The lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
Parallel translations
- KJV And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
- BSB The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.
- NKJV The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the North Gate;
- NASB The lot to the east fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a counselor with insight, and his lot came out to the north.
- NLT The responsibility for the east gate went to Meshelemiah and his group. The north gate was assigned to his son Zechariah, a man of unusual wisdom.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The east gate fell to Shelemiah, and the north gate to his son Zechariah, a wise counselor. Specific gates are assigned by lot to particular gatekeepers.
Overview
The lots assigned the eastern gate, often regarded as the most prominent, to Shelemiah (Meshelemiah), and the northern to his son Zechariah, who is commended as a wise counselor. The note of his wisdom shows that such service called for discernment, not merely strength. The pairing of capability and wisdom in guarding God's house reminds us that faithful service to the Lord is honored when offered with both diligence and godly understanding.
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Original language
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