Barnes' Notes Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.
And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service. Zadok and Ahimelech (rather Abiathar, see 1 Chronicles 24:6) assisted David in drawing up the priestly courses, as the "captains of the host" assisted him in making the divisions of the singers 1 Chronicles 25:1.
And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.
Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. One sort with another - i. e., "the assignment of their order in the courses was made by lot to the families belonging to Eleazar, and to the families belonging to Ithamar, equally." Both houses had furnished functionaries of the highest class, and therefore no preference was now given to either over the other.
And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar. Wrote them before the king - i. e., "wrote down their names as the lots were drawn forth."Ahimelech the son of Abiathar - A wrong reading. It should be "Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech." See the 2 Samuel 8:17 note.
Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,
The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,
The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,
The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.
These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him. These were the orderings ... - i. e., "this was the numerical order fixed for their ministerial attendance in the house of the Lord - an attendance which was after the manner determined for them by their forefather Aaron, according to instructions which he received from God."
And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah. The object of this second enumeration of the Levitical families (compare 1 Chronicles 23:7-23) seems to be the designation of the heads of the families in David's time. The omission of the Gershonites is curious, and can only be accounted for by supposing that the author did not find any account of their heads in his authorities. The addition to the Merarites 1 Chronicles 24:26-27 is also curious. It brings the number of families up to twenty-five, which is one more than we should have expected.
Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.
Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.
And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. Neither "Hebron" nor "the first" is found in the present Hebrew text; but they seem to have been rightly supplied by our translators from 1 Chronicles 23:19. The four persons named appear to have been contemporaries of David, the heads of the Hebronite houses in his time (compare 1 Chronicles 26:31).
Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.
The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.
The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno. The sons of Jaaziah, Beno - Beno is not really a name. It is the Hebrew for "his son," and is to be attached to Jaaziah. Translate 1 Chronicles 24:27, "and the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son (were) Shoham and Zaccur, and Ibri." The meaning of the whole passage 1 Chronicles 24:26-30 seems to be that there were three branches of the Merarites the Beni-Mahli, the Beni-Mushi, and the Beni-Jaaziah.
The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.
Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.
Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.
The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.
These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren. The principal fathers over against their younger brethren - i. e., "all the Levitical houses enumerated drew lots in their courses on equal terms, the older families having no advantage over the younger ones." As there were 24 courses of the priests, so we must suppose that there were 24 of the Levites, though the number of the families as given in the text 1 Chronicles 23:7-23; 1 Chronicles 24:20-30 is 25. |
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