And their brethren dwelt in villages, and came upon their sabbath days from time to time.

And their brethren in their villages are to come in for seven days from time to time with these.

And their brothers, in the country places where they were living, were to come in every seven days to be with them from time to time.

Now their brothers were staying in the villages, and they arrived on their Sabbaths, from time to time.

See the marginal references. If the number of warders was, as stated in Nehemiah (Nehemiah 11:19) 172 (i. e. 168 besides the four chief warders), and the number employed at any one time was, as under David 1-Chronicles 26:17-18, twenty-four, then the turn of the courses to keep ward came every seven weeks.

And their brethren, [which were] in their villages, [were] to come after (g) seven days from time to time with them.
(g) They served weekly, as in (Exodus 29:30).

And their brethren, which were in their villages,.... Assigned them to dwell in:
were to come after seven days from time to time with them; there was a new course of them every week; the old ones went off of duty, and another course succeeded, which came out of the villages where they dwelt, and the old course retired to theirs.

To come - From their several villages to the place of worship. Seven days - Every seventh day the courses were changed, and the new comers were to tarry 'till the next sabbath day. With them - To be with them, with the chief porters, who alway's abode in the place of God's worship.