1 Chronicles 9:17

The porters here are those who had charge of the entrances to the sanctuary. The word employed ( שֹׁעֵר ) is used, however, generally of gate or door keepers. Their number, stated in 1 Chronicles 9:22 as two hundred and twelve, is probably corrected in Nehemiah 11:19 to one hundred and seventy-two, made up of twenty-four for every week ( 1 Chronicles 26:17 , 1 Chronicles 26:18 ), "entering on the sabbath" upon their work ( 2 Kings 11:5 ; 2 Chronicles 23:4 ), in rotation for seven weeks, and the four "chief warders." For the five porters here mentioned there are only two mentioned in Nehemiah 11:19 , and neither of those Shallum, the chief. But see also Ezra 2:42 ; Nehemiah 7:45 .