22. In all there were 212 men who were chosen to guard the gates of the Holy Tent. Their names were written in their family histories in their small towns. David and Samuel the seer chose these men because they could be trusted.
23. The gatekeepers and their descendants had the responsibility of guarding the gates of the Lord’S house, the Holy Tent.
24. There were gates on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.
25. The gatekeepers’ relatives who lived in the small towns had to come and help them at certain times. They came and helped the gatekeepers for seven days each time.
26. There were four gatekeepers who were the leaders of all the gatekeepers. They were Levites. They had the job of caring for the rooms and treasures in God’s Temple.
27. They stayed up all night guarding God’s Temple, and they had the job of opening God’s Temple every morning.
28. Some of the gatekeepers had the job of caring for the dishes used in the Temple services. They counted them when they were brought in. They also counted these dishes when they were taken out.
29. Other gatekeepers were chosen to care for the furniture and the special dishes. They also took care of the flour, wine, oil, incense, and special oil.
30. But it was the priests who had the job of mixing the special oil.
31. There was a Levite named Mattithiah who had the job of baking the bread used for the offerings. Mattithiah was Shallum’s oldest son. Shallum was from the Korah family.
32. Some of the gatekeepers who were in the Korah family had the job of preparing the bread put on the table every Sabbath.
33. The Levites who were singers and leaders of their families stayed in the rooms at the Temple. They did not have to do other work because they were responsible for the work in the Temple day and night.