What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 26:3? Elam the fifth • “Elam the fifth” (1 Chronicles 26:3) tells us that God blessed Meshelemiah with at least five sons who would serve as gatekeepers. • The careful numbering echoes the ordered worship surrounding the ark (1 Chronicles 15:23–24) and stresses that every person, not only the firstborn, had a defined place in temple service (1 Chronicles 26:12). • Like the fifth lot assigned in 1 Chronicles 25:12, Elam’s placement shows that ministry is distributed fairly and purposefully by God. • His inclusion parallels other “Elams” who returned from exile (Ezra 8:7), reminding us that God keeps track of His servants across generations. Jehohanan the sixth • The sixth son, “Jehohanan the sixth” (1 Chronicles 26:3), underscores the breadth of Meshelemiah’s household—“eighteen mighty men” in all (1 Chronicles 26:9). • Sixth-borns were not afterthoughts; they stood shoulder to shoulder with older brothers, just as the sixth course of priests served faithfully in 1 Chronicles 24:10. • Jehohanan shares his name with a valiant commander under King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:15), illustrating how God repeatedly raises up courageous men for protective roles. • His placement assures us that divine grace extends to every family member, echoing the promise of Psalm 127:3–5 that “children are a heritage from the LORD.” Eliehoenai the seventh • “Eliehoenai the seventh” (1 Chronicles 26:3) rounds out the list with the biblically significant number seven, often linked with completeness (Genesis 2:2–3; Revelation 1:4). • By closing Meshelemiah’s sons at seven, the text highlights a family perfectly suited for its gatekeeping assignment, similar to the seven sons of Obed-Edom who also guarded the entrance (1 Chronicles 26:4–8). • Eliehoenai later appears among those rebuilding Jerusalem after exile (Ezra 10:27), showing continuity in devotion to God’s house. • His role mirrors the seventh lot in 1 Chronicles 25:14, underscoring the rhythmic pattern of worship and watch—work that never ceases while God’s people gather. summary 1 Chronicles 26:3 isn’t a throwaway roster; it spotlights three brothers—Elam, Jehohanan, and Eliehoenai—whose ordered placement reveals God’s deliberate design for temple service. Whether fifth, sixth, or seventh, each son matters, each has a task, and together they demonstrate that the Lord values faithful, organized, multi-generational stewardship of His house. |
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