These divisions or courses of assignments were given to the offspring of the three families of the Merarites, Gershonites, and Kohathites, the three sons of Levi. There was another time in the wilderness when assignments were given to these three families of the Levites also, as they were assigned tasks of responsibility while the children of Israel were setting out on their 38 year journey to the promise land. The sons of Aaron were not included in these tasks for they were assigned and consecrated to the service within the Tabernacle, giving offerings before the altar of God, and ministering to the congregation.

This numbering that is going on at the time of David's kingdom in Israel is five hundred years later. The Israelites are in the promise land where the duties of these three families will take on a different kinds of assignments. These courses or assignments are given to the names of the chiefs of the family units, as were the courses of the priests and Levites. There were Ninety three chiefs here; with 4,000 men under them, as we read in I Chronicles 23:5. The 212 men given in chapter 9:22 were connected only with the Tabernacle, for the Temple would not be built until after David's death, and his son Solomon became king of Israel.

I Chronicles 26:1 "Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph."

I Chronicles 26:2 "And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,"

I Chronicles 26:3 "Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh."

I Chronicles 26:4 "Moreover the sons of Obed-edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,"

I Chronicles 26:5 "Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him."

I Chronicles 26:6 "Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour."

I Chronicles 26:7 "The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whole brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah."

I Chronicles 26:8 "All these men the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obed-edom."

I Chronicles 26:9 "And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen."

I Chronicles 26:10 "Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;)"

I Chronicles 26:11 "Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons of brethren of Hosah were thirteen."

I Chronicles 26:12 "Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord."

I Chronicles 26:13 "And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate."

I Chronicles 26:14 "And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward."

I Chronicles 26:15 "To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim."

I Chronicles 26:16 "To Suppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward."

I Chronicles 26:17 "Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two."

I Chronicles 26:18 "At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar."

I Chronicles 26:19 "These are the divisons of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari."

I Chronicles 26:20 "And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasues of of the dedicated things."

I Chronicles 26:21 "As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli."

I Chronicles 26:22 "The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the Lord."

I Chronicles 26:23 "Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:"

I Chronicles 26:24 "And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures."

I Chronicles 26:25 "And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son."

I Chronicles 26:26 "Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated."

I Chronicles 26:27 "Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord."

I Chronicles 26:28 "And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Boab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren."

The practice of dedicating started with Moses, as we read in Numbers 31:28-47.

I Chronicles 26:29 "Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges."

I Chronicles 26:30 "And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side of Jordan westward in all the business of the Lord, and in the service of the king."

I Chronicles 26:31 "And of the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead."

I Chronicles 26:32 "And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king."

The Reubenites the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh were the three tribes that did not receive land allotted to them west of the Jordan river, when the rest of the tribes crossed over into the promise land. They tended to their cattle and sheep, and built their homes before they crossed over the Jordan, then the battle of Jericho took place. Their men in arms did go before the other tribes as they entered into the promise land, and never went home until all the battles for the land of Canaan were over. So over the course, this is not talking about those men of Joshua's day, but five hundred years later, their offspring living in David's kingdom.