In 1 Chronicles 9:17-34 we see the intriguing descriptions of the responsibilities of the sons of Korah. Among these responsibilities were the roles of acting as gatekeeper and being in charge of baking the showbread. When we think about the fact that these people were all descendents of Korah, one of the most famous rebels in the history of scripture (Numbers 16:1-40, Jude: 11), the fact that they served in such honorable and conspicuous ways in the Tabernacle and Temple of God was a living reminder to ancient Israel. It reminded them of the fact that God does not hold grudges against the children of those who have sinned against Him. The service of the sons of Korah was therefore a living sign of the mercy of God to the people of Israel. Let us now briefly examine the service of the sons of Korah in the Tabernacle and Temple worship of God based on what 1 Chronicles 9:17-34 tells us.

Gatekeepers of the Tabernacle and Temple

In examining the service of the Levite gatekeepers for the Temple and Tabernacle, let us note three important elements. First, this service began in Israel’s history during the early time of the Judges. Second, David confirmed this service according to the instruction of Samuel. Third, the gatekeepers had many varied responsibilities. By noting these things, we see the great role the sons of Korah had within the worship system of Israel.

1 Chronicles 9:17-21 gives the history of the service of the sons of Korah as gatekeepers of the Tabernacle and Temple of God: “And the gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brethren. Shallum was the chief. Until then, they had been gatekeepers for the camps of the children of Levi at the King’s Gate on the east. Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, from his father’s house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, gatekeepers of the Tabernacle. Their fathers had been keepers of the entrance to the camp of the Lord. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar had been the officer over them in time past; the Lord was with him. Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was keeper of the door of the Tabernacle of meeting.”

Let us further examine this passage. The service of the sons of Korah as gatekeepers of the Tabernacle and Temple of God began during the time of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the grandson of Aaron. This is the same Phinehas who performed a godly execution of the man of Israel who committed fornication with a Midianite woman, and for his act was granted the high priesthood by God through Moses (Numbers 25:6-18). This means the sons of Korah began their service to God as gatekeepers for the Tabernacle at the very beginning of Israel’s time in the Promised Land and kept that service going for centuries.

1 Chronicles 9:22-25 gives the elaboration and organization of this service in the time of David under the instruction of Samuel when Jerusalem was taken over and the Ark of the Covenant was moved there: “All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred and twelve. They were recorded by their genealogy, in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their trusted office. So they and their children were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, the house of the Tabernacle, by assignment. The gatekeepers were assigned to the four directions: the east, west, north, and south. And their brethren in their villages had to come with them from time to time for seven days.”

Samuel’s advice to David concerning the kingship apparently included knowledge of what people would be best to serve in trusted positions of the temple establishment. It is also noteworthy that while there was a small group of the sons of Korah (the chief gatekeepers) who served normally, during the pilgrim feasts of God their brethren from the villages came to Jerusalem to serve the overflow crowd that arrived during the time of the Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles. During these feasts, the whole nation of Israel would see the sons of Korah serving as the gatekeepers of the Tabernacle and Temple.

1 Chronicles 9:26-27 gives some of the responsibilities of serving as the gatekeepers of the Tabernacle and Temple: “For in this trusted office were four chief gatekeepers; they were Levites. And they had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. And they lodged all around the house of God because they had the responsibility, and they were in charge of opening it every morning.”

These verses indicate that the responsibilities and privileges of serving as a gatekeeper went beyond the duties that one would normally expect. The sons of Korah who served in this trusted office lived in the chambers in the Tabernacle and Temple near the priests, where they were responsible for opening the Tabernacle and Temple in the morning for the morning sacrifices, and presumably closing it after the evening sacrifice. They also were trusted in charge of protecting and monitoring the treasuries of the house of God, ensuring that the tithe and offering money was properly protected and accounted for. These faithful servants of God were given very serious responsibilities for the security of the house of God.

Let us also remember that the Korahites who served as the Tabernacle and Temple gatekeepers were responsible for enforcing the death penalty on those who entered the temple illegally. In the Istanbul Archeological Museums, there is a stone taken from the second Temple, which I have seen personally, that was once between the Court of the Gentiles and the Women’s Court, beyond which Gentiles were forbidden to cross on pain of death. This stone marked the solemn warning that the lives of those Gentiles who crossed beyond that stone was forfeit, and it was the responsibility of the Korahite gatekeepers of the Tabernacle and Temple to enforce that death penalty on those who trespassed into the house of God. The Apostle Paul was nearly killed by a mob under the suspicion of this crime of defiling the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 21:26-36). The responsibilities of the sons of Korah in the temple were indeed noble, trusted, honorable, and heavy responsibilities.

Other Tabernacle and Temple responsibilities

Their service as gatekeepers did not exhaust the responsibilities of the sons of Korah in the Tabernacle and Temple of God. 1 Chronicles 9:28-34 gives various other responsibilities of great importance that were also performed by the sons of Korah that are worthy of note.

1 Chronicles 9:28-30 gives a brief overview of some of the responsibilities of the Levites in the Tabernacle and Temple service: “Now some of them were in charge of the serving vessels, for they brought them in and took them out by count. Some of them were appointed over the furnishings and over all the implements of the sanctuary, and over the fine flour and the wine and the oil and the incense and the spices. And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices.”

1 Chronicles 9:31-32 gives the important responsibility of preparing the showbread: “Mattithiah of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the trusted office over the things that were baked in the pans. And some of their brethren of the sons of the Kohathites were in charge of preparing the showbread for every Sabbath.”

This responsibility of preparing the showbread was not an insignificant one. Let us not forget that David and his men ate of the showbread themselves when they were fleeing from Saul into the wilderness (1 Samuel 21:1-9). Jesus later referred to this incident itself in justifying the disciples’ eating grain in the fields as they walked on the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-5). It shows the importance of the showbread with regard to the Sabbath worship. It also shows the importance of being responsive to the needs of people rather than using religious protocol as a way of forcing believers to fast when food is available. This duty of the sons of Korah, therefore, serves as a quiet reminder of God’s mercy to believers through the provision of food.

Finally, let us note the responsibilities of the sons of Korah in the musical service of the house of God in 1 Chronicles 9:33-34: “These are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who lodged in the chambers, and were free from other duties; for they were employed in that work day and night. These heads of the father’s houses of the Levites were heads throughout their generations. They dwelt at Jerusalem.”

The musical service, a record of which we have in the book of Psalms (of which a sizable portion are known to have been composed by the sons of Korah), was very important. So also was the rigor of the duty of singing before God day and night, so much so that those sons of Korah were exempt from all other duties. These servants of God, like the gatekeepers of the sons of Korah, lived in the chambers in the Tabernacle and Temple complex because of the need for them to participate all day in the service of God from the morning sacrifice to the evening sacrifice.

Lessons for us today

From what we read in 1 Chronicles 9:17-34; the responsibilities of the sons of Korah in the house of God were immense. These responsibilities included serving as gatekeepers, guardians of the house of God and opening and closing doors, keeping account of the treasuries of the house of God, and enforcing the death penalty on intruders into the temple who defiled it. Likewise, other sons of Korah had noble and trusted offices in taking care of the showbread, as well as the serving vessels of God, and also in the music service before God.

The sons of Korah were therefore a highly visible reminder, generation after generation, of faithful service to God beginning at the very earliest stage of post-conquest Israel and extending after the return of the exiles from the Babylonian captivity. These instructions might give pause to any of us who state, “I'll be content to just be a gatekeeper in the house of the Lord.” For many centuries, the sons of Korah served conspicuously and faithfully in the house of God, setting an example of service for the people of Israel and Judah. The faithful example of the sons of Korah in fulfilling their appointed service should inspire us all to perform our own service with equal faith, if we choose to follow their example.

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