²³ The gatekeepers and their descendants had the responsibility of guarding the gates of the Temple of the Lord. (The Temple took the place of the Holy Tent.) ²⁴ There were gatekeepers on all four sides of the Temple: east, west, north and south. ²⁵ The gatekeepers’ relatives who lived in the villages had to come and help them at certain times. Each time they came they helped the gatekeepers for seven days.