* 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