Observe, I. There were porters appointed to attend the temple, who guarded all the avenues that let to it, opened and shut all the outer gates and attended at them, not only for the state, but for service, to direct and instruct those who were going to worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the decorum they were to observe, to encourage those that were timorous, to send back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against thieves and others that were enemies to the house of God. In allusion to this office, ministers are said to have the keys to the kingdom of heaven committed to them (Mat 16:19), that they may admit, and exclude, according to the law of Christ.

II.Of several of those that were called to this service, it is taken notice of that they were mighty men of valour (Ch1 26:6), strong men (Ch1 26:7), able men (Ch1 26:8), and one of them that he was a wise counsellor (Ch1 26:14), who probably, when he had used this office of a deacon well and given proofs of more than ordinary wisdom, purchased to himself a good degree, and was preferred from the gate to the council-board, Ti1 3:13. As for those that excelled in strength of body, and courage and resolution of mind, they were thereby qualified for the post assigned them; for whatever service God calls men to he either finds them fit or makes them so.

III.The sons of Obed-edom were employed in this office, sixty-two of that family. This was he that entertained the ark with reverence and cheerfulness; and see how he was rewarded for it. 1. He had eight sons (Ch1 26:5), for God blessed him. The increase and building up of families are owing to the divine blessing; and a great blessing it is to a family to have many children, when like these they are able for, and eminent in, the service of God. 2. His sons were preferred to places of trust in the sanctuary. They had faithfully attended the ark in their own house, and now were called to attend it in God's house. He that is trusty in little shall be trusted with more. He that keeps God's ordinances in his own tent is fit to have the custody of them in God's tabernacle, Ti1 3:4, Ti1 3:5. I have kept thy law, says David, and this I had because I kept thy precepts, Psa 119:55, Psa 119:56.

IV.It is said of one here that though he was not the first-born his father made him the chief (Ch1 26:10), either because he was very excellent, or because the elder son was very weak. He was made chief, perhaps not in inheriting the estate (for that was forbidden by the law, Deu 21:16, Deu 21:17), but in this service, which required personal qualifications.

V.The porters, as the singers, had their post assigned them by lot, so many at such a gate, and so many at such a one, that every one might know his post and make it good, Ch1 26:13. It is not said that they were cast into twenty-four courses, as before; but here are the names of about twenty-four (Ch1 26:1-11), and the posts assigned are twenty-four, Ch1 26:17, Ch1 26:18. We have therefore reason to think they were distributed into as many companies. Happy are those who dwell in God's house: for, as they are well fed, well taught, and well employed, so they are well guarded. Men attended at the gates of the temple, but angels attend at the gates of the New Jerusalem, Rev 21:12.

They cast lots - for every gate - None of these captains or their companies were permitted to choose which gate they would guard, but each took his appointment by lot.

To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward,.... Of Shuppim no mention is before made; of Hosah, see Ch1 26:10 their lot was to be placed at the gates on the western wall, where were four; the two more southward being assigned to the sons of Obededom, whose lot also was southward, are taken notice of under the division in the preceding verse; Parbar was another, Ch1 26:18, and another follows here:

with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up; this gate was in later times called Coponius, from the name of a Roman commander, in the times of Herod, who might give it this name on his account; it might have the name of Shallecheth either from "sending out", or carrying out the filth of the temple through it; or rather from "casting up the causeway", as here expressed, which was the going up, or ascent, Solomon made, by which he went up to the temple, Kg1 20:5 and which agrees with the description Josephus (a) gives of one of the gates on the western wall, that it led to the royal palace, the valley between being filled up for the passage; on each side of which causeway, it is said, grew oaks and teil trees, see Isa 6:13 which served both to keep up the causeway, and to make a fine, pleasant, shady walk for the king to pass through to the temple; all which are observed by Dr. Lightfoot (b):

ward against ward; for as the gates answered one another, so the wards or watches at them.

(a) Antiqu. l. 15. c. 11. sect. 5. (b) Ut supra, (Prospect of the Temple), c. 5. sect. 1.

THE GATES ASSIGNED BY LOT. (Ch1 26:13-19)

they cast lots--Their departments of duty, such as the gates they should attend to, were allotted in the same manner as those of the other Levitical bodies, and the names of the chiefs or captains are given, with the respective gates assigned them.