נחמיה, פרק ז׳, פסוק מ״ה

The record of those returning from the exile carefully accounts for the families of the Temple guards. These individuals were known as the gatekeepers, a title carrying significant history. It refers to the specific families whose traditional duty was to protect the gates of the Temple long before the nation was ever forced into exile [מצודת דוד].

The historical account preserves the names of the ancestral houses that carried on this legacy, specifically listing the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai. Altogether, the total number of individuals from these returning families amounted to one hundred and thirty-eight.