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1 Chronicles 26:26 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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26 This Shelomith and his brethren `are' over all the treasures of the holy things, that David the king, and heads of the fathers, even heads of thousands, and of hundreds, and heads of the host, sanctified;

Cross Reference

2 Samuel 8:11 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

also them did king David sanctify to Jehovah, with the silver and the gold which he sanctified of all the nations which he subdued:

Numbers 31:30-52 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

`And from the sons of Israel's half thou dost take one possession out of fifty, of man, of the herd, of the asses, and of the flock, of all the cattle, and thou hast given them to the Levites keeping the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah.' And Moses doth -- Eleazar the priest also -- as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. And the prey, the residue of the spoil which the people of the host have spoiled, is of the flock six hundred thousand, and seventy thousand, and five thousand; and of the herd two and seventy thousand; and of asses one and sixty thousand; and of human beings -- of the women who have not known the lying of a male -- all the persons `are' two and thirty thousand. And the half -- the portion of those who go out into the host -- the number of the flock is three hundred thousand, and thirty thousand, and seven thousand and five hundred. And the tribute to Jehovah of the sheep is six hundred five and seventy; and the herd `is' six and thirty thousand, and their tribute to Jehovah `is' two and seventy; and the asses `are' thirty thousand and five hundred, and their tribute to Jehovah `is' one and sixty; and the human beings `are' sixteen thousand, and their tribute to Jehovah `is' two and thirty persons. And Moses giveth the tribute -- Jehovah's heave-offering -- to Eleazar the priest, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. And of the sons of Israel's half, which Moses halved from the men who war -- and the company's half is, of the flock three hundred thousand, and thirty thousand, seven thousand and five hundred; and of the herd six and thirty thousand; and of asses thirty thousand and five hundred; and of human beings sixteen thousand -- Moses taketh from the sons of Israel's half the one possession from the fifty, of man and of beast, and giveth them to the Levites keeping the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. And the inspectors whom the thousands of the host hath, (heads of the thousands and heads of the hundreds), draw near unto Moses, and they say unto Moses, `Thy servants have taken up the sum of the men of war who `are' with us, and not a man of us hath been missed; and we bring near Jehovah's offering, each that which he hath found, vessels of gold -- chain, and bracelet, seal-ring, `ear'-ring, and bead -- to make atonement for ourselves before Jehovah.' And Moses receiveth -- Eleazar the priest also -- the gold from them, every made vessel, and all the gold of the heave-offering which they have lifted up to Jehovah is sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels, from heads of the thousands, and from heads of the hundreds;

1 Chronicles 18:11 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

also them hath king David sanctified to Jehovah with the silver and the gold that he hath taken from all the nations, from Edom, and from Moab, and from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.

1 Chronicles 22:14 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

`And lo, in mine affliction, I have prepared for the house of Jehovah of gold talents a hundred thousand, and of silver a thousand thousand talents; and of brass and of iron there is no weighing, for in abundance it hath been, and wood and stones I have prepared, and to them thou dost add.

1 Chronicles 29:2-9 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

and with all my power I have prepared for the house of my God, the gold for `things of' gold, and the silver for `those of' silver, and the brass for `those of' brass, the iron for `those of' iron, and the wood for `those of' wood, shoham stones, and settings, and stones of painting and of diverse colours, and all `kinds of' precious stone, and stones of white marble, in abundance. `And again, because of my delighting in the house of my God, the substance I have -- a peculiar treasure of gold and silver -- I have given for the house of my God, even over and above all I have prepared for the house of the sanctuary: three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses, even gold for `things of' gold, and silver for `those of' silver, and for all the work by the hand of artificers; and who `is' he that is offering willingly to consecrate his hand to-day to Jehovah?' And the heads of the fathers, and the heads of the tribes of Israel, and the heads of the thousands, and of the hundreds, even to the heads of the work of the king, offer willingly. And they give for the service of the house of God, of gold -- talents five thousand, and drams a myriad; and of silver -- talents ten thousand, and of brass -- a myriad and eight thousand talents; and of iron -- a hundred thousand talents; and he with whom stones are found hath given to the treasury of the house of Jehovah, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. And the people rejoice because of their offering willingly, for with a perfect heart they have offered willingly to Jehovah; and also David the king hath rejoiced -- great joy.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 26

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 26 Matthew Henry Commentary

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

Chapter 26

We have here an account of the business of the Levites. That tribe had made but a very small figure all the time of the judges, till Eli and Samuel appeared. But when David revived religion the Levites were, of all men, in the greatest reputation. And happy it was that they had Levites who were men of sense, fit to support the honour of their tribe. We have here an account,

  • I. Of the Levites that were appointed to be porters (v. 1-19).
  • II. Of those that were appointed to be treasurers and storekeepers (v. 20-28).
  • III. Of those that were officers and judges in the country, and were entrusted with the administration of public affairs (v. 29-32).

1Ch 26:1-19

Observe,

  • I. There were porters appointed to attend the temple, who guarded all the avenues that let to it, opened and shut all the outer gates and attended at them, not only for the state, but for service, to direct and instruct those who were going to worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the decorum they were to observe, to encourage those that were timorous, to send back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against thieves and others that were enemies to the house of God. In allusion to this office, ministers are said to have the keys to the kingdom of heaven committed to them (Mt. 16:19), that they may admit, and exclude, according to the law of Christ.
  • II. Of several of those that were called to this service, it is taken notice of that they were mighty men of valour (v. 6), strong men (v. 7), able men (v. 8), and one of them that he was a wise counsellor (v. 14), who probably, when he had used this office of a deacon well and given proofs of more than ordinary wisdom, purchased to himself a good degree, and was preferred from the gate to the council-board, 1 Tim. 3:13. As for those that excelled in strength of body, and courage and resolution of mind, they were thereby qualified for the post assigned them; for whatever service God calls men to he either finds them fit or makes them so.
  • III. The sons of Obed-edom were employed in this office, sixty-two of that family. This was he that entertained the ark with reverence and cheerfulness; and see how he was rewarded for it.
    • 1. He had eight sons (v. 5), for God blessed him. The increase and building up of families are owing to the divine blessing; and a great blessing it is to a family to have many children, when like these they are able for, and eminent in, the service of God.
    • 2. His sons were preferred to places of trust in the sanctuary. They had faithfully attended the ark in their own house, and now were called to attend it in God's house. He that is trusty in little shall be trusted with more. He that keeps God's ordinances in his own tent is fit to have the custody of them in God's tabernacle, 1 Tim. 3:4, 5. I have kept thy law, says David, and this I had because I kept thy precepts, Ps. 119:55, 56.
  • IV. It is said of one here that though he was not the first-born his father made him the chief (v. 10), either because he was very excellent, or because the elder son was very weak. He was made chief, perhaps not in inheriting the estate (for that was forbidden by the law, Deu. 21:16, 17), but in this service, which required personal qualifications.
  • V. The porters, as the singers, had their post assigned them by lot, so many at such a gate, and so many at such a one, that every one might know his post and make it good, v. 13. It is not said that they were cast into twenty-four courses, as before; but here are the names of about twenty-four (v. 1-11), and the posts assigned are twenty-four, v. 17, 18. We have therefore reason to think they were distributed into as many companies. Happy are those who dwell in God's house: for, as they are well fed, well taught, and well employed, so they are well guarded. Men attended at the gates of the temple, but angels attend at the gates of the New Jerusalem, Rev. 21:12.

1Ch 26:20-28

Observe,

  • 1. There were treasures of the house of God. A great house cannot be well kept without stores of all manner of provisions. Much was expended daily upon the altar-flour, wine, oil, salt, fuel, besides the lamps; quantities of these were to be kept beforehand, besides the sacred vestments and utensils. These were the treasures of the house of God. And, because money answers all things, doubtless they had an abundance of it, which was received from the people's offerings, wherewith they bought in what they had occasion for. And perhaps much was laid up for an exigence. These treasures typified the plenty there is in our heavenly Father's house, enough and to spare. In Christ, the true temple, are hid treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and unsearchable riches.
  • 2. There were treasures of dedicated things, dedicated mostly out of the spoils won in battle (v. 27), as a grateful acknowledgment of the divine protection. Abraham gave Melchisedec the tenth of the spoils Heb. 7:4. In Moses's time the officers of the army, when they returned victorious, brought of their spoils an oblation to the Lord, Num. 31:50. Of late this pious custom had been revived; and not only Samuel and David, but Saul, and Abner, and Joab, had dedicated of their spoils to the honour and support of the house of God, v. 28. Note, The more God bestows upon us the more he expects from us in works of piety and charity. Great successes call for proportionable returns. When we look over our estates we should consider, "Here are convenient things, rich things, it may be, and fine things; but where are the dedicated things?' Men of war must honour God with their spoils.
  • 3. These treasures had treasurers, those that were over them (v. 20, 26), whose business it was to keep them, that neither moth nor rust might corrupt them, nor thieves break through and steal, to give out as there was occasion and to see that they were not wasted, embezzled, or alienated to the common use; and it is probable that they kept accounts of all that was brought in and how it was laid out.

1Ch 26:29-32

All the offices of the house of God being well provided with Levites, we have here an account of those that were employed as officers and judges in the outward business, which must not be neglected, no, not for the temple itself. The magistracy is an ordinance of God for the good of the church as truly as the ministry is. And here we are told,

  • 1. That the Levites were employed in the administration of justice in concurrence with the princes and elders of the several tribes, who could not be supposed to understand the law so well as the Levites, who made it their business to study it. None of those Levites who were employed in the service of the sanctuary, none of the singers or porters, were concerned in this outward business; either one was enough to engage the whole man or it was presumption to undertake both.
  • 2. Their charge was both in all business of the Lord, and in the service of the kings, v. 30 and again v. 32. They managed the affairs of the country, as well ecclesiastical as civil, took care both of God's tithes and the king's taxes, punished offences committed immediately against God and his honour and those against the government and the public peace, guarded both against idolatry and against injustice, and took care to put the laws in execution against both. Some, it is likely, applied themselves to the affairs of religion, others to secular affairs; and so, between both, God and the king were well served. It is happy with a kingdom when its civil and sacred interests are thus interwoven and jointly minded and advanced.
  • 3. There were more Levites employed as judges with the two tribes and a half on the other side of Jordan than with all the rest of the tribes; there were 2700; whereas as the west side of Jordan there were 1700, v. 30, 32. Either those remote tribes were not so well furnished as the rest with judges of their own, or because they, lying furthest from Jerusalem and on the borders of the neighbouring nations, were most in danger of being infected with idolatry, and most needed the help of Levites to prevent it. The frontiers must be well guarded.
  • 4. This is said to be done (as were all the foregoing settlements) in the fortieth year of the reign of David (v. 31), that is, the last year of his reign. We should be so much the more industrious to do good as we can see the day approaching. If we live to enjoy the fruit of our labours, grudge it not to those that shall come after us.