The First Book of the Chronicles
1 Chronicles 23
Chapter XXIII · Vol. II, pp. 836–837
1 David in his old age maketh Solomon king. 2 The number and distribution of the Levites. 7 The families of the Gershonites. 12 The sons of Kohath. 21 The sons of Merari. 24 The office of the Levites.
1 So when David was old and full of days, he madea Solomon his son king over Israel.1
a ch.28.5. 1 Ki.1.33-39.
1 The details of Solomon's designation to the throne, and of his coronation, are not given in this book. It is a remarkable fact that the author omits almost wholly the grievous sins of David, and the various attempts at rebellion during his reign. The attempt of Adonijah to obtain the crown is here passed over. The author's attention is chiefly occupied with the spiritual concerns of the kingdom. The whole narrative given in the first chapter of 1st Kings is embodied in the few words of this first verse; while the details of the courses of the priests and Levites which take up this and the five following chapters are not even referred to in Kings. The reason is this—The former concerned the temporal affairs of the kingdom; the latter the spiritual.—P.
2 And bhe gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.2
b ch.28.1; 13.1.
2 The princes, priests, and Levites formed David's privy council. In concert with them he arranged all the affairs of the kingdom, so far as regarded the public service of God.—P.
3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of cthirty years and upward:3 and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.
c Nu.4.3,47,48.
3 This agrees with Num. iv., where we read that in taking the census all the Levites between the ages of thirty and fifty were set apart for the service of the sanctuary. The arrangement of the Levites to serve in the temple in regular courses, as here recorded, may be compared with the record in Lu.1.5.—P.
4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward4 the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers dand judges:
4 Or, to oversee.
d ch.26.29-32.
5 Moreover, efour thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which fI made, (said David,) to praise therewith.
e ch.xxiv. xxv.
f ch.9.33; 15.16,28. 2 Ch.29.25. Am.6.5.
6 And David divided them into 5courses among the sons of Levi, namely, gGershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 Of the hGershonites were, iLaadan6 and Shimei.
h ch.26.21; 6.17,20.
i Or, Libni, ch.6.17,20. Nu.3.18,21. Ex.6.17.
6 Laadan and Libni, two names for the same person, and either co-existing, as is common in European nations, or given successively, as Abram, Abraham.—C.
8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
9 The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.7
A.M. 2988. B.C. 1016.
7 Why these three sons of Shimei are reckoned among the 'chief of the fathers of Laadan, does not appear; most probably they were removed, by adoption, from the one family to the other, that in the rotation of courses all the males of Shimei's house should not be called from their home at one time.—C.
10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina,k and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
k Or, Zizah, ver. 11.
11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons;8 therefore they were in one reckoning,9 according to their father's house.
8 Heb. did not multiply sons.
9 This combination of small families into one reckoning serves to strengthen our conjecture as to the division of a large family, as in ver. 9.—C.
13 The sons of mAmram; Aaron and Moses: and nAaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.
17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief.2 And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah swere very many.
19 Of the sons of uHebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
u ver.12. Ex.6.18. ch.15.9; 24.23; 26.30,31.
21 The sons of yMerari; Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar and Kish.
y ver.6. Ex.6.19. ch.6.29,30; 24.26-30; 26.19. Nu.3.20,33.
22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their zbrethren the sons of Kish took them.3
24 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of btwenty years and upward.
25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hathc given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem4 for ever:
c ch.22.18.
4 Or, he dwelleth in Jerusalem, &c.
26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.
27 For, by the last words of David,5 the Levites were numbered6 from twenty years old and above:7
5 Or it may be translated, 'in the last records of David.' Probably some document or authentic history is referred to, in which there was a narrative of the concluding acts of David's life, and a report of his instructions and commands.—P.
6 Heb. numbers.
7 The Mosaic census (Nu. 4. 3), as well as that by David (ver. 3), was from 30 years and upwards. The change to 20 years was evidently in reference to the 'rest' (ver. 25) that David had given in fixing the temporary tabernacle in a permanent site, and preparing for the building of an immovable temple. The Levites being therefore delivered from their burdens, the younger members were adequate to the now lighter work; and the service of the Lord being now complicated, greater numbers were requisite for its due performance.—C.
28 Because dtheir office was to wait on the sons of Aaron, efor the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;
29 Both ffor the show-bread, and for the fine flour for meat-offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the 8pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;9
f Ex.25.30. Le.6.20; 2.4,5,7; 24.5-9. ch.9.29-32.
8 Or, flat plate.
9 Expositors generally interpret this phrase on the supposition that the standard weights and measures were kept in the sanctuary. Accordingly we read of the 'shekel of the sanctuary.' But whether the sanctuary standard was universal, or only local and peculiar, does not distinctly appear. One lesson, however, is beautifully inculcated by the ordinance—the inseparable connection of honesty to man with sacrifice to God.—C.
30 And to stand gevery morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;
g Ex.29.39-42. Nu.18.6. ch.16.37-42.
31 And to hoffer all burnt-sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new-moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:
h Nu. xxviii. xxix.; 10. 10. Ps. 81. 3. Le. xxiii.
Notes
Reflections.—It is an honour to God, and an advantage to his church, to have a proper number of faithful ministers: and pleasing is the prospect when their number remarkably increases. It is necessary and honourable to enter on God's service as early as possible. Church affairs are likely to prosper when every one knows and attends to his particular work. And in whatever station a person is fixed, it is always his duty to be zealous and diligent in God's service. But what wisdom God manifests in men's stations! While the offspring of Aaron are dignified priests, those of Moses are but ordinary Levites; yet he always proportions men's burdens to their strength. And it is comely when every one in the church cheerfully applies himself to the meanest service to which he is called; and when the officers thereof heartily harmonize in working to one another's hands.