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16 September. 1 Chronicles chapters 9-10
Chapter 9 is the last in the series of genealogies. The focus in verses 17-32 is on the ‘gatekeepers’. They had a key role in protecting the building and guarding its treasures, and preparing for worship. There were four permanent keepers, one for each gate, with a large rota of (presumably unpaid) assistants. Alongside them (v.33) were the Temple singers. It seems that this organisational structure was not unlike that of a Cathedral today, with the Dean (equal in importance to the Bishop, though with a different role), Precentor, Succentor and Chapter, and again often a large rota of volunteer chaplains, visitor guides and so on. The worship of God may be essentially a matter for the individual heart and conscience, but when there is a large gathered community and a large building in which worship can take place, a great degree of organisation is inevitable.
Chapter 10 reveals that the purpose of the preceding nine chapters of family history was to lead up to, and provide proof of the validity of, the anointing of David as King over Judah. The rest of the book largely duplicates the history of his reign as already recorded in the books of Samuel.