Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 26:13
They cast lots for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Chronicler records the administrative phase of temple organization, detailing how David’s appointed Levitical families were assigned specific guard posts. The narrative occurs during the formal distribution of gatekeeper duties among clan divisions.
The words — גוֹרָלוֹת (goralot) translates literally to "lots," and כַּקָּטֹן כַּגָּדוֹל (kaqaton kaqadol) means "as the small as the great." These terms anchor the verse’s explicit description of a randomized selection process that included every age group.
The thread — This practice of casting lots for sacred assignments recurs in the Chronicler’s account of temple service, appearing in 1 Chronicles 24:5, 1 Chronicles 24:31, and 1 Chronicles 25:8. Each parallel passage confirms that lot-casting determined both ministerial duties and family allocations.
Why it lands — The text states that gate assignments were distributed by lot to every family without age-based exclusion. Readers must observe that sacred responsibilities were allocated by randomized selection rather than human ranking or seniority.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 24:31 As their brothers the descendants of Aaron did, they also cast lots in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the priests and Levites—the family heads and their younger brothers alike.
- 1 Chronicles 25:8 They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.
- 1 Chronicles 24:5 Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.