1 Chronicles 23:29

Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(29) Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour.—Rather, And over the shewbread, and over, &c. “For” (lĕ) continues the sense of “over” (‘al). The Levitical assistants of the priests had to see to the preparation of the things here enumerated.

And for that which is baked in the pan.—Literally, and over the pan (Leviticus 2:5).

And for that which is fried.—Rather, and over that which is soaked in oil (a kind of cake, Leviticus 7:12).

And for all manner of measure and size.—The flour and wine and oil, which were the complements of every sacrifice, were measured by the Levites in standard vessels, of which they had the keeping. Exodus 29:40 shows that the proportions were fixed for each kind of offering. “Measure” (mĕsûrāh), a rare word, implies measure of capacity; “size” (middāh), measure of length (Rashi).

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 23:29. For all manner of measure — All measures used either in sacred or civil things, the public standards whereof were kept in the temple; and therefore the care of keeping them inviolable, and producing them upon occasion, must needs belong to the priests, and under them to the Levites, who were to examine other measures, and all things by them, as occasion required, that so the priests might be at leisure for their higher and greater employments.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:24-32 Now the people of Israel were so many, there should be more employed in the temple service, that every Israelite who brought an offering might find a Levite ready to help him. When more work is to be done, it is pity but there should be more workmen. A new heart, a spiritual mind, which delights greatly in God's commandments, and can find a refreshing feast in his ordinances, forms the great distinction between the true Christian and all other men in the world. To the spiritual man every service will yield satisfaction. He will be ever abounding in the work of the Lord; being never so happy as when employed for such a good Master, in so pleasant a service. He will not regard whether he is called to take the lead, or to keep the charge of others who are placed over him. May we seek and serve the Lord uprightly, and leave all the rest to his disposal, by faith in his word.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

By the "last words of David" some understand an historical work on the latter part of his reign, drawn up probably by Gad or Nathan (compare 1 Chronicles 27:24; 1 Chronicles 29:29). Others suppose that he left behind him a work containing directions for the service of the sanctuary.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

1Ch 23:24-32. Office of the Levites.

24-27. These were the sons of Levi … that did the work … from the age of twenty years and upward—The enumeration of the Levites was made by David (1Ch 23:3) on the same rule as that followed by Moses (Nu 4:3), namely, from thirty years. But he saw afterwards that this rule might be beneficially relaxed, and that the enrolment of Levites for their proper duties might be made from twenty years of age. The ark and tabernacle being now stationary at Jerusalem, the labor of the Levites was greatly diminished, as they were no longer obliged to transport its heavy furniture from place to place. The number of thirty-eight thousand Levites, exclusive of priests, was doubtless more than sufficient for the ordinary service of the tabernacle. But this pious king thought that it would contribute to the glory of the Lord to employ as many officers in his divine service as possible. These first rules, however, which David instituted, were temporary, as very different arrangements were made after the ark had been deposited in the tabernacle of Zion.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

This is to be understood either,

1. Particularly of the measure or quantity of fine flour, and wine, and oil, which was fixed by God’s law. Or

2. Generally of all measures, used either in sacred or civil things, the public standards whereof were kept in the sanctuary or temple; of which see on Exodus 30:13; and therefore the care of keeping them inviolable, and producing them upon occasion, must needs belong to the priests, and under them to the Levites, who were to examine other measures and all things by them, as oft as occasion required, that so the priests might be at more leisure for their higher and greater employments.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Both for the shewbread,.... Also to make and get that ready every week for the priests to set on the shewbread table, when they took off the other that had stood a week, see 1 Chronicles 9:32.

and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried; to deliver out the flour of which these several things were made, see 1 Chronicles 9:31, and Leviticus 2:1,

and for all manner of measures and size; as the hin and the ephah, and the several parts of them for things both liquid and dry, which were in their keeping, and according to which they gave out the proper quantity of oil, and wine, and fine flour, upon occasion.

Geneva Study Bible

Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

29. for the shewbread] i.e. for the preparation of the shewbread.

meat offering] R.V. meal offering. Cp. Leviticus 2:1; Leviticus 2:4-5.

and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan] R.V. whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan.

and for that which is fried] R.V. or of that which is soaked. Cp. Leviticus 6:21 [14, Heb.] (baken; R.V. soaked).

for all manner of measure and size] i.e. for measuring the component parts of the meal-offering, etc.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 29. - Both for the shewbread, and... size. Seven other specifications of service are continued in this verse, with which we may compare 1 Chronicles 9:26-32. For the shewbread. The first mention of shewbread is found in Exodus 25:30. The directions for making it are found in Leviticus 24:5-9. The twelve unleavened cakes of which it consisted, heaped on the table in two piles, represented the twelve tribes, and intimated the Divine acceptance of the offerings of each faithful tribe (see also 2 Chronicles 13:11). For the fine flour for meat offering. This is spoken of in Exodus 29:40; Leviticus 2:1-7; Leviticus 6:14, 15, 19-27; Leviticus 23:13; Leviticus 14:5. For the unleavened cakes... the pan... fried. These are spoken of in Leviticus 2:4-7. For all manner of measure and size; Hebrew וּלְכָל־מְשׂוּרֶה וּמִדָּה. These two words occur also in Leviticus 19:35, 36, where they are rendered respectively "in measure" and "in meteyard." Perhaps the exacter rendering here would be "for all matters of liquid and solid measure." 1 Chronicles 23:29

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Their appointed place or post was at the hand of the sons of Aaron, i.e., they were ready to the priest's hand, to aid him in carrying on the service of the house of God. "Over the courts and the cells (of the courts; cf. 1 Chronicles 9:26), and the purifying of every holy thing," i.e., of the temple rooms and the temple vessels. On ל before כּל־קדשׁ, used for mediate connection after the stat. const., cf. Ew. 289, b. עבדת וּמעשׂה, and for the performance of the service of the house of God. Before מעשׂה, על is to be supplied from the preceding. The individual services connected with the worship are specialized in 1 Chronicles 23:29-31, and introduced by the preposition ל. For the bread of the pile, i.e., the shew-bread (see on Leviticus 24:8.), viz., to prepare it; for the laying of the bread upon the table was the priest's business. For fine meal (סלת, see on Leviticus 2:1) for the meat-offering and unleavened cakes (המּצּות רקיקי, see on Leviticus 2:4), and for the pans, i.e., that which was baked in pans (see on Leviticus 2:5), and for that which was roasted (מרבּכת, see on Leviticus 6:14), and for all measures of capacity and measures of length which were kept by the Levites, because meal, oil, and wine were offered along with the sacrifices in certain fixed quantities (cf. e.g., Exodus 29:40; Exodus 30:24), and the Levites had probably to watch over the weights and measures in general (Leviticus 19:35).