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
And Zadok H6659 the son H1121 of Ahitub, H285 and Ahimelech H288 the son H1121 of Abiathar, H54 were the priests; H3548 and Seraiah H8304 was the scribe; H5608
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
Then answered H6030 Doeg H1673 the Edomite, H130 which was set H5324 over the servants H5650 of Saul, H7586 and said, H559 I saw H7200 the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 coming H935 to Nob, H5011 to Ahimelech H288 the son H1121 of Ahitub. H285 And he enquired H7592 of the LORD H3068 for him, and gave H5414 him victuals, H6720 and gave H5414 him the sword H2719 of Goliath H1555 the Philistine. H6430 Then the king H4428 sent H7971 to call H7121 Ahimelech H288 the priest, H3548 the son H1121 of Ahitub, H285 and all his father's H1 house, H1004 the priests H3548 that were in Nob: H5011 and they came H935 all of them to the king. H4428 And Saul H7586 said, H559 Hear H8085 now, thou son H1121 of Ahitub. H285 And he answered, H559 Here I am, my lord. H113 And Saul H7586 said H559 unto him, Why have ye conspired H7194 against me, thou and the son H1121 of Jesse, H3448 in that thou hast given H5414 him bread, H3899 and a sword, H2719 and hast enquired H7592 of God H430 for him, that he should rise H6965 against me, to lie in wait, H693 as at this day? H3117 Then Ahimelech H288 answered H6030 the king, H4428 and said, H559 And who is so faithful H539 among all thy servants H5650 as David, H1732 which is the king's H4428 son in law, H2860 and goeth H5493 at thy bidding, H4928 and is honourable H3513 in thine house? H1004 Did I then H3117 begin H2490 to enquire H7592 of God H430 for him? be it far from me: H2486 let not the king H4428 impute H7760 any thing H1697 unto his servant, H5650 nor to all the house H1004 of my father: H1 for thy servant H5650 knew H3045 nothing H1697 of all this, less H6996 or more. H1419 And the king H4428 said, H559 Thou shalt surely H4191 die, H4191 Ahimelech, H288 thou, and all thy father's H1 house. H1004 And the king H4428 said H559 unto the footmen H7323 that stood H5324 about him, Turn, H5437 and slay H4191 the priests H3548 of the LORD; H3068 because their hand H3027 also is with David, H1732 and because they knew H3045 when he fled, H1272 and did not shew H1540 H241 it to me. But the servants H5650 of the king H4428 would H14 not put forth H7971 their hand H3027 to fall H6293 upon the priests H3548 of the LORD. H3068 And the king H4428 said H559 to Doeg, H1673 Turn H5437 thou, and fall H6293 upon the priests. H3548 And Doeg H1673 the Edomite H130 turned, H5437 and he fell H6293 upon the priests, H3548 and slew H4191 on that day H3117 fourscore H8084 and five H2568 persons H376 that did wear H5375 a linen H906 ephod. H646 And Nob, H5011 the city H5892 of the priests, H3548 smote H5221 he with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 both men H376 and women, H802 children H5768 and sucklings, H3243 and oxen, H7794 and asses, H2543 and sheep, H7716 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719 And one H259 of the sons H1121 of Ahimelech H288 the son H1121 of Ahitub, H285 named H8034 Abiathar, H54 escaped, H4422 and fled H1272 after H310 David. H1732 And Abiathar H54 shewed H5046 David H1732 that Saul H7586 had slain H2026 the LORD'S H3068 priests. H3548 And David H1732 said H559 unto Abiathar, H54 I knew H3045 it that day, H3117 when Doeg H1673 the Edomite H130 was there, that he would surely H5046 tell H5046 Saul: H7586 I have occasioned H5437 the death of all the persons H5315 of thy father's H1 house. H1004 Abide H3427 thou with me, fear H3372 not: for he that seeketh H1245 my life H5315 seeketh H1245 thy life: H5315 but with me thou shalt be in safeguard. H4931
Eleazar H499 begat H3205 Phinehas, H6372 Phinehas H6372 begat H3205 Abishua, H50 And Abishua H50 begat H3205 Bukki, H1231 and Bukki H1231 begat H3205 Uzzi, H5813 And Uzzi H5813 begat H3205 Zerahiah, H2228 and Zerahiah H2228 begat H3205 Meraioth, H4812 Meraioth H4812 begat H3205 Amariah, H568 and Amariah H568 begat H3205 Ahitub, H285 And Ahitub H285 begat H3205 Zadok, H6659 and Zadok H6659 begat H3205 Ahimaaz, H290
And these are the sons H1121 of Aaron; H175 Eleazar H499 his son, H1121 Phinehas H6372 his son, H1121 Abishua H50 his son, H1121 Bukki H1231 his son, H1121 Uzzi H5813 his son, H1121 Zerahiah H2228 his son, H1121 Meraioth H4812 his son, H1121 Amariah H568 his son, H1121 Ahitub H285 his son, H1121 Zadok H6659 his son, H1121 Ahimaaz H290 his son. H1121
And Jehoiada H3077 was the leader H5057 of the Aaronites, H175 and with him were three H7969 thousand H505 and seven H7651 hundred; H3967 And Zadok, H6659 a young man H5288 mighty H1368 of valour, H2428 and of his father's H1 house H1004 twenty H6242 and two H8147 captains. H8269
And David H1732 called H7121 for Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 the priests, H3548 and for the Levites, H3881 for Uriel, H222 Asaiah, H6222 and Joel, H3100 Shemaiah, H8098 and Eliel, H447 and Amminadab, H5992
And Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and his brethren H251 the priests, H3548 before H6440 the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD H3068 in the high place H1116 that was at Gibeon, H1391
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
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 24
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).