CHAPTER 9 Sep. 26 
The Exiles Who Returned
So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies - they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. Judah was carried away captive to Babylon for their disobedience. 2Now the first inhabitants who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites and the Nethinim. 3In Jerusalem lived of the children of Judah, of the children of Benjamin and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh: 4Uthai the son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, of the children of Perez son of Judah. 5Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons. 6Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brothers, six hundred and ninety. 7Of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah, 8and Ibneiah son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah; 9and their brothers, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty-six. All these men were heads of fathers’ households by their fathers’ houses. 10Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, 11and Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the ruler of God’s house; 12and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, and Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer; 13and their brothers, heads of their fathers’ houses, one thousand seven hundred and sixty; very able men for the work of the service of God’s house. 14Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zichri, son of Asaph, 16and Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites. 17The porters: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon and Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the chief), 18who previously served in the king’s gate eastward: they were the porters for the camp of the children of Levi. 19Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent. Their fathers had been over the camp of Yahweh, keepers of the entry. 20Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, and Yahweh was with him. 21Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the Tent of Meeting. 22All these who were chosen to be porters in the thresholds were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the prophet ordained in their office of trust. 23So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of Yahweh, even the house of the tent, as guards. 24On the four sides were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south. 25Their brothers, in their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them; 26for the four chief porters, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the rooms and over the treasuries in God’s house. 27They lodged around God’s house, because that duty was theirs. To them pertained its opening morning by morning. 28Certain of them were in charge of the vessels of service; for by count were these brought in and by count were these taken out. 29Some of them also were appointed over the furniture, and over all the vessels of the sanctuary, and over the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the frankincense and the spices. 30Some of the sons of the priests prepared the mix of the spices. 31Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things that were baked in pans. 32Some of their brothers, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the show bread, to prepare it every Sabbath. 33These are the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the rooms and were free from other service; for they were employed in their work day and night. 34These were heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, throughout their generations, chief men. They lived at Jerusalem. 
The Children of Jeiel
35In Gibeon there lived the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife’s name was Maacah. 36His firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah and Mikloth. 38Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. They also lived with their brothers in Jerusalem, over against their brothers. 39Ner became the father of Kish; and Kish became the father of Saul; and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab and Eshbaal. 40The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal; and Merib Baal became the father of Micah. 41The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea and Ahaz. 42Ahaz became the father of Jarah; and Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza; 43and Moza became the father of Binea, and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 44Azel had six sons, whose names are: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

Commentary

9:17-19 The genealogy of the sons of Korah is significant in that Korah was the ringleader of the rebellion against Moses which led to his destruction. His children however obeyed the command to leave the tents of their father Korah when he was consumed in the earthquake. Num. 16:27 mentions Dathan and Abiram's children standing outside their tents at this time, but there is the pointed omission of Korah's children; they had left the tents, in recognition of Korah’s sin and dissociation from it. The descendants of Korah wrote at least 11 of the Psalms and protected the purity of temple worship. Conscious dissociation from sin is required of us; and it’s often very hard, especially when it concerns family members. We also learn from this family that the spiritual failure of a father figure doesn’t have to mean that the rest of the family likewise fail; in fact, they can learn from the tragedy and become strengthened spiritually by responding to God’s judgment of sin as He intends.
9:22 Their office of trust- As any employer soon learns, delegation is a risk. We have been “entrusted with the Gospel” (Tit. 1:3), the world God so wants to love, the world God is appealing to, do not directly see Him; for He makes His appeal through us. We are all that many people will ever see of Christ; for we are His body. God has trusted us with representing Him, and put His work into our hands. Those who did God’s work in the Old Testament temple were similarly given a “trust”, they were entrusted with God’s work.
9:40 There are clear connections between Jonathan and Gideon; compare 1 Sam.14:10-20 with Jud.7:3,10,11,14,22. Jonathan's son was called Merib Baal , meaning 'rebellion against Baal', an epithet for 'Gideon'. It’s not wrong to have Biblical heroes, and to be inspired by their examples in the life decisions we make, even to the naming of our children.