Shemaiah שְׁמַעְיָ֫הוּ

Shemaiah, also known as Shammua, was a Levite who lived in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. He is mentioned in both 1Ch.9.16 and Neh.11.17 as one of the Levites who settled in the city.

According to 1Ch.9.16, Shemaiah was the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. He served as a gatekeeper for the Levites, responsible for guarding the entrances to the temple precincts. The Nehemiah passage provides additional information, stating that Shemaiah was the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and that he was the second among his brothers to give thanks in prayer. This suggests that Shemaiah also had a role in leading worship and singing psalms in the temple.

The presence of Levites like Shemaiah in Jerusalem was crucial for maintaining the temple services and the spiritual life of the community after the exile. However, no further details are provided about Shemaiah's specific contributions or the duration of his service.