John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 16:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 16
This chapter relates that David offered sacrifices when the ark was brought into his city, 1Ch 16:1 who were the singers he appointed to sing before it continually, 1Ch 16:4 and the song he that day composed and delivered to them to sing, 1Ch 16:7 and that he appointed not only proper persons to minister before the ark, but also before the tabernacle at Gibeon, 1Ch 16:37.
Ver. 1-3. So they brought the ark of God,.... What is contained in these three verses is the same with 2Sa 6:17, see the notes there. See Gill on "2Sa 6:17".
See Gill on "2Sa 6:18".
See Gill on "2Sa 6:19".
1 Chronicles 16:2
Ver. 2. See Gill on "1Ch 16:1".
1 Chronicles 16:3
Ver. 3. See Gill on "1Ch 16:1".
1 Chronicles 16:4
Ver. 4. And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord,.... By singing the praises of God:
and to record; or bring to remembrance; to commemorate in a song the great and good things God had done for Israel as a people:
and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel; for all his benefits, and the blessings of his goodness bestowed on them.
1 Chronicles 16:5
Ver. 5. Asaph the chief,.... Of those that were now appointed: otherwise, of the three principal singers, Heman was the chief, and Asaph next, 1Ch 6:33
and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, with psalteries, and with harps; to play upon them before the ark at the same time the psalms and songs were vocally sung; the above persons are such as are named before, 1Ch 15:18,
but Asaph made a sound with cymbals; he struck and played upon them, see 1Ch 15:19.
1 Chronicles 16:6
Ver. 6. Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests,.... These were appointed to blow
with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; morning and evening.
1 Chronicles 16:7
Ver. 7-34. Then on that day,.... The ark was brought to Zion, and the above persons appointed to minister before it:
David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren to be sung by them now, and on every proper occasion; and this seems to be the first that was delivered to them; afterwards there were many more, as the titles of the psalms show; the following is composed of part of two others, as they now stand in the book of Psalms. From hence, to the end of 1Ch 16:22 is the same with
Ps 105:1, with a little variation, see the notes there; and from thence to the end of 1Ch 16:33 is Ps 96:1 which see; and
1Ch 16:34 is the same with Ps 106:1, see the notes there.
See Gill on "Ps 106:1" See Gill on "Ps 107:1" See Gill on "Ps 105:1" See Gill on "Ps 105:2" See Gill on "Ps 105:3" See Gill on "Ps 105:4" See Gill on "Ps 105:5" See Gill on "Ps 105:6" See Gill on "Ps 105:7" See Gill on "Ps 105:8" See Gill on "Ps 105:9" See Gill on "Ps 105:10" See Gill on "Ps 105:11" See Gill on "Ps 105:12" See Gill on "Ps 105:13" See Gill on "Ps 105:14" See Gill on "Ps 105:15"
1 Chronicles 16:8
Ver. 8. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:9
Ver. 9. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:10
Ver. 10. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:11
Ver. 11. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:12
Ver. 12. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:13
Ver. 13. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:14
Ver. 14. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:15
Ver. 15. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:16
Ver. 16. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:17
Ver. 17. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:18
Ver. 18. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:19
Ver. 19. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:20
Ver. 20. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:21
Ver. 21. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:22
Ver. 22. See Gill on "1Ch 16:7"
1 Chronicles 16:23
Ver. 23. See Gill on "Ps 95:1"
1 Chronicles 16:24
Ver. 24. See Gill on "Ps 95:2"
1 Chronicles 16:25
Ver. 25. See Gill on "Ps 95:3"
1 Chronicles 16:26
Ver. 26. See Gill on "Ps 95:4"
1 Chronicles 16:27
Ver. 27. See Gill on "Ps 95:5"
1 Chronicles 16:28
Ver. 28. See Gill on "Ps 95:6"
1 Chronicles 16:29
Ver. 29. See Gill on "Ps 95:7"
1 Chronicles 16:30
Ver. 30. See Gill on "Ps 95:8"
1 Chronicles 16:31
Ver. 31. See Gill on "Ps 95:9"
1 Chronicles 16:32
Ver. 32. See Gill on "Ps 95:10"
1 Chronicles 16:33
Ver. 33. See Gill on "Ps 95:11" See Gill on "Ps 95:12" See Gill on "Ps 95:13"
1 Chronicles 16:34
Ver. 34. See Gill on "Ps 96:1" See Gill on "Ps 107:1"
1 Chronicles 16:35
Ver. 35,36. And say ye, save us, O God of our salvation,.... The author of temporal, spiritual, and eternal salvation; the words are a direction to the singers, and those that sung with them, to express the prayer and doxology in the next verse, which both are the same with Ps 106:47.
See Gill on "Ps 106:47" See Gill on "Ps 106:48"; which David directed by a spirit of prophecy, foreseeing the people of Israel would be in captivity among the Heathens; though some think these were added by Ezra; for though there was in his time a return from the captivity, yet many still remained in it.
1 Chronicles 16:36
Ver. 36. See Gill on "1Ch 16:35"
1 Chronicles 16:37
Ver. 37. So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brethren,.... Whom he, that is, David, had appointed for the service of it:
to minister before the ark continually; in singing the praises of God:
as every day's work required; at the time of the morning and evening sacrifice, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it.
1 Chronicles 16:38
Ver. 38 And Obededom, with their brethren, threescore and eight,.... The Levites, the brethren of Asaph and Obededom, these were left before the ark to minister there:
Obededom also the son of Jeduthun; or Ethan, which some take to be another Obededom; but the w, "vau" may be explanative, "even Obededom":
and Hosah to be porters; these he left to be doorkeepers of the ark.
1 Chronicles 16:39
Ver. 39. And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests,.... These he left, having appointed them
to be before the tabernacle of the Lord, in the high place that was at Gibeon; namely, the tabernacle of Moses, which was removed from Nob thither in the days of Saul, and continued there to the times of Solomon, 1Ch 21:28.
1 Chronicles 16:40
Ver. 40. To offer burnt offerings unto the Lord,.... Which was the work of the priests only to do:
upon the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening; the lambs of the daily sacrifice, which were a burnt offering, and only to be offered on the brasen altar at the tabernacle:
and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel; with regard to them, and all other sacrifices, see Ex 29:38.
1 Chronicles 16:41
Ver. 41. And with them,.... That is, with Zadok, and the priests with him at Gibeon:
he left Heman and Jeduthun: or Ethan, two principal singers:
and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name; see
1Ch 16:18
to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever; to praise him for his benefits, flowing from his grace and mercy continually.
1 Chronicles 16:42
Ver. 42. And with them Heman and Jeduthun, with trumpets and cymbals,.... Or with them were the trumpets and cymbals, as Kimchi; or, as Piscator supplies it, with them he "left" the trumpets and cymbals:
for those that should make a sound; by striking upon them:
and with musical instruments of God; sacred ones, such as were devoted to his service, as psalteries and harps; the Syriac and Arabic versions carry the sense of the words quite differently, that these men did not sing with those musical instruments, but with a pleasant voice, and with pure and acceptable prayers, in humility and uprightness, glorified God:
and the sons of Jeduthun were porters; at the tabernacle in Gibeon.
1 Chronicles 16:43
Ver. 43. And all the people departed, every man to his house,.... Having accompanied the ark to its place, and having praised the Lord for it, and been refreshed with food, see 2Sa 6:19
and David returned to bless his house; his family; the Targum is,
"to bless the people;''
see 2Sa 6:20.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 17:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 17
This chapter contains an account of David's intention to build an house for God, which, he signified to Nathan the prophet, who first encouraged him to it; but afterwards was sent by the Lord to him with an order to desist from it, assuring him, at the same time, that his son should build it, and that his own house and kingdom should be established for ever; for which David expressed great thankfulness, the whole of which is related in 2Sa 7:1 with some little variation, see the notes there; only one thing has since occurred, which I would just take notice of, that here, 1Ch 17:5 as there also, it is said by the Lord, that he had "not dwelt in an house since the day he brought up Israel out of Egypt"; which seems to suggest that he had dwelt in one before, as has been hinted on 2Sa 7:6 even while the people of Israel were in Egypt, though it is nowhere mentioned by Moses, or any other writer; yet it is not unreasonable to suppose it; for as the ancestors of the Israelites, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when only travellers from place to place, built altars for God wherever they came; so their posterity, it is highly probable, not only did the same, but when they found themselves settled in Egypt, in the land of Goshen, might build places of worship; and when we consider the wealth of Joseph, and his family, and indeed of all Israel, who enjoyed for many years great plenty, prosperity, and liberty, before their servitude, the vast numbers they increased to and the long continuance of them in Egypt, more than two hundred years; it will not seem strange that they should build houses for religious worship, and even one grand and splendid for public service, to which also they might be led by the example of the Egyptians; who, as Herodotus says {i}, were the first that erected altars, images, and temples to the gods, and who in the times of Joseph had one at On, where his father-in-law officiated as priest, Ge 41:45 or rather to this they might be directed by some hints and instructions of their father Jacob before his death, who it is certain had a notion of a Bethel, an house for the public worship of God, Ge 28:17 and I find a learned man {k} of our own nation of this opinion, and which he founds upon this passage; and he supposes the house God dwelt in, in Egypt, was not a tent of goats' hair, as in the wilderness, but a structure of stones or bricks, a firm and stable house, such an one as Abraham built at Damascus when settled there; which continued to the times of Augustus Caesar, as related by Nicholas of Damascus {l}. See 2Sa 7:1.
{i} Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 4. {k} Dickinson. Physic. vet. & vera, c. 19. sect. 24. {l} Apud. Joseph. Antiqu. l. 1. c. 7. sect. 2.
1 Chronicles 17:2
Ver. 2. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:3
Ver. 3. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:4
Ver. 4. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:5
Ver. 5. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:6
Ver. 6. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:7
Ver. 7. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:8
Ver. 8. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:9
Ver. 9. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:10
Ver. 10. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:11
Ver. 11. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:12
Ver. 12. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:13
Ver. 13. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:14
Ver. 14. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:15
Ver. 15. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:16
Ver. 16. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:17
Ver. 17. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:18
Ver. 18. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:19
Ver. 19. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:20
Ver. 20. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:21
Ver. 21. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:22
Ver. 22. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:23
Ver. 23. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:24
Ver. 24. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:25
Ver. 25. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:26
Ver. 26. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
1 Chronicles 17:27
Ver. 27. See Gill "1Ch 17:1".
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 18:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 18
The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters are the same with 2Sa 8:1 with very little variations, which are observed in the notes on them, to which the reader is referred.
1 Chronicles 18:2
Ver. 2. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:3
Ver. 3. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:4
Ver. 4. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:5
Ver. 5. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:6
Ver. 6. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:7
Ver. 7. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:8
Ver. 8. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:9
Ver. 9. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:10
Ver. 10. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:11
Ver. 11. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:12
Ver. 12. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:13
Ver. 13. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:14
Ver. 14. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:15
Ver. 15. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:16
Ver. 16. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
1 Chronicles 18:17
Ver. 17. See Gill "1Ch 18:1".
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 19:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 19
The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters are the same with 2Sa 8:1 with very little variations, which are observed in the notes on them, to which the reader is referred.
1 Chronicles 19:2
Ver. 2. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:3
Ver. 3. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:4
Ver. 4. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:5
Ver. 5. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:6
Ver. 6. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:7
Ver. 7. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:8
Ver. 8. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:9
Ver. 9. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:10
Ver. 10. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:11
Ver. 11. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:12
Ver. 12. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:13
Ver. 13. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:14
Ver. 14. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:15
Ver. 15. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:16
Ver. 16. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:17
Ver. 17. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:18
Ver. 18. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
1 Chronicles 19:19
Ver. 19. See Gill "1Ch 19:1".
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 20:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 20
Agrees with various passages in the second book of Samuel;
1Ch 20:1 with 2Sa 11:1 and 1Ch 20:2 with 2Sa 12:30 and the rest, to the end of it, with 2Sa 21:15. What differences there are, are observed in the notes on those passages, which see. Also see 1Ch 21:1.
1 Chronicles 20:2
Ver. 2. See Gill "1Ch 20:1".
1 Chronicles 20:3
Ver. 3. See Gill "1Ch 20:1".
1 Chronicles 20:4
Ver. 4. See Gill "1Ch 20:1".
1 Chronicles 20:5
Ver. 5. See Gill "1Ch 20:1".
1 Chronicles 20:6
Ver. 6. See Gill "1Ch 20:1".
1 Chronicles 20:7
Ver. 7. See Gill "1Ch 20:1".
1 Chronicles 20:8
Ver. 8. See Gill "1Ch 20:1".
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 21:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 21
Excepting the three last verses, is contained in 2Sa 24:1 with some few variations, which are there observed; see the notes there.
1 Chronicles 21:2
Ver. 2. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:3
Ver. 3. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:4
Ver. 4. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:5
Ver. 5. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:6
Ver. 6. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:7
Ver. 7. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:8
Ver. 8. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:9
Ver. 9. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:10
Ver. 10. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:11
Ver. 11. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:12
Ver. 12. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:13
Ver. 13. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:14
Ver. 14. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:15
Ver. 15. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:16
Ver. 16. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:17
Ver. 17. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:18
Ver. 18. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:19
Ver. 19. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:20
Ver. 20. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:21
Ver. 21. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:22
Ver. 22. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:23
Ver. 23. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:24
Ver. 24. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:25
Ver. 25. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:26
Ver. 26. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:27
Ver. 27. See Gill "1Ch 21:1".
1 Chronicles 21:28
Ver. 28. At that time when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshing floor Of Ornan the Jebusite,.... The same with Araunah, 2Sa 24:16, with some small variation of the letters, and are of the same signification; both signifying the "ornus", as Hillerus {m} observes, the pine tree or ash; see Isa 44:14, in whose threshingfloor David now was, and where he had been praying and sacrificing; and God had accepted his prayer, as the Targum, and had answered him, by causing fire to come down on the sacrifice and consume it, and by ordering the angel to put up his sword in its sheath:
then he sacrificed there; again by the priests, and continued to do so, for he had sacrificed there before, 1Ch 21:26 and finding his sacrifices in that place were acceptable, he repeated them, and did not go to Gibeon, as follows.
{m} Onomastic. Sacr. p. 529, 530.
1 Chronicles 21:29
Ver. 29. For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made,.... Or ordered to be made by the command of God, and according to his direction:
and the altar of burnt offerings, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon; which was four or five miles from Jerusalem, and too far for David to go in that time of extremity; though he must have gone thither to sacrifice, had not the Lord bid him build an altar on the threshingfloor; for there was the altar of burnt offering, on which only, according to the law of Moses, sacrifices were to be offered: this high place is, in the Targum, called the sanctuary, it including, as Kimchi observes, the whole house, the tabernacle, and the altar in it; which had been here, and at Nob, fifty seven years, as the Jewish writers say {n}.
{n} Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Zebachim, c. 14. sect. 7.
1 Chronicles 21:30
Ver. 30. But David could not go before it to inquire of God,.... Which yet was the proper place to seek the Lord in: the reason follows,
for he was afraid, because of the sword of the angel of the Lord; which had so terrified him, that he was so weak that he could not go; and he feared that, should he attempt to go, while he was going thither, at such a distance, the angel would make a terrible slaughter in Jerusalem, and therefore he durst not go and leave it; and besides, as the Lord had commanded him to build an altar there, he might fear it would displease him, should he depart from it; and the rather, as hereby he pointed out to him the place where the temple should be built, and sacrifices offered, as appears from what he says in the beginning of the next chapter.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 22:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 22
In this chapter we read of the place David pitched upon by divine direction for building the temple on, 1Ch 22:1, the preparation he made of artificers to build it, and of matter to build it of, as iron, brass, and wood, 1Ch 22:2, the charge and instructions he gave to Solomon to set about it, 1Ch 22:6 and to the princes of Israel to assist him in it, 1Ch 22:7.
Ver. 1. Then David said,.... Within himself, or to some principal persons about him:
this is the house of the Lord God; the place where the temple was to be built, hinted at in De 12:5 and elsewhere; the meaning is, here, or in "this" place, shall be the house of God, so Noldius {o}, for as yet there were none; but it was now made known to David that here it should be built, and so the words in 2Ch 3:1 should be rendered,
then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, which was shown to David his father, which he prepared in the place of David, that which he bought in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite: and this is the altar for the burnt offering for Israel; not which he had built here; but this is the place where one should be built for the people of Israel to bring their offerings to, and to be here offered for them by the priests: this he said by a divine impulse upon his mind, or which he concluded from the acceptance of his sacrifice here, signified by fire that came down from heaven and consumed it; and this being in the threshingfloor of the Jebusites, might prefigure the church of God to be built up among the Gentiles.
{o} Ebr. Concord. Part. p. 352. No. 1257.
1 Chronicles 22:2
Ver. 2. And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel,.... The proselytes, as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions; that is, proselytes of the gate, who submitted to the seven precepts of Noah, were admitted to dwell in the Cities of Israel, see Ge 9:4 and these were ordered to be got together to be employed in building the temple, and making preparations for it; and that partly because they were better artificers than the Israelites, who were chiefly employed in husbandry and cattle, and partly that the Israelites, who were freemen, might not be put to hard service; but chiefly this was for the sake of a mystery in it, denoting that the Gentiles would be concerned in building the spiritual house and church of God, the temple was a type and figure of, see Zec 6:15
and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God; to dig them out of the quarries, and fit them for the building.
1 Chronicles 22:3
Ver. 3. And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings,.... Great plenty of iron to make nails of for joining the boards together, of which the doors and gates were to be made, and for the fastening of the hinges of them:
and brass in abundance without weight; for making the altar of brass, and the laver of brass, and other vessels. Brass was much used by the Heathens in sacred things, as Macrobius {p} observes.
{p} Saturnal. l. 5. c. 19.
1 Chronicles 22:4
Ver. 4. Also cedar trees in abundance,.... To be sawed into boards and planks for the cieling, wainscotting, and flooring of the temple, and other things:
for the Zidonians, and they of Tyre, brought much cedar wood to David; from Mount Lebanon, which was chiefly in their possession; and which they did either of themselves as a free gift and present to him, or at his request, for which he paid them; and this is another thing prefiguring the help of the Gentiles in building up the church of Christ in Gospel times.
1 Chronicles 22:5
Ver. 5. And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender,.... Jarchi supposes he was about twelve years of age, though he observes that the same word is used of Joshua when forty two years of age; it is probable Solomon might be now about twenty:
and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: and such was the temple built by Solomon; it was renowned throughout the whole earth; never was there a temple equal to it, no, not the famous temple of Diana at Ephesus, built by the assistance of many kings, and at the expense of all Asia, and was two hundred years in building:
I will therefore now, make preparation for it; seeing his son was so young, and this building to be so magnificent, though he himself was not admitted to build it:
so David prepared abundantly before his death; of which we have an after account in this chapter, and more largely in 1Ch 28:1.
1 Chronicles 22:6
Ver. 6. Then he called for Solomon his son,.... To be brought before him:
and charged him to build an house for the Lord God of Israel; which charge was given a little before his death, after he had made great preparations for this work, as appears from 1Ch 22:5.
1 Chronicles 22:7
Ver. 7. And David said to Solomon,.... When brought into his presence:
my son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God; he was disposed and inclined to it, and was once determined upon it, see 2Sa 7:2.
1 Chronicles 22:8
Ver. 8. But the word of the Lord came to me,.... The word of prophecy, as the Targum, by the mouth of Nathan the prophet:
saying; as follows, which though not expressed in the book of Samuel before referred to, is here recorded by divine inspiration:
thou hast shed blood abundantly; Kimchi thinks this refers to the blood of Uriah, and those gallant men that were slain with him, and to the priests slain by the order of Saul, which David was the occasion of, or accidental cause of, 1Sa 22:22 and to many good men among the Gentiles; though it was the intention of the Lord to consume the wicked among them, that they might not prevail over Israel:
and hast made great wars: with the Philistines, Moabites, &c.
thou shall not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight; an intimation this, that the church of God, of which this house was a type, was to be built by Christ, the Prince of peace, and to be supported and maintained not by force of arms, and by spilling of blood, as the religion of Mahomet, but by the preaching of the Gospel of peace.
1 Chronicles 22:9
Ver. 9. Behold, a son shall be born to thee,.... For this was said to David before the birth of Solomon, see 2Sa 7:12
who shall be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: and so should be at leisure for such a work, and his people enjoy great prosperity and riches, and so be capable of contributing largely and liberally to it:
for his name shall be Solomon; which signifies peace, and is one of the six persons that had their names given them before they were born, as the Jews observe {q}:
and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days; and so a proper time to begin and carry on such a work; of the fulfilment of this prophecy, see 1Ki 4:24.
{q} Pirke Eliezer, c. 32.
1 Chronicles 22:10
Ver. 10. He shall build an house for my name,.... For the worship of God, and for his honour and glory:
and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; see 2Sa 7:13 and which is applied to Christ, Heb 1:5
and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever; that is, for a long time in his posterity; and which will have its fulfilment in Christ, his antitype, in the utmost sense of the expression, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his throne for ever and ever, Lu 1:32.
1 Chronicles 22:11
Ver. 11. Now, my son, the Lord be with thee, &c. Or "shall be with thee" {r}, as some; and if it be as a prayer, it was no doubt a prayer of faith; the Targum is,
"may the Word of the Lord be thine help:''
and prosper thee; may success attend thee:
and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee; foretold he should, and therefore would assist him to do it, which was an encouragement to go about it.
{r} yhy "erit", Pagninus, Montanus; "futurus est", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
1 Chronicles 22:12
Ver. 12. Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding,.... To manage and conduct an affair of such importance, as well as to govern the people, as follows:
and give thee charge concerning Israel; or, when he gives, commits the charge of them to thee, sets thee king over them:
that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God; have wisdom and understanding to do that, and make that the rule of all thine actions, private and public, in thine own house, in the house of God, and in all things relative to that, and in the government of the nation.
1 Chronicles 22:13
Ver. 13. Then shall thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes,.... See 1Ki 2:2 where the same things are said as here: which shows that this was spoken by David a little before his death.
1 Chronicles 22:14
Ver. 14. Now, behold, in my trouble,.... Or affliction, which had attended him, through the greater part of his reign, partly through wars abroad, and partly through rebellions and insurrections at home: or,
in my poverty {a}; living in a frugal way, as if he had been a poor man, in order to lay up money for this purpose:
I have prepared for the house of the Lord; for the building of it, and for things to be used in it:
an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; a prodigious sum, be it reckoned as it will; the gold, according to Scheuchzer {b} was answerable to 1,222,000,000 ducats of gold; according to Waserus {c} the talents of gold made six hundred millions of Hungarian pieces of gold, or 6000 tons of gold; our Brerewood {d} makes them to amount to 450,000,000 pounds; but this being a sum so excessive large as what exceeds the riches of any monarch read of in history, he thinks {e} the word "kikkar" signifies a mass or cake of gold of an uncertain value; or that this talent was of a lesser value than the Mosaic one, as there were small talents in the times of Homer {f}, as he observes, and some of different worth in various countries. The silver, taking gold to be in proportion to silver as ten to one, as it formerly was, is just of the same value with the gold; but Brerewood, who takes it to be as twelve to one, computes it at 375,000,000 pounds; but the proportion of gold to silver is now grown, as Bishop Cumberland observes {g}, to above fourteen to one. According to Scheuchzer the silver talents amounted to 4,500,000,000 imperials or rix dollars; according to Witsius {h} the gold and silver both amounted to 3000 and nine hundred millions of pieces of gold; but Josephus {i} has reduced these sums very much, making them to be 10,000 talents of gold, and 100,000 of silver. Dr. Prideaux {k} says that what is said to be given by David here, and in 1Ch 29:3 and by his princes, 1Ch 29:6 if valued by the Mosaic talent, exceeded the value of eight hundred million of our money, which was enough to have built the whole temple of solid silver:
and of brass and iron without weight, for it is in abundance; there was so much of both, that it was too much trouble to take the weight and value of them:
timber also and stone have I prepared; see 1Ch 22:2
and thou mayest add thereunto; which might easily be obtained, there being not a sufficiency of either of them prepared for the work.
{a} yyneb "in paupertate mea", V. L. {b} Physica Sacra, vol. 4. p. 631. {c} De Antiqu. Num. Heb. l. 2. c. 13. {d} De Pond. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 5. {e} De Pond. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 6. {f} Vid. Suidam in voce talanton. {g} Scripture Weights and Measures, ch. 4. p. 121. {h} Miscell. Sacr. 2. Exercit. 10. sect. 17. {i} Antiqu. l. 7. c. 14. sect. 2. {k} Connection, part 1. p. 6.
1 Chronicles 22:15
Ver. 15. Moreover, there are workmen with thee in abundance,.... All the strangers in the land being gathered by the order of David, 1Ch 22:2 who were skilled in all manner of work, as follows:
hewers and workers of stone and timber; masons and carpenters:
and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work; joiners, carvers, &c.
1 Chronicles 22:16
Ver. 16. Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron,.... That is, the cunning artificers were skilful to work in each of these, some in gold and silver, others in brass and iron:
there is no number; either of the workmen, or of these materials; which yet must be restrained to the brass and iron, for the gold and silver are numbered, but not the brass and iron, 1Ch 22:14,
arise therefore, and be doing: not that he should set about and begin the building the temple directly; but as soon as he could after he came to the throne, and not neglect and delay it:
and the Lord be with thee; as in 1Ch 22:11 and here, as there, the Targum is,
"may the Word of the Lord be thy help.''
1 Chronicles 22:17
Ver. 17. David also commanded all the princes of Israel,.... His courtiers and nobles that were about him:
to help Solomon his son; by their advice, and with their purses, should he need them, and by overlooking the workmen, directing and encouraging them:
saying; as follows.
1 Chronicles 22:18
Ver. 18. Is not the Lord your God with you?.... Blessing them with wealth and riches:
and hath he not given you rest on every side? from all enemies within and without; so that they had peace and quietness, and leisure to attend the service he recommended to them:
for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into my hand; meaning the rest of the Canaanites, who before were unsubdued, as even the Jebusites in Jerusalem:
and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before his people; and the extent of it carried to its utmost bounds, as God had promised.
1 Chronicles 22:19
Ver. 19. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God,.... His honour and glory, most sincerely and cordially, and to the utmost of their power:
arise ye, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God; assist therein, and encourage the work as much as they were able, without delay:
to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord; which was now in a tent of David's erecting and pitching:
and the holy vessels of God: which were in the tabernacle at Gibeon: into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord: that so they might be together, and made use of; which in times past had been separated, and much neglected.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 23:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 23
In this chapter David makes Solomon king, 1Ch 23:1, calls together the princes, priests, and Levites, numbers the latter, and assigns them their proper work, 1Ch 23:2, divides them into three classes, 1Ch 23:6, when the number of them was taken from twenty years of age, and upwards; the reasons of which are given, partly from the rest the land enjoyed, and partly from the several branches of their work and office in the temple, 1Ch 23:24.
Ver. 1. So when David was old and full of days,.... Perhaps was now in the last year of his age, about seventy years old, though before he was bedridden; see 1Ch 28:2,
he made Solomon his son king over Israel; declared him to be his successor; this was before the affair of Adonijah, for then he ordered him to be anointed king, and placed on the throne; and this aggravated the rebellion of Adonijah, that it was against the declared and known will of his father.
1 Chronicles 23:2
Ver. 2. And he gathered together all the princes of Israel,.... Ordered them to be assembled, partly to acquaint them with his will and pleasure, that Solomon should succeed him in the kingdom; and partly to settle the order of the work and service of the temple; and therefore these were convened
with the priests and Levites; to assign to them their respective places and offices.
1 Chronicles 23:3
Ver. 3. Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years, and upward,.... So they were numbered in the days of Moses, and by his order, and so they were now at first; though afterwards there was a new reckoning of them, 1Ch 23:24
and their number by their posts; or, according to their heads:
man by man, was thirty and eight thousand; which vastly exceeds the number in the times of Moses; see Nu 4:47, but then those above fifty years of age were not numbered, as they now might; since their work in the temple would be much more easy, no burdens to carry, as the ark, the vessels, &c.
1 Chronicles 23:4
Ver. 4. Of which twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord,.... To prepare for the work of the priests by slaying the sacrifices, flaying them, cutting them in pieces, and washing them, and bringing them to the altar; 1000 of these served weekly in their turns:
and six thousand were officers and judges: that acted as justices of the peace in the several parts of the country, heard causes and administered justice to the people, being trained up in and acquainted with the laws of God, civil as well as ecclesiastic; some were more properly judges, and others executioners of their sentence; see
De 16:18.
1 Chronicles 23:5
Ver. 5. Moreover four thousand were porters,.... At the east, north, and south gates of the temple, in their turns;
and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments; were singers in the temple, which in all made up 38,000:
which I made, said David, to praise therewith; which instruments he devised and ordered to be made to praise the Lord with; see
2Ch 29:26.
1 Chronicles 23:6
Ver. 6. And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi,.... Into three classes, according to the number of them, which follow: namely,
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; see Ex 6:16.
1 Chronicles 23:7
Ver. 7. Of the Gershonites were Laadan and Shimei. These two were the immediate posterity of Gershon; are the same with Libni and Shimhi, and heads of families, Ex 6:17.
1 Chronicles 23:8
Ver. 8. The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiah, and Zetham, and Joel. Not his immediate sons, but some that descended from him.
1 Chronicles 23:9
Ver. 9. The sons of Shimei,.... Not him that was the son of Gershon, but a descendant of Laadan, his son, as Kimchi observes:
Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, these were the chief of the fathers of Laadan; of the families that sprang from him.
1 Chronicles 23:10
Ver. 10. And the sons of Shimei,.... The son of Gershon, and brother of Laadan, according to Kimchi, which seems right:
were Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah; these four were the sons of Shimei; descendants of his in the times of David.
1 Chronicles 23:11
Ver. 11. And Jahath was the chief,.... The prince and head of a family:
and Ziza the second; the same with Zina in 1Ch 23:10, and is there read Ziza in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions:
but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; so as to constitute distinct families:
therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house; made one family with their brethren.
1 Chronicles 23:12
Ver. 12. The sons of Kohath,.... The second son of Levi:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four; see Ex 6:18.
1 Chronicles 23:13
Ver. 13. The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses,.... A son of Kohath, 1Ch 23:2
and Aaron was separated; from the children of Israel, Ex 28:1,
that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever; by an holy use of them, and keeping them from all unholy and profane uses; and this they were to do as long as the Aaronic priesthood lasted:
to burn incense before the Lord; in the holy place, on the altar of incense; which none but priests descended from Aaron might do:
to minister unto him; both at the altar of burnt offering and of incense; and the high priest in the holy of holies:
and to bless his name for ever, or "in his name"; that is, the people in his name; see Nu 6:23.
1 Chronicles 23:14
Ver. 14. Now concerning Moses the man of God,.... Raised up by him as a prophet, admitted to great familiarity with him, a lawgiver from him, and the ruler and guide of Israel under him through the wilderness:
his sons were named of the tribe of Levi; were only common Levites; Moses had no ambition to gratify; he sought no honour for his posterity; the civil government was left to Joshua, and the priesthood to Aaron.
1 Chronicles 23:15
Ver. 15. The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. See Ex 18:3.
1 Chronicles 23:16
Ver. 16. Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief. Of the posterity of Gershom in the times of David, called Shubael, 1Ch 24:20, the Targum makes him to be the same with Jonathan, Jud 18:30. {l}
{l} So in Hieron. Trad. Heb. in Paralipom. fol. 84. c.
1 Chronicles 23:17
Ver. 17. And the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah the chief,.... The first and only begotten, as it follows:
and Eliezer had none other sons; before nor after him:
but the sons of Rehabiah were very many; or greatly multiplied; not, as the Targum says, above 600,000; the number of Israel, as the Jewish writers {m} fancy; which they gather from Ex 1:7, and that though Moses deprecated the multiplication of his seed, God fulfilled it.
{m} T. Bab Beracot, fol. 7. 1, 2, Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 16. fol. 220. 4.
1 Chronicles 23:18
Ver. 18. Of the sons of Izhar,.... Another son of Kohath, the son of Levi, 1Ch 23:12.
Shelomith the chief; the principal descendant of Izhar at this time.
1 Chronicles 23:19
Ver. 19-21. Of the sons of Hebron,.... A third son of Kohath, 1Ch 23:12,
Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth: of the sons of Uzziel; another son of Kohath, 1Ch 23:12,
Micah the first, Jesiah the second: the sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi, Ex 6:19,
the sons of Mahli, Eleazar and Kish: of whom see 1Ch 24:28.
1 Chronicles 23:20
Ver. 20. See Gill on "1Ch 23:19".
1 Chronicles 23:21
Ver. 21. See Gill on "1Ch 23:19".
1 Chronicles 23:22
Ver. 22. And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters,.... And so none to succeed him in his office and service:
and their brethren the sons of Kish took them; married them, their uncle's sons, their own cousins.
1 Chronicles 23:23
Ver. 23. And the sons of Mushi,.... The other son of Merari:
Mahli; so called from his uncle, his father's brother:
and Eder and Jerimoth, three; mentioned again 1Ch 24:30.
1 Chronicles 23:24
Ver. 24. These were the sons of Levi, after the house of their fathers,.... According to the three classes of them, as descending from the three sons of Levi:
[even] the chief of the fathers; or heads of families:
as they were counted by number of names by their polls; or according to their heads, one by one:
that did the work for the service of the house of the Lord; the particulars of which are in 1Ch 23:28
from the age of twenty years, and upwards; they were first numbered thirty and upwards, 1Ch 23:3, but David before his death ordered they should be numbered from twenty and upwards, 1Ch 23:27, because the Israelites being increased, there would be more work for the priests in the temple, which would require the assistance of more Levites. The reasons follow.
1 Chronicles 23:25
Ver. 25. For David said,.... As a reason why he ordered a new account to be taken:
the Lord God of Israel hath given rest unto his people: from all their enemies round about, and settled rest in the land, so that there was no danger of being carried captive, as they were time after time in the days of the Judges, and whereby they became more numerous:
that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever; where the temple would always continue, and not be removed, as the ark and tabernacle had been, and where all Israel would appear three times in the year continually.
1 Chronicles 23:26
Ver. 26. And also unto the Levites,.... Or with respect to them:
they shall no more carry the tabernacle: on their shoulders, from place to place, as they had done:
nor any vessels of it for the service thereof; and so the service of it did not require men at their full strength, but such as were but twenty years of age might be employed in it.
1 Chronicles 23:27
Ver. 27. For by the last words of David,.... Or therefore by the last orders he gave before his death:
the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above; as able and sufficient to do the work of their office.
1 Chronicles 23:28
Ver. 28. Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron,.... The priests:
for the service of the house of the Lord; to assist them therein, and not to bear burdens as in times past; the Targum is,
"wherefore the place of their habitations was by the side of the sons of Aaron, for the worship of the sanctuary of the Lord:''
in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God; to keep the house, and all the apartments in it, courts and chambers, clean, by sweeping and washing them, and carrying out all the filth thereof made by the sacrifices, and otherwise.
1 Chronicles 23:29
Ver. 29. 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 1Ch 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 1Ch 9:31, and Le 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.
1 Chronicles 23:30
Ver. 30. And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord,.... The office of others of them was to sing the praises of God, both vocally and with instruments of music, at the time of the morning sacrifice:
and likewise at even; at the time of the evening sacrifice, by way of thankfulness for the mercies of the night and of the day.
1 Chronicles 23:31
Ver. 31. And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord,.... This was the work of the priests to offer such sacrifices, and not the Levites; but the meaning is, according to the Targum, and so Kimchi, that these not only sung the praises of God morning and evening, but at all times when burnt offerings were offered to the Lord; besides, some of them helped the priests at such times in slaying the sacrifices, and bringing them to the altar: and especially their service was requisite
in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number; because, besides the daily sacrifices, there were additional offerings at those times:
according to the order commanded unto them continually before the Lord; see Nu 28:1.
1 Chronicles 23:32
Ver. 32. And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation,.... That no unclean persons entered into it, and that none of the vessels were carried out of it; this was the business of the porters:
and the charge of the holy place; of things that belonged unto it, the vessels in it, and what was requisite for it, and used there: and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren; the priests, whatever they should command them to do: in the service of the house of the Lord; in any part and branch of it before specified.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 24:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 24
This chapter relates the distribution David made of the priests into twenty four classes or courses, and which were observed by lot, and each course had an head or principal man over it, 1Ch 24:1 and of a like distribution of the Levites into the same number of courses, to attend the priests in theirs, 1Ch 24:20.
Ver. 1. Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron,.... Into the classes or courses following:
the sons of Aaron; Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; 1Ch 6:3, these were the immediate sons of Aaron; but the division or distribution of them into classes are of their posterity in the times of David, who descended from the two latter.
1 Chronicles 24:2
Ver. 2. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father,.... While he was living, see Le 10:1
and had no children, therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priests' office: otherwise, as Jarchi observes, had their brethren left children, they would have come into the office before them.
1 Chronicles 24:3
Ver. 3. And David distributed them,.... The posterities of Eleazar and Ithamar into certain classes or courses:
both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar; these were the two principal men of the respective families, the one was high priest, and the other "sagan" or deputy; or they both officiated as high priests alternately, until the one was removed in Solomon's time, and the other established alone. And now their brethren the priests, who were under each of these, are the persons David divided into classes:
according to their offices in their service: to perform their office as priests in the service of the temple in their turns.
1 Chronicles 24:4
Ver. 4. And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar,.... Or heads of men, heads of their fathers' houses and families:
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; in all twenty four, and into so many classes or courses did David divide them; Jarchi says at first when the tabernacle was at Shiloh, there were but sixteen courses, eight from Eleazar, and eight from Ithamar, as is explained in the treatise of fasting {n}; but when David saw that there were more heads of men, or chief men of Eleazar's, he divided the courses of Eleazar into two parts, and fixed sixteen courses; and the courses of Ithamar he established as at first, eight courses; left them as they were, which he thinks appears from 1Ch 24:6 but of the former number of courses, and when and by whom fixed, the Jews are divided {o};
See Gill on "Lu 1:5". Perhaps there were none before David's time.
{n} T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1. {o} T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1.
1 Chronicles 24:5
Ver. 5. Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another,.... Which course should serve first, and which next, and so on; and who should be the chief to each course; which course was to serve a week, and then go out; and this method was taken to prevent envy, strife, and contention about precedence:
for the governors of the sanctuary; or of the holy things, or who presided in things ecclesiastical:
and governors of the house of God: or rather "governors of God", appointed by him judges in civil things:
were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar: there were, of both families, some employed both in sacred and civil things, and who presided in each.
1 Chronicles 24:6
Ver. 6. And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe,.... The Targum is, Moses the chief scribe, so called: one
of the Levites wrote them: the lots, and the names upon them, put into the urn, and as they came out, which was first, second, &c. and this was done
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; and in this public manner, before such great personages, and in the presence of those that were interested in the affair, that it might appear plainly no fraudulent methods were taken, and that there might be no suspicion of any:
one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar; the sense of Jarchi as above, and other Jewish writers, is, that one was added to each family of Eleazar, and so made sixteen, and Ithamar's were retained, and left as at first, eight: but the sense is, that first one family of Eleazar was taken, and then one of Ithamar's family, and then one of Eleazar's again, and so on until sixteen were gone through; and then the other eight were divided under so many heads of the family of Eleazar.
1 Chronicles 24:7
Ver. 7-18. Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib,.... And the other twenty three to the following persons in order:
Jedaiah, Harim, Seorim, Malchijah, Mijamin, Hakkoz, Abijah, Jeshua, Shecaniah, Eliashib, Jakim, Huppah, Jeshebeab, Bilgah, Immer, Hezir, Aphses, Pethahiah, Jehezekel, Jachin, Gamul, Delaiah, and Maaziah; of all which courses we know little more than their names, though they continued in some form or other both under the first and second temple, to the destruction of it; the Jews say only four of these courses returned from the Babylonish captivity, which were those of Jedaiah, Harim, Pashur, and Immer; though Pashur is not among these here; yet they say each of these four had six lots, and that the names and the order of the other courses were retained and continued under them, and supplied by them: hence we read of Mattithiah, from whom sprung the Maccabees, as of the course of Jehoiarib,
"In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin.'' (1 Maccabees 2:1)
which was the first course, and the most honourable; wherefore Josephus {p}, who was of it, valued himself upon it, that he was not only of the priestly order, but of the first class or course of the twenty four; and we also read of the course of Abijah, the eighth course, of which was Zechariah the father of John the Baptist, Lu 1:5 of these courses, See Gill on "Lu 1:5".
{p} Vita ejus, sect. 1.
1 Chronicles 24:8
Ver. 8. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:9
Ver. 9. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:10
Ver. 10. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:11
Ver. 11. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:12
Ver. 12. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:13
Ver. 13. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:14
Ver. 14. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:15
Ver. 15. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:16
Ver. 16. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:17
Ver. 17. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:18
Ver. 18. See Gill on "2Ch 24:7"
1 Chronicles 24:19
Ver. 19. These were the orderings of them,.... Their classes or courses into which they were divided:
in their service to come into the house of the Lord; to perform their service in the temple, according to their turns, and in course as fixed by lot; one class or course served one week, and then went out, and another came in, each consisting of 1000 men, see 1Ch 23:4
according to their manner; law, right, custom, here prescribed for them: under Aaron their father; that is, him who was high priest for the time being; who bore this name because his successor and representative, under whose inspection, direction, and authority, all the rest of the priests were, and whom they were to obey in all things:
as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him; to take care they should be done.
1 Chronicles 24:20
Ver. 20-30. And the rest of the sons of Levi were these,.... Who were not priests, only Levites; and from hence, to 1Ch 24:30 their names are given; of the sons of Amram, Shubael, and his son Jehdeiah; Rehabiah the son of Eleazar, and Isshiah the son of Rehabiah; of the Izharites, so called from Izhar, the brother of Amram, Shelomoth, and his son Jahath; and of the sons of Hebron, another brother of Amram, Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam; of the sons of Uzziel, another brother of Amram, Michah, and his son Shamir; Isshiah the brother of Michah, and his son Zechariah: the sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi, his immediate sons; from whom sprung by Jaaziah, Beno, Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri; of Mahli sprung Eleazar, who had no sons; and Kish, whose son was Jerahmeel; the sons of Mushi, another son of Merari, Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth; most of these names are the same with those in 1Ch 23:16,
these were the sons of the Levites, after the house of their fathers; some of the principal of them.
1 Chronicles 24:21
Ver. 21. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:22
Ver. 22. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:23
Ver. 23. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:24
Ver. 24. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:25
Ver. 25. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:26
Ver. 26. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:27
Ver. 27. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:28
Ver. 28. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:29
Ver. 29. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:30
Ver. 30. See Gill on "2Ch 24:20"
1 Chronicles 24:31
Ver. 31. These likewise cast lots over against their brethren, the sons of Aaron,.... These, being divided into twenty four classes also, cast lots, which class should answer to, attend upon, and serve the first course of the priests, and which the second, and so on. And this they did in the same solemn and public manner as the priests had done:
in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites; as in 1Ch 24:6
even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren; the sense is, either that the one stood over against the other, to be distributed by lot, the one as well as the other; or they were chosen by lot, let it fall as it would, without any regard to age or dignity, to the seniority or largeness of houses and families; but as they were chosen, be they younger or elder, richer or poorer, their families more or less numerous and ancient, so they took their places.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
1 Chronicles 25:1
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 25
This chapter relates the appointment of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, to be singers in the temple, 1Ch 25:1 the distribution of them by lot into twenty four classes, twelve in each class, 1Ch 25:8.
Ver. 1. Moreover, David and the captains of the host separated to the service,.... Of singing the praises of God; this was done by the princes of the people, and the chief of the priests, who were gathered together, and before whom the lots were cast, both for priests and Levites, and now here for the singers, see
1Ch 22:2 and those that were separated were
of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun; or Ethan, the three precentors, or chief of the singers:
who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals; sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, endited by the Holy Spirit of God; which contained in them prophecies concerning things to come, particularly relating to the Messiah, of which there are many in the book of Psalms; and to the tunes of these they played on the above instruments of music:
and the number of the workmen, according to their service, was; as follows.
1 Chronicles 25:2
Ver. 2. Of the sons of Asaph,.... Who were separated, and by lot appointed, to the service of singers in the temple:
Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah; called Jesharelah, 1Ch 25:14, these had the third fourth, fifth, and seventh lots, 1Ch 25:9,
under the hands of Asaph; under his instruction and authority:
which prophesied according to the order of the king; which Asaph composed psalms under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, and was ordered by King David to sing them, and by whose command they were inserted in the book of Psalms, where they now stand with his name to them.
1 Chronicles 25:3
Ver. 3. Of Jeduthun,.... Or Ethan, the sons of Jeduthun:
Gedaliah and Zeri; called Izri, 1Ch 25:11,
and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six; whereas five only are mentioned; it may be thought that Shimei, 1Ch 25:17 is the sixth, he not being mentioned elsewhere; it is a tradition of the Jews, that his mother was now with child of him, and it being foreseen by the Holy Spirit that he would be the chief of a course, the number six is given, as Jarchi observes; but rather, as Kimchi, he was young, and not fit to sing, yet was chosen the head of a course, until he was grown up and fit for it; to these six came up the second, fourth, eighth, twelfth, fourteenth, and tenth lots, 1Ch 25:9 and these
[were] under the hands of their father Jeduthun; to instruct and direct them, and appoint their service to them:
who prophesied with a harp; or sung a prophetic psalm or hymn on that:
to give thanks, and to praise the Lord; for what he had done and promised, and foretold he would do for his people.
1 Chronicles 25:4
Ver. 4. Of Heman: the sons of Heman,.... The third chief singer:
Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel; the same with Azareel, 1Ch 25:18
Shebuel; called Shubael, 1Ch 25:20
and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth; in all fourteen, to whom came the sixth, ninth, eleventh, fifteenth, sixteenth, eighteenth, twentieth, twenty second, twenty fourth, seventeenth, nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty third lots, 1Ch 25:13.
1 Chronicles 25:5
Ver. 5. All these were the sons of Heman, the king's seer,.... The prophet of the king, as the Targum, who was frequently with him, assisting him
in the words of God: in divine things:
to lift up the horn; to blow with the hornpipe or trumpet, and to magnify and set forth the greatness of the kingdom of Israel, and especially of the King Messiah, the horn of salvation, that would be raised up in the house of David:
and God gave to Heman fourteen sons; whose names are before mentioned:
and three daughters; of whom we have no more account, only may observe, that both are the gifts of God, and an heritage from him, Ps 127:3.
1 Chronicles 25:6
Ver. 6. All these were under the hands of their father, for song in the house of the Lord,.... Instructed and directed by him in the performance of the service in the temple:
with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; which were the three principal instruments of music used in the temple service:
according to the king's order, to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman; who ordered and directed them what to sing, what tunes to make use of, and what instruments to play upon to those tunes.
1 Chronicles 25:7
Ver. 7. So the number of them, with their brethren,.... Who each of them had twelve with them, as after reckoned:
that were instructed in the songs of the Lord; taught how to sing them:
[even] all that were cunning; expert and well skilled in the science of singing:
was two hundred and eighty eight; for there being twenty four classes answerable to those of the priests, and twelve in each class, twelve times twenty four makes two hundred and eighty eight.
1 Chronicles 25:8
Ver. 8. And they cast lots, ward against ward,.... That is, which ward or course of the singers should answer to and attend on the first ward or course of the priests in their weekly service, and which the second, and so on:
as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar; no regard was had to the age of a person, his being the firstborn or a younger brother, or to his office and station, whether as a teacher or a learner in the science of singing; he was made the head of a course, as the lot came up; and it may easily be observed, by comparing the lots in the following verses with the sons of the chief singers, according to the order of them in 1Ch 25:2 that the younger are often preferred in the courses by lot to the elder, of which even the first lot is an instance.
1 Chronicles 25:9
Ver. 9. Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph,.... His second son to the preference of the firstborn, 1Ch 25:2,
the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve: and which must also be understood of Joseph, and supplied to him; for those being both in one verse, as Jarchi observes, it is but once mentioned, but must be supplied, or otherwise the number of two hundred and eighty eight could not be made up; the same is observed of all the other lots and courses to the end of the chapter as here, and therefore need no more remarks.
1 Chronicles 25:10
Ver. 10 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:11
Ver. 11 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:12
Ver. 12 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:13
Ver. 13 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:14
Ver. 14 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:15
Ver. 15 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:16
Ver. 16 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:17
Ver. 17 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:18
Ver. 18 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:19
Ver. 19 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:20
Ver. 20 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:21
Ver. 21 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:22
Ver. 22 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:23
Ver. 23 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:24
Ver. 24 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:25
Ver. 25 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:26
Ver. 26 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:27
Ver. 27 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:28
Ver. 28 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:29
Ver. 29 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:30
Ver. 30 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"
1 Chronicles 25:31
Ver. 31 See Gill on "1Ch 25:9"