XXIII. After a brief notice of Solomon’s coronation in the old age of David, the chronicler passes to the main subject of 1 Chronicles 23-26, viz., David’s organisation of the Priests and Levites. The chapter before us presents (1) a summary account of the number and several duties of the Levites ... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WHEN DAVID WAS OLD AND FULL OF DAYS. — Literally, _Now David had become old and satisfied with days._ (See Genesis 35:29; Job 42:17; where both terms, which are verbs here, appear as adjectives.) Perhaps our pointing is wrong. The expression “satisfied with days” reminds us of Horace, who describ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE GATHERED TOGETHER ALL THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL. — The form of the verb (the imperfect with _waw_ conversive) implies that this was done in connection with the transfer of the kingdom to Solomon. The following Chapter s, therefore, relate to arrangements made by David towards the close of his lif... [ Continue Reading ]
(2-5) The numbering of the Levites and their appointments.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW ... AND — _i.e.,_ after the council had agreed upon it. THE LEVITES WERE NUMBERED FROM THE AGE OF THIRTY YEARS AND UPWARD. — A census like that which Moses instituted (Numbers 4:3; Numbers 4:23; Numbers 4:30, &c.), of all Levites “from thirty years old and upward unto fifty years,” for the work... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHICH, TWENTY AND FOUR THOUSAND WERE TO SET FORWARD. — It is clear from 1 Chronicles 23:5 that David himself is supposed to utter both verses, thus personally assigning their commission to the Levites. The Hebrew here is peculiar. We may render: “Of these let there be for superintending the work... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER FOUR THOUSAND WERE PORTERS. — Literally, _and four thousand_ (are to be) _warders._ (Comp. 1 Chronicles 9:21.) Reuss thinks 4,000 warders too many; but the different clans went on duty in turn. AND FOUR THOUSAND PRAISED THE LORD... — Rather, _and four thousand_ (are to be) _praising the Lor... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID DIVIDED THEM INTO COURSES. — Heb., _he divided him them_ (reflexive form of verb, with suffix) _into divisions._ (Comp. 1 Chronicles 24:3, and Genesis 14:15.) Others read the simple voice of the verb here, as at 1 Chronicles 24:4; 2 Chronicles 23:18; Nehemiah 9:22; others, again, the inten... [ Continue Reading ]
(6-23) The twenty-four houses of the Levites.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE GERSHONITES. — 1 Chronicles 23:7 give the names of nine Gershonite houses, or guilds. David’s “courses” of Levites were formed according to the natural divisions already existing: _i.e.,_ they coincided with the father-houses. They were doubtless twenty-four in number, like those of their bre... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF LAADAN. — These are named in two groups: viz., first, the three mentioned in this verse; secondly, the three named in 1 Chronicles 23:9, and called “sons of Shimei.” This Shimei is not the same as the Shimei of 1 Chronicles 23:7, whose sub-divisions are not given till 1 Chronicles 23:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE WERE THE CHIEF OF THE FATHERS OF LAADAN. — Rather, _heads of the father-houses to Laadan._ The names seem to be at once those of the clans, or guilds, and of their existing chiefs. But perhaps we should render, _These are the chief father-houses._ To Laadan, then, pertained six houses, viz., J... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SONS OF SHIMEI. — That is, of Shimei the “brother” of Laadan (1 Chronicles 23:7). The bnê Shimei formed four houses, but were reckoned as three, because the two last-named, Jeush and Beriah, were numerically weak, and therefore counted as a single house and class (1 Chronicles 23:11). ZINA.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT JEUSH AND BERIAH HAD NOT MANY SONS. — _Now Jeush and Beriah had not multiplied sons; so they became_ (one) _father-home_ (_bêth-âb_), _one class_ (or _muster — pĕquddâh_). Altogether, then, there were nine Gershonite clans: viz., six of the sons of Laadan, and three of the sons of Shimei, among... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF KOHATH. — 1 Chronicles 23:12 give the names of nine Kohathite houses, “Amram, Izhar,” &c. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 6:2; 1 Chronicles 6:18.)... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AARON WAS SEPARATED. — Aaron and his sons, as priests, are thus excluded from present consideration. They form the proper subject of 1 Chronicles 25:1, and are only mentioned here for the sake of completeness in the reckoning. THAT HE SHOULD SANCTIFY THE MOST HOLY-THINGS. — Rather, _to hallow_... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW CONCERNING MOSES THE MAN OF GOD. — Rather, _Now Moses, the man of God._ HIS SONS WERE NAMED (or should be named) OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI. — See _Genesis 48:6_ for the phrase “to be called after” (_niqrâ’ ‘al_). Aaron’s sons were priests; but the sons of Moses, his brother, were reckoned as simple... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF MOSES. — See Exodus 2:22 for “Gershom,” Exodus 18:3 for both. Gershom means “expulsion” (comp Genesis 3:24), and is a variant form of Gcrshon. What is said in Exodus 2:22 is an allusive play on the name, not a derivation of it. “Eliezer,” _God is help,_ a distinct name from “Eleazar” (1... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF GERSHOM, SHEBUEL WAS THE CHIEF (Heb., _head_). — The statement that “Shebuel was the chief” implies that Gershom had other sons not mentioned here, as being reckoned members of the clan the sons of Gershom. Shebuel is called Shubael in 1 Chronicles 24:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SONS OF ELIEZER WERE, REHABIAH THE CHIEF. — The word “were” (became) ought not to be in italics in the text, as it is expressed in the Hebrew. THE CHIEF (head) means founder and eponym of the clan the sons of Rehabiah. AND ELIEZER HAD NONE OTHER SONS. — Literally, _And there became not to... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF IZHAR. — Second son of Kohath. The sons of Izhar made one clan, that of Shelômith (or Shelômôth, 1 Chronicles 24:22). The same variation occurred in the Hebrew of 1 Chronicles 23:9, above.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF HEBRON. — “Of” is wanting in the Hebrew here, as well as in 1 Chronicles 23:16; 1 Chronicles 23:18; 1 Chronicles 23:20. The sons of Hebron comprised four houses, clans, or classes. Their names recur in 1 Chronicles 24:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF UZZIEL constituted two houses and classes. The nine clans of Kohathite Levites are again rehearsed at 1 Chronicles 24:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF MERARI; MAHLI, AND MUSHI. — See Exodus 6:19, and Numbers 3:33, and 1 Chronicles 6:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELEAZAR DIED, AND HAD NO SONS. — Thus his house merged in that of the sons of Kish, who married his daughters according to the Law (Numbers 36:6). The sons of Mahli, then, were represented in David’s day by the house of Kish. (See 1 Chronicles 24:29.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF MUSHI; MAHLI, AND EDER, AND JEREMOTH, THREE. — These, with the sons of Kish. make only four Merarite houses, whereas six are required to make up a total of twenty-four Levitical houses. But 1 Chronicles 24:26 shows that the chronicler’s registers named a third son of Merari, viz., Jaazia... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE WERE THE SONS OF LEVI AFTER THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS. — Rather, _These were the sons of Levi, according to their father-houses_ (clans), _heads of the houses_ (fathers, _i.e.,_ father-houses), _to those mustered of them, in an enumeration of names according to their polls._ This is the subsc... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR DAVID SAID. — This verse seems to assign a reason for the extension of the Levitical census. THE LORD... HATH GIVEN REST UNTO HIS PEOPLE. — So that they no longer wander from pasture to pasture in the wilderness, nor are any more oppressed by foreign tyrants as in the days of the judges. THAT... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALSO UNTO THE LEVITES; THEY SHALL NO MORE CARRY ... — Rather, _And the Levites also have not_ (now) _to carry the dwelling and all its vessels for its service,_ as they had to do in the wanderings of Israel in the desert. The sacred dwelling-place (_mishkân_) had long been fixed at Gibeon; and t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR BY THE LAST WORDS OF DAVID. — That is, owing to his last commands. So Vulg. (juxta praecepta David novissima) and Syriac. THE LEVITES WERE NUMBERED. — Literally, _these_ (are), _i.e.,_ according to the later idiom, _this_ (is) _the enumeration of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and upwar... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THEIR OFFICE WAS TO WAIT ON THE SONS OF AARON. — _For their appointment_ (or _station_)_ is at the side of the sons of Aaron_ (_i.e.,_ the priests). The Levites had no longer to carry the sacred dwelling and its vessels, but to minister, in subordination to the priesthood, in the permanent s... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH FOR THE SHEWBREAD, AND FOR THE FINE FLOUR. — Rather, _And over the shewbread, and over,_ &c. “For” (_lĕ_) continues the sense of “over” (‘al). The Levitical assistants of the priests had to see to the preparation of the things here enumerated. AND FOR THAT WHICH IS BAKED IN THE PAN. — Literall... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THANK AND PRAISE THE LORD. — This refers to the special function of the 4,000 musicians (1 Chronicles 23:5). (Comp. 1 Chronicles 16:4.) Those who slew and flayed the victims could hardly have taken part in the service of song.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO OFFER ALL BURNT SACRIFICES. — Rather, _And over all offering of burnt offerings._ The Levites had to select and prepare the victims, the priests offered them, when ready, upon the altar. The Levites had to do this “by number,” _i.e.,_ according to the several numbers prescribed by the Law for... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT THEY SHOULD KEEP. — This verse sums up the functions of the Levites under three general heads: “And let them keep the charge of the tent of meeting.” The words are evidently based upon Numbers 18:3. AND THE CHARGE OF THE SONS OF AARON. — That is, all that the priests committed to them, and... [ Continue Reading ]