For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office. — The Heb. says, or seems to say, “For in fixed position (or trust) were they, viz., the four heroes of the warders.” (See 1 Chronicles 9:17 which apparently names four chief “porters.”) The temporary chiefs of the warder guilds abode in the Temple; the mass of their members was settled in the neighbouring villages, and occupied with pastoral pursuits.
And were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. — This statement belongs to the following verse. The preceding account of the porters or warders seems to terminate with the words. “For in fixed position are they, the four stalwart warders; they are the Levites;” that is, the Levites par excellence. And they were over the cells and over the treasuries of the house of God (viz., the warders); and they used to pass the night (1 Chronicles 9:27) in the places round the house of God, for upon them was the ward, and they were over the opening (key) every morning — a brief recapitulation of the main duty of the Levitical warders. Some have proposed to alter the text of 1 Chronicles 9:26 b, and to read, “And some of the Levites were over the cells,” &c, thus constituting a new paragraph, although 1 Chronicles 9:27 obviously recurs to the warders. Probably the paragraph mark should be transferred to 1 Chronicles 9:28. From this point to 1 Chronicles 9:34 we have a review of the other special charges of the Levites.