1 And the divisions of the sons of Aaron: the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
2 And Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar exercised the priesthood.
3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their office in their service.
4 And there were more head-men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and [thus] were they divided: of the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen heads of fathers' houses, and eight of the sons of Ithamar according to their fathers' houses.
5 And they were divided by lot, one with another; for the princes of the sanctuary and the princes of God were of the sons of Eleazar and of the sons of Ithamar.
6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, [one] of the Levites, inscribed them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the chief fathers of the priests and Levites: one father's house was drawn for Eleazar, and one drawn for Ithamar.
7 And the first lot came forth for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah,
8 the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim,
9 the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin,
10 the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah,
11 the ninth for Jeshuah, the tenth for Shecaniah,
12 the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim,
13 the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab,
14 the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer,
15 the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizez,
16 the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Ezekiel,
17 the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul,
18 the twenty-third for Delaiah, the twenty-fourth for Maaziah.
19 This is their ordering in their service to come into the house of Jehovah, according to their ordinance, through Aaron their father, as Jehovah the God of Israel had commanded him.
20 And as for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah.
21 Of Rehabiah, of the sons of Rehabiah, the head was Jishijah.
22 Of the Jizharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath.
23 -- And the sons [of Hebron]: Jerijah [the head], Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.
24 The sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir;
25 the brother of Micah was Jishijah; of the sons of Jishijah, Zechariah.
26 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah, his son.
27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son: Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.
28 Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
29 Of Kish, the sons of Kish: Jerahmeel.
30 And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.
31 These likewise cast lots just as their brethren the sons of Aaron before David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief fathers of the priests and Levites, -- the chief fathers just as the youngest of their brethren.
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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 24 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 24
1Ch 24:1-19. Division of the Sons of Aaron into Four and Twenty Orders.
1. Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron—(See on 1Ch 23:6).
2. Nadab and Abihu died before their father—that is, not in his presence, but during his lifetime (see Nu 3:4; 26:61).
therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office—In consequence of the death of his two oldest sons without issue, the descendants of Aaron were comprised in the families of Eleazar and Ithamar. Both of these sons discharged the priestly functions as assistants to their father. Eleazar succeeded him, and in his line the high priesthood continued until it was transferred to the family of Ithamar, in the person of Eli.
3. Zadok … and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar—This statement, taken in connection with 1Ch 24:6, is not a little perplexing, since (2Sa 15:24, 35; 20:25) Abiathar is mentioned as the person conjoined in David's time with Zadok, in the collegiate exercise of the high priesthood. Some think that the words have been transposed, reading Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech. But there is no ground for regarding the text as faulty. The high priests of the line of Ithamar were the following: Ahiah or Ahimelech, his son Abiathar, his son Ahimelech. We frequently find the grandfather and grandson called by the same name (see list of high priests of the line of Eleazar, 1Ch 6:30-41). Hence the author of the Chronicles was acquainted with Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, who, for some reason, discharged the duties of high priest in David's reign, and during the lifetime of his father (for Abiathar was living in the time of Solomon, 1Ki 2:27) [Keil].
4. there were more chief men found—The Hebrew may be translated, "There were more men as to heads of the sons of Eleazar." It is true, in point of fact, that by the census the number of individuals belonging to the family of Eleazar was found greater than in that of Ithamar. And this, of necessity, led to there being more fathers' houses, and consequently more chiefs or presidents in the former.
5. Thus were they divided by lot—This method of allocation was adopted manifestly to remove all cause of jealousy as to precedence and the right of performing particular duties.
6. one principal household—The marginal reading is preferable, "one house of the father." The lot was cast in a deliberate and solemn manner in presence of the king, the princes, the two high priests, and the chiefs of the priestly and Levitical families. The heads of families belonging to Eleazar and Ithamar were alternately brought forward to draw, and the name of each individual, as called, registered by an attendant secretary. To accommodate the casting of the lots to the inequality of the number, there being sixteen fathers' houses of Eleazar, and only eight of Ithamar, it was arranged that every house of Ithamar should be followed by two of Eleazar, or, what is the same thing, that every two houses of Eleazar should be followed by one of Ithamar. If, then, we suppose a commencement to have been made by Eleazar, the order would be as follows: one and two, Eleazar; three, Ithamar; four and five, Eleazar; six, Ithamar; seven and eight, Eleazar; nine, Ithamar; and so forth [Bertheau]. The lot determined also the order of the priests' service. That of the Levites was afterwards distributed by the same arrangement (1Ch 24:31).