1 Chronicles 24 commentary

When every one has, knows, and keeps his place and work, the more there are the better. In the mystical body of Christ, every member has its use, for the good of the whole. Christ is High Priest over the house of God, to whom all believers, being made priests, are to be in subjection. In Christ, no difference is made between bond and free, elder and younger. The younger brethren, if faithful and sincere, shall be no less acceptable to Christ than the fathers. May we all be children of the Lord, fitted to sing his praises for ever in his temple above.

CHAPTER 24

1Ch 24:1-19. Division of the Sons of Aaron into Four and Twenty Orders.

1. Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron--(See on 1Ch 23:6).

2. Nadab and Abihu died before their father--that is, not in his presence, but during his lifetime (see Nu 3:4; 26:61).

therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office--In consequence of the death of his two oldest sons without issue, the descendants of Aaron were comprised in the families of Eleazar and Ithamar. Both of these sons discharged the priestly functions as assistants to their father. Eleazar succeeded him, and in his line the high priesthood continued until it was transferred to the family of Ithamar, in the person of Eli.

3. Zadok ... and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar--This statement, taken in connection with 1Ch 24:6, is not a little perplexing, since (2Sa 15:24, 35; 20:25) Abiathar is mentioned as the person conjoined in David's time with Zadok, in the collegiate exercise of the high priesthood. Some think that the words have been transposed, reading Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech. But there is no ground for regarding the text as faulty. The high priests of the line of Ithamar were the following: Ahiah or Ahimelech, his son Abiathar, his son Ahimelech. We frequently find the grandfather and grandson called by the same name (see list of high priests of the line of Eleazar, 1Ch 6:30-41). Hence the author of the Chronicles was acquainted with Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, who, for some reason, discharged the duties of high priest in David's reign, and during the lifetime of his father (for Abiathar was living in the time of Solomon, 1Ki 2:27) [Keil].

4. there were more chief men found--The Hebrew may be translated, "There were more men as to heads of the sons of Eleazar." It is true, in point of fact, that by the census the number of individuals belonging to the family of Eleazar was found greater than in that of Ithamar. And this, of necessity, led to there being more fathers' houses, and consequently more chiefs or presidents in the former.

5. Thus were they divided by lot--This method of allocation was adopted manifestly to remove all cause of jealousy as to precedence and the right of performing particular duties.

6. one principal household--The marginal reading is preferable, "one house of the father." The lot was cast in a deliberate and solemn manner in presence of the king, the princes, the two high priests, and the chiefs of the priestly and Levitical families. The heads of families belonging to Eleazar and Ithamar were alternately brought forward to draw, and the name of each individual, as called, registered by an attendant secretary. To accommodate the casting of the lots to the inequality of the number, there being sixteen fathers' houses of Eleazar, and only eight of Ithamar, it was arranged that every house of Ithamar should be followed by two of Eleazar, or, what is the same thing, that every two houses of Eleazar should be followed by one of Ithamar. If, then, we suppose a commencement to have been made by Eleazar, the order would be as follows: one and two, Eleazar; three, Ithamar; four and five, Eleazar; six, Ithamar; seven and eight, Eleazar; nine, Ithamar; and so forth [Bertheau]. The lot determined also the order of the priests' service. That of the Levites was afterwards distributed by the same arrangement (1Ch 24:31).

Nadab and Abihu died before their father - That is, during his lifetime.

Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office - These two served the office during the life of their father Aaron; after his death Eleazar succeeded in the high priesthood. And under Eli the high priest, the family of Ithamar re-entered into that office.

And Ahimelech - Ahimelech is put here for Abiathar, who was high priest in the days of David. Abiathar had also the name of Ahimelech, as well as his father. See Calmet.

They divided by lot - This prevented jealousies: for, as all the families were equally noble, they had equal right to all ecclesiastical and civil distinctions.

And Shemaiah - "Moses the great scribe, who is called Shemaiah, the son of Nethaneel, of the tribe of Levi, wrote them down." - T.

One principal household - for Eleazar - The family of Eleazar was the most illustrious of the sacerdotal families, because Eleazar was the first-born of Aaron, Ithamar's family was the second in order and dignity; therefore one of the principal families of Eleazar was first taken, and then one of Ithamar's, and thus alternately till the whole was finished.

Under Aaron their father - That is, they followed the order and plans laid down by Aaron during his lifetime.

The sons of Merari - It is remarkable that not a word is here spoken of the family of Gershom.

These likewise cast lots - The Levites were divided into twenty-four orders; and these were appointed by lot to serve under the twenty-four orders of the priests: the first order of Levities under the first order of priests, and so on. The meaning is not very clear: "both elder and younger," says Bishop Patrick, "had their places by lot, not by seniority of houses. They who were of greater dignity drew lots against those who were of less; and were to take their courses according to the lot they drew." This may have been the case; but we are very little interested in the subject.

Divisions - The several branches into which that family was divided.

Therefore, &c. - Were the only persons to whom the execution of that office was committed.

Distributed - Allotting to each of them several times, wherein they should by turns have the government of holy ministrations.

By lot - That the disposal thereof might be of the Lord, and so all contention be prevented, as no man could be charged with partiality, nor could any say, they had wrong done them. In like manner Matthias was chosen to the apostleship by lot with prayer. And I know not, says Mr. Henry, but it might be still used in faith, in parallel cases, as an instituted ordinance. Of God - Or rather, of the things of God, that is, of all persons ministering in the sanctuary, and of all holy ministrations done in it, and of all other matters of the Lord, as they are called by way of distinction from, the king's matters, 2Chron 19:11.

One, &c. - Or, the chief of one house of the fathers was taken (by lot) for Eleazar (out of his family) and that which was taken after it was taken for Ithamar, out of his family. So the first lot fell to Eleazar, and the second to Ithamar, the third to Eleazar, and the fourth to Ithamar, so successively, 'till all the families of Ithamar had received their lots. And afterwards all the lots came forth to the rest of Eleazar's families, which were double in number to those of Ithamar.

Came - Out of the vessel in which all the lots were put together, and out of which they were severally taken.

These, &c. - In this order and method they were to come to perform the offices of the temple. To come - To come into the temple every sabbath - day, and to continue there 'till the next sabbath, when they were relieved by others. Aaron - Under the direction of the high - priests, whom he calls Aaron, because he represented his person and executed his office, and their father, because of the authority which by God's appointment he had over them.

Over against - Answerable for number and order to those of the priests, so that there should be a course of the Levites for each course of the priests.

1 NOw these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron: The sons of Aaron; Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

i. e. The several Branches into which that Family was divided or distributed.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 10. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 5.

2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priests office .

i. e. Were the onely persons to whom and to whose Families the Execution of that Office was committed.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 4. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]6. 6[illegible: 1+ letters].

3 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.

Or, courses: or, prefectures, i. e. Allotting to each of them several times wherein they or theirs should by turns have the Government of Holy Ministrations in the Temple Service.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] Za [illegible: 1+ letters], [illegible: 1+ letters]0. 3[illegible: 1+ letters].

5 Thus were they divided by lot , one sort with another; for the governours of the sanctuary, and governours of the house of God , were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

Partly to prevent that Envy or Emulation which otherwise might arise among them: and partly that all mens Minds and Consciences might be fully satisfied in the Order now established by this Divine way of Decision.

But that is no other than the Sanctuary; and so it may seem to make this Division improper and irregular, the several Members of it being altogether the same. Or rather, of the things of God, i. e. of all persons ministring in the Sanctuary, and of all Holy Ministrations done in it, and of all other matters of the Lord, as they are called by way of distinction from the kings matters, 2 Chron. 19. 11.

Marginal references: Heb. the [illegible: 1 word] of the [illegible: 1 word], and [illegible: 1 word] of God, [illegible: 1 word] 23. 6.

6 And Shemajah the son of Nathancel 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 houshold being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar .

Or, the Chief (which Word is easily supplied out of the context) of one house of the Fathers was taken (to wit, by Lot) for Eleazar (i. e. out of his Family) and that which was taken after it was taken for Ithamar, i. e. out of his Family. The meaning is, that the first Lot fell to Eleazar, and the second to Ithamar; and the third to Eleazar, and the fourth to Ithamar; and so successively until all the Families of Ithamar had received their Lots▪ And afterwards all the Lots came forth to the rest of Eleazars Families which were double in number to those of Ithamar, as was said, v. 4.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] of [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoja[illegible: 1+ letters]ib, the second to Jedajah,

To wit, out of the Vessel in which all the Lots were promiscuously put together, and out of which they were severally taken.

19 These were the orderings of them in their service , to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner i, under Aaron their father , as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

In this Order and Method they were to come to perform the Offices of the Temple. i. e. To come into the Temple every Sabbathday, and to continue there all the Week long until the next Sabbath, when they were relieved by others, as the Manner was: See 2 King. 11. 5. 1 Chron. 9. 25.

i. e. Under the Inspection and Direction of the High-priest, whom he calls Aaron, because he represented his Person and executed his Office, and also came out of his Loyns, and their father, because of the Authority which by Gods Appointment he had over them, and that Love, Reverence, and Obedience which they owed to him.

20 And the rest of the sons of Levi were these. Of the sons of Amram, Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdejah .

Either such as were onely Levites and not Priests: or rather, such as were not named or numbred before in this or the former Chapter.

Who being, as it seems, an Eminent Person, or having a very numerous Family, was not reckoned with or under his Fathers Family, but was accounted as a distinct Head of another Family.

Marginal references: Ch. 23. 16▪ Sheb[illegible: 1+ letters]el.

21 Concerning Rehabiah : of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Jeshiah.

The Son of Eliezer, ch. 23. 17.

By Birth, or Place.

22 Of the Izharite; Shelomoth : of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.

Called also Shelomith, ch. 23. 18.

Marginal references: Ch. 23. 18. Shelomith.

23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first , Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

Which word is fitly supplied both out of the rest of this verse, the second, third, and fourth having a manifest reference to the first, and out of 1 Chron. 23. 19. & 26. 31. where it is expressed.

Marginal references: Ch. 23. 19. & 26. 31.

26 The sons of Merari were, Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah ; Beno.

The Son either of Mahli: or rather of Mushi last named: for Mahli's Posterity comes v. 28.

27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno ; and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.

Whose Name is here repeated with his Brethren▪ because he was the First-born, and Head of the rest who were all reckoned with and under his Family, as if they had been Branches of it.

29 Concerning Kish : the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.

Another of Mahli's Sons, as appears from 1 Chron. 23. 21.

31 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 .

i. e. Answerable for Number and Order to those of the Priests, so as there should be a several course of the Levites for each course of the Priests. This is expressed concerning the Singers, ch. 25. and the like is implied concerning the Porters, ch. 26. and is here sufficiently intimated concerning those Levites which were employed in other Sacred Ministrations.

The Lots of the Elder and Younger Brethren were promiscuously put together, and the order was settled as the Lots came forth without any regard to the Age or Dignity or Number of the Persons or Families, the youngest Family having the first Course if they had the first Lot, &c.

1Ch 24:1 The division of the priests and Levites into classes. - Vv. 1-19. The twenty-four classes of priests. After the statement as to the fathers'-houses of the Levites (1 Chron 23), we have next the arrangements of the priests for the performance of the service in the sanctuary; the priestly families descended from Aaron’s sons Eleazar and Ithamar being divided into twenty-four classes, the order of whose service was settled by lot.1Ch 24:1 contains the superscription, “As for the sons of Aaron, their divisions (were these).” To make the division clear, we have an introductory notice of Aaron’s descendants, to the effect that of his four sons, the two elder, Nadab and Abihu, died before their father, leaving no sons, so that only Eleazar and Ithamar became priests (יכהנוּ), i.e., entered upon the priesthood. The four sons of Aaron, 1Ch 24:1, as in 1Ch 6:3, Exo 6:23.

1Ch 24:2-3

Cf. Lev 10:1., Num 3:4. These priestly families David caused (1Ch 24:3) to be divided, along with the two high priests (see on 13:16), “according to their service.” פּקדּה, office, official class, as in 1Ch 23:11.

1Ch 24:4

As the sons of Eleazar proved to be more numerous in respect of the heads of the men than the sons of Ithamar, they (David, Zadok, and Ahimelech) divided them thus: “For the sons of Eleazar, heads of fathers'-houses, sixteen; and for the sons of Ithamar, (heads) of fathers'-houses, eight.” הגּברים לראשׁי means neither in respect to the number of the men by the head (cf. 1Ch 23:3), nor with respect to the chiefs of the men, divided according to their fathers'-houses (Berth.). The supplying of the words, “divided according to their fathers'-houses,” is perfectly arbitrary. The expression הגּברים ראשׁי is rather to be explained by the fact that, according to the natural articulations of the people, the fathers'-houses, i.e., the groups of related families comprehended under the name בּית־אבות, divided themselves further into individual households, whose heads were called גּברים, as is clear from Jos 7:16-18, because each household had in the man, הגּבר, its natural head. הגּברים ראשׁי are therefore the heads, not of the fathers'-houses, but of the individual households, considered in their relation to the men as heads of households. Just as בּית־אב sa tsuJ .s is a technical designation of the larger groups of households into which the great families fell, so הגּבר is the technical expression for the individual households into which the fathers'-houses fell.

1Ch 24:5

They divided them by lot, עם־אלּה אלּה, these with these, i.e., the one as the other (cf. 1Ch 25:8), so that the classes of both were determined by lot, as both drew lots mutually. “For holy princes and princes of God were of the sons of Eleazar, and among the sons of Ithamar;” i.e., of both lines of priests holy princes had come, men who had held the highest priestly dignity. The high-priesthood, as is well known, went over entirely to Eleazar and his descendants, but had been held for a considerable period in the time of the judges by the descendants of Ithamar; see above, pp. 444f. In the settlement of the classes of priests for the service, therefore, neither of the lines was to have an advantage, but the order was to be determined by lot for both. קדשׁ שׂרי, cf. Isa 43:28, = הכּהנים שׂרי,    2Ch 36:14, are the high priests and the heads of the priestly families, the highest officers among the priests, but can hardly be the same as the ἀρχιερεῖς of the gospel history; for the view that these ἀρχιερεῖς were the heads of the twenty-four classes of priests cannot be made good: cf. Wichelhaus, Comment. zur Leidensgesch. (Halle, 1855), S. 32ff. האלהים שׂרי would seem to denote the same, and to be added as synonymous; but if there be a distinction between the two designations, we would take the princes of God to denote only the regular high priests, who could enter in before God into the most holy place.

1Ch 24:6-18 “He set them down,” viz., the classes, as the lot had determined them. מן־הלּוי, of the tribe of Levi. ול לכּהנים belongs to האבות ראשׁי, heads of the fathers'-houses of the priests and of the Levites. The second hemistich of 1Ch 24:6 gives a more detailed account of the drawing of the lots: “One father's-house was drawn for Eleazar, and drawn for Ithamar.” The last words are obscure. אחוּז, to lay hold of, to draw forth (Num 31:30, Num 31:47), here used of drawing lots, signifies plucked forth or drawn from the urn. The father's-house was plucked forth from the urn, the lot bearing its name being drawn. זאז ואהז, which is the only well-attested reading, only some few MSS containing the reading אהז ואחד, is very difficult. Although this various reading is a mere conjecture, yet Gesen. (Thes. p. 68), with Cappell and Grotius, prefers it. The repetition of the same word expresses sometimes totality, multitude, sometimes a distributive division; and here can only be taken in this last signification: one father's-house drawn for Eleazar, and then always drawn (or always one drawn) for Ithamar. So much at least is clear, that the lots of the two priestly families were not placed in one urn, but were kept apart in different urns, so that the lots might be drawn alternately for Eleazar and Ithamar. Had the lot for Eleazar been first drawn, and thereafter that for Ithamar, since Eleazar’s family was the more numerous, they would have had an advantage over the Ithamarites. But it was not to be allowed that one family should have an advantage over the other, and the lots were consequently drawn alternately, one for the one, and another for the other. But as the Eleazarites were divided into sixteen fathers'-houses, and the Ithamarites into eight, Bertheau thinks that it was settled, in order to bring about an equality in the numbers sixteen and eight, in so far as the drawing of the lots was concerned, that each house of Ithamar should represent two lots, or, which is the same thing, that after every two houses of Eleazarites one house of Ithamarites should follow, and that the order of succession of the single houses was fixed according to this arrangement. To this or some similar conception of the manner of settling the order of succession we are brought, he says, by the relation of the number eight to sixteen, and by the words אהז and אהז ואהז. But even though this conception be readily suggested by the relation of the number sixteen to eight, yet we cannot see how the words אהז and אהז ואהז indicate it. These words would much rather suggest that a lot for Eleazar alternated with the drawing of one for Ithamar, until the eight heads of Ithamar’s family had been drawn, when, of course, the remaining eight lots of Eleazar must be drawn one after the other. We cannot, however, come to any certain judgment on the matter, for the words are so obscure as to be unintelligible even to the old translators. In 1Ch 24:7-18 we have the names of the fathers'-houses in the order of succession which had been determined by the lot. יצא, of the lot coming forth from the urn, as in Jos 16:1; Jos 19:1. The names Jehoiarib and Jedaiah occur together also in 1Ch 9:10; and Jedaiah is met with, besides, in Ezr 2:36 and Neh 7:39. The priest Mattathias, 1 Macc. 2:1, came of the class of Jehoiarib. Of the succeeding names, שׂערים (1Ch 24:8), ישׁבאב (1Ch 24:13), and הפּצּץ (1Ch 24:15) do not elsewhere occur; others, such as חפּה (1Ch 24:13), גּמוּל (1Ch 24:17), do not recur among the names of priests. The sixteenth class, Immer, on the contrary, and the twenty-first, Jachin, are often mentioned; cf. 1Ch 9:10, 1Ch 9:12. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, belonged to the eighth, Abiah (Luk 1:5).

1Ch 24:19

These are their official classes for their service (cf. 1Ch 24:3), לבוא, so that they came (according to the arrangement thus determined) into the house of Jahve, according to their law, through Aaron their father (ancestor), i.e., according to the lawful arrangement which was made by Aaron for their official service, as Jahve the God of Israel had commanded. This last clause refers to the fact that the priestly service in all its parts was prescribed by Jahve in the law.Of these twenty-four classes, each one had to perform the service during a week in order, and, as may be gathered with certainty from 2Ki 11:9 and 2Ch 23:9, from Sabbath to Sabbath. Josephus bears witness to this division in Antt. vii. 14. 7: διέμεινεν οὗτος ὁ μερισμὸς ἄχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας. Herzfeld, on the contrary (Geschichte des Volks Israel von der Zerstörung des ersten Tempels, Bd. i. S. 381ff.), following de Wette and Bramb., has declared the reference of this organization of the priests to David to be an invention of the chronicler, and maintains that the twenty-four classes of priests were formed only after the exile, from the twenty-two families of priests who returned out of exile with Zerubbabel. But this baseless hypothesis is sufficiently refuted by the evidence adduced by Movers, die bibl. Chron. S. 279ff., for the historical character of the arrangements attributed to David, and described in our chapters; but the remarks of Oehler in Herzog’s Realenc. xii. S. 185f. may also be compared. An unimpeachable witness for the prae-exilic origin of the division of the priests into twenty-four orders is the vision of Ezekiel (Eze 8:16-18), where the twenty-five men who worship the sun in the priests’ court represent the twenty-four classes of priests, with the high priest at their head. In Neh 12:1-7 and Neh 12:12-21 also unimpeachable evidence for the Davidic origin of the division of the priests into twenty-four classes is to be found, as we shall show in treating of these passages.

1Ch 24:20-31 The classes of the Levites. - The superscription, “As to the other Levites” (1Ch 24:20), when compared with the subscription, “And they also cast lots, like to their brethren the sons of Aaron” (1Ch 24:31), leads us to expect a catalogue of these classes of Levites, which performed the service in the house of God at the hand of, i.e., as assistants to, the priests. הנּותרים are the Levites still remaining after the enumeration of the priests. We might certainly regard the expression as including all the Levites except the Aaronites (or priests); but the statement of the subscription that they cast lots like the sons of Aaron, and the circumstance that in 1 Chron 25 the twenty-four orders of singers and musicians, in 1 Chron 26:1-19 the class of the doorkeepers, and in 1Ch 26:20-32 the overseers of the treasures, and the scribes and judges, are specially enumerated, prove that our passage treats only of the classes of the Levites who were employed about the worship. Bertheau has overlooked these circumstances, and, misled by false ideas as to the catalogue in 1 Chron 23:6-23, has moreover drawn the false conclusion that the catalogue in our verses is imperfect, from the circumstance that a part of the names of the fathers'-houses named in 23:6-23 recur here in 1Ch 23:20-29, and that we find a considerable number of the names which are contained in 1 Chron 23:6-23 to be omitted from them. In 1Ch 23:20-25, for example, we find only names of Kohathithes, and in 1Ch 23:26-29 of Merarites, and no Gershonites. But it by no means follows from that, that the classes of the Gershonites have been dropped out, or even omitted by the author of the Chronicle as an unnecessary repetition. This conclusion would only be warrantable if it were otherwise demonstrated, or demonstrable, that the Levites who were at the hand of the priests in carrying on the worship had been taken from all the three Levite families, and that consequently Gershonites also must have been included. But no such thing can be proved. Several fathers'-houses of the Gershonites were, according to 1Ch 26:20., entrusted with the oversight of the treasures of the sanctuary. We have indeed no further accounts as to the employment of the other Gershonites; but the statements about the management of the treasures, and the scribes and judges, in 1Ch 26:20-32, are everywhere imperfect. David had appointed 6000 men to be scribes and judges: those mentioned in 1Ch 26:29-32 amounted to only 1700 and 2700, consequently only 4400 persons in all; so that it is quite possible the remaining 1600 were taken from among the Gershonites. Thus, therefore, from the fact that the Gershonites are omitted from our section, we cannot conclude that our catalogue is mutilated. In it all the chief branches of the Kohathites are named, viz., the two lines descended from Moses’ sons (1Ch 24:20, 1Ch 24:21); then the Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites (1Ch 24:23-25), and the main branches of the Merarites (1Ch 24:26-30). 1Ch 24:20 is to be taken thus: Of the sons of Amram, i.e., of the Kohathite Amram, from whom Moses descended (1Ch 23:13), that is, of the chief Shubael, descended from Moses’ son Gershon (1Ch 23:16), his son Jehdeiah, who as head and representative of the class made up of his sons, and perhaps also of his brothers, is alone mentioned.

The Courses of the Priests. (b. c. 1015.)

1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9 The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11 The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, 12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses, 16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel, 17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul, 18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. 19 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.

The particular account of these establishments is of little use to us now; but, when Ezra published it, it was of great use to direct their church affairs after their return from captivity into the old channel again. The title of this record we have v. 1—These are the divisions of the sons of Aaron, not by which they divided one from another, or were at variance one with another (it is a pity there should ever be any such divisions among the sons of Israel, but especially among the sons of Aaron), but the distribution of them in order to the dividing of their work among themselves; it was a division which God made, and was made for him. 1. This distribution was made for the more regular discharge of the duties of their office. God was, and still is, the God of order, and not of confusion, particularly in the things of his worship. Number without order is but a clog and an occasion of tumult; but when every one has, and knows, and keeps, his place and work, the more the better. In the mystical body, every member has its use, for the good of the whole, Rom. xii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. xii. 12. 2. It was made by lot, that the disposal thereof might be of the Lord, and so all quarrels and contentions might be prevented, and no man could be charged with partiality, nor could any say that they had wrong done them. As God is the God or order, so he is the God of peace. Solomon says of the lot that it causeth contention to cease. 3. The lot was cast publicly, and with great solemnity, in the presence of the king, princes, and priests, that there might be no room for any fraudulent practices or the suspicion of them. The lot is an appeal to God, and ought to be managed with corresponding reverence and sincerity. Matthias was chosen to the apostleship by lot, with prayer (Acts i. 24, 26), and I know not but it might be still used in faith in parallel cases, as an instituted ordinance. We have here the name of the public notary that was employed in writing the names, and drawing the lots, (v. 6): Shemaiah, one of the Levites. 4. What those priests were chosen to was to preside in the affairs of the sanctuary (v. 5), in their several courses and turns. That which was to be determined by the lot was only the precedency, not who should serve (for they chose all the chief men), but who should serve first, and who next, that every one might know his course, and attend in it. Of the twenty-four chief men of the priests sixteen were of the house of Eleazar and eight of Ithamar; for the house of Ithamar may well be supposed to have dwindled since the sentence passed on the family of Eli, who was of that house. The method of drawing the lots is intimated (v. 6), one chief household being taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar. The sixteen chief names of Eleazar were put in one urn, the eight for Ithamar in another, and they drew out of them alternately, as long as those for Ithamar lasted, and then out of those only for Eleazar, or two for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar, throughout. 5. Among these twenty-four courses the eighth is that of Abijah or Abia (v. 10), which is mentioned (Luke i. 5) as the course which Zechariah was of, the father of John the Baptist, by which it appears that these courses which David now settled, though interrupted perhaps in the bad reigns and long broken off by the captivity, yet continued in succession till the destruction of the second temple by the Romans. And each course was called by the name of him in whom it was first founded, as the high priest is here called Aaron (v. 19), because succeeding in his dignity and power, though we read not of any of them that bore that name. Whoever was high priest must be reverenced and observed by the inferior priests as their father, as Aaron their father. Christ is high priest over the house of God, to whom all believers, being made priests, are to be in subjection.

20 And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah. 21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah. 22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath. 23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir. 25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.   26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno. 27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. 28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons. 29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel. 30 The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers. 31 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.

Most of the Levites here named were mentioned before, ch. xxiii. 16, &c. They were of those who were to attend the priests in the service of the house of God. But they are here mentioned again as heads of the twenty-four courses of Levites (and about so many are here named), who were to attend the twenty-four courses of the priests: they are therefore said to cast lots over against their brethren (so they are called, not their lords), the sons of Aaron, who were not to lord it over God's clergy, as the original word is, 1 Pet. v. 3. And, that the whole disposal of the affair might be of the Lord, the principal fathers cast lots over against their younger brethren; that is, those that were of the elder house came upon he level with those of the younger families, and took their place, not by seniority, but as God by the lot directed. Note, In Christ no difference is made between bond and free, elder and younger. The younger brethren, if they be faithful and sincere, shall be no less acceptable to Christ than the principal fathers.