusalem. As we saw in Nehemiah 7:16 there were other ‘sons of Ater', but they were distinguished as being ‘of Hezekiah'. They were non-Levities.