21. Zechariah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Temple. He was the son of Meshelemiah.
22. In all, 212 men were chosen to guard the gates. Their names were written in their family histories in their villages. David and Samuel the seer chose these men because they were dependable.
23. The gatekeepers and their descendants had the responsibility of guarding the gates of the Temple of the Lord. (The Temple took the place of the Holy Tent.)
24. There were gatekeepers on all four sides of the Temple: east, west, north and south.
25. The gatekeepers’ relatives who lived in the villages had to come and help them at certain times. Each time they came they helped the gatekeepers for seven days.