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1 Chronicles 9:14-44 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

14 And of the Levites; H3881 Shemaiah H8098 the son H1121 of Hasshub, H2815 the son H1121 of Azrikam, H5840 the son H1121 of Hashabiah, H2811 of the sons H1121 of Merari; H4847

15 And Bakbakkar, H1230 Heresh, H2792 and Galal, H1559 and Mattaniah H4983 the son H1121 of Micah, H4316 the son H1121 of Zichri, H2147 the son H1121 of Asaph; H623

16 And Obadiah H5662 the son H1121 of Shemaiah, H8098 the son H1121 of Galal, H1559 the son H1121 of Jeduthun, H3038 and Berechiah H1296 the son H1121 of Asa, H609 the son H1121 of Elkanah, H511 that dwelt H3427 in the villages H2691 of the Netophathites. H5200

17 And the porters H7778 were, Shallum, H7967 and Akkub, H6126 and Talmon, H2929 and Ahiman, H289 and their brethren: H251 Shallum H7967 was the chief; H7218

18 Who hitherto waited in the king's H4428 gate H8179 eastward: H4217 they were porters H7778 in the companies H4264 of the children H1121 of Levi. H3878

19 And Shallum H7967 the son H1121 of Kore, H6981 the son H1121 of Ebiasaph, H43 the son H1121 of Korah, H7141 and his brethren, H251 of the house H1004 of his father, H1 the Korahites, H7145 were over the work H4399 of the service, H5656 keepers H8104 of the gates H5592 of the tabernacle: H168 and their fathers, H1 being over the host H4264 of the LORD, H3068 were keepers H8104 of the entry. H3996

20 And Phinehas H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar H499 was the ruler H5057 over them in time past, H6440 and the LORD H3068 was with him.

21 And Zechariah H2148 the son H1121 of Meshelemiah H4920 was porter H7778 of the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150

22 All these which were chosen H1305 to be porters H7778 in the gates H5592 were two hundred H3967 and twelve. H8147 H6240 These were reckoned by their genealogy H3187 in their villages, H2691 whom H1992 David H1732 and Samuel H8050 the seer H7200 did ordain H3245 in their set office. H530

23 So they and their children H1121 had the oversight of the gates H8179 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 namely, the house H1004 of the tabernacle, H168 by wards. H4931

24 In four H702 quarters H7307 were the porters, H7778 toward the east, H4217 west, H3220 north, H6828 and south. H5045

25 And their brethren, H251 which were in their villages, H2691 were to come H935 after seven H7651 days H3117 from time H6256 to time H6256 with them.

26 For these Levites, H3881 the four H702 chief H1368 porters, H7778 were in their set office, H530 and were over the chambers H3957 and treasuries H214 of the house H1004 of God. H430

27 And they lodged H3885 round about H5439 the house H1004 of God, H430 because the charge H4931 was upon them, and the opening H4668 thereof every morning H1242 pertained to them.

28 And certain of them had the charge of H5921 the ministering H5656 vessels, H3627 that they should bring them in H935 and out H3318 by tale. H4557 H4557

29 Some of them also were appointed H4487 to oversee the vessels, H3627 and all the instruments H3627 of the sanctuary, H6944 and the fine flour, H5560 and the wine, H3196 and the oil, H8081 and the frankincense, H3828 and the spices. H1314

30 And some of the sons H1121 of the priests H3548 made H7543 the ointment H4842 of the spices. H1314

31 And Mattithiah, H4993 one of the Levites, H3881 who was the firstborn H1060 of Shallum H7967 the Korahite, H7145 had the set office H530 over the things that were made H4639 in the pans. H2281

32 And other of their brethren, H251 of the sons H1121 of the Kohathites, H6956 were over the shewbread, H3899 H4635 to prepare H3559 it every sabbath. H7676

33 And these are the singers, H7891 chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the Levites, H3881 who remaining in the chambers H3957 were free: H6362 H6359 for they were employed in that work H4399 day H3119 and night. H3915

34 These chief H7218 fathers H1 of the Levites H3881 were chief H7218 throughout their generations; H8435 these dwelt H3427 at Jerusalem. H3389

35 And in Gibeon H1391 dwelt H3427 the father H1 of Gibeon, H1391 H25 Jehiel, H3273 whose wife's H802 name H8034 was Maachah: H4601

36 And his firstborn H1060 son H1121 Abdon, H5658 then Zur, H6698 and Kish, H7027 and Baal, H1168 and Ner, H5369 and Nadab, H5070

37 And Gedor, H1446 and Ahio, H283 and Zechariah, H2148 and Mikloth. H4732

38 And Mikloth H4732 begat H3205 Shimeam. H8043 And they also dwelt H3427 with their brethren H251 at Jerusalem, H3389 over against their brethren. H251

39 And Ner H5369 begat H3205 Kish; H7027 and Kish H7027 begat H3205 Saul; H7586 and Saul H7586 begat H3205 Jonathan, H3083 and Malchishua, H4444 and Abinadab, H41 and Eshbaal. H792

40 And the son H1121 of Jonathan H3083 was Meribbaal: H4807 and Meribbaal H4810 begat H3205 Micah. H4318

41 And the sons H1121 of Micah H4318 were, Pithon, H6377 and Melech, H4429 and Tahrea, H8475 and Ahaz.

42 And Ahaz H271 begat H3205 Jarah; H3294 and Jarah H3294 begat H3205 Alemeth, H5964 and Azmaveth, H5820 and Zimri; H2174 and Zimri H2174 begat H3205 Moza; H4162

43 And Moza H4162 begat H3205 Binea; H1150 and Rephaiah H7509 his son, H1121 Eleasah H501 his son, H1121 Azel H682 his son. H1121

44 And Azel H682 had six H8337 sons, H1121 whose names H8034 are these, Azrikam, H5840 Bocheru, H1074 and Ishmael, H3458 and Sheariah, H8187 and Obadiah, H5662 and Hanan: H2605 these were the sons H1121 of Azel. H682

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 9

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 9 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible


Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 9

The genealogies of the several tribes being given, according as they were written in the books of the kings of Israel, 1 Chronicles 9:1, an account follows of those who first settled in Jerusalem after their return from the Babylonish captivity; of the Israelites, 1 Chronicles 9:2, of the priests, 1 Chronicles 9:10 of the Levites, and of the charge and offices of several of the priests and Levites, 1 Chronicles 9:14, and the chapter is concluded with a repetition of the genealogy of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel, 1 Chronicles 9:35.


Verse 1

So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies,.... Not now by the writer of this book in the preceding chapters; for two of the tribes are not reckoned at all, and the rest but in part; but there had been kept an exact account of them:

and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel; not in the canonical book or books of Kings, but in the annals, journals, and diaries, which each king took care to be kept with some exactness, often referred to in the preceding books; out of which this writer, under a divine direction, had taken what was proper to be continued, and had carried the genealogy down to the captivity of the ten tribes; but the genealogy being lost with them, he could proceed no further, nor say anything more concerning them:

but Judah; for so the word should be stopped, and read according to the Hebrew accents:

who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression; their idolatry, and were now returned again; of them the writer proposes to give a further account.


Verse 2

Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities,.... Who first returned from Babylon upon the proclamation of Cyrus, and enjoyed their former possessions, and dwelt in the cities they had before, or in such as were allotted them, or they chose:

were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims; the whole body that returned were divided into four classes, as they had been before the captivity; the Israelites were the common people in general, the body politic; the priests, the ecclesiastics, who officiated in sacred things; the Levites, who ministered to them; and the Nethinims were such persons as were "given", as the word signifies, to do servile work for the sanctuary, as, to be hewers of wood and drawers of water; such were the Gibeonites, Joshua 9:27, and such as were appointed by David for such work, see Ezra 8:20.


Verse 3

And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin,.... Of which tribes were the largest number that went into, and returned out of, captivity:

and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh; such of those tribes who had joined the others when Jeroboam introduced his idolatry, or had fled to them when Samaria was besieged and taken by Shalmaneser, and so went into captivity with Judah, and now returned; and as many of them as took the advantage of the proclamation of Cyrus, who were carried captive with the ten tribes.


Verse 4

Uthai, the son of Ammihud,.... Called Athaiah, Nehemiah 11:4 though his ancestors there are differently reckoned here; his genealogy here is traced from his father Ammihud, through Omri, Imri, Bani, Pharez, to Judah.


Verse 5

And of the Shilonites,.... Not called so from the city of Shiloh, which was in Ephraim; whereas these here intended were of the tribe of Judah, and were either the descendants of a man whose name was Shiloni, Nehemiah 11:5 or rather these are the same with the Shelanites, Numbers 26:20 so called from Shelah the son of Judah; and so the Targum here is,"and of the tribe of Shelah:"

Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons; the same with Maaseiah, Nehemiah 11:5.


Verse 6

And of the sons of Zerah,.... Another son of Judah:

Jeuel, and their brethren; six hundred and ninety; or their kinsmen; for this number includes all of the posterity of Pharez, Shelah and Zerah mentioned.


Verse 7

And of the sons of Benjamin,.... Who were of the tribe of Benjamin, and went with Judah into captivity, and returned with them, and such of them as dwelt in Jerusalem before that:

Sallu the son of Meshullam; whose pedigree is differently given, Nehemiah 11:7,

the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenaah; perhaps these men had two names, there called Joel and Pedaiah.


Verse 8

And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham,.... Who with two more, Elah and Meshullam, whose ancestors are given, of whom we have no mention elsewhere, were all of the tribe of Benjamin, said to settle at Jerusalem.


Verse 9

And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred amd fifty and six,.... Which was the number of the Benjaminites there resident put together, and which greatly exceeded that of Judah, 1 Chronicles 9:6.

all these men were chief of the fathers, in the house of their fathers; principal men in the families of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, even all the seven before mentioned.


Verse 10

And of the priests,.... Who returned and dwelt at Jerusalem:

Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin; Jedaiah was the son of Jehoiarib, and Jachin is called Jachin, Nehemiah 11:10.


Verse 11

And Azariah the son of Hilkiah,.... That is, the son of Azariah, whose name was Seraiah, see 1 Chronicles 6:13, whose pedigree is traced up from Hilkiah through Meshullam, called Shallum, 1 Chronicles 6:12. Zadok, Meraioth, to Ahitub:

the ruler of the house of God; high priest in it; which is to be understood of Ahitub, and not of Azariah or Seraiah in the time of Ezra; for Joshua was then high priest.


Verse 12

And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur,.... In this genealogy, between Jeroham and Pashur, were three more here omitted, Pelaliah, Amzi, Zechariah, Nehemiah 11:12, and then Pashur the son of Malchijah, as here:

and Maasiai the son of Adiel; whose pedigree is traced up from hence, through Jahzerah, Meshullam, Meshillemith, to Immer; one of the five heads of the courses settled by David, 1 Chronicles 24:14. The names of this man, and of his ancestors, are given, with some variation, in Nehemiah 11:13.


Verse 13

And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, one thousand and seven hundred and threescore. These, with other priests, made up this number, which was greater than those of Judah and Benjamin, that dwelt in Jerusalem, put together:

very able men for the work of the service of the house of God: men that had not only strength of body, which some part of the work of the priests required; but had courage and fortitude of mind to set about the service of God with cheerfulness, and to preserve it from corruption.


Verse 14

And of the Levites,.... Having given an account of the two first classes of the people, the Israelites and priests, the author of the book now proceeds to the Levites, the third class; and the first mentioned is Shemaiah, whose ancestors, Hashub, Azrikam, and Hashabiah:

were of the sons of Merari; the third son of Levi.


Verse 15

And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah,.... Four more of the chief of the Levites, the pedigree of the last of which is traced up by Micah and Zichri to Asaph, the singer in the times of David, a descendant of Gershon, the first son of Levi; the first of these is thought by HillerusF20Onamastic. Sacr. p. 401, 548. to be the same with Bakbukiah, Nehemiah 11:17.


Verse 16

And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah,.... Called Abda the son of Shammua, Nehemiah 11:17.

the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; who was Ethan, another of the singers in the time of David:

and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites; the villages about Netophah, which was in the tribe of Judah, 1 Chronicles 2:54, Nehemiah 7:26 which may be understood either of Elkanah, the ancestor of Berechiah, whose dwelling was there; or of Berechiah, and must be rendered:

who had dwelt there; for now he dwelt at Jerusalem.


Verse 17

And the porters,.... Or keepers of the gates of the tabernacle:

were Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren; Shallum was the chief; of these four porters, and their brethren.


Verse 18

Who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward,.... At the gate through which the king went into the temple, and was at the east of it; and here these porters were placed in the same order after the captivity, and their return from it, as before:

they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi; or in the camp of Levi, which was placed around the tabernacle, as in the wilderness: the Septuagint version is, "these are the gates of the camp of the children of Levi"; at which these porters were placed.


Verse 19

And Shallum the son of Kore,.... The same as in 1 Chronicles 9:17 whose pedigree is traced up to Ebiasaph the son of Korah, see Exodus 6:24.

and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites; so called, because they descended from Korah:

were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle; until the temple was built:

and their fathers being over the host of the Lord; the Levites, who were the Lord's army, and whose service is represented as a warfare, Numbers 4:5.

were keepers of the entry; into the tabernacle, that none might enter that were impure; or into the court of the priests, excepting priests; or into the holiest of all, as Kimchi suggests.


Verse 20

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past,.... Over the host, over the Levites, and the chief of them; which is to be understood of Phinehas the son of Eleazar, in the time of Moses, who succeeded his father in that post, see Numbers 3:32 though some think, as Kimchi observes, that this was not Phinehas the priest, but a certain Levite of this name in this post; but since he is said to be in time past, it may very well be understood of him: and it also is observed:

and the Lord was with him; inspiring him with zeal for his honour and glory, assisting and strengthening him to do his will and work, as particularly in the affair of Zimri, Numbers 25:7, the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord was for his help;'

this may be said for the encouragement of him that was in the same office now.


Verse 21

And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah,.... Some think this refers to one that was in the times of David; but it seems rather to respect one that was after the Babylonish captivity, see 1 Chronicles 26:1 though he and his brethren were in an office established in the times of David, and the order of which was now, as then, observed:

was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: who was the chief porter, and kept the door; either that led into the outer court, and kept out all unclean persons from entering there; or that which led into the court of the priests, that none but priests might enter there.


Verse 22

All those that were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve,.... As fixed in the days of David, and might not be fewer:

these were reckoned by their genealogies in their villages; where they dwelt:

whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office; the scheme was first drawn by Samuel the prophet, and communicated to David, who put it into execution, to be constantly and perpetually observed.


Verse 23

So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the Lord,.... They that were appointed in David's time to watch the gates of the temple, their posterity succeeded them in that office; for it was hereditary:

namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards; that which was at Gibeon in David's time, and now one was erected until the temple was built.


Verse 24

In four quarters were the porters,.... For, according to the Targum on 1 Chronicles 9:22 there were twenty four wards:

towards the east, west, north, and south; and, as the same paraphrase has it, six wards to the east, six to the west, six to the north, and six to the south.


Verse 25

And their brethren, which were in their villages,.... Assigned them to dwell in:

were to come after seven days from time to time with them; there was a new course of them every week; the old ones went off of duty, and another course succeeded, which came out of the villages where they dwelt, and the old course retired to theirs.


Verse 26

For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office,.... The four chief porters who were over all the two hundred and twelve, and had one over them, 1 Chronicles 9:17, these were never changed, nor went into the country villages; but were always upon the spot, and in their office, superintending the rest:

and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God; see 1 Chronicles 26:20.


Verse 27

And they lodged round about the house of God,.... In chambers on the outward wall about it, that they might be near to do their office:

because the charge was upon them; to guard the house:

and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them; that is, the opening of the doors of the mountain of the house, and the court of women; for as for others, that appertained to the priests, as Dr. LightfootF21Temple-Service, c. 7. sect. 1. observes; under the second temple, it is saidF23Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1. , Ben Geber was over the shutting of the gates in the evening, and so of opening in the morning.


Verse 28

And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale. Which the priests used in sacrificing, and which the Levites brought to them, and returned again to their proper places.


Verse 29

Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the sanctuary,.... They were committed to their care; they delivered them out on occasion, and their business was to see that they were returned when they had done their use and service:

and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices; which were used in meat offerings, drink offerings, &c. see 1 Chronicles 26:20 under the second temple, Ahiah was over the libations or drink offeringsF24Ibid. (Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1.) .


Verse 30

And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. For though the Levites had the care of the spices, they might not make the ointment with them, only the priests, see Exodus 30:23.


Verse 31

And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite,.... Of whom see 1 Chronicles 9:19,

had the set office over the things that were made in the pans; the meat offerings that were made in pans; and so had the care of the fine flour, oil, and frankincense used in them, which he delivered to the priests when necessary, see Leviticus 2:5, the Septuagint version is,"over the works of the sacrifice of the pan of the high priest;'as if it respected peculiarly his meat offering, Leviticus 6:20, we read in the MisnahF25Menachot, c. 11. sect. 3. & Tamid, c. 1. sect. 3. of the offerings of the high priest, as expressed by this word, which it signifies, and not pans, but what was fried in themF26Vid. Sheringham. in Misn. Yoma, c. 2. sect. 3. p. 16. ; and Ben Melech on the place says, this man was an high priest who offered every day the tenth part of an ephah in a pan, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening, according to Leviticus 6:20, but that cannot be, for certain it is he was a Levite, as the text expresses it.


Verse 32

And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath,.... Twelve loaves of which were set every week before the ark upon the shewbread table, and the old ones taken away: now the work of these Levites was to make this shewbread, and get it ready every week to be set upon the table, and which was done not by them, but by priests; under the second temple, the family of Garmu was set over this workF1Misn. Shekalim, ut supra. (c. 5. sect. 1.) .


Verse 33

And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites,.... Others of them were employed in singing, and were masters of the song, and presided in that service, see 1 Chronicles 6:31 who remaining

in the chambers were free; from all other work and service; and there they abode, even in the chambers of the temple, that they might be near to perform their work, and not be defiled, and made unfit for it:

for they were employed in that work day and night; some or other of them, either in composing or singing psalms and hymns, or teaching others how to sing them.


Verse 34

These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their generations,.... Even all before made mention of in this chapter:

these dwelt at Jerusalem; always resided there, and did not in turns go into the country villages, as the inferior Levites did; their office requiring them to be constantly there, being chief of the porters, singers, &c. who had the superintendency and direction of the rest.


Verses 35-44

And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon,.... Whose name is here mentioned, which is not in 1 Chronicles 8:29. Jehiel:

whose wife's name was Maachah; as there, but here called his sister, as a wife sometimes is, Genesis 20:2. From hence to the end of the chapter is a repetition of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel; which is made to lead on to and connect the following history of the kings of Judah, begun in this book, and carried on in the next unto the Babylonish captivity, see 1 Chronicles 8:29, and the notes there.