Now David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel. He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. The Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand. David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of Yahweh’s house, six thousand were officers and judges, four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”
David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei. The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, Zetham, and Joel, three. The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan. The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah didn’t have many sons; therefore they became a fathers’ house in one reckoning.
The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, forever, to burn incense before Yahweh, to minister to him, and to bless in his name, forever. But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. The sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief. The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brothers the sons of Kish took them as wives. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those who were counted individually, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of Yahweh’s house, from twenty years old and upward. For David said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. Also the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service.” For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were counted, from twenty years old and upward. For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of Yahweh’s house, in the courts, and in the rooms, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of God’s house; for the show bread also, and for the fine flour for a meal offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all measurements of quantity and size; and to stand every morning to thank and praise Yahweh, and likewise in the evening; and to offer all burnt offerings to Yahweh, on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, in number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before Yahweh; and that they should keep the duty of the Tent of Meeting, the duty of the holy place, and the duty of the sons of Aaron their brothers, for the service of Yahweh’s house.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv4, 5, 7, 11, 13, 14, 17, 22, 24, 28 Or, to have care over.
Or, to have care over.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 24, 29 1Ch 23:1 So when David was old and full…
1Ch 23:1 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
Ver. 1. So when David was old.] Tacitis senescimus annis. Old age stealeth upon us; let us pack up our bundles, and prepare for our long home,
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And full of days.] Satur dierum. He had seen enough of this world, and had a satiety of life. He could better say than old Cato did, If I might become as young as ever I was, I would not accept of it.
He made Solomon his son king.] This he had done before he was bedridden. {1Ch 28:2; 1Ch 29:12}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 Not that he did resign the kingdom to him,…
Not that he did resign the kingdom to him, but that he declared his mind concerning his succession into the throne after his death. As David himself is called king, 1Sa 16:1, because he was appointed and anointed to be king after Saul’s death, though till then he was only a subject.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On vv1, 24 Here we have, I. The crown entailed, according to…
Here we have, I. The crown entailed, according to the divine appointment, Ch1 23:1. David made Solomon king, not to reign with him, or reign under him, but only to reign after him. This he did, 1. When he was old and full of days. He was but seventy years old when he died, and yet he was full of days, satur dierum - satisfied with living in this world. When he found himself going off, he made provision for the welfare of the kingdom after his decease, and pleased himself with the hopeful prospect of a happy settlement both in church and state. 2. He did it in parliament, in a solemn assembly of all the princes of Israel, which made Adonijah's attempt to break in upon Solomon's title and set it aside, notwithstanding this public recognition and establishment of it, the more impudent, impious, and ridiculous. Note, The settling or securing of the crown in the interests of the temple is a great blessing to the people and a great satisfaction to those who are themselves leaving the world.
II. The Levites numbered, according to the rule in Moses's time, from thirty years old to fifty, Num 4:2, Num 4:3. Their number in Moses's time. by this rule, was 8580 (Num 4:47, Num 4:48), but now it had increased above four-fold, much more in proportion than the rest of the tribes; for the serviceable men of Levi's tribe were now 38,000, unless we suppose that here those were reckoned who were above fifty, which was not the case there. Joab had not numbered the Levites (Ch1 21:6), but David now did, not in pride, but for a good purpose, and then he needed not fear wrath for it.
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III. The Levites distributed to their respective posts (Ch1 23:4, Ch1 23:5), that every hand might be employed (for, of all men, an idle Levite makes the worst figure), and that every part of the work might be carefully done. Now it was for the honour of God that so great a number of servants attended his house and the business of it. Much of the state of great men consists in the greatness of their retinue. When God kept house in Israel see what a great household he had, and all well fed and well taught. But what were these to the attendants of his throne above, and the innumerable company of angels? It was the happiness of Israel that they had among them such a considerable body of men who were obliged by their office to promote and keep up religion among them. If the worship of God go to decay in Israel, let it not be said that it was for want of due provision for the support of it, but that those who should have done it were careless and false. The work assigned the Levites was four-fold: - 1. Some, and indeed far the greater number, were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord: 24,000, almost two-thirds, were appointed for this service, to attend the priests in killing the sacrifices, flaying them, washing them, cutting them up, burning them, to have the meat-offerings and drink-offerings ready, to carry out dirt, and keep all the vessels and utensils of the temple clean, and every thing in its place, that the service might be performed both with expedition and with exactness. These served 1000 a-week, and so went round in twenty-four courses. Perhaps while the temple was in building some of these were employed to set forward that work, to assist the builders, at least to quicken them, and keep good order among them, and the decorum which became temple-work. 2. Others were officers and judges, not in the affairs of the temple, and in the controversies that arose there (for there, we may suppose, the priests presided), but in the country. They were magistrates, to give the laws of God in charge, to resolves difficulties, and to determine controversies that arose upon them. Of these there were 6000, in the several parts of the kingdom, that assisted the princes and elders of every tribe in the administration of justice. 3. Others were porters, to guard all the avenues of the house of God, to examine those that desired entrance, and to resist those that would force an entrance. These were the life-guards of the temple, and probably were armed accordingly. 4. Others were singers and players on instruments, whose business it was to keep up that part of the service; this was a new-erected office.
IV. The Levites mustered, and disposed of into their respective families and kindreds, that an account of them might the better be kept, and those that neglected their duty might be the more easily discovered, by calling over the roll, and obliging them to answer to their names, which each family might do for itself. When those of the same family were employed together it would engage them to love and assist one another. When Christ sent forth his disciples two and two he put together those that were brethren. Two families were here joined in one (Ch1 23:11) because they had not many sons. Those that are weak and little, separately, may be put together and appear considerable. That which is most observable in this account of the families of the Levites is that the posterity of Moses (that great man) stood upon the level with common Levites, and had no dignities or privileges at all peculiar to them; whilst the posterity of Aaron were advanced to the priest's office, to sanctify the most holy things, Ch1 23:13. It is said indeed of the grandson of Moses, Rehabiah, that his sons were highly multiplied, Ch1 23:17, margin. When God proposed to him that, if he would let fall his intercession for Israel, he would make of him a great nation, he generously refused it, in recompence for which his family is here greatly increased, and makes up in number what it wants in figure, in the tribe of Levi. Now, 1. The levelling of Moses' family with the rest is an evidence of his self-denial. Such an interest had he both with God and man that if he had aimed to raise his own family, to dignify and enrich that, he might easily have done so; but he was no self-seeking man, as appears from his leaving to his children no marks of distinction, which was a sign that he had the spirit of God and not the spirit of the world. 2. The elevation of Aaron's family above the rest was a recompence for his self-denial. When Moses (his younger brother) was made a god to Pharaoh, and he only his prophet or spokesman, to observe his orders and do as he was bidden, Aaron never disputed it, nor insisted upon his seniority, but readily took the inferior post God put him in, submitted to Moses, and, upon occasion, called him his lord; and because he thus submitted himself, in his own person, to his junior, in compliance with the will of God, God highly exalted his family, even above that of Moses himself. Those that are content to stoop are in the fairest way to rise. Before honour is humility.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 So when David was old and full of days,....…
So when David was old and full of days,.... Perhaps was now in the last year of his age, about seventy years old, though before he was bedridden; see Ch1 28:2,
he made Solomon his son king over Israel; declared him to be his successor; this was before the affair of Adonijah, for then he ordered him to be anointed king, and placed on the throne; and this aggravated the rebellion of Adonijah, that it was against the declared and known will of his father.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 14, 24, 28, 29, 30, 32 David declares Solomon his successor, ver. 1. Numbers the…
David declares Solomon his successor, ver. 1. Numbers the Levites and appoints them their several offices, ver. 2-5. Takes an account of the families of the Levites, ver. 6-23. Reckons them from twenty years old, and appoints them their work, ver. 24-32.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 5, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30, 32 David makes Solomon king, 1.
CHAPTER XXIII
David makes Solomon king, 1.
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Numbers the Levites, and appoints them their work, 2-5.
The sons of Levi, Gershom, Kohath, Merari, and their
descendants, 6-12.
The sons of Amram, and their descendants, 13.
The sons of Moses, and their descendants, 14-24.
David appoints the Levites to wait on the priests for the
service of the sanctuary, 25-32.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII
Verse 1. David was old and full of days] On the phrase full of days, See Clarke on Ge 25:8.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30 1Ch 23:1. He made Solomon king over Israel —…
1Ch 23:1. He made Solomon king over Israel — Not that he resigned the kingdom to him, but only declared his mind concerning Solomon’s succeeding him in the throne after his death. Thus David himself is called king, 1Sa 16:1, because he was appointed and anointed to be king after Saul’s death, though till then he was only a subject.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv1, 24, 27, 31 See the marginal references and notes. 1Ch 23:28-32 give…
See the marginal references and notes. 1Ch 23:28-32 give the most complete account in Scripture of the nature of the Levitical office.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 19, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 Full, satisfied, in the last year of his reign,…
Full, satisfied, in the last year of his reign, and the 70th of his age. (Du Hamel) --- Cur non ut plenus vitæ conviva recedit? (Lucretius iii.) --- Israel. This example was much followed by succeeding kings. (Calmet) --- Yet this is controverted. (Houbigant) (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 β. Distribution of the Levites and Priests, and Order…
β. Distribution of the Levites and Priests, and Order of their Service: Ch. 23–26
1Ch_23:1 And David was old and full of days, and he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
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1. Enumeration of the Levites, and Arrangement of their Work: 1Ch_23:2-5
2And he gathered all the princes of Israel, and the priests and the Levites. 3And the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upwards; 4and their number by their polls in men was thirty and eight thousand. Of these, twenty and four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of the 5Lord, and six thousand were to be officers and judges. And four thousand porters; and four thousand praising the Lord with instruments which I have made1 for praise.
2. The Twenty-four Houses of the Levites: 1Ch_23:6-23
6And David divided them2 into courses for the sons of Levi, for Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7Of the Gershonites were Ladan and Shimi. 8The sons of Ladan were the chief Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three. 9The sons of Shimi were Shelomith,3 and Haziel, and Haran, three: these were the chiefs of the fathers for Ladan. 10And the sons of Shimi were Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah: these four were Shimi’s sons. 11And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; and Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; and they formed one father-house and one class.
12The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. 13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the Lord, to 14minister to Him, and to bless in His name for ever. And Moses, the man of God, his sons were called after the tribe of Levi. 15The sons of Moses were 16Gershom and Eliezer. Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief. 17And the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah the chief: and Eliezer had no other sons; 18but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. The sons of Izhar, Shelomith the 19chief. The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel 20the third, Jekamam the fourth. The sons of Uzziel: Micah the first, and Jesiah the second.
21The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. 22And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but only daughters; and their brethren, 23the sons of Kish, took them. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
3. Closing Remarks on the Levites: 1Ch_23:24-32
24These are the sons of Levi after their father-houses; the chief of the fathers for those mustered by the number of the names for their polls, doing the work for the service of the house of the Lord from twenty years old and upwards. 25For David said, The Lord God of Israel hath given rest to His 26people, and He dwelleth in Jerusalem for ever. And also the Levites have 27no more to carry the tabernacle, with all its vessels for its service. For, by the last words of David, these were the number of the Levites from twenty 28years old and upward. For their post was at the hand of the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of the Lord, for the courts, and for the chambers, and for the purifying of everything holy, and the work of the service of the 29house of God. And for the shew-bread, and the fine flour for meat-offering, and the unleavened cakes, and pancakes, and that which is fried, and all measures of capacity and length. 30And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and so in the evening. 31And to offer all burnt-offerings to the Lord for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, and the set feasts by number, 32after the order of them, continually before the Lord. And they shall keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, for the service of the house of the Lord.
4. The Twenty-four Classes of Priests: 1Ch_24:1-19
1Ch_24:1 And for the sons of Aaron, these are the divisions: the sons of Aaron: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2But Nadab and Abihu died before their fathers, and had no sons; and Eleazar and Ithamar became priests. 3And David distributed them, so that Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech 4of the sons of Ithamar were for their office in their service. And the sons of Eleazar were found more numerous in chief men than the sons of Ithamar; and they were thus divided: for the sons of Eleazar sixteen chiefs of father-houses; 5and eight of father-houses for the sons of Ithamar. And they divided them by lot, one with the other; for the holy princes and the princes 6of God were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. And Shemaiah son of Nethaneel, the scribe of the Levites, wrote them before the king and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the chiefs of the fathers for the priests and for the Levites: one father-house being taken for Eleazar, and one4 taken for Ithamar.
7, 8And the first lot came out to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah. The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim. 9The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to 10Mijamin. The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah. 11The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah. 12The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to 13, 14Jakim. The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebab. The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer. 15The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Hapizez. 16The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel. 17The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul. 18The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. 19These are their offices for their service, to go into the house of the Lord according to their order by Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.
5. The Classes of the Levite: 1Ch_24:20-31
20And for the remaining sons of Levi: for the sons of Amram, Shubael; for 21the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. For Rehabiah: for the sons of Rehabiah, the 22chief was Isshiah. For the Izharites, Shelomoth; for the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. 23And the sons [of Hebron]1 Chronicles 5 : Jesiah [the first], Amariah the second, 24Jahaziel the third, Jekamam the fourth. The sons of Uzziel, Micah; for the sons of Micah, Shamir.6 25The brother of Micah was Isshiah; for the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. 26The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jazziah, Beno.7 27The sons of Merari, by Jaaziah his son: Shoham,8 and 28, 29Zaccur, and Ibri. To Mahli belonged Eleazar; 9 and he had no sons. Concerning 30Kish, the sons of Kish, Jerahmeel. And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth: these were the sons of the Levites after their 31father-houses. And these also cast lots like their brethren the sons of Aaron, before David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chiefs of the fathers for the priests and for the Levites: the fathers, the chief like his younger brother.
6. The Twenty-four Classes of Singer: 1 Chronicles 25
1Ch_25:1 And David and the captains of the host separated for service the sons of Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun, who prophesied10 with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen for the service 2was. For the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and 3Asharelah; sons of Asaph, under Asaph, who prophesied under the king. For Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun were Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under their father Jeduthun, on the harp who 4prophesied to thank and praise the Lord. For Heman: the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. 5All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn: and God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6All these were under their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps for the service of the house of God 7under the king, with Asaph, and Jeduthun, and Heman. And their number with their brethren that were instructed in singing to the Lord, all that were cunning were two hundred eighty and eight. 8And they cast lots for the charge, the small as the great, the teacher with the scholar.
9And the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph:11 the second to Gedaliah; he and his sons and his brethren were twelve. 10The third to Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 11The fourth to Izri, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 12The fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren,13, 14twelve. The sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve. The seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 15The eighth toJeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 16The ninth to Mattaniah, hissons and his brethren, twelve. 17The tenth to Shimei, his sons and hisbrethren, twelve. 18The eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 19, 20The twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve. The thirteenth to Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 21The fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 22The fifteenth to Jerimoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 23The sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 24The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 25, 26The eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve. The nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve. 27The twentieth to Eliathah,his sons and his brethren, twelve. 28The one and twentieth to Hothir, his sonsand his brethren, twelve. 29The two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons andhis brethren, twelve. 30The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, his sons andhis brethren, twelve. 31The four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.
7. The Classes of Porters: 1Ch_26:1-19
1Ch_26:1 Concerning the divisions of the porters: to the Korhites was Meshelemiah 2son of Korah, of the sons of Asaph.12 And Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the first-born, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the 3, 4fourth. Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. And Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the first-born, Jehozabad the second, Joahthe third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nathaneel the fifth. 5Ammiel the sixth,6Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth; for God blessed him. And to Shemaiah his son were born sons, that ruled in the house of their father; for they were valiant men. 7The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad,—his brethren, strong men,—Elihu, and Semachiah. 8All these of the sons of Obed-edom, they and their sons and their brethren, strong men9of ability for service, were sixty and two of Obed-edom. And Meshelemiah10had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen. And Hosah, of the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief; for he was not the first-born, but his father made him chief. 11Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.
12To these divisions of the porters, to the chiefs of the men, were the wardslike their brethren, to minister in the house of the Lord. 13And they castlots, the small as the great, after their father-houses, for every gate. 14And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah: and for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, 15they cast lots, and his lot came out northward. To Obed-edom southward; 16and to his sons the house of Asuppim. To Shuppim13 and to Hosah westward, at the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of ascent, one ward likeanother. 17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and towards Asuppim two and two. 18At Parbar westward, four on19the causeway, and two at Parbar. These were the divisions of the porters for the sons of Kore, and for the sons of Merari.
8. The Administrators of the Treasures of the Sanctuary, with the Officers for the External Business: 1Ch_23:20-32
20And the Levites their brethren14 were over the treasures of the house of 21God, and over the treasures of the holy things. The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonite of Ladan, chiefs of the Father-houses of Ladan the Gershonite, Jehieli. 22The sons of Jehieli: Zetham, and Joel his brother, over thetreasures of the house of the Lord. 23Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the24Hebronites, and the Uzzielites. Shebuel son of Gershom, the son of Moses,was ruler of the treasures. 25And his brethren by Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelo-26moth15 his son. This Shelomoth and his brethren were over the treasures of the holy things, which David the king had dedicated, and the chiefs of the fathers, and16 the captains of thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host. 27Out of the wars and of the spoil they dedicated to maintain the house of the Lord. 28And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; everything dedicated was under Shelomoth and his brethren.
29Of the Izharites was Chenaniah with his sons, for the outer business over30Israel, for officers and judges. Of the Hebronites were Hashabiah and his brethren, valiant men, a thousand and seven hundred, for the oversight of Israel on this side Jordan westward, for all the business of the Lord, and for 31the service of the king. Of the Hebronites was Jeriah the chief; for the Hebronites, in their generations for the fathers, in the fortieth year of the reign of David, they were sought, and there were found among them men of valour in Jazer of Gilead. 32And his brethren, valiant men, two thousand and seven hundred fathers of families; and David the king appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, for every matter of God, and of the king.
EXEGETICAL
Preliminary Remark, especially regarding the introductory notice, 1Ch_23:1.—The connected survey of the condition, distribution, and ministerial functions of the tribe of Levi at the end of the reign of David, which fills the four 1 Chronicles 23-26 (and falls into eight subdivisions, as is noted in the superscriptions of the above translation), is introduced by the statement, 1Ch_23:1, that the aged and life-weary King David appointed his son Solomon to be king over Israel, formally appointed him his successor on the throne, and regularly delivered over the kingdom to him. The numbering and classification of the Levites, and the order of their service in the sanctuary, appears accordingly to be the principal measure by which David introduces the transference of the kingdom to his successor. A survey of the state of his army and of his military and civil officers (1 Chronicles 27) is appended as the second of these measures, after which the final arrangements committed in solemn assembly to Solomon and the heads of the people, referring chiefly to the building of the temple (1 Chronicles 28, 29), form the close of these measures, and the immediate transition to the death of the king (1Ch_29:26 ff). As sources in communicating these accounts of the order of the Levites and their service, the Chronist had no doubt liturgical precepts and statistical notes proceeding (mediately or immediately) from David, that כְּתָב דָּוִד, which he mentions, 2Ch_35:4, along with a מִכְתַּב שְׁלֹמֹה, and which we may regard either as part of the royal annals of this king or as an independent document. Comp. Introd. § 5.—And David was old and full of days. זָקֵן is here not an adjective, but 3d p. perf. of the verb, as in Gen_18:12; and so שָׂבַע with its accusative of restriction יָמִים, for which elsewhere usually the adj. שְׂבַע יָמִים (Gen_35:29; Job_12:17), or even שָׂבֵעַ alone (Gen_25:8).—He made his son Solomon king over Israel. This notice does not perhaps forestall the more precise and definite statement of the appointment of Solomon to be king in 1Ch_29:22 (which reports also the mode of appointment, by the anointing of the successor), but forms a general introduction to all that follows to the end of our book (comp. the similar general but not forestalling statement in 1Ch_22:7), and serves to place all that is here related of the Levites, the military and civil officers, under the head of the last will and concluding acts of the king. A statement in many respects similar occurs in Joh_13:1, which characterizes all that follows to the end of this Gospel as a “loving of his own unto the end.” Against the opinion of Bertheau, that the Chronist has in our verse given briefly the contents of the narrative 1 Kings 1, the remarks of Keil suffice; comp. also our exegetical exposition of 1Ch_29:22.
1. Enumeration of the Levites, and Arrangement of their Work: 1Ch_23:2-5.—And he gathered all the princes of Israel. These, the representatives of the tribes, had to co-operate in this mustering and regulation of the Levites, because this was a general concern of the kingdom. The present account concerning the holding of a great census Levitarum in a solemn assembly of the spiritual and temporal chiefs of the people, shortly before the end of David, is confirmed by the passage 1Ch_26:30 f., which speaks specially of the result of this muster “in the fortieth year of the reign of David” with regard to the family of Hebronites in Gilead.
1Ch_23:3. And the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upwards. This accords with the proceeding of Moses, who, Num_4:3; Num_4:23; Num_4:30; Num_4:39 ff., likewise numbers the Levites from thirty years of age (to fifty) for service in the sanctuary. But as he had already included younger men, namely, from twenty-five years of age (Num_8:23-26), David’s muster may also have extended not merely to those of thirty years and upwards, but rather, according to the express statement of 1Ch_23:24, reached the Levites of twenty years and upwards. That this later statement does not contradict the present one, and that it is not necessary to amend our passage by inserting עֶשְׂרִים for שְׁלשִׁים (Keil), see on 1Ch_23:24.—By their polls in men, thus excluding women and children; the לִגְבָרִים defining more exactly the לגלגלתם.
1Ch_23:4 f. contain the words of the king, as appears from the 1st perf. עָשִׂיתִי at the end of 1Ch_23:5, for which the Sept. and Vulg. have unnecessarily, and only from ignorance of the true state of the matter, substituted the third person.—Of these, twenty and four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of the Lord, the duties of the Levitical temple service in general, to which belonged not—a. the proper priestly functions (1Ch_24:1-19); b. those of the Levitical civil and judicial officers (the שׁטרים and שׁפטיב, 1Ch_23:4 b; comp. 1Ch_26:29-32); c. those of the porters (1Ch_23:5 a; comp. 26); d. those of the singers and musicians (1Ch_23:5; comp. 25).—With instruments, which I have made for praise, which I have introduced to accompany the sacred singing in the service of God; comp. 2Ch_29:26; Neh_12:36; also Amo_6:5, where David is mentioned as inventor of sacred musical instruments.
2. The Twenty-four Houses of the Levites: 1Ch_23:6-23.—And David divided them into courses for the sons of Levi. In his new muster and order of the Levitical houses he thus founded upon the three old well-known branches of this tribe (comp. 1Chr 5:27–6:15). וַיֵּחָֽלְקֵם, for which, here and 1Ch_24:3, R. D. Kimchi would read rather וַיֶּחֽלְקֵם (see Crit. Note), stands for וַיַּחְלְקֵם (comp. 1Ch_24:4-5), and is merely a by-form of the imperf. Kal, not Piel, as Ges. and Ew. think. Bertheau asserts that not all the Levites, but only the 24,000 specially appointed for the service in the house of the Lord, are to be regarded as the object of ויחלקם; and, in fact, 1Ch_23:24 appears to favour this, as well as the circumstance that a great part of the names here enumerated recur in 1Ch_24:20-31 and 1Ch_26:20-28; whereas in the enumeration of the twenty-four classes of singers (25), porters (1Ch_26:1-19), and officers, and judges (1Ch_26:29-32), quite other names occur. What Keil adduces against this (p. 188) is by no means sufficient to invalidate it.—a. The Houses of the Gershonites: 1Ch_23:7-11.—Of the Gershonites were Ladan and Shimi. In 1Ch_6:2, as already in Exo_6:17, Num_3:18, these two sons and founders of the two chief branches of the Gershonites are called Libni and Shimi. Our Ladan appears not to be identical with Libni, but rather to have been a descendant of this son of Gershon, after whom, in David’s time, a greater branch of the family was named. 1Ch_23:8-9 analyze this branch of the Ladanites as falling into the two chief stems of the sons of Ladan and the sons of Shimi, a descendant of Libni, by name Shimi, not the brother of Ladan or Libni named in 1Ch_23:7, whose branch is more fully described in 1Ch_23:10-11. Those belonging to the branch of Ladan fall altogether into six houses, namely, three of the sons of Ladan (1Ch_23:8) and three of the sons of Shimi (1Ch_23:9). On the contrary, the descendants of the other Shimi (brother of Ladan, 1Ch_23:10) form only four, or rather only three, houses, as the two youngest of the families belonging to them, Jeush and Beriah, from their numerical weakness, are included in one house, and also in one class (פְּקֻדָה, 1Ch_23:11). The Gershonites, therefore, in David’s time counted in all nine houses.—b. The Houses of the Kohathites: 1Ch_23:12-20.—Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. So are the four sons of Kohath named also in 1Chr 5:28, 1Ch_6:3, and previously in Exo_6:18; Num_3:27.—Aaron was separated to sanctify him as most holy. So is לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים to be understood of Aaron’s choice and anointment to be the most holy person of a high priest, not from his ministering in the most holy place (Vulg. ut ministraret in sancto sanctorum; likewise the Peschito), nor from his appointment to consecrate the most holy utensils (Clericus, against which see Hengsten. Christol. ii. 50, and Keil on the passage).—And to bless in His name for ever, in Jehovah’s name, to pronounce the blessing on the community (after the prescription of Moses, Num_6:23; Num_16:2; Deu_21:5); not to bless the name of Jehovah, or call upon Him, as Ges. and Berth, think.
1Ch_23:14. And Moses the man of God, his sons were called after the tribe of Levi, were reckoned among the simple Levites, and not among the priests. On נִקְרִא עַל, comp. Gen_48:6; Ezr_2:61; Neh_7:63.
1Ch_23:15. Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief, properly, “Gershom’s sons, Shebuel the chief;” comp. the numerous cases in which “sons” are announced, and yet only one follows, as 1Ch_2:31, etc. That, moreover, Gershom had other sons, who were reckoned with the house of Shebuel (or Shubael, as he is called in 1Ch_24:20), appears to follow from 1Ch_23:17, where it is expressly said of Eliezer that he had no sons besides Rehabiah. Shebuel and Rehabiah therefore were the names of the houses of the family of Amram that sprang from Moses. To these two non-sacerdotal houses of the Kohathites are to be added, according to 1Ch_23:18-20, of the family of Izhar, the house of Shelomith (or Shelomoth, 1Ch_24:22); of the family of Hebron four houses, Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekamam; of the family of Uzziel two, Micah and Jesiah,—in all, nine Levitical houses of Kohathite origin.—c. The Houses of the Merarites: 1Ch_23:21-23—The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. So are called the two sons of Merari also, 1Ch_6:4; Exo_6:19; Num_3:33; whereas in 1Ch_24:27 a third son of Merari is named, Jaaziah, the founder of the three houses of Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri. The conjecture is obvious, that the name of this Jaaziah with his three sons has fallen out of our passage by an old oversight, as Bertheau assumes when he supplements the text of our passage from 1Ch_24:26-27. But, 1. The Sept., Vulg., and Syr. present our text, that gives only two sons of Merari; 2. The books of Moses, and indeed the whole of the Old Testament elsewhere, know nothing of a third son of Merari and his descendants; 3. The passage 1Ch_24:26-27 bears manifest traces of an interpolation in itself, by which the name Jaaziah must have come into the text; 4. The names of the supposed sons of Jaaziah occur nowhere else, with the exception of Zaccur alone (see 1Ch_25:2); 5. The only gain that the assumption of the names in question into our text could be,—that, namely, the number of the Merarite houses should be brought up to six, and so a total of twenty-four houses of Levites should be shown in our section (nine Gershonite, nine Kohathite, and six Merarite), analogous to the number of twenty-four houses and classes of priests (1 Chronicles 24), and of twenty-four classes of singers (1 Chronicles 25), and corresponding with the express assertion of Josephus (Antiq. vii. 14. 7), that David divided the Levites into twenty-four classes,—this single gain is lost by this, that there should be not twenty-four but twenty-five houses resulting from the addition of the three sons of Jaaziah, as our passage (1Ch_23:21-23) derives not three but four houses from Merari: one from Mahli (named after Eleazar the father of the heiress, or after his brother Kish, and then after Jerahmeel, chief son of this Kish; see 1Ch_24:29), and three from Mushi, namely, Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth. Now of these three sons of Mushi, Bertheau will certainly exclude from the text the first, Mahli, on account of his identity of name with Mahli the brother of Mushi, to obtain the desired result of six Merarite houses; but the arbitrariness of this procedure is obviously greater and more unjustifiable than the boldness of our condemnation of the 1Ch_23:26-27 in 1 Chronicles 24 as interpolated, that has sufficient ground in the clearly corrupt text of this verse. It necessarily follows that our section yields only four Merarite, and therefore in all only twenty-two Levitical houses.
3. Closing Remarks respecting the Levites: 1Ch_23:24-32.—These are the sons of Levi. . .for those mustered, לִפְקוּדֵיהֶם (comp. Exo_30:14, Num_1:21 ff., as on the following words: “by the number of the names,” Num_1:18; Num_3:43).—Doing the work for the service of the house of the Lord. עשֶֹׁה הַמְּלָאכָה is, as also in 2Ch_34:10; 2Ch_34:13, Ezr_3:9, Neh_2:16, not sing, but plur.=עשֵֹׁי הַמְּל׳, and differing only in writing from this regular form (that occurs, for example, 2Ch_24:13); comp. Ew. § 16, b.—From twenty years old and upwards. This statement, that the twentieth year is fixed as the starting-point for the entrance of the Levites on their official duties, is more exactly explained in the following words, by reference to the lighter labour which fell upon the Levites when the wandering life of the wilderness ceased,—a conclusion that is not fully expressed, but indicated clearly enough by 1Ch_23:25-26.
1Ch_23:27. For by the last words of David these were, etc. Thus it is obvious we are to understand the orders of David issued shortly before his end by the words בְּדִבְרֵי דָוד הָאַֽחֲרוֹנִים (with the Vulg.: juxta prœcepta David novissima, and so Clericus, J. H. Mich., Keil, etc.), not “in the later histories of David” (Kimchi, Berth.),—a conception which imports into the text a thought quite foreign to the context, and by no means justified by referring to 1Ch_29:29. Even because a last arrangement of David is now expressly named as the ground of the introduction of Levites of twenty years into the sacred service, it is to be assumed that that statement in 1Ch_23:3 respecting the entrants at the age of thirty years refers to an earlier numeration, in which David had adhered to the legal determination in Num_3:23; Num_3:30 (so Kimchi, J. H. Mich., and others), though the words and the connection of that passage, especially the circumstance that there the number 38,000 is given as the result of the muster, and that here no greater number takes its place, may not appear to favour such a distinction between an earlier and a later muster. It is conceivable, though not indicated by our author, that David may have established a distinction of classes, in such a way that he introduced the Levites of twenty years to the lower and easier duties, and those of thirty years to the higher and holier functions. At all events, any mode of harmonizing the two accounts appears more reasonable than the expedient of Bertheau, that the Chronist placed side by side two different accounts, the one giving twenty, the other thirty, years, without explanation as they were found in his sources, or than the emendation of Keil, who changes שְׁלשִׁים, 1Ch_23:3, into עֶשְׂרִים.
1Ch_23:28-31. Here follows an enumeration of the duties to be performed by the Levites, rising from the lower and more external (referring to the court and its chambers, to purification and the like) to the higher, and closing with the assistance given in the sacrifices of the great feasts.—And for the shew - bread, that is, the preparation, not the presentation of it, which belonged exclusively to the priests (Lev_24:8 ff.).—And pancakes, properly, “the pan,” comp. Lev_2:5.—And that which is fried (Lev_6:14), and all measures of capacity and length, for measuring flour, oil, and wine, which were added to the sacrifices, which the Levites had to clean and keep (comp. Exo_29:40; Exo_30:24; Lev_19:35).—And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. This naturally refers to the duties of the 4000 Levitical singers and musicians (1Ch_23:5; comp. 1 Chronicles 25); for here are enumerated the offices of all classes of the Levites, not merely of the 24,000 (against Berth.).—And to offer all burnt-offerings to the Lord. “Hereby the Levites were obliged to prepare the requisite number of victims, to examine the fitness of them, to slay the animals, to flay them, etc.” (Keil.)—By number after the order of them continually before the Lord, that is, by number as they are to be presented continually before the Lord, according to the prescriptions of the law regarding them. The תָּמִיד continually refers to “the offering” (הַֽעֲלוֹת עֹלוֹת) as a business recurring regularly on the appointed day; comp. עֹלוֹת תָּמִיד, Num_27:6, etc.
1Ch_23:32. And they shall keep the charge of the tent of meeting (“the temple,” comp. Num_18:4), and the charge of the sanctuary (of all holy things connected with worship, Num_18:5), and the charge of the sons of Aaron (the care of all that the priests enjoin upon them, all the help given to the priests). On this particular recapitulation of all the functions of the Levites, comp. the similar passage, Num_18:3 ff.
Footnotes:
[1]For עָשִׂיתִי the Sept. (ἐποίησεν) and Vulg. (fecerat) have the 3rd person. But see Exeg. Expl.
[2]For וַיֵּחָֽלְקֵם read (here and 1Ch_24:3) וַיֶּחָֽלְקֵם. See Exeg. Expl.
[3]So the Keri: in the Kethib the name is Shelomoth. The same difference appears in another Shelomith, 1Ch_26:25.
[4]For וְאָחֻז is perhaps to be read וְאֶחָד (with L. Cappell., H. Grotius, Gesen., etc.), as some late and unimportant mss. in de Rossi exhibit in the var. lect.
[5]The insertion of חֶבְרוֹן after בְּנֵי (Luther., Bert., and most moderns) is certainly confirmed neither by the Hebrew Cod. nor by the old translations (Sept., Vulg., etc.). but appears necessary from 1Ch_23:19.
[6]So the Keri the Kethib has Shamur: the old Vers. (Sept. Σαμήρ, Vulg. Samir) as the Keri.
[7]Before בְּני a name seems to have fallen out. The text in 1Ch_23:26-27 is corrupt. See the Exeg. Expl.
[8]Properly, “and Shoham” (וְשֹׁהָם).
[9]After the name of Eleazar the Sept. (cod. Vat.) adds καὶ ’Ιθάμαρ, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ’Ελεάζαρ, a gloss which is wanting in A E F X.
[10]The Kethib הנביאים is an error of transcription for the certainly correct Keri הַנִּבָּאִים (Partic. Niph.); comp. the sing. הַנִּבָּא in 1Ch_25:2-3, and see Exeg. Expl.
[11]After לְיוֹסֵף, the notice constantly recurring in the following verses: “his sons and his brethren, twelve,” appears to have fallen out by an oversight. Yet it is to be observed that this notice in 1Ch_25:9 b, after נְּדַלְיָהוּ הַשֵּׁנִי, is different from that in all subsequent cases, namely, “he and his brethren and his sons” (אֶחָיו before, not בָּנָיו, as afterwards), whence it is probable that the writer did not mention with the first singer the eleven companions, whom he preceded as the twelfth.
[12]For אסף, according to 1Ch_9:19, אֶבְיָסָף appears to have been read, though no external evidence confirms this conjecture.
[13] לְשֻׁפִּים (Sept. τῷ Σεφιείν; but cod. Vat. εἰς δεύτερον) appears to have come into the text by the repetition of the last two syllables of the foregoing הָאֲסֻפִּים, which was perhaps aided by an obscure remembrance of the root שֻׁפִּים, 1Ch_7:12.
[14]So according to the Sept. (Καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἀδελφοὶ αὐτῶν), which has here certainly the right text; comp. הַֽלְוִיִּם אֲחֵיהֶם, 2Ch_29:34. If the אֲחִיִּה of the Masoretic text be original, מֵהַֽלְוִיִּם must have stood in place of וְהַֽלְוִיִּם (comp. the Vulg., which has wholly omitted that והלוים).
[15] Kethib: שְׁלֹמוֹת; Keri: שְׁלֹמִית (comp. 1Ch_23:9). The Kethib is proved by 1Ch_23:26 to be more correct, though the name recurs, 1Ch_23:28, as שְׁלֹמִית without variation.
[16]For לְשָׂרֵי־הָֽאֲלָפִים should apparently be read וְשָׂרֵי־ה׳; comp. 1Ch_29:6.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 21, 24 NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEVITES. (Ch1 23:2-6)
NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEVITES. (Ch1 23:2-6)
he gathered together all the princes of Israel--All important measures relating to the public interest were submitted for consideration to a general assembly of the representatives of the tribes (Ch1 13:1; Ch1 15:25; Ch1 22:17; 1Ch. 26:1-32).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1, 4, 13, 14, 24, 31 1. When David was old… he made Solomon his…
1. When David was old… he made Solomon his son king — This statement serves as an introduction to the account of the arrangement of the Levites which follows. David, in his old age, made arrangements to hand over to his son a well-organized theocracy. Chapters xxiii-xxvii show how thorough and extensive were the arrangements and organization of the kingdom when Solomon was made king over Israel.
During the period of the Judges and the reign of Saul the Levitical order had become greatly disorganized. In the earlier part of David’s reign efforts were made to restore them to their ancient work and standing, and at the time of the removal of the ark to Zion much was accomplished in reorganizing the Levites, and establishing a new and beautiful sanctuary service. But the more full and perfect arrangement of both priests and Levites was the work of David’s last years. The statements of this chapter may be conveniently tabulated as follows:
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Whole number of Levites from thirty years old and upward 38,000 These embraced four classes —
1. General Service — 24,000
2. Officers and Judges — 6,000
3. Porters — 4,000
4. Musicians — 4,000
GERSHONLaadanJehiel.
Zetham.Joel.
Shelomith.
Haziel.
Haran.ShemeiJath.
KOHATH
AmramZina, (or Zirah.)
Jeush.
Beriah.
Shebuel.
IsharRehablah.
Shelomith.HebronJeriah.Amariah.
UzzielJahaziel.
Jekameam.
Micah.Jesiah.MERARIMahliEleazar.
MushiKish.
Mahil.Eder.
Jeremoth
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 2–23. Organisation of the Levites (first account)
2–23. Organisation of the Levites (first account)
Two accounts are given of David’s organisation of the Levites. According to the first the Levites were admitted to service at thirty years of age; 1Ch_23:3; cp. Num_4:3; Num_4:23; Num_4:30, where the period from thirty to fifty is fixed as the period for service. According to the second account (Num_4:24; Num_4:47) the Levites were taken from twenty years old and upwards; this was apparently the later custom; cp. 2Ch_31:17; Ezr_3:8. The discrepancy probably arises from an actual variation in practice. The original age of admission for Levites was probably thirty, but owing to the scarcity of their numbers it seems to have been necessary to reduce the limit of age to twenty. On the Levites see Ryle (Ezra and Nehemiah p. liii. ff.). See also on 1Ch_23:27.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1–32 (1) So when David was old and full of…
(1) So when David was old and full of days.—Literally, Now David had become old and satisfied with days. (See Gen_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 describes the philosopher as departing this life like a satisfied guest (ut conviva satur, etc.).
He made Solomon his son king.—Heb., and he made, &c. This short statement is all that the chronicler has chosen to repeat from 1 Kings 1, a narrative intimately connected with David’s family affairs, with which he is not concerned to deal. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 20, introductory remarks.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1–32 This chapter is the first of four employed on…
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 ch. 24. The twenty-four orders of the singers and musicians occupy the contents of ch. 25. 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 ch. 26. 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 fresh arrangement of them and fresh distribution of their work (vers. 1-6). But altogether the largest portion of the chapter (vers. 6-32) is occupied with the rehearsal of the heads of houses composing the four Levite families, and their offices.
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Vers. 1-5. The numbering and the classification of the Levites.
David made Solomon his son king over Israel. These words give the key note of what remains in this book. David made his son king, as he himself acknowledges, (1Ch_28:5) under the superintending direction of God. The manner in which the formal event was precipitated by the conduct of Adonijah is found at length in 1Ki_1:11-53. The original occasion alluded to there more than once, on which David promised, "and sware" to Bathsheba, that her son should be his chief heir and successor to the throne, is not distinctly recorded. We can easily assign one convenient place in the history for it to have found monition, viz. in 2Sa_12:25. The brevity of the statement which composes this verse, when compared with all the deeply interesting matter recorded in 1Ki_1:11-53, is one among many other very clear illustrations of the purposed silence of our present history in certain directions.
HOMILIES BY W. CLARKSON Vers. 1, 2.
Our hold upon the future.
When "David was old, and full of days" he contemplated his own death and what should then ensue who should succeed him on the throne, and what should be the work and history of the nation he had governed. We are reminded of
I OUR DESIRE TO KEEP A HOLD UPON THE FUTURE. As the king, like all other monarchs, earnestly desired that, after his death, his own sou should sit upon his throne; as he took the necessary steps to secure this by summoning all the leaders in the kingdom and giving them charge concerning him (ver. 2), so we desire to retain as much hold on human life as we can, even when our eyes shall be closed to its scenes and our ears be deaf to all its voices. Either in the person of those who are our second selves the children of our love and our charge or through our deliberately uttered wishes in documents or dying words, we desire to make ourselves felt, as the possessors of power, by the generation which will remain when we are no longer on the earth.
II OUR POWER TO CARRY OUT OUR WISHES. "David made Solomon his son king over Israel." He had the constitutional right to nominate his successor, and by solemnly designating him as such in the presence of "all the princes of Israel" he ensured his occupancy of the throne. There are ways by which we can make ourselves felt in the days which succeed our own.
1. By indoctrinating our children with our own beliefs and instilling intotheir minds our own spirit, we may live on in them and in their lives.
2. By bequeathing our property in such a way that future generations shallhave cause to remember us (e.g. the founding of parks, hospitals, homes, etc.).
3. By documents which are valid in law by which we decide the way inwhich our property shall be used or our relatives be circumstanced.
III THE LIMITATIONS OF THIS POWER. David could only make Solomon king by calling all his counsellors together and getting them to ratify his own decision; and then he had to leave the issue to Solomon"s own discretion. Had he (Solomon) acted as foolishly as his son afterwards acted, the throne would soon have passed away from him, and his father"s eager anticipations would have been defeated. Do what we may to retain a hold on the future through those who should be the inheritors of our principles and the executors of our will, we cannot really ensure anything we may devise. Those on whom we rest our strongest hopes may disappoint all our expectations and overthrow all our plans. The statesman"s great measure is repealed, the warrior"s proud conquest is undone, the millionaire"s splendid fortune is dissipated, the nobleman"s "house" is extinguished, the discoverer"s invention is superseded, the writer"s chief work is shelved, the teacher"s famous doctrine is exploded; the world moves on and leaves us all behind. We need some better solace in the declining hour than the expectation that the kingdom will go to our sons, and thus be retained by ourselves. And we have a better one in
IV THE CHRISTIAN ASPIRATION. There are two worthy and honourable ambitions we may cherish respecting the future.
1. To live on, ourselves, in another sphere. Though not acting directly onthe men and things we leave behind us, we shall be living and acting elsewhere in some other province of God"s great domain. Enough for us that, in the sphere which God chooses for us, we shall be using our powers for good more than enough, for that will be a wider sphere, and they will be enlarged and liberated powers.
2. To leave behind us in many hearts and lives the holy influence we havebeen exerting. If day by day we are scattering "the good seed of the kingdom" in true thoughts, in holy principles, in Christ-like impressions, these must and will appear again in other lives, and be again resown to reappear in others still; thus shall we have a blessed share in a far future, even in this lower realm. C.
HOMILIES BY F. WHITFIELD Vers. 1-32.
Enumeration and arrangement of the Levites for their service.
The four chapters with which this commences give a connected view of the condition of the Levites towards the end, that is, the fortieth year of David"s reign, and of the sections into which they were divided according to their various services. In this chapter the first thing with which we are presented is the total number of the tribe of Levi, and their divisions according to the duties devolving upon them. Next we have the enumeration of the heads of the houses of the fathers into which the four families of the Levites had branched out, with a brief account of their duties. All these arrangements immediately preceded Solomon"s elevation to the throne. The first part of the third verse has reference to what was the original age at which the Levites were numbered. If we read, "Now the Levites had been numbered from thirty years old and upward," it will present no difficulty. (see Nu 4) Moses himself had, however, at a later date, made their time of service from twenty-five to fifty years of age. (Num_8:23-26) David reduced even this (see ver. 24), and made their service to commence at the age of twenty. The reason for this is given (see ver. 25). The Levites had now not to do the heavy work they had when marching through the wilderness, when they had to carry the tabernacle and its vessels. Now that this was over and the Lord had given them rest, they might enter on their work at an earlier age. The census presents us with the total number, namely, thirty-eight thousand men. Of these, twenty-four thousand were to conduct and carry on the work of the house of the Lord; six thousand were to be officers and judges; four thousand porters, and four thousand to praise the Lord. The work assigned to the twenty-four thousand is more particularly defined in vers. 28-32. Two great spiritual truths are presented in this chapter.
1. Every man has his own place to fill and his own special work appointedby God. This work is of various and diverse kinds. Some of it was more honourable, in a human point of view, than another; but each man was in his own divinely appointed place. Thus only can there be order and progress in the Lord"s work by each one filling that place. "God is not the author of confusion," but of order. "The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. But God hath tempered the body together that there should be no schism in the body". (1Co_12:21-25)
2. The second truth is the great number set apart for praise andthanksgiving morning and evening (see vers. 5, 30). This was to form a conspicuous part of their service, and to take a prominent place. This is the highest kind of service. The New Testament is full of injunctions to Joy and praise and thanksgiving. It implied, in Israel of old, "how much we have to praise him for!" And is it not true in all our work and service for God? Surely they who know the Saviour, and think for a moment what he is in himself, what he did for us on the cross, and what he is doing for us every day and every hour, have to praise him now and throughout eternity! Such praises should ever be in the heart and on the lips. One heart-look at Christ should banish all doubt and fear and make that heart sing for joy. W.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv1, 5, 14, 25 So when David was old and full of days.
1Ch_23:1
So when David was old and full of days.
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I. An instructive view of life.
II. A touching picture of old age.
III. A solemn warning to all. (J. Wolfendale.)
How to employ old age
The pathos of Davids action will be more clearly recognised if we remember that the literal translation is, Now David had become satisfied with days. Satisfied with days, but not satisfied with labour. David had seen all the contents of time, in poverty, persecution, honour, end majesty, and yet he was anxious for the consolidation of his empire and the construction of the temple. When the heathen poet described the death of a philosopher it was under the image of a guest who had to the full enjoyed the feast. David as a guest of the Lord had himself sat long enough at the table of time, and now he was desirous that his son should take up the service and enjoyment of the empire, whilst he himself went forth to the mysteries of another state. Old age can do for the future what mere youth is not permitted to attempt. (J. Parker, D. D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 CRITICAL NOTES.] This and following three chapters contain an…
CRITICAL NOTES.] This and following three chapters contain an account of Levites and distribution of their services. Here their number, classification, and work (1Ch_23:1-6). But 1Ch_23:6-32 give heads of houses composing the four Levite families and their offices.
1Ch_23:1.—King. For full particulars cf. 1 Kings 1. “The author of Chronicles, who does not concern himself with the domestic history of David, naturally omits the circumstances, and merely states the fact” [Speak. Com.].
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1Ch_23:2-5.—Number and distribution of the Levites. Princes. David made arrangements with Levites in their assembly (cf. 1Ch_25:1). Thirty, Mosaic census followed (Num_4:3). None counted who exceeded 50 years by man, i.e., reckoning men only. Judges, local magistrate (chap. 1Ch_26:29). “This office resembled that of the modern Mahometan Cadi” [Speak. Com.]. Porters (1Ch_23:5), door-keepers by night and day. “Psalms 134 is the chant of the night sentries” [Speak. Com.].
1Ch_23:6-23.—Houses or families of Levites. Enumeration of all Levites, afterwards distributed into their classes. Courses, divisions definitely numbered and arranged by David. 1Ch_23:7-11. The Gershonites (Exo_6:6). Laadan, called Libni (chap. 1Ch_6:17, cf. use in Exo_6:17; Num_3:18). Shimei, not that of 1Ch_23:7, but another, cf. 1Ch_23:10. 1Ch_23:10. Zina, marg. Zizah. 1Ch_23:11. Not many and did not make separate houses. 1Ch_23:12-20. The Kohathites (Exo_6:16). Separated, therefore not counted in the number (1Ch_23:8). Burn incense (cf. Exo_30:7-8; Num_6:23-27). Named (1Ch_23:14) not like those of Aaron (1Ch_23:13). 1Ch_23:15. Moses (cf. Exo_18:3-4). 1Ch_23:16. Shebuel (cf. 1Ch_24:20). 1Ch_23:18. Shel., the founder or head. 1Ch_23:21-23. Sons of Merari, two chiefly given (Num_3:20; 1Ch_6:19), but 1Ch_24:26 seems to give a third son.
1Ch_23:24-27.—Sons of Levi. Polls (1Ch_23:3). Twenty, thirty previously fixed. Certain lighter duties imposed at 25 (Num_8:24), but only liable for full service at 30 years. David made a change. The temple would require a more numerous ministry since the ark ceased to be carried from place to place. This limit continue 1 in after times as David fixed it. 1Ch_23:27. Last orders or arrangements Some understand a historical work, drawn up by Gad or Nathan, or a work of directions for the service of the sanctuary.
1Ch_23:28-30.—Purifying, i.e., washing holy things; shewbread (Lev_24:5-9); fine flour, materials for all chief kinds of meat offerings (cf. Lev_2:1-5; Lev_6:14-15; Lev_23:13); cakes, must be rightly made, &c.; measure of liquids and things dry fixed by law (Exo_29:40; Lev_6:20; Num_15:4-10).
1Ch_23:31.—By number, exact number of cattle to be offered at various festivals fixed by law (Num_28:9-11; Num_29:8-13).
1Ch_23:32.—Keep, duties of Levites here summed up in words from Num_18:3-6. “This passage (1Ch_23:8-32) gives the most complete account to be found in Scripture of the nature of the Levitical office” [Speak. Com.].
HOMILETICS
THE SACRED TRIBE: ITS CALLING AND ITS DUTIES.—1Ch_23:2-5
In view of death, David called a representative assembly. Solomon succeeds him, and he wishes to arrange for the service of the temple. The Levites called to officiate; here classified in order and houses, with distribution and general regulations for work.
I. The sacred calling of the tribe. “To set forward the work of the house of the lord.” “Their office to wait on the sons of Aaron” (1Ch_23:28-29), and “to offer”—to help in the offering of “burnt sacrifices” (1Ch_23:31-32). This a noble, “a high calling.” Notice—
1. The legal age of entering the work. “From thirty years old and upward, even until fifty years old” (Num_4:3); then reduced to twenty-five years (Num_8:24), and now fixed “from the age of twenty years and upward” (1Ch_23:24).
2. The numbers engaged in the work. Thirty-eight thousand, an increase of more than fourfold since the time of Moses (Num_4:47-48). What a proof of God’s power and grace, who can make his servants “a thousandfold more.” Considered a privilege to belong to the retinue of an earthly monarch. What must it be to be numbered with the household of God on earth, and with the innumerable company in heaven!
II. The special duties of the tribe. We have four classes given (1Ch_23:4-5), which are afterwards described in detail.
1. The overseers. Twenty-four thousand, including priests and attendants, to (set forward) superintend (1Ch_23:4). They had under their charge the younger Levites and servants of the sanctuary, devoted to menial duties (1Ch_9:2).
2. The judges. Administrators of civil affairs “for the outward business of Israel” (2Ch_19:5-11). Officers mentioned early (Exo_5:6), generally foremen; judges concerned with religious matters chiefly.
3. The musicians, who praised on instruments—“cymbals, psalteries, harps, trumpets” (2Ch_5:12)—which David might approve or appoint, but not invent for service. He was given to music, and desired, in his latter days, to give example of its use. Handel declared, when he finally resolved to consecrate himself to sacred music, “that it was better suited to a man descending in the vale of years.”
4. The porters. At gates, guarding entrance of improper persons, and keeping from profanation and divine displeasure. In such service we may engage, leading in the song, and perfecting the praise of the sanctuary; administering law and government; creating, preserving, and perpetuating reverence and truth in all things.
THE SACRED TRIBE: ITS HEADS AND ARRANGEMENTS.—1Ch_23:6-24
After giving number and divisions of Levi according to duties, we have next an enumeration of heads of houses into which the four families branched, with a brief account of their work.
I. The houses of Gershon (1Ch_23:6-11). This branches into two—six families for Laadan, and three for Shimei; nine houses altogether.
II. The houses of Kohath (1Ch_23:11-20). Aaron not reckoned because specially set apart. His sons form subject of ch. 1Ch_25:1-19. Hence such descendants of Amram noticed which belonged to Moses, whose sons were numbered among Levites generally, and did not belong to that part to whom priestly duties were assigned. Kohath, the founder of nine fathers’ houses (mentioned ch. 1Ch_24:20-25). To these must be added the priests through Aaron and his sons, two houses, making eleven in all.
III. The houses of Merari (1Ch_23:21-23). Two sons as two leading branches, Machli and Mushi (Exo_6:19; Num_3:33). Merari is third son of Levi (Gen_46:11). As there are four houses for him, nine for Gershon, and eleven for Kohath, we have twenty-four in all of the sons of Levi. Some give Merari six, and the others nine each, which makes the same number.
IV. The arrangements of the Levites (1Ch_23:24-32). By the last words of David, at the end of his life, new arrangements were made. He thought it would contribute to the glory of God to have as many officers as possible in divine service.
1. The enrolment of office was changed. The rule was to begin at 30 years; for two reasons he relaxed this. First, Jerusalem was the chosen city, and there would be no more moving from place to place. Second, the carrying of the tabernacle was not needed any longer.
2. The duties of office are arranged. Detailed in a few items. Aaron’s sons had higher office in the service of the house of the Lord. Service in the courts (Exo_27:9); the chambers as judges; and in religious work generally. Levites helped in this service, had “to wait on the sons of Aaron.” Several things mentioned—
(1) Keeping things clean. “Purifying, i.e., cleansing of all holy things” (1Ch_23:28). Holy places, garments, vessels, and sacrifices.
(2) Getting things ready. The shewbread for priests to arrange on the table; fine flour morning and evening in just quantity for meat-offering; unleavened cakes rightly made.
(3) Adjusting weights and measures. Standards of which were considered sacred, kept in the sanctuary, and not to be altered in liquids (wine, oil, &c.) or dry goods.
(4) Blowing with their instruments. Every morning and night “to praise the Lord” in sounding their trumpets (Num_10:10).
(5) Offering sacrifices. “To offer all burnt sacrifices” (1Ch_23:31). Priests alone sprinkled the blood, trimmed the fire on the altar, and lay the parts of the victim on it. Levites did everything preparatory and needful to these priestly acts. Sacrifices offered in right number (2Sa_2:15; Num_28:1-31), and at set feasts: Passover (Lev_23:4-5); Pentecost (Lev_23:15-17); and Tabernacles (Lev_23:33-37).
(6) Guarding the tabernacle. “Keep the charge of the tabernacle” (1Ch_23:32). Charge of the tent of meeting, of holy apparatus, to have everything fit, orderly, and ready for special functions of priests.
(7) Attendance on priests. “The charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren.” Thus service honourable and menial, orderly and regular. Nothing a drudgery, but pleasant, joyful, and devout.
“Who sweeps a room as for God’s laws
Makes that and the action fine” [Herbert].
THE THREEFOLD FUNCTIONS.—1Ch_23:13
The posterity of Aaron advanced to dignity and the priest’s office to “sanctify the most holy things.” Their office here described as threefold.
1. To make atonement. Offer burnt incense upon the golden altar in the holy place. For a “stranger to come near” and do this would incur prompt punishment (Num_16:40). Incense-burning a preliminary to morning and accompaniment of evening sacrifice (Exo_30:7; Exo_30:9; Luk_1:9-10), and a special part of ceremony on Day of Atonement (Lev_16:11-13). Amid sudden danger and impending wrath, the priest took the censer of incense “to make atonement” (Num_16:46-47). No priesthood, no office like this now; but regarding this as typical of diffusive influence and specific intercession, the minister of the gospel may be an intercessor for his people, render acceptable service and point to the atonement for sin and the Mediator between God and man.
2. To minister to God for man. “To minister unto him.” This a privilege and within the power of every one. The Christian minister specially called, and set apart for this work. In prayer, preaching, and daily work, he should minister to God.
3. To bless man for God. “To bless in his name.” None have power to bless and bestow grace in themselves. But first receiving light and life they give—speak of God’s favour to men, offer pardon and assure of acceptance. They represent God in their ministry; bring down the influence of Heaven in their walk; and seek to recover fallen men from sin and death. “Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel” (Num_6:23).
THE REST OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD.—1Ch_23:25
I. In the mysterious polity of the people of Israel, spiritual and temporal blessings were so closely allied that the same language might naturally be employed to signify either. II. Hence David hinted at profounder truths than lie on the surface of his words. III. It becomes us to secure the great blessing—the rest that remaineth—as the chief object of existence. IV. Rest and peace must fall on a Christian spirit—
(1) From the imitation of Christ;
(2) The singleness of its object;
(3) The nature of the Christian affections;
(4) To support and exalt us, heaven must mingle with earth [A. Butler].
HOMILETIC HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS
1Ch_23:1.
1. An instructive view of life. “Old and full of days.” Life made up of days, not years. Day by day given until the numbers appointed (Job_14:5) are filled up, finished. “There is no elixir of life,” says one, “that can prolong our days beyond that period. Soon we shall come to the outer limit; then we must die.” Isaac died, being “old and full of days.”
2. A touching picture of old age. As a portrait made up of minute touches, so old age in character, habits, hopes, and condition. It has peculiar comeliness and attractiveness of its own when crowned with piety. Pitiable to see an old man who has missed the object of life and spent his days in folly. “The sinner, being an hundred years old, shall be accursed.” But “the hoary head is a crown of gold, if it be found in the way of righteousness.”
3. A solemn warning to all. The end sure in youthful days or “full of days.” “Old age is near neighbour to death.” Understand life before you leave it. If ready to depart we can say cheerfully, Nunc dimittis.
1Ch_23:14. Moses the man of God; the honourable appellation. Given to Moses five times in the whole of Scripture—once in the Pentateuch (Deu_31:1), once in Joshua (1Ch_14:6), twice in Chronicles (here and in 2Ch_30:16), and once in Ezra (1Ch_3:2). It is also assigned thrice to David (2Ch_8:14; Neh_12:24; Neh_12:36), and once to the prophet Shemaiah (1Ki_12:22). “Man of God,” without the article, is common [Speak. Com.].
1. Specially called and qualified for God’s work.
2. Privileged with close and familiar intercourse with God. Face to face with God and “the similitude of the Lord shall he behold.”
3. Divinely taught to declare the will of God. “With him will I speak mouth to mouth.” “The law was given by Moses.”
4. Faithfully carried on the work of God. “My servant Moses who is faithful in all my house.” God gave orders. Moses verily was faithful as a servant (Heb_3:5), and obedient in carrying them out.
5. Wonderfully honoured by God at the end. God buried him. “There arose not a prophet in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” “We must think and speak honourably of saints departed” [Trapp].
1Ch_23:28-32. Waiting in service.
1. In active work.
2. In orderly worship.
3. In devout supplication.
4. In watching attitude.
“God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best; his state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o’er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait”
[Milton].
Rest an argument for service.
1. Rest affording opportunity.
2. Specially designed for service.
3. Service, individual, orderly, and varied. Service entered upon early, and patiently conducted. Morning and evening thanks. Needful, demanded, and should be willingly given. “Every day will I praise thee.” “Evening, and morning, and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud” (Psa_55:17). “Pray without ceasing.”
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 23
1Ch_23:1. Old. I venerate old age, and I love not the man who can look without emotion upon the sunset of life, when the dusk of evening begins to gather over the watery eye, and the shadows of twilight grow broader and deeper upon the understanding [Longfellow].
1Ch_23:6. Courses. If there be any beauty and comeliness in order, where should we most expect to find it than in the divine government, and in the conduct and management of the affairs of the supreme and the celestial kingdom, wherein only the remoteness of those things from our sense makes everything seem little and inconsiderable [J. Howe].
“All things are infinite in parts, and the moral is as the material.
Neither is anything vast, but it is compacted of atoms” [Martin Tupper].
1Ch_23:6; 1Ch_23:30. Instruments and praise. In order to the high result intended, the music of religion must be religious. There must be a distinction of sounds. As this language is given for the heart, it becomes a first principle that it must be of the heart, else it is an unknown tongue. And so true is this, that nothing really can fulfil the idea of religious music which is not the breathing of true love and worship. Even instruments without life will not speak the true notes of power unless the touch of faith is on them, and the breath of holy feeling is in them; how much less the voice itself, whose very qualities of sound are inevitably toned by the secret feeling of the spirit [Dr. H. Bushnell].
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 David makes Solomon King. Particulars relating to the Levites
David makes Solomon King. Particulars relating to the Levites
This and the following three chapters (supplementing the earlier history) describe the arrangements made by David for the organisation of the Temple service after Solomon had been appointed his successor. The incidents relating to this last event, which are recorded in 1 Kings 1, are omitted by the writer, who passes over all David's domestic troubles.
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3. From the age of thirty years] This limit is given in Num_4:3, but 'twenty-five' is fixed in Num_8:24, possibly having in view different and lighter duties. By their polls] i.e. by heads.
9. Shimei] This was a fourth son of 'Laadan,' not the 'Shimei' of 1Ch_23:7, 1Ch_23:10, who was Laadan's brother, II. Zizah] the 'Zina' of 1Ch_23:10. Jeush.. Beriah] These together constituted a third 'course' belonging to the house of the elder Shimei, RV 'they became a fathers' house in one reckoning.'
14. His sons.. Levi] i.e. the sons of Moses were reckoned as Levites, not (like the sons of Aaron) as priests.
24. From the age of twenty years] David, at the end of his reign (1Ch_23:27), seems to have lowered the limit of age (see 1Ch_23:3) above which the Levites entered on their duties, and his regulations were observed in subsequent times: 2Ch_31:17; Ezr_3:8.
27. By the last words] better, 'in the Last Acts,' i.e. a history of the closing part of his reign.
29. For all.. size] i.e. for dispensing the various quantities used for the different offerings (as in Exo_29:40;).
31. The set feasts] These were the festivals of the Passover, Unleavened Bread, Weeks, and Tabernacles; for the number of victims appointed for each occasion see Numbers 28, 29.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv22, 28, 29 i.e. cousins.
brethren
i.e. cousins.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 2. The Numbering and Arrangement of the Levites
2. The Numbering and Arrangement of the Levites
CHAPTER 23
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1. Solomon made king (1Ch 23:1)
2. The number of the Levites (1Ch 23:2-6)
3. The Gershonites (1Ch 23:7-11)
4. The sons of Kohath (1Ch 23:12-20)
5. The sons of Merari (1Ch 23:21-23)
6. The service of the Levites (1Ch 23:24-32)
David, in his seventieth year, made Solomon king. It is the first time, and afterwards (1Ch 29:22) he was made king the second time.
“The first time Solomon was made king, when grace was fully established in the altar built on the threshing-floor of Ornan, where the son of David, as the prince of peace, was to build the temple. Solomon is introduced as the head of all that was being established, and as holding the first and supreme place in the mind of God--the one on whom all the rest depended, which could not even exist now without him. The house, the whole order of the house, and its government, all referred to Solomon; and thus his identification with David, in that both were on the throne at the same time, makes it much easier to understand the type of Christ in this. It is one person, whom His sufferings and victories place on the throne of glory and of peace. For at this moment, although the result of the glory was not yet manifested, God had given rest unto His people, that they might dwell at Jerusalem” (Synopsis of the Bible).
After he had made Solomon king, David devoted himself still more to the house of the Lord. He ordered and arranged everything. So when the temple was built, Solomon had only to carry out the plans his father in divine wisdom had made. All is typical of Him who has ordered all things in His infinite grace.
The census of the Levites gave their number from thirty years and upwards, at 38,000. Of these 24,000 were appointed to attend, set forward the work of the house of the Lord; 6,000 were officers and judges; 4,000 were porters and 4,000 praised the Lord with the instruments David had made to praise therewith (Amo 6:5).
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv1, 24 The Levites Divided into Three Courses
The Levites Divided into Three Courses
v. 1. So when David was old and full of days, weary of his strenuous life, 1Ki 1:32-48, he made Solomon, his son, king over Israel.
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v. 2. And he gathered together all the princes of Israel with the priests and the Levites, the princes acting as the representatives of the tribes in taking the census of the Levites as now described.
v. 3. Now, the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward, this being the age at which they did the work of their ministry according to the precept of Moses, Numbers 4; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand,
v. 4. of which twenty and four thousand were to set forward, that is, oversee, the work of the house of the Lord, the more menial tasks being assigned to the Nethinim and other servants; and six thousand were officers and judges, occupying civil and judicial offices in the nation.
v. 5. Moreover, four thousand were porters, in charge of the entrance gates, both as to opening and closing them and as to maintaining order; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith, which were used to accompany the liturgical singing in the divine worship.
v. 6. And David divided them into courses, large divisions, among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
v. 7. of the Gershonites were Laadan and Shimei.
v. 8. The sons of Laadan: the chief was Jehiel and Zetham and Joel, three.
v. 9. The sons of Shimei: Shelomith and Haziel and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.
v. 10. And the sons of Shimei were Jahath, Zina (or Zizah), and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
v. 11. And Jahath was the chief and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah had not many sons, their descendants being numerically weak; therefore they were in one reckoning, considered as one division, according to their father’s house. The total number of father-houses among the Gershonites, therefore, was nine, six descended from Laadan and three from Shimei.
v. 12. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four, Exo 6:18.
v. 13. The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the Lord, Exo 30:7, to minister unto Him, Deu 21:5, and to bless in His name forever, Num 6:23. These were exclusively priestly functions.
v. 14. Now, concerning Moses, the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi, being reckoned among the simple Levites and not among the priests.
v. 15. The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.
v. 16. of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel (or Shubael) was the chief.
v. 17. And the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah, the chief, the first and only one. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many, he had a very numerous posterity.
v. 18. of the sons of Izhar: Shelomith, the chief.
v. 19. of the sons of Hebron: Jeriah, the first; Amariah, the second; Jahaziel, the third; and Jekameam, the fourth.
v. 20. of the sons of Uzziel: Micah, the first, and Jesiah, the second. So the total number of father-houses among the descendants of Kohath was nine.
v. 21. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
v. 22. And Eleazar died and had no sons, but daughters; and their brethren, that is, cousins, the sons of Kish. took them.
v. 23. The sons of Mushi: Mahli and Eder and Jeremoth, three. So the number of father houses among the descendants of Merari was six and the total number among the Levites twenty-four. They were selected, and their families were increased, by the blessing of God.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 4, 7, 10, 12, 15, 19, 21, 24, 27, 30, 32 General Information:
General Information:
David appoints Solomon as his successor and organizes Levitical priests and staff for temple service.
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The Levites who were thirty years old and older were counted
This can be stated in active form. AT: "Some of David's men counted the Levites who were 30 years old and older" (See: Active or Passive)
They numbered thirty-eight thousand
"There were 38,000 of them" (See: Numbers)
translationWords
David
life
Solomon
king
Israel
priest
Levi
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 3, 6, 24, 28 23:1-2 When David . . . appointed his son…
23:1-2 When David . . . appointed his son Solomon as Israel’s king (cp. 1 Kgs 1), David outlined the organizational structure of the kingdom and made all the necessary provisions for the Temple’s functioning. • The account of Solomon’s coronation continues in 1 Chr 28–29; the intervening chapters (23:3–27:24) record in detail the organization of the kingdom.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.