* mighty men of valour.
They were not only porters, or door keepers, in the ordinary
sense of the word, but they were a military guard to the gate,
as Dr. Delaney suggests that the word {sh(9483)rim} should be
rendered here: and perhaps in this sense alone are we to
understand their office, which appears to have been of
considerable dignity, and conferred only on men of the first
rank. They were appointed to attend the temple, to guard all
the avenues to it, to open and shut all the outer gates, and
attend at them, not only for state but for service. They were
also required to direct and instruct those who were going to
worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the conduct they
were to observe, to encourage those who were timid, to send
back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against thieves
and others who were enemies to the house of God.
8 12:28 Jud 6:12 2Sa 2:7 *marg:
2Ch 26:17 Ne 11:14 1Ti 6:12 2Ti 2:3
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