Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 9:25
Their relatives came from their villages at fixed times to serve with them for seven-day periods.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Chronicler records the post-exilic reorganization of temple personnel, specifically outlining the rotational duty schedule for the gatekeepers stationed around the sanctuary. This follows the immediate description of their four-sided positioning and precedes the assignment of chief officers to the temple treasuries.
The words — חַצְרֵי (chatzrei) denotes the "villages" or encampments from which the men traveled, while שִבְעַת יָמִים (shiv'at yamim) literally establishes the "seven-day" duration of each service rotation.
The thread — This structured duty rotation parallels the Sabbath guard assignments in 2 Kings 11:5, 2 Kings 11:7, and 2 Chronicles 23:8, where Levites and guards are organized into fixed shifts for temple and palace security.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to recognize that sacred service demands systematic, shared labor rather than individual initiative, establishing a precedent for organized, time-bound stewardship in worship.
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 their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come after seven days from time to time with them.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 11:5 and commanded them, “This is what you are to do: A third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall guard the royal palace,
- 2 Chronicles 23:8 So the Levites and all Judah did everything that Jehoiada the priest had ordered. Each of them took his men—those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty—for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions.
- 2 Kings 11:7 the two divisions that would go off duty on the Sabbath are to guard the house of the LORD for the king.