1 Chronicles 23:24

_THESE WERE THE SONS OF LEVI AFTER THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS; EVEN THE CHIEF OF THE FATHERS, AS THEY WERE COUNTED BY NUMBER OF NAMES BY THEIR POLLS, THAT DID THE WORK FOR THE SERVICE OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, FROM THE AGE OF TWENTY YEARS AND UPWARD._ These were the sons of Levi ... that did the work ... from ... twenty years and upward. The enumeration of the Levites was made by David (1 Chronicles 23:3) on the same rule as that followed by Moses (Numbers 4:3) - namely, from thirty years. But he saw afterward that this rule might be beneficially relaxed, and that the enrollment of Levites for their proper duties might be made from 20 years of age. The ark and tabernacle being now stationary at Jerusalem, the labour of the Levites was greatly diminished, as they were no longer obliged

24-32 Now the people of Israel were so many, there should be more employed in the temple service, that every Israelite who brought an offering might find a Levite ready to help him. When more work is to be done, it is pity but there should be more workmen. A new heart, a spiritual mind, which delights greatly in God's commandments, and can find a refreshing feast in his ordinances, forms the great distinction between the true Christian and all other men in the world. To the spiritual man every service will yield satisfaction. He will be ever abounding in the work of the Lord; being never so happy as when employed for such a good Master, in so pleasant a service. He will not regard whether he is called to take the lead, or to keep the charge of others who are placed over him. May we seek and serve the Lord uprightly, and leave all the rest to his disposal, by faith in his word....

Verse 1 Chronicles 23:24. _TWENTY YEARS AND UPWARD._] It appears that this was a different ordinance from that mentioned 1 Chronicles 23:3. At first he appointed the Levites to serve from _thirty years_ and _upward_; now from _twenty years_. These were David's last orders; see 1 Chronicles 23:27. They should begin at an earlier age, and continue later. This was not a very painful task; the ark being now fixed, and the Levites very numerous, there could be no _drudgery_....

FROM THE AGE OF TWENTY YEARS - The Levites had hitherto not entered upon their regular functions until the age of thirty 1 Chronicles 23:3. Certain lighter duties were by the Law imposed on them at the age of twenty-five Numbers 8:24; but it was not until they were five years older that they became liable to the full service of the sanctuary. David appears now to have made a change. By his “last words” 1 Chronicles 23:27 the time for the Levites to enter on the full duties of their office was advanced from thirty to twenty years. This change was based upon the lighter character of the labors imposed on them now that the ark had ceased to be carried from place to place and ob

EXPOSITION This chapter is the first of four employed on the subject of the Levites and the services distributed among them. The twenty-four orders of priests, sons of Aaron, occupy 1 Chronicles 24:1. The twenty-four orders of the singers and musicians occupy the contents of 1 Chronicles 25:1. And the divisions of the porters, with their gates; and of those Levites who had the keeping of the treasures of the house of God; and the officers and judges, fill up 1 Chronicles 26:1. After which the compiler is again awhile clear of the Levitical tribe. Returning to our present chapter, it gives an account of the numbers of the Levites, of their classification, of David's

THESE WERE THE SONS OF LEVI, AFTER THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS,.... According to the three classes of them, as descending from the three sons of Levi: [EVEN] THE CHIEF OF THE FATHERS; or heads of families: AS THEY WERE COUNTED BY NUMBER OF NAMES BY THEIR POLLS; or according to their heads, one by one: THAT DID THE WORK FOR THE SERVICE OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD; the particulars of which are in 1 Chronicles 23:28 FROM THE AGE OF TWENTY YEARS, AND UPWARDS; they were first numbered thirty and upwards, 1 Chronicles 23:3, but David before his death ordered they should be numbered from twenty and upwards, 1 Chronicles 23:27

2. THE NUMBERING AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE LEVITES CHAPTER 23 _ 1. Solomon made king (1 Chronicles 23:1)_ 2. The number of the Levites (1 Chronicles 23:2) 3. The Gershonites (1 Chronicles 23:7) 4. The sons of Kohath (1 Chronicles 23:12) 5. The sons of Merari (1 Chronicles 23:21) 6. The service of the Levites (1 Chronicles 23:24) David, in h

1 Chronicles 23:1 to 1 Chronicles 24:31. THE LEVITES AND THE PRIESTS. The Chronicler implies that the organisation of the Levites and priests and the settling of their duties as existing in his day was all the work of David. 1 Chronicles 23:5. princes of the sanctuary: a title corresponding to an official in Babylonian sanctuaries of earlier days, and probably borrowed and adapted by the returned exiles; it is not identical with the princes of God. 1 Chronicles 23:6. An enumeration of the sons of Levi, and the sacred duties of the various Levitical families....

_after the house of their fathers_; even _the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names_ R.V. AFTER THEIR FATHERS" HOUSES, EVEN THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS" HOUSES OF THOSE OF THEM THAT WERE COUNTED, IN THE NUMBER OF NAMES....

TWENTY YEARS AND UPWARD— In the 3rd verse it is _thirty years and upward;_ but it appears that a different poll is there referred to: and from the 25th and 26th verses it seems to follow, that David made this second appointment of the Levites from _twenty years of age,_ after he had made the former one mentioned in the 3rd verse. REFLECTIONS.—1st, David, having declared Solomon his successor, convokes a solemn assembly to recognize his appointment, and prevent all competition when he should sleep with his fathers, as he shortly expected, being now grown aged and infirm; and this aggravated the crime of Adonijah and his adherents. At this assembly, David perfected the settlement of the Levites. 1. He numbered them. Thirty-eight thousand men, a vast increase since the time of Moses, Numbers 4:48 even if we suppose that those above fifty were now reckoned, who were