HarperCollins Study Bible
Page 168
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a Or Gershom; See 1 Chr 6.1, note, and 23.4
b Vg Compare Gk Syr: Heb to the Gershonite
23.1–6 Introduction to the levitical organization. It is likely that some of the materials in chs. 23–27 were a later addition to the Chronicler’s work.
23.1 The transition from David to Solomon is orderly and honorable and contrasts with the palace intrigues in the second half of 2 Samuel and 1 Kings 1–2. David’s death and Solomon’s coronation are narrated in 29.22–30.
23.3 Thirty years old. Cf. Num 4.3, but in 23.24, 27; 2 Chr 31.17; Ezra 3.8 the beginning age for Levites is twenty. Num 8.23–26 sets the age at twenty-five. Thirty-eight thousand. Note by comparison the small number of Levites among the returnees in Ezra 2 and how few Levites accompany Ezra on his trip home (Ezra 8.15–20).
23.4–5 The four groups of Levites are listed in decreasing numerical order. David is credited with arranging them into four groups and assigning them their duties: those in charge of work in the temple, officers and judges, gatekeepers, and musicians.
23.6 Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The three sons of Levi provide the names for the levitical divisions.
23.7–24 A list of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who are in charge of the work of the house of the Lord.
23.7–11 Descendants of Gershon. The genealogy extends only three generations after Levi and hence would not have reached to David.
23.7 Ladan. Elsewhere the first son of Gershon is Libni (cf. Ex 6.17; Num 3.18, 21; 1 Chr 6.17, 20).
23.9 The sons of Shimei. Read “The sons of Jehiel.”
23.12–20 Descendants of Kohath.
23.13 Aaron’s priestly duties are defined.
23.14–17 The genealogy of Moses is provided. Although Aaron is genealogically a Levite, he and his descendants are distinguished from the rest of the Levites by their priestly responsibilities in v. 13.
23.21–23 Descendants of Merari.
23.24 Conclusion of the list.
23.25–32 The duties of the Levites as compared to those of the priests (cf. 9.28–32).
23.25 The rest necessary for building the temple is already present in David’s time. Cf. the different point of view in 17.1, 10; 22.9.
23.26–27 The construction of the temple obviates the need for the Levites to carry the tabernacle. Elsewhere the Chronicler speaks of the Levites carrying the ark (1 Chr 15.2, 12, 15, 26, 27; 2 Chr 5.4; 35.3), probably indicating that this reference comes from a secondary hand.
23.30 Note the role of the Levites as musicians.
1 CHRONICLES 24
Divisions of the Priests
1The divisions of the descendants of Aaron were these. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests. 3Along with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, David organized them according to the appointed duties in their service. 4Since more chief men were found among the sons of Eleazar than among the sons of Ithamar, they organized them under sixteen heads of ancestral houses of the sons of Eleazar, and eight of the sons of Ithamar. 5They organized them by lot, all alike, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar. 6The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king, and the officers, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of ancestral houses of the priests and of the Levites; one ancestral house being chosen for Eleazar and one chosen for Ithamar.
7The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, 12the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 15the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, 16the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel, 17the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, 18the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 19These had as their appointed duty in their service to enter the house of the LORD according to the procedure established for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.
Other Levites
20And of the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. 21Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief. 22Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. 23The sons of Hebron:a Jeriah the chief,b Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 24The sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir. 25The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. 26The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Jaaziah: Beno.c 27The sons of Merari: of Jaaziah, Beno,d Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. 28Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. 29Of Kish, the sons of Kish: Jerahmeel. 30The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their ancestral houses. 31These also cast lots corresponding to their kindred, the descendants of Aaron, in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of ancestral houses of the priests and of the Levites, the chief as well as the youngest brother.
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a See 23.19: Heb lacks Hebron
b See 23.19: Heb lacks the chief
c Or his son: Meaning of Heb uncertain
d Or his son: Meaning of Heb uncertain
24.1–19 The twenty-four priestly courses. This final organizational development of the priesthood in the OT may have been completed by the mid-fourth century BCE.
24.1 For the descendants of Aaron, see 6.2; Ex 6.2–15; Num 3.2–4.
24.2–3 The author of this section does not mention that Nadab and Abihu died because they offered illicit fire (Num 3.4). Zadok, a leading priest during David’s and Solomon’s reigns. Ahimelech, Abiathar’s father, not his son as in v. 6. Abiathar is the other leading priest at the time of David. Ahimelech’s tie to Ithamar in this chapter is in tension with other evidence that would link him to Eleazar (18.16; 1 Sam 22.20).
24.4 The descendants of Eleazar are superior to the descendants of Ithamar in numbers and in ranking, despite the implication of v. 5.
24.5 By lot. The roles of David, Zadok, and Ahimelech are mentioned in v. 3.
24.7–18 A list in order of the twenty-four priestly houses. Ten of the twenty-four names in the priestly courses are also attested in the list of postexilic priests in Neh 12.1–7, 12–21.
24.7 The family of the Maccabees descend from Jehoiarib, but there is no need to date this list that late (1 Macc 2.1; 14.29).
24.10 Hakkoz ’s descendants are barred from the priesthood after the return because they could not find their record in the genealogies (Ezra 2.61). His inclusion in the present list may indicate that this list is later and that the family had made gains in having its claims acknowledged. Abijah, the priestly course to which Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, belonged (Lk 1.5).
24.19 The duties of the priests were given by God as revealed to Aaron. The duties of the Levites in ch. 23 are assigned by David.
24.20–31 A supplementary list of Levites. This list repeats some of the information of 23.7–24, extends five families of Kohath and one of Merari by another generation, and adds another son, Jaaziah, to Merari.
24.31 The Levites, like the priests, have their positions assigned by lot.
1 CHRONICLES 25
The Temple Musicians
1David and the officers of the army also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals. The list of those who did the work and of their duties was: 2Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. 3Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun:
Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei,a Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the LORD. 4Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. 5All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer, according to the promise of God to exalt him; for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6They were all under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order of the king. 7They and their kindred, who were trained in singing to the LORD, all of whom were skillful, numbered two hundred eighty-eight. 8And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.
9The first lot fell for Asaph to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, to him and his brothers and his sons, twelve; 10the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 11the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 12the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 13the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 14the seventh to Jesarelah,b his sons and his brothers, twelve; 15the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 16the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 17the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 18the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 19the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 20to the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 21to the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 22to the fifteenth, to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 23to the sixteenth, to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 24to the seventeenth, to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 25to the eighteenth, to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 26to the nineteenth, to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 27to the twentieth, to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 28to the twenty-first, to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 29to the twenty-second, to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 30to the twenty-third, to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 31to the twenty-fourth, to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.
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a One Ms: Gk: MT lacks Shimei
b Or Asarelah; see 25.2
25.1–6 The families of levitical singers. The families are listed in a traditional order of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun in v. 1, but in vv. 2–6 the order is Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. The fourteen people assigned to Heman indicate his increasing prominence. In even later lists of singers, Jeduthun is replaced by Ethan. The singers are said to prophesy (vv. 1, 2, 3), and Heman is called the king’s seer (v. 5). Their prophetic activity may carry on the tradition of the preexilic prophets associated with ritual activities at shrines, or it may indicate that the hortatory words of Levites (and priests) are viewed as a way in which God reveals himself to his people (cf. the description of levitical singers in prophetic terms elsewhere, 2 Chr 20.14; 29.25; 35.15). Prophetic and musical activities are combined in v. 1.
25.2 Perhaps the number “four” originally appeared after Asarelah but has been dropped out; cf. vv. 3, 5.
25.3 Shimei is restored on the basis of v. 17 and the Septuagint.
25.4 Some scholars have reconstructed a poem (or the first lines of five poems) out of the names Hananiah…Mahazioth (“Be gracious to me, O Yahweh, be gracious to me; You are my God. / I have magnified (you), I have exalted (you). / Oh, my helper, fulfill my request. / Give abundant visions.”). The number fourteen in v. 5, however, presupposes that all these words in v. 4 are to be understood as proper names.
25.7–31 A supplementary list of singers that arranges the singers named in vv. 1–6 into twenty-four courses, like the priests in ch. 24. Small differences in the spelling of names suggest that the supplementary list has developed over a period of time.
25.7 The number two hundred eighty-eight is a product of twenty-four courses multiplied by twelve members in each course.
25.8 The assignment to the twenty-four courses was made by lot; cf. 24.5; 26.13. David and his officers select the families of levitical singers in the first place without using lots. Teacher and pupil. Perhaps there was some kind of instructional program to train the singers.
25.9 After Joseph should appear “his sons and his brothers, twelve,” as with the other twenty-three names.
1 CHRONICLES 26
The Gatekeepers
1As for the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 2Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. 4Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, 5Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him. 6Also to his son Shemaiah sons were born who exercised authority in their ancestral houses, for they were men of great ability. 7The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers were able men, Elihu and Semachiah. 8All these, sons of Obed-edom with their sons and brothers, were able men qualified for the service; sixty-two of Obed-edom. 9Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, able men, eighteen. 10Hosah, of the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, his father made him chief), 11Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brothers of Hosah totaled thirteen.
12These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had duties, just as their kindred did, ministering in the house of the LORD; 13and they cast lots by ancestral houses, small and great alike, for their gates. 14The lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a prudent counselor, and his lot came out for the north. 15Obed-edom’s came out for the south, and to his sons was allotted the storehouse. 16For Shuppim and Hosah it came out for the west, at the gate of Shallecheth on the ascending road. Guard corresponded to guard. 17On the east there were six Levites each day,a on the north four each day, on the south four each day, as well as two and two at the storehouse; 18and for the colonnadeb on the west there were four at the road and two at the colonnade.c 19These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the Korahites and the sons of Merari.
The Treasurers, Officers, and Judges
20And of the Levites, Ahijah had charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts. 21The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.d
22The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the LORD. 23Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: 24Shebuel son of Gershom, son of Moses, was chief officer in charge of the treasuries. 25His brothers: from Eliezer were his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zichri, and his son Shelomoth.26This Shelomoth and his brothers were in charge of all the treasuries of the dedicated gifts that King David, and the heads of families, and the officers of the thousands and the hundreds, and the commanders of the army, had dedicated. 27From booty won in battles they dedicated gifts for the maintenance of the house of the LORD. 28Also all that Samuel the seer, and Saul son of Kish, and Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah had dedicated—all dedicated gifts were in the care of Shelomothe and his brothers.
29Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were appointed to outside duties for Israel, as officers and judges. 30Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand seven hundred men of ability, had the oversight of Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the service of the king. 31Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was chief of the Hebronites. (In the fortieth year of David’s reign search was made, of whatever genealogy or family, and men of great ability among them were found at Jazer in Gilead.) 32King David ap
pointed him and his brothers, two thousand seven hundred men of ability, heads of families, to have the oversight of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites for everything pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.
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a Gk: Heb lacks each day
b Heb parbar: meaning uncertain
c Heb parbar: meaning uncertain
d The Hebrew text of verse 21 is confused
e Gk Compare 26.28: Heb Shelomith
26.1–19 A list of the gatekeepers appointed by David (23.5; gatekeepers are also mentioned in 9.17–32; 15.18, 24; 16.38). Since gatekeepers were not originally Levites, this list is relatively late.