Hatita

Hatita (meaning exploration or a bending of sin) was a temple porter or gatekeeper whose descendants returned from the Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:42; Nehemiah 7:45). The temple porters (sha'arim) were the gatekeepers who controlled access to the temple courts, a role that carried significant responsibility for maintaining the holiness of the sanctuary. Their return to Jerusalem and resumption of gatekeeper duties formed part of the broader restoration of the Levitical service infrastructure under Zerubbabel and Jeshua.