1 Chronicles 6:48

Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(48) Their brethren also the Levites.—That is, the Levites who were not musicians—the remaining Levites.

Appointed.—Literally, given—that is, to Aaron and his sons as their assistants; Numbers 3:9 (Heb.), “And thou shalt give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons, given are they to him from amongst the sons of Israel.” The word is nethûnîm. (Comp. nethînim, an identical form, as the name of a well-known class of Temple-servants.)

Tabernacle.—Rather, dwelling-place (mishkan).

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 6:48. Their brethren were appointed, &c. — Such of them as had no skill in singing were otherwise employed; being porters, keepers of the vessels of the sanctuary, occupied in preparing the sacrifices, and such like things. It is observable, that in all the genealogies of the Levites, there is not a word said of the sons of Moses and their posterity, he having no ambition to prefer them unto any great office.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:1-81 Genealogies. - We have an account of Levi in this chapter. The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites, to preserve their descent clear, and to be able to prove it; because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. Now, the Spirit of God calls ministers to their work, without any limit as to the families they came from; and then, as now, though believers and ministers may be very useful to the church, none but our great High Priest can make atonement for sin, nor can any be accepted but through his atonement.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ethan - Or Jeduthun (see the margin). Corruption will scarcely account for the two forms of the name, since Ethan is used persistently up to a certain point 1 Chronicles 15:19, after which we have uniformly "Jeduthun." The case seems to be rather one in which a new name was taken after a while, which thenceforth superseded the old. Compare Abraham, Sarah, Joshua, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, etc.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

48. Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service—Those of them who were endowed with musical tastes and talents were employed in various other departments of the temple service.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The Levites; such of them as had no skill in singing were otherwise employed.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Their brethren also the Levites,.... Who were not skilled in singing, and employed in that service, even the rest of the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites:

were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God; some were porters at the gates; others had the care of the vessels; others slew the beasts for sacrifices, flayed them, and cut them up, and brought the pieces to the altar of burnt offerings, for the priests to offer.

Geneva Study Bible

Their {i} brethren also the Levites were {k} appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

(i) The Levites are called the singers brothers because they came from the same stock.

(k) Read Nu 4:4.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

48, 49 (= 33, 34 according to the Heb. division). The distinction between Levites and Aaronites

48. Their brethren also the Levites] R.V. And their brethren the Levites, i.e. and the other Levites.

appointed] Heb. given, in allusion to Numbers 3:9; Numbers 18:6.

unto all manner of service] R.V. for all the service.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 48. - The all manner of service, from that of the three "leaders of song" on their "cymbals of brass" (1 Chronicles 15:19) down through the other Levitical grades, is fully illustrated in many places (1 Chronicles 15:18-24; 1 Chronicles 16:37-42; 1 Chronicles 23:2-32; 1 Chronicles 25:1-8; 1 Chronicles 26:1-26). 1 Chronicles 6:48

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

(1 Chronicles 6:33-34). "And their brethren the Levites," i.e., the other Levites besides the singers just mentioned, "were נתוּנים given for every service of the dwelling of the house of God," i.e., given to Aaron and his sons (the priests) for the performance of service in the carrying on of the worship; cf. Numbers 3:9; Numbers 8:16-19; Numbers 18:6. But Aaron and his sons had three duties to perform: (1) they burnt the offerings on the altar of burnt-offering and on the altar of incense, cf. Numbers 18:1-7; (2) they looked after all the service of the holy place; (3) they had to atone for Israel by offering the atoning-sacrifices, and performing the cleansings according to all that Moses commanded. This last clause refers to all the three above-mentioned duties of the priests. Moses is called the servant of God, as in Deuteronomy 34:5; Joshua 1:1, Joshua 1:13.