In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.
The Hebrew word rendered quarters literally means wind. The porters were stationed in four quarters, toward the east, west, north, and south. The verse belongs to 1 Chronicles 9:1-32, which sets forth the order of temple service after the return from Babylon. That order had originally been ordained by David and Samuel, so it reaches back to the events of David's life.
The genealogies and temple-service records in Chronicles were needed after the exile so the land could be assigned to its hereditary owners and the temple service could be taken up by those whose hereditary duty it was. The records preserve the history and integrity of Israel's tribes, and the chapter records how the work was divided among the priests and those responsible for the temple service. The verse is one of the new and important facts supplied to fill what was left out of Samuel and Kings, given with a knowledge of the preceding books of the Bible taken for granted.
The passage contains a mention of the Sabbath, breaking five hundred years of silence about the Sabbath from the books of Moses through Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, and 1 Kings.
The Hebrew word rendered quarters literally means wind.
The porters were stationed in four quarters, toward the east, west, north, and south.
The verse belongs to 1 Chronicles 9:1-32, which sets forth the order of temple service after the return from Babylon.
That order had originally been ordained by David and Samuel, so it reaches back to the events of David's life.
The genealogies and temple-service records in Chronicles were needed after the exile so the land could be assigned to its hereditary owners and the temple service could be taken up by those whose hereditary duty it was.
The records preserve the history and integrity of Israel's tribes, and the chapter records how the work was divided among the priests and those responsible for the temple service.
The verse is one of the new and important facts supplied to fill what was left out of Samuel and Kings, given with a knowledge of the preceding books of the Bible taken for granted.
The passage contains a mention of the Sabbath, breaking five hundred years of silence about the Sabbath from the books of Moses through Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, and 1 Kings.