Korahites

The Korahites were the portion of the Kohathite Levites descended from Korah son of Izhar. Despite their ancestor's rebellion against Moses and Aaron, the Korahite family was not extinguished—Numbers 26:11 explicitly notes that Korah's sons did not die in the earth-swallowing judgment. They became established as doorkeepers and musicians of the tabernacle and later the temple, contributing significantly to Israel's worship tradition.

As gatekeepers, the Korahites guarded the threshold of the sacred precincts, a role reflected in Psalm 84:10: I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness—a psalm attributed to the Sons of Korah. David organized 212 Korahites as gatekeepers for the ark (1 Chronicles 9:19; 26:1–19). Their military function as guardians of the camp entrance in the wilderness evolved into the permanent temple gatekeeping role. Several Korahites are named in 2 Chronicles 20:19 as leading in worship during Jehoshaphat's fast, and in Nehemiah's time Korahite gatekeepers were among those resettled in Jerusalem after the exile.