1 Chronicles — Chapter 9

All Israel was numbered: and the sum of them was written in the book of the kings of Israel and Juda: and they were carried away to Babylon for their transgression. Lapide: Up to this point Esdras enumerated those who preceded the Babylonian captivity; now he will enumerate those who returned. He notes that many from the ten northern tribes had migrated to Jerusalem, because they abhorred the schism of Jeroboam and wished to maintain the ancient religion and worship God in the Temple.

Now the first that dwelt in their possessions and in their cities were: Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, and the Nathineans. Lapide: The Nathineans (given, offered to the Temple) were the Gibeonites, condemned by Josue because of their fraud to carry water and wood for the Temple. See Josh. 9:23.

All these whom David and Samuel the Seer had chosen for the confidence reposed in them were two hundred and twelve porters at the gates. Lapide: \"In their faith\" (Heb. be-emunatham) means (1) by their own trustworthy authority; (2) because of the fidelity of those appointed; (3) as a firm and stable and perpetual office. Samuel and David instituted the gatekeepers not as king (for the king has no right over sacred things) but as prophets.