1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.
3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.
4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.
5 Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house 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, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.
7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
9 The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
11 The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah,
12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,
16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,
17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,
18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.
19 These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.
20 And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.
21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.
22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.
23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.
24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.
25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.
26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno.
1 Now these are the divisions H4256 of the sons H1121 of Aaron. H175 The sons H1121 of Aaron; H175 Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385
2 But Nadab H5070 and Abihu H30 died H4191 before H6440 their father, H1 and had no children: H1121 therefore Eleazar H499 and Ithamar H385 executed the priest's office. H3547
3 And David H1732 distributed H2505 them, both Zadok H6659 of the sons H1121 of Eleazar, H499 and Ahimelech H288 of the sons H1121 of Ithamar, H385 according to their offices H6486 in their service. H5656
4 And there were more H7227 chief H7218 men H1397 found H4672 of the sons H1121 of Eleazar H499 than of the sons H1121 of Ithamar; H385 and thus were they divided. H2505 Among the sons H1121 of Eleazar H499 there were sixteen H8337 H6240 chief men H7218 of the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 and eight H8083 among the sons H1121 of Ithamar H385 according to the house H1004 of their fathers. H1
5 Thus were they divided H2505 by lot, H1486 one sort H428 with another; H428 for the governors H8269 of the sanctuary, H6944 and governors H8269 of the house of God, H430 were of the sons H1121 of Eleazar, H499 and of the sons H1121 of Ithamar. H385
6 And Shemaiah H8098 the son H1121 of Nethaneel H5417 the scribe, H5608 one of the Levites, H3881 wrote H3789 them before H6440 the king, H4428 and the princes, H8269 and Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Ahimelech H288 the son H1121 of Abiathar, H54 and before the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the priests H3548 and Levites: H3881 one H259 principal H1 household H1004 being taken H270 for Eleazar, H499 and one taken H270 for Ithamar. H385
7 Now the first H7223 lot H1486 came forth H3318 to Jehoiarib, H3080 the second H8145 to Jedaiah, H3048
8 The third H7992 to Harim, H2766 the fourth H7243 to Seorim, H8188
9 The fifth H2549 to Malchijah, H4441 the sixth H8345 to Mijamin, H4326
10 The seventh H7637 to Hakkoz, H6976 the eighth H8066 to Abijah, H29
11 The ninth H8671 to Jeshua, H3442 the tenth H6224 to Shecaniah, H7935
12 The eleventh H6249 H6240 to Eliashib, H475 the twelfth H8147 H6240 to Jakim, H3356
13 The thirteenth H7969 H6240 to Huppah, H2647 the fourteenth H702 H6240 to Jeshebeab, H3428
14 The fifteenth H2568 H6240 to Bilgah, H1083 the sixteenth H8337 H6240 to Immer, H564
15 The seventeenth H7651 H6240 to Hezir, H2387 the eighteenth H8083 H6240 to Aphses, H6483
16 The nineteenth H8672 H6240 to Pethahiah, H6611 the twentieth H6242 to Jehezekel, H3168
17 The one H259 and twentieth H6242 to Jachin, H3199 the two H8147 and twentieth H6242 to Gamul, H1577
18 The three H7969 and twentieth H6242 to Delaiah, H1806 the four H702 and twentieth H6242 to Maaziah. H4590
19 These were the orderings H6486 of them in their service H5656 to come H935 into the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 according to their manner, H4941 under H3027 Aaron H175 their father, H1 as the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 had commanded H6680 him.
20 And the rest H3498 of the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 were these: Of the sons H1121 of Amram; H6019 Shubael: H7619 of the sons H1121 of Shubael; H7619 Jehdeiah. H3165
21 Concerning Rehabiah: H7345 of the sons H1121 of Rehabiah, H7345 the first H7218 was Isshiah. H3449
22 Of the Izharites; H3325 Shelomoth: H8013 of the sons H1121 of Shelomoth; H8013 Jahath. H3189
23 And the sons H1121 of Hebron; Jeriah H3404 the first, Amariah H568 the second, H8145 Jahaziel H3166 the third, H7992 Jekameam H3360 the fourth. H7243
24 Of the sons H1121 of Uzziel; H5816 Michah: H4318 of the sons H1121 of Michah; H4318 Shamir. H8053
25 The brother H251 of Michah H4318 was Isshiah: H3449 of the sons H1121 of Isshiah; H3449 Zechariah. H2148
26 The sons H1121 of Merari H4847 were Mahli H4249 and Mushi: H4187 the sons H1121 of Jaaziah; H3269 Beno. H1121
1 And the courses of the sons of Aaron `were these'. The sons of Aaron: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.
3 And David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their ordering in their service.
4 And there were more chief 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 of the sons of Ithamar, according to their fathers' houses, eight.
5 Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethanel the scribe, who was of the Levites, wrote them in the presence of the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers' `houses' of the priests and of the Levites; one fathers' house being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.
7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,
16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
17 the one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,
18 the three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.
19 This was the ordering of them in their service, to come into the house of Jehovah according to the ordinance `given' unto them by Aaron their father, as Jehovah, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
20 And of 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, Isshiah the chief.
22 Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath.
23 And the sons `of Hebron': Jeriah `the chief', 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, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.
26 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah: Beno.
1 And to the sons of Aaron `are' their courses: sons of Aaron `are' Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar,
2 and Nadab dieth, and Abihu, in the presence of their father, and they had no sons, and Eleazar and Ithamar act as priests.
3 And David distributeth them, and Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their office in their service;
4 and there are found of the sons of Eleazar more for heads of the mighty men than of the sons of Ithamar; and they distribute them: Of the sons of Eleazar, heads for a house of fathers, sixteen; and of the sons of Ithamar, for a house of their fathers, eight.
5 And they distribute them, by lots, one with another, for princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, have been of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
6 And Shemaiah son of Nethaneel the scribe, of the Levites, writeth them before the king and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and heads of the fathers, for priests and for Levites: one house of a father being taken possession of for Eleazar, and one being taken possession of for Ithamar.
7 And the first lot goeth out for Jehoiarib, for Jedaiah the second,
8 for Harim the third, for Seorim the fourth,
9 for Malchijah the fifth, for Mijamin the sixth,
10 for Hakkoz the seventh, for Abijah the eighth,
11 for Jeshuah the ninth, for Shecaniah the tenth,
12 for Eliashib the eleventh, for Jakim the twelfth,
13 for Huppah the thirteenth, for Jeshebeab the fourteenth,
14 for Bilgah the fifteenth, for Immer the sixteenth,
15 for Hezir the seventeenth, for Aphses the eighteenth,
16 for Pethahiah the nineteenth, for Jehezekel the twentieth,
17 for Jachin the one and twentieth, for Gamul the two and twentieth,
18 for Delaiah the three and twentieth, for Maaziah the four and twentieth.
19 These `are' their appointments for their service, to come in to the house of Jehovah, according to their ordinance by the hand of Aaron their father, as Jehovah God of Israel, commanded them.
20 And for the sons of Levi who are left: for sons of Amram, Shubael; for sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.
21 For Rehabiah: for sons of Rehabiah, the head Ishshiah.
22 For the Izharite: Shelomoth; for sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.
23 And sons of Jeriah: Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.
24 Sons of Uzziel: Michah; for sons of Michah: Shamir.
25 A brother of Michah `is' Ishshiah; for sons of Ishshiah: Zechariah;
26 sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Jaaziah: Beno;
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.
1 Thes were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.
3 David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their ordering in their service.
4 There were more chief 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 of the sons of Ithamar, according to their fathers' houses, eight.
5 Thus were they divided impartially by drawing lots; for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
6 Shemaiah the son of Nethanel the scribe, who was of the Levites, wrote them in the presence of the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the priests and of the Levites; one fathers' house being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.
7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,
16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,
18 the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
19 This was the ordering of them in their service, to come into the house of Yahweh according to the ordinance [given] to them by Aaron their father, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
20 Of 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, Isshiah the chief.
22 Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath.
23 The sons [of Hebron]: Jeriah [the chief], 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, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.
26 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah: Beno.
1 Now the divisions into which the sons of Aaron were grouped were these: the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
2 But Nadab and Abihu came to their end before their father, and had no children; so Eleazar and Ithamar did the work of priests.
3 And David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, made distribution of them into their positions for their work.
4 And there were more chiefs among the sons of Eleazar than among the sons of Ithamar; and this is how they were grouped: of the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen, all heads of families; and of the sons of Ithamar, heads of families, there were eight.
5 So they were put into groups, by the Lord's decision, one with another; for there were rulers of the holy place and rulers of the house of God among the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar.
6 And Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, who was a Levite, put down their names in writing, the king being present with the rulers, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites; one family being taken for Eleazar and then one for Ithamar, and so on.
7 Now the first name to come out was that of Jehoiarib; the second Jedaiah,
8 The third Harim, the fourth Seorim,
9 The fifth Malchijah, the sixth Mijamin,
10 The seventh Hakkoz, the eighth Abijah,
11 The ninth Jeshua, the tenth Shecaniah,
12 The eleventh Eliashib, the twelfth Jakim,
13 The thirteenth Huppah, the fourteenth Jeshebeab,
14 The fifteenth Bilgah, the sixteenth Immer,
15 The seventeenth Hezir, the eighteenth Happizzez,
16 The nineteenth Pethahiah, the twentieth Jehezkel,
17 The twenty-first Jachin, the twenty-second Gamul,
18 The twenty-third Delaiah, the twenty-fourth Maaziah.
19 So they were put into their different groups, to take their places in the house of the Lord, in agreement with the rules made by Aaron their father, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had given him orders.
20 And of 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, Isshiah the chief.
22 Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath.
23 And the sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, 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, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.
26 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 24
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 24 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The division of the priests and Levites into classes . - Vv. 1-19. The twenty-four classes of priests . After the statement as to the fathers'-houses of the Levites (1 Chron 23), we have next the arrangements of the priests for the performance of the service in the sanctuary; the priestly families descended from Aaron's sons Eleazar and Ithamar being divided into twenty-four classes, the order of whose service was settled by lot.
1 Chronicles 24:1 contains the superscription, “As for the sons of Aaron, their divisions (were these).” To make the division clear, we have an introductory notice of Aaron's descendants, to the effect that of his four sons, the two elder, Nadab and Abihu, died before their father, leaving no sons, so that only Eleazar and Ithamar became priests ( יכהנוּ ), i.e., entered upon the priesthood. The four sons of Aaron, 1 Chronicles 24:1, as in 1 Chronicles 6:3, Exodus 6:23.
Cf. Leviticus 10:1., Numbers 3:4. These priestly families David caused (1 Chronicles 24:3) to be divided, along with the two high priests (see on 13:16), “according to their service.” פּקדּה , office, official class, as in 1 Chronicles 23:11.
As the sons of Eleazar proved to be more numerous in respect of the heads of the men than the sons of Ithamar, they (David, Zadok, and Ahimelech) divided them thus: “For the sons of Eleazar, heads of fathers'-houses, sixteen; and for the sons of Ithamar, (heads) of fathers'-houses, eight.” הגּברים לראשׁי means neither in respect to the number of the men by the head (cf. 1 Chronicles 23:3), nor with respect to the chiefs of the men, divided according to their fathers'-houses (Berth.). The supplying of the words, “divided according to their fathers'-houses,” is perfectly arbitrary. The expression הגּברים ראשׁי is rather to be explained by the fact that, according to the natural articulations of the people, the fathers'-houses, i.e., the groups of related families comprehended under the name בּית־אבות , divided themselves further into individual households, whose heads were called גּברים , as is clear from Joshua 7:16-18, because each household had in the man, הגּבר , its natural head. הגּברים ראשׁי are therefore the heads, not of the fathers'-houses, but of the individual households, considered in their relation to the men as heads of households. Just as בּית־אב sa tsuJ .s is a technical designation of the larger groups of households into which the great families fell, so הגּבר is the technical expression for the individual households into which the fathers'-houses fell.
They divided them by lot, עם־אלּה אלּה , these with these, i.e., the one as the other (cf. 1 Chronicles 25:8), so that the classes of both were determined by lot, as both drew lots mutually. “For holy princes and princes of God were of the sons of Eleazar, and among the sons of Ithamar;” i.e., of both lines of priests holy princes had come, men who had held the highest priestly dignity. The high-priesthood, as is well known, went over entirely to Eleazar and his descendants, but had been held for a considerable period in the time of the judges by the descendants of Ithamar; see above, pp. 444f. In the settlement of the classes of priests for the service, therefore, neither of the lines was to have an advantage, but the order was to be determined by lot for both. קדשׁ שׂרי , cf. Isaiah 43:28, = הכּהנים שׂרי , 2 Chronicles 36:14, are the high priests and the heads of the priestly families, the highest officers among the priests, but can hardly be the same as the ἀρχιερεῖς of the gospel history; for the view that these ἀρχιερεῖς were the heads of the twenty-four classes of priests cannot be made good: cf. Wichelhaus, Comment. zur Leidensgesch. (Halle, 1855), S. 32ff. האלהים שׂרי would seem to denote the same, and to be added as synonymous; but if there be a distinction between the two designations, we would take the princes of God to denote only the regular high priests, who could enter in before God into the most holy place.
“He set them down,” viz., the classes, as the lot had determined them. מן־הלּוי , of the tribe of Levi. ול לכּהנים belongs to האבות ראשׁי , heads of the fathers'-houses of the priests and of the Levites. The second hemistich of 1 Chronicles 24:6 gives a more detailed account of the drawing of the lots: “One father's-house was drawn for Eleazar, and drawn for Ithamar.” The last words are obscure. אחוּז , to lay hold of, to draw forth (Numbers 31:30, Numbers 31:47), here used of drawing lots, signifies plucked forth or drawn from the urn. The father's-house was plucked forth from the urn, the lot bearing its name being drawn. זאז ואהז , which is the only well-attested reading, only some few MSS containing the reading אהז ואחד , is very difficult. Although this various reading is a mere conjecture, yet Gesen. ( Thes. p. 68), with Cappell and Grotius, prefers it. The repetition of the same word expresses sometimes totality, multitude, sometimes a distributive division; and here can only be taken in this last signification: one father's-house drawn for Eleazar, and then always drawn (or always one drawn) for Ithamar. So much at least is clear, that the lots of the two priestly families were not placed in one urn, but were kept apart in different urns, so that the lots might be drawn alternately for Eleazar and Ithamar. Had the lot for Eleazar been first drawn, and thereafter that for Ithamar, since Eleazar's family was the more numerous, they would have had an advantage over the Ithamarites. But it was not to be allowed that one family should have an advantage over the other, and the lots were consequently drawn alternately, one for the one, and another for the other. But as the Eleazarites were divided into sixteen fathers'-houses, and the Ithamarites into eight, Bertheau thinks that it was settled, in order to bring about an equality in the numbers sixteen and eight, in so far as the drawing of the lots was concerned, that each house of Ithamar should represent two lots, or, which is the same thing, that after every two houses of Eleazarites one house of Ithamarites should follow, and that the order of succession of the single houses was fixed according to this arrangement. To this or some similar conception of the manner of settling the order of succession we are brought, he says, by the relation of the number eight to sixteen, and by the words אהז and אהז ואהז . But even though this conception be readily suggested by the relation of the number sixteen to eight, yet we cannot see how the words אהז and אהז ואהז indicate it. These words would much rather suggest that a lot for Eleazar alternated with the drawing of one for Ithamar, until the eight heads of Ithamar's family had been drawn, when, of course, the remaining eight lots of Eleazar must be drawn one after the other. We cannot, however, come to any certain judgment on the matter, for the words are so obscure as to be unintelligible even to the old translators. In 1 Chronicles 24:7-18 we have the names of the fathers'-houses in the order of succession which had been determined by the lot. יצא , of the lot coming forth from the urn, as in Joshua 16:1; Joshua 19:1. The names Jehoiarib and Jedaiah occur together also in 1 Chronicles 9:10; and Jedaiah is met with, besides, in Ezra 2:36 and Nehemiah 7:39. The priest Mattathias, 1 Macc. 2:1, came of the class of Jehoiarib. Of the succeeding names, שׂערים (1 Chronicles 24:8), ישׁבאב (1 Chronicles 24:13), and הפּצּץ (1 Chronicles 24:15) do not elsewhere occur; others, such as חפּה (1 Chronicles 24:13), גּמוּל (1 Chronicles 24:17), do not recur among the names of priests. The sixteenth class, Immer, on the contrary, and the twenty-first, Jachin, are often mentioned; cf. 1 Chronicles 9:10, 1 Chronicles 9:12. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, belonged to the eighth, Abiah (Luke 1:5).
These are their official classes for their service (cf. 1 Chronicles 24:3), לבוא , so that they came (according to the arrangement thus determined) into the house of Jahve, according to their law, through Aaron their father (ancestor), i.e., according to the lawful arrangement which was made by Aaron for their official service, as Jahve the God of Israel had commanded. This last clause refers to the fact that the priestly service in all its parts was prescribed by Jahve in the law.
(Note: Of these twenty-four classes, each one had to perform the service during a week in order, and, as may be gathered with certainty from 2 Kings 11:9 and 2 Chronicles 23:9, from Sabbath to Sabbath. Josephus bears witness to this division in Antt . vii. 14. 7: διέμεινεν οὗτος ὁ μερισμὸς ἄχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας . Herzfeld, on the contrary ( Geschichte des Volks Israel von der Zerstörung des ersten Tempels, Bd. i. S. 381ff.), following de Wette and Bramb., has declared the reference of this organization of the priests to David to be an invention of the chronicler, and maintains that the twenty-four classes of priests were formed only after the exile, from the twenty-two families of priests who returned out of exile with Zerubbabel. But this baseless hypothesis is sufficiently refuted by the evidence adduced by Movers, die bibl. Chron. S. 279ff., for the historical character of the arrangements attributed to David, and described in our chapters; but the remarks of Oehler in Herzog ' s Realenc . xii. S. 185f. may also be compared. An unimpeachable witness for the prae-exilic origin of the division of the priests into twenty-four orders is the vision of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 8:16-18), where the twenty-five men who worship the sun in the priests ' court represent the twenty-four classes of priests, with the high priest at their head. In Nehemiah 12:1-7 and Nehemiah 12:12-21 also unimpeachable evidence for the Davidic origin of the division of the priests into twenty-four classes is to be found, as we shall show in treating of these passages.)
The classes of the Levites . - The superscription, “As to the other Levites” (1 Chronicles 24:20), when compared with the subscription, “And they also cast lots, like to their brethren the sons of Aaron” (1 Chronicles 24:31), leads us to expect a catalogue of these classes of Levites, which performed the service in the house of God at the hand of, i.e., as assistants to, the priests. הנּותרים are the Levites still remaining after the enumeration of the priests. We might certainly regard the expression as including all the Levites except the Aaronites (or priests); but the statement of the subscription that they cast lots like the sons of Aaron, and the circumstance that in 1 Chron 25 the twenty-four orders of singers and musicians, in 1 Chron 26:1-19 the class of the doorkeepers, and in 1 Chronicles 26:20-32 the overseers of the treasures, and the scribes and judges, are specially enumerated, prove that our passage treats only of the classes of the Levites who were employed about the worship. Bertheau has overlooked these circumstances, and, misled by false ideas as to the catalogue in 1 Chron 23:6-23, has moreover drawn the false conclusion that the catalogue in our verses is imperfect, from the circumstance that a part of the names of the fathers'-houses named in 23:6-23 recur here in 1 Chronicles 23:20-29, and that we find a considerable number of the names which are contained in 1 Chron 23:6-23 to be omitted from them. In 1 Chronicles 23:20-25, for example, we find only names of Kohathithes, and in 1 Chronicles 23:26-29 of Merarites, and no Gershonites. But it by no means follows from that, that the classes of the Gershonites have been dropped out, or even omitted by the author of the Chronicle as an unnecessary repetition. This conclusion would only be warrantable if it were otherwise demonstrated, or demonstrable, that the Levites who were at the hand of the priests in carrying on the worship had been taken from all the three Levite families, and that consequently Gershonites also must have been included. But no such thing can be proved. Several fathers'-houses of the Gershonites were, according to 1 Chronicles 26:20., entrusted with the oversight of the treasures of the sanctuary. We have indeed no further accounts as to the employment of the other Gershonites; but the statements about the management of the treasures, and the scribes and judges, in 1 Chronicles 26:20-32, are everywhere imperfect. David had appointed 6000 men to be scribes and judges: those mentioned in 1 Chronicles 26:29-32 amounted to only 1700 and 2700, consequently only 4400 persons in all; so that it is quite possible the remaining 1600 were taken from among the Gershonites. Thus, therefore, from the fact that the Gershonites are omitted from our section, we cannot conclude that our catalogue is mutilated. In it all the chief branches of the Kohathites are named, viz., the two lines descended from Moses' sons (1 Chronicles 24:20, 1 Chronicles 24:21); then the Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites (1 Chronicles 24:23-25), and the main branches of the Merarites (1 Chronicles 24:26-30).
1 Chronicles 24:20 is to be taken thus: Of the sons of Amram, i.e., of the Kohathite Amram, from whom Moses descended (1 Chronicles 23:13), that is, of the chief Shubael, descended from Moses' son Gershon (1 Chronicles 23:16), his son Jehdeiah, who as head and representative of the class made up of his sons, and perhaps also of his brothers, is alone mentioned.
1 Chronicles 24:21
Of the father's-house Rehabiah, connected with Eliezer the second son of Moses (1 Chronicles 23:16); of the sons of this Rehabiah, Isshiah was the head.
1 Chronicles 24:22
Of the Izharites, namely of the father's-house Shelomoth (1 Chronicles 23:18), his sons were under the head Jahath. The heads of the class formed by David mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24:20-22, Jehdeiah, Isshiah, and Jahath, are not met with in 1 Chron 23 - a clear proof that 1 Chron 23 treats of the fathers'-houses; our section, on the contrary, of the official classes of the Levites.
1 Chronicles 24:23-25
1 Chronicles 24:23 treats of the Hebronites, as is clear from 1 Chronicles 23:19; but here the text is imperfect. Instead of enumerating the names of the chiefs of the classes into which David divided the four fathers'-houses into which Hebron's descendants fell for the temple service, we find only the four names of the heads of the fathers'-houses repeated, just as in 1 Chronicles 23:19, - introduced, too, by וּבני as sons of...Bertheau would therefore interpolate the name חברון after וּבני (according to 1 Chronicles 23:19). This interpolation is probably correct, but is not quite beyond doubt, for possibly only the בּני of the four sons of Hebron named could be mentioned as being busied about the service of the sanctuary according to their divisions. In any case, the names of the heads of the classes formed by the Hebronites are wanting; but it is impossible to ascertain whether they have been dropped out only by a later copyist, or were not contained in the authority made use of by our historian, for even the lxx had our text.
1 Chronicles 24:26-30
The classes of the Merarites. As to Jaaziah and his sons, see the remarks on 1 Chronicles 23:31. As Mahli's son Eleazar had no sons, only Jerahmeel from his second son Kish, as head of the class formed by Mahli's sons, is named. Of Mushi's sons only the names of the four fathers'-houses into which they fell are mentioned, the chiefs of the classes not being noticed. The heads mentioned in our section are fifteen in all; and supposing that in the cases of the fathers'-houses of the Hebronites and of the Merarite branch of the Mushes, where the heads of the classes are not named, each father's-house formed only one class, we would have only fifteen classes. It is, however, quite conceivable that many of the fathers'-houses of the Hebronites and Mushes were so numerous as to form more than one class; and so out of the Levite families mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24:20-29 twenty-four classes could be formed. The subscription, that they cast the lot like their brethren, makes this probable; and the analogy of the division of the musicians into twenty-four classes (1 Chron 25) turns the probability that the Levites who were appointed to perform service for the priests, were divided into the same number of classes, into a certainty, although we have no express statement to that effect, and in the whole Old Testament no information as to the order of succession of the Levites is anywhere to be found.
1 Chronicles 24:31
וגו דויד לפני , as in 1 Chronicles 24:6. In the last clause אבות is used for בּית־אבות , as אבות ראשׁי stands frequently for בּית־אבות ראשׁי in these catalogues. הראשׁ stands in apposition to בּית־אבות , the father's-house; the head even as his younger brother, i.e., he who was the head of the father's-house as etc., i.e., the oldest among the brethren as his younger brethren. The Vulgate gives the meaning correctly: tam majores quam minores; omnes sors aequaliter dividebat .