8 The sons H1121 of Laadan; H3936 the chief H7218 was Jehiel, H3171 and Zetham, H2241 and Joel, H3100 three. H7969
And these are they that waited H5975 with their children. H1121 Of the sons H1121 of the Kohathites: H6956 Heman H1968 a singer, H7891 the son H1121 of Joel, H3100 the son H1121 of Shemuel, H8050 The son H1121 of Elkanah, H511 the son H1121 of Jeroham, H3395 the son H1121 of Eliel, H447 the son H1121 of Toah, H8430
So the Levites H3881 appointed H5975 Heman H1968 the son H1121 of Joel; H3100 and of his brethren, H251 Asaph H623 the son H1121 of Berechiah; H1296 and of the sons H1121 of Merari H4847 their brethren, H251 Ethan H387 the son H1121 of Kushaiah; H6984 And with them their brethren H251 of the second H4932 degree, Zechariah, H2148 Ben, H1122 and Jaaziel, H3268 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Unni, H6042 Eliab, H446 and Benaiah, H1141 and Maaseiah, H4641 and Mattithiah, H4993 and Elipheleh, H466 and Mikneiah, H4737 and Obededom, H5654 and Jeiel, H3273 the porters. H7778
And Zechariah, H2148 and Aziel, H5815 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Unni, H6042 and Eliab, H446 and Maaseiah, H4641 and Benaiah, H1141 with psalteries H5035 on Alamoth; H5961 And Mattithiah, H4993 and Elipheleh, H466 and Mikneiah, H4737 and Obededom, H5654 and Jeiel, H3273 and Azaziah, H5812 with harps H3658 on the Sheminith H8067 to excel. H5329
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 23
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
1Ch 23:1. David Makes Solomon King.
1. when David was old … he made Solomon … king—This brief statement, which comprises the substance of 1Ki 1:32-48, is made here solely to introduce an account of the preparations carried on by David during the latter years of his life for providing a national place of worship.
1Ch 23:2-6. Number and Distribution of the Levites.
2. 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 (1Ch 13:1; 15:25; 22:17; 26:1-32).
3. the Levites were numbered … thirty and eight thousand—Four times their number at the early census taken by Moses (see on Nu 4:1-49; 26:1-51). It was, in all likelihood, this vast increase that suggested and rendered expedient that classification, made in the last year of David's reign, which the present and three subsequent chapters describe.
by their polls, man by man—Women and children were not included.
4. twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord—They were not to preside over all the services of the temple. The Levites were subject to the priests, and they were superior to the Nethinim and other servants, who were not of the race of Levi. But they had certain departments of duty assigned, some of which are here specified.
5. praised the Lord with the instruments which I made—David seems to have been an inventor of many of the musical instruments used in the temple (Am 6:5).
6. David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi—These are enumerated according to their fathers' houses, but no more of these are mentioned here than the twenty-four thousand who were engaged in the work connected with the Lord's house. The fathers' houses of those Levites corresponded with the classes into which they [Josephus, Antiquities] as well as the priests were divided (see on 1Ch 24:20-31; 1Ch 26:20-28).
1Ch 23:7-11. Sons of Gershon.
7-11. the Gershonites—They had nine fathers' houses, six descended from Laadan, and three from Shimei.
1Ch 23:12-20. Of Kohath.
12. The sons of Kohath—He was the founder of nine Levitical fathers' houses.
13. Aaron was separated—as high priest (see on 1Ch 25:1-19).
14. concerning Moses—His sons were ranked with the Levites generally, but not introduced into the distinctive portion of the descendants of Levi, who were appointed to the special functions of the priesthood.
1Ch 23:21-23. Of Merari.
21-23. The sons of Merari—They comprised six fathers' houses. Summing them together, Gershon founded nine fathers houses, Kohath nine, and Merari six: total, twenty-four.
1Ch 23:24-32. Office of the Levites.
24-27. These were the sons of Levi … that did the work … from the age of twenty years and upward—The enumeration of the Levites was made by David (1Ch 23:3) on the same rule as that followed by Moses (Nu 4:3), namely, from thirty years. But he saw afterwards that this rule might be beneficially relaxed, and that the enrolment of Levites for their proper duties might be made from twenty years of age. The ark and tabernacle being now stationary at Jerusalem, the labor of the Levites was greatly diminished, as they were no longer obliged to transport its heavy furniture from place to place. The number of thirty-eight thousand Levites, exclusive of priests, was doubtless more than sufficient for the ordinary service of the tabernacle. But this pious king thought that it would contribute to the glory of the Lord to employ as many officers in his divine service as possible. These first rules, however, which David instituted, were temporary, as very different arrangements were made after the ark had been deposited in the tabernacle of Zion.