Historical

After the Exile

9 All Israel was registered in the genealogies that are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled^(A) to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. ² The first^(B) to live in their towns on their own property again were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.^(C)

²² The total number of those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds was 212. They were registered by genealogy in their settlements. David and the seer Samuel had appointed them^(L) to their trusted positions. ²³ So they and their sons were assigned as guards to the gates of the Lord’s temple, which had been the tent-temple. ²⁴ The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north, and south. ²⁵ Their relatives came from their settlements^(M) at fixed times to be with them seven days,^{(N) 26} but the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of God’s temple.^{(O) 27} They spent the night in the vicinity of God’s temple, because they had guard duty and were in charge of opening it every morning.^(P)

²⁸ Some of them were in charge of the utensils used in worship. They would count them when they brought them in and when they took them out. ²⁹ Others were put in charge of the furnishings and all the utensils of the sanctuary,^(Q) as well as the fine flour,^(R) wine, oil, incense, and spices. ³⁰ Some of the priests’ sons mixed the spices.^{(S) 31} A Levite called Mattithiah, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread.^{[d] 32} Some of the Kohathites’ relatives were responsible for preparing the rows of the Bread of the Presence^(T) every Sabbath.

³³ The singers,^(U) the heads of the Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other tasks because they were on duty day and night.^{(V) 34} These^(W) were the heads of the Levite families, chiefs according to their family records; they lived in Jerusalem.

Saul’s Family

The Death of Saul and His Sons

10 The Philistines^(X) fought against Israel, and Israel’s men fled from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ³ When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers spotted him and severely wounded him. ⁴ Then Saul said to his armour-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me.’ But his armour-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died. ⁶ So Saul and his three sons died – his whole house died together.

⁷ When all the men of Israel in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

⁸ The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armour, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news to their idols and the people. ¹⁰ Then they put his armour in the temple of their gods and hung his skull in the temple of Dagon.^(Y)

¹¹ When all Jabesh-gilead heard of everything the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their brave men set out and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak^[f] in Jabesh^(Z) and fasted for seven days.

¹³ Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the Lord because he did not keep the Lord’s word.^(AA) He even consulted a medium for guidance,^{(AB) 14} but he did not enquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.^(AC)