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1 Chronicles 24:1-31 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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

27 The sons H1121 of Merari H4847 by Jaaziah; H3269 Beno, H1121 and Shoham, H7719 and Zaccur, H2139 and Ibri. H5681

28 Of Mahli H4249 came Eleazar, H499 who had no sons. H1121

29 Concerning Kish: H7027 the son H1121 of Kish H7027 was Jerahmeel. H3396

30 The sons H1121 also of Mushi; H4187 Mahli, H4249 and Eder, H5740 and Jerimoth. H3406 These were the sons H1121 of the Levites H3881 after the house H1004 of their fathers. H1

31 These likewise cast H5307 lots H1486 over against H5980 their brethren H251 the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 in the presence H6440 of David H1732 the king, H4428 and Zadok, H6659 and Ahimelech, H288 and the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the priests H3548 and Levites, H3881 even the principal H7218 fathers H1 over against H5980 their younger H6996 brethren. H251

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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 24 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 24

This chapter gives us a more particular account of the distribution of the priests and Levites into their respective classes, for the more regular discharge of the duties of their offices, according to their families.

1Ch 24:1-19

The particular account of these establishments is of little use to us now; but, when Ezra published it, it was of great use to direct their church affairs after their return from captivity into the old channel again. The title of this record we have v. 1-These are the divisions of the sons of Aaron, not by which they divided one from another, or were at variance one with another (it is a pity there should ever be any such divisions among the sons of Israel, but especially among the sons of Aaron), but the distribution of them in order to the dividing of their work among themselves; it was a division which God made, and was made for him.

  • 1. This distribution was made for the more regular discharge of the duties of their office. God was, and still is, the God of order, and not of confusion, particularly in the things of his worship. Number without order is but a clog and an occasion of tumult; but when every one has, and knows, and keeps, his place and work, the more the better. In the mystical body, every member has its use, for the good of the whole, Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Co. 12:12.
  • 2. It was made by lot, that the disposal thereof might be of the Lord, and so all quarrels and contentions might be prevented, and no man could be charged with partiality, nor could any say that they had wrong done them. As God is the God or order, so he is the God of peace. Solomon says of the lot that it causeth contention to cease.
  • 3. The lot was cast publicly, and with great solemnity, in the presence of the king, princes, and priests, that there might be no room for any fraudulent practices or the suspicion of them. The lot is an appeal to God, and ought to be managed with corresponding reverence and sincerity. Matthias was chosen to the apostleship by lot, with prayer (Acts 1:24, 26), and I know not but it might be still used in faith in parallel cases, as an instituted ordinance. We have here the name of the public notary that was employed in writing the names, and drawing the lots, (v. 6): Shemaiah, one of the Levites.
  • 4. What those priests were chosen to was to preside in the affairs of the sanctuary (v. 5), in their several courses and turns. That which was to be determined by the lot was only the precedency, not who should serve (for they chose all the chief men), but who should serve first, and who next, that every one might know his course, and attend in it. Of the twenty-four chief men of the priests sixteen were of the house of Eleazar and eight of Ithamar; for the house of Ithamar may well be supposed to have dwindled since the sentence passed on the family of Eli, who was of that house. The method of drawing the lots is intimated (v. 6), one chief household being taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar. The sixteen chief names of Eleazar were put in one urn, the eight for Ithamar in another, and they drew out of them alternately, as long as those for Ithamar lasted, and then out of those only for Eleazar, or two for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar, throughout.
  • 5. Among these twenty-four courses the eighth is that of Abijah or Abia (v. 10), which is mentioned (Lu. 1:5) as the course which Zechariah was of, the father of John the Baptist, by which it appears that these courses which David now settled, though interrupted perhaps in the bad reigns and long broken off by the captivity, yet continued in succession till the destruction of the second temple by the Romans. And each course was called by the name of him in whom it was first founded, as the high priest is here called Aaron (v. 19), because succeeding in his dignity and power, though we read not of any of them that bore that name. Whoever was high priest must be reverenced and observed by the inferior priests as their father, as Aaron their father. Christ is high priest over the house of God, to whom all believers, being made priests, are to be in subjection.

1Ch 24:20-31

Most of the Levites here named were mentioned before, ch. 23:16, etc. They were of those who were to attend the priests in the service of the house of God. But they are here mentioned again as heads of the twenty-four courses of Levites (and about so many are here named), who were to attend the twenty-four courses of the priests: they are therefore said to cast lots over against their brethren (so they are called, not their lords), the sons of Aaron, who were not to lord it over God's clergy, as the original word is, 1 Pt. 5:3. And, that the whole disposal of the affair might be of the Lord, the principal fathers cast lots over against their younger brethren; that is, those that were of the elder house came upon the level with those of the younger families, and took their place, not by seniority, but as God by the lot directed. Note, In Christ no difference is made between bond and free, elder and younger. The younger brethren, if they be faithful and sincere, shall be no less acceptable to Christ than the principal fathers.