1The divisions of the porters. 13The gates assigned by lot. 20The Levites that had charge of the treasures. 29Those that were officers and judges.
1CONCERNING1 the divisions of the 2porters: Of the Korhites was 3Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of 4Asaph.
1 Here is to be noted that there were three families appointed for the office of porters: first, the family of Meshelemiah; second, the family of Obed-edom, verse 4; third, the family of Hosah, verse 10.
2 Namely of the temple.
3 Verse 14 Shelemiah.
4 This was a different Asaph than that famous chief singer, of whom is spoken in 1 Chronicles 25.
2And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah 5the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
5 For firstborn is often used the word chief; see above 1 Chron. 23:8, 9.
3Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
4Moreover the sons of Obed-edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,
5Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed 6him.
6 Namely, Obed-edom; to whom God gave many children and grandchildren. See verse 8. This phrase is also used Gen. 1:22, 28, and elsewhere.
6Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were 7mighty men of valour.
7 That is, strong men, who were valiant and courageous in the execution of their office, namely, in keeping their guard, and in removing all violence and disorder from the doors of the temple.
7The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and 8Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were 9strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.
8 Some make of Obed and Elzabad but one man. Others do here insert the word and, and then there be four and twenty heads or chiefs here, as there be in the other courses.
9 Hebr. children or sons of valor.
8All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obed-edom.
9And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.
10Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father 10made him the chief;)
10 The father was not permitted to give the birthright to this his son, and exclude the firstborn, without some special and remarkable cause, which may have been the case here. See the law Deut. 21:16, 17.
11Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.
1211Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one 12against another, to minister in the house of the LORD.
11 The meaning of these words is, that these porters or doorkeepers were also divided into four and twenty courses, as the other Levites were, each in their ministration, and that they likewise came on and went off in their wards by turns as the others did, changing their courses every Sabbath day.
12 See 1 Chron. 24:31.
13¶And they cast lots, 13as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, 14for every gate.
13 Hebr. as the small, so the great, as 1 Chron. 25:8.
14 Understand, that they cast or drew lots according as the gates of the temple or other places were situated, where they were to keep guard; also according to the number of the persons who were to keep guard in every place. Hebr. for gate and gate.
14And the lot 15eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
15 That is, of the gate which was situated eastward; and so in the sequel.
15To 16Obed-edom southward; and to his sons 17the house of Asuppim.
16 He wants to say, that some of the children of Obed-edom kept guard at the south gate of the temple, and some at the treasure chambers.
17 Or, the house of the treasury chamber. Hebr. the house of gatherings; that is, where the gifts, that were given by the people toward the building and repairing of the temple, were gathered and kept, as also the tithes, firstfruits, etc. See 2 Chron. 25:24. Yet some perceive that this was an house or building near or adjoining to the temple, where the teachers of the law, prophets and singing-masters kept their meetings and assemblies to discourse and commune together about the laws and commandments of the Lord. Others retain here the Hebrew word Asuppim, as being the name of a certain place.
16To Shuppim and 18Hosah the lot came forth westward, 19with the gate Shallecheth, by the causewaya of the going up, 20ward against ward.
18 Understand the house of Hosah, the son of Shuppim, of the family of Merari. Some are of the opinion that Shuppim and Hosah were brethren, and that in the lot they were joined together under one chief.
19 The meaning of these words is, that Shuppim and Hosah had not only the guard at the west gate (which is called the hinder gate, because it stood behind the gate of the sanctuary, where the Ark of the Covenant stood), but also at another gate that was close by, near unto the ascent or gallery that Solomon had made, to go from the city of David into the temple. See of this ascent 1 Kings 10 on verse 12; 2 Chron. 9:11.
a paved road
20 That is, they were so ordered, that as soon as one went off the service of the house of the Lord, another came on. Or, they kept watch each in his place over against one another; or, they were like one another, each in his ward.
17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.
18At 21Parbar westward, four at the causeway,band two at Parbar.
21Parbar is a Chaldean word, and signifies an outermost part, or, a part that cometh outward.
b paved road
19These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.
20¶And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, 22and 23over the treasures of the dedicated things.
22 Other, that is, or, to wit, as the letter vau is taken, Judges 7:24; 1 Sam. 28:3, etc.
23 Here is to be noted that there were several treasurers in the house of the Lord; for first, there was gathered that which was given toward the maintenance of the priests and Levites, as there were the firstfruits and the tithes, or the value thereof; second, what was hallowed or consecrated to the Lord, as freewill offerings, vows, ransom money for the firstborn, and similar, out of which were allowed the expenses and charges toward the daily sacrifice, as also toward the offerings on the Sabbath, new moons and annual feasts, etc.; third, there was also money gathered for the building of the temple, and the maintenance of the same. See verses 26, 27, 28.
21As concerning the sons of 24Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even 25of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli.
24 Other, Libni.
25 In 1 Chron. 23:8 Zetham and Joel are called children of Laadan, either because they were his grandchildren, or because they were his children indeed and brethren of Jehiel, and that Zetham and Joel were here called children of Jehiel after the names of their uncles.
22The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the LORD.
23Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:
24And Shebuel 26the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, 27was ruler of the treasures.
26 That is, descendant. See 1 Chron. 23:16.
27 We would call him the chief accountant, or, president in the chamber of accounts.
25And his 28brethren 29by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.
28 That is, kinsmen.
29 That is, who sprung from Eliezer. Eliezer was the second son of Moses, whose descendants are here made keepers of the treasures.
26Which Shelomith and his 30brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had 31dedicated.
30 That is, kinsmen.
31 That is, had presented in the temple for the service of God.
2732Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate 33to maintain the house of the LORD.
32 That is, of the spoil gotten in war.
33 Namely, after the house being built, it would in time have need of repairs.
28And all that Samuel 34the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren.
34 See 1 Sam. 9:9.
29¶Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were 35for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.
35 That is, for such businesses as were to be done outside Jerusalem, understanding thereby, that they likewise executed the office of judges and officers in the land. For, although the Levites were and remained common ecclesiastical servants, yet some of them were likewise employed and made use of in civil affairs and administrations, not only in their own cities, that were given them of the tribes by the order and appointment of God, but also being called thereunto from other places (as appears by these places verses 29, 30, 31, 32; likewise 1 Chron. 23:4. Compare 2 Chron. 19:11.); forasmuch as Levi was likewise one of the tribes of Israel, and the laws and statutes concerning the commonwealth of Israel were written in the book of the law of God, which especially was entrusted to the Levites. See 2 Chron. 17:8, 9, etc. Others perceive that the outward business of the Levites was this that they throughout the entire land gathered and provided that which was necessary for the building of the temple and for the worship of God. See 2 Chron. 34:13; Neh. 11:16.
30And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the LORD, and in the service of the king.
31Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. 36In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at 37Jazer of Gilead.
36 This was the last year of David’s reign, wherein he made the above recited order, before he made Solomon king in his stead, holding for that purpose a great assembly of the people, chapters 28; 29.
37 This was a city in the land of Gilead, given to the Merarites for a dwelling place, Joshua 21:39.
32And 38his 39brethren, 40men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, 41and affairs of the king.
38 Namely, Jerijah’s brethren.
39 That is, kinsmen.
40 See verse 7.
41 Compare verse 30.