1 Chronicles 26:12

_AMONG THESE WERE THE DIVISIONS OF THE PORTERS, EVEN AMONG THE CHIEF MEN, HAVING WARDS ONE AGAINST ANOTHER, TO MINISTER IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD._ Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men. These were charged with the duty of superintending the watches, being heads of the twenty-four courses of porters....

Verse 1 Chronicles 26:12. The rest of this chapter, with the whole of the xxviiith, is wanting both in the _Syriac_ and _Arabic_....

This verse is obscure, but its probable meaning is the following: “To these divisions of the porters, principal men, (were assigned) the watches, together with their brethren, for service in the house of the Lord;” i. e., the “chief men” 1 Chronicles 26:1, amounting to no more than 93, kept the watch and ward of the house, together with a further number of their brethren (4,000, 1 Chronicles 23:5), who assisted them from time to time....

EXPOSITION This chapter is occupied in its first nineteen verses with an enumeration of the porters and Then of their arrangement. The porters were those who were to have charge of the entrances of the sanctuary. For at present, all was in plan only, thus set out by David beforehand. 1 CHRONICLES 26:1 The subject of the porters has been before us in 1 Chronicles 9:17-13; 1 Chronicles 15:23, 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:38;...

AMONG THESE WERE THE DIVISIONS OF THE PORTERS, EVEN AMONG THE CHIEF MEN,.... These before named were the principal men of the porters, among which was a division or distribution of them into classes or courses, in which they served weekly in turn: HAVING WARDS ONE AGAINST ANOTHER, TO MINISTER IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD; meaning either to watch in, as on the north against the south, and the east against the west, and "vice versa". The Jews say t, the priests kept ward in three places in the house of the sanctuary; in the house of Abtines, in the house of Nitzotz, and in the house of Moked; and the Levites in twenty one places, five at the five gates of the mountain of the house, four at the four corners of it within, five at the five gates of the court, four at the four corners of it without, one at the chamber of the offering, one at the chamber of the vail, and another behind the house o...

5. THE PORTERS AND OTHER TEMPLE OFFICERS CHAPTER 26 _ 1. The porters (1 Chronicles 26:1)_ 2. The keepers of the gates (1 Chronicles 26:13) 3. The Levites over the treasures (1 Chronicles 26:20) 4. Officers and judges (1 Chronicles 26:29) Ninety-three porters are mentioned, which held the position of chiefs. The whole number of porters was 4,000 (1 Chronicles 23:5). Asaph in verse 1 must be changed to Ebiasaph (9:19), for Asaph was not a Korahite,

FURTHER LEVITICAL TEMPLE OFFICIALS. These include the gatekeepers (1 Chronicles 26:1), those who were over the treasuries (1 Chronicles 26:20), and the officers and judges who were for the outward business over Israel (1 Chronicles 26:29). 1 Chronicles 26:12 ff. In what the Chronicler says about the Temple he is guided by the Temple with which he was familiar, viz. the post-exilic one built by Zerubbabel. 1 Chronicles 26:18. Parbar: see RVm; perhaps from a Persian

_Among these … another_ R.V. OF THESE WERE THE COURSES OF THE DOORKEEPERS, EVEN OF THE CHIEF MAN, HAVING CHARGES LIKE AS THEIR BRETHREN. In 1 Chronicles 26:8-9; 1 Chronicles 26:11 taken together ninety-three doorkeepers are enumerated, who are presumably the heads of the four thousand mentioned in 1 Chronicles 23:5. In 1 Chronicles 9:22 again the total number (as it seems) of doorkeepers is given as two hundred and twelve. The discrepancy is probably due to the use of different documents belonging to different dates by the Chronicler....

18. THE GATEKEEPERS (1 Chronicles 26:1-28) TEXT 1 Chronicles 26:1. For the courses of the doorkeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 2. And Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the first-born, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3. Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. 4. And Obededom had sons: Shemaiah the first-born, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethanel the fifth, 5. Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him. 6. Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled over the house of their father; for they were mighty men of valor. 7. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren we

PARTICULARS RESPECTING VARIOUS TEMPLE OFFICIALS 1. The divisions of the porters] i.e. the courses of the gate-keepers or sentries who stood on guard at the entrances of the Temple. They were drawn from three families, Meshelemiah (the 'Shallum' of 1 Chronicles 9:19), Obededom, and Hosah. Asaph] the 'Ebiasaph' of 1 Chronicles 9:19....