8 And Ahitub H285 begat H3205 Zadok, H6659 and Zadok H6659 begat H3205 Ahimaaz, H290
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
The king H4428 said H559 also unto Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 Art not thou a seer? H7200 return H7725 into the city H5892 in peace, H7965 and your two H8147 sons H1121 with you, Ahimaaz H290 thy son, H1121 and Jonathan H3083 the son H1121 of Abiathar. H54
And hast thou not there with thee Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 the priests? H3548 therefore it shall be, that what thing H1697 soever thou shalt hear H8085 out of the king's H4428 house, H1004 thou shalt tell H5046 it to Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 the priests. H3548 Behold, they have there with them their two H8147 sons, H1121 Ahimaaz H290 Zadok's H6659 son, and Jonathan H3083 Abiathar's H54 son; and by them H3027 ye shall send H7971 unto me every thing H1697 that ye can hear. H8085
Then said H559 Hushai H2365 unto Zadok H6659 and to Abiathar H54 the priests, H3548 Thus and thus did Ahithophel H302 counsel H3289 Absalom H53 and the elders H2205 of Israel; H3478 and thus and thus have I counselled. H3289
Now Jonathan H3083 and Ahimaaz H290 stayed H5975 by Enrogel; H5883 for they might H3201 not be seen H7200 to come H935 into the city: H5892 and a wench H8198 went H1980 and told H5046 them; and they went H3212 and told H5046 king H4428 David. H1732
And when Absalom's H53 servants H5650 came H935 to the woman H802 to the house, H1004 they said, H559 Where is Ahimaaz H290 and Jonathan? H3083 And the woman H802 said H559 unto them, They be gone over H5674 the brook H4323 of water. H4325 And when they had sought H1245 and could not find H4672 them, they returned H7725 to Jerusalem. H3389
Then said H559 Ahimaaz H290 the son H1121 of Zadok, H6659 Let me now run, H7323 and bear H1319 the king H4428 tidings, H1319 how that the LORD H3068 hath avenged H8199 him of his enemies. H3027 H341
Then said H559 Ahimaaz H290 the son H1121 of Zadok H6659 yet again H3254 to Joab, H3097 But howsoever, H4100 let me, I pray thee, also run H7323 after H310 Cushi. H3569 And Joab H3097 said, H559 Wherefore wilt thou run, H7323 my son, H1121 seeing that thou hast no tidings H1309 ready? H4672
And the watchman H6822 said, H559 Me thinketh H7200 the running H4794 of the foremost H7223 is like the running H4794 of Ahimaaz H290 the son H1121 of Zadok. H6659 And the king H4428 said, H559 He is a good H2896 man, H376 and cometh H935 with good H2896 tidings. H1309 And Ahimaaz H290 called, H7121 and said H559 unto the king, H4428 All is well. H7965 And he fell down H7812 to the earth H776 upon his face H639 before the king, H4428 and said, H559 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which hath delivered up H5462 the men H582 that lifted up H5375 their hand H3027 against my lord H113 the king. H4428 And the king H4428 said, H559 Is the young man H5288 Absalom H53 safe? H7965 And Ahimaaz H290 answered, H559 When Joab H3097 sent H7971 the king's H4428 servant, H5650 and me thy servant, H5650 I saw H7200 a great H1419 tumult, H1995 but I knew H3045 not what it was.
And Sheva H7864 H7724 was scribe: H5608 and Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 were the priests: H3548
And the king H4428 hath sent H7971 with him Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 and the Cherethites, H3774 and the Pelethites, H6432 and they have caused him to ride H7392 upon the king's H4428 mule: H6506
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 6
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
Though Joseph and Judah shared between them the forfeited honours of the birthright, yet Levi was first of all the tribes, dignified and distinguished with an honour more valuable than either the precedency or the double portion, and that was the priesthood. That tribe God set apart for himself; it was Moses's tribe, and perhaps for his sake was thus favoured. Of that tribe we have an account in this chapter.
1Ch 6:1-30
The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites to preserve their pedigree clear and to be able to prove it, because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. And we read of those who, though perhaps they really were children of the priests, yet, because they could not find the register of their genealogies, nor make out their descent by any authentic record, were, as polluted, put from the priesthood, and forbidden to eat of the holy things, Ezra 2:62, 63. It is but very little that is here recorded of the genealogies of this sacred tribe.
1Ch 6:31-53
When the Levites were first ordained in the wilderness much of the work then appointed them lay in carrying and taking care of the tabernacle and the utensils of it, while they were in their march through the wilderness. In David's time their number was increased; and, though the greater part of them was dispersed all the nation over, to teach the people the good knowledge of the Lord, yet those that attended the house of God were so numerous that there was not constant work for them all; and therefore David, by special commission and direction from God, new-modelled the Levites, as we shall find in the latter part of this book. Here we are told what the work was which he assigned them.
1Ch 6:54-81
We have here an account of the Levites' cities. They are here called their castles (v. 54), not only because walled and fortified, and well guarded by the country (for it is the interest of every nation to protect its ministers), but because they and their possessions were, in a particular manner, the care of the divine providence: as God was their portion, so God was their protection; and a cottage will be a castle to those that abide under the shadow of the Almighty. This account is much the same with that which we had, Jos. 21. We need not be critical in comparing them (what good will it do us?) nor will it do any hurt to the credit of the holy scripture if the names of some of the places be not spelt just the same here as they were there. We know it is common for cities to have several names. Sarum and Salisbury, Salop and Shrewsbury, are more unlike than Hilen (v. 58) and Holon (Jos. 21:15), Ashan (v. 59) and Ain (Jos. 21:16), Alemeth (v. 60) and Almon (Jos. 21:18); and time changes names. We are only to observe that in this appointment of cities for the Levites God took care,