Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Chronicles 9

1 SO all Israel were reckoned by genealogies: and behold, they were written in the book of the Kings of Israel and Judah , who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression.

Not in that Sacred and Canonical Book so called, but (as hath been oft observed before) in the Publick Records, wherein there was an Account of that King and Kingdom, and of the several Families in it according to their Genealogies.

i. e. Which Tribe or People of Iudah last mentioned.

2 Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions, in their cities , were the Israelites , the priests, Levites , and the Nethinims .

The first after the Return from Babylon.

i. e. That took possession of their own Lands and Cities, which had been formerly alotted to them; but of late years had been taken from them for their Sins, and possessed by other People.

i. e. The Common People of Iudah and Israel, called here by the general name of Israelites, which was given to them before that unhappy Division of the two Kingdoms, and now is restored to them when the Israelites are united with the Jews in one and the same Commonwealth, that so all the Names and Signs of their former Division might be blotted out. And although the generality of the ten Tribes were yet in Captivity, yet divers of them were now returned, either such as had long before the Captivity fled to Ierusalem to worship God, and joyned themselves with Iudah, as those 2 Chron. 11. 16. and others: Or such as, upon Cyrus his general Proclamation associated themselves and returned with those of Iudah and Benjamin.

These took possession of the Cities or Places belonging to them, as they had need and opportunity.

A certain Order of Men, either Gibeonites or others joyned with them, devoted to the Service of God, and of his House, and of the Priests and Levites; who, that they might attend upon their work without distraction, had certain Places and Possessions given to them; which they are now said to repossess.

3 And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh .

i. e. Some of each of these Tribes, either such as offered themselves; or such as were chosen by Lot, see Nehem. 11. 1, 2.

Marginal references: N[illegible: 1+ letters]hem. 11. [illegible: 1 word]

4 Uthai, the son of Ammihud , the son of Omri the son of Imri, the son of B[illegible: 1+ letters]ni, of the children of Pharez the son of Judah.

That there is so great a diversity of Names between this Catalogue and that Nehem. 11. may be ascribed to two causes, first to the Custom of the Hebrews who used very frequently to give 2. or 3. several Names to one person: And secondly to the change of Times; for here they are named who came up at the first Return; but many of those in Nehemiah might be such as returned afterward and came and dwelt either in stead of the Persons here named, who might be then dead or gone from Ierusalem, or with them.

5 And of the Shilonites , Asajah the firstborn, and his sons.

Or, Shelanites, as they are called from Shelah, Numb. 26. 20.

Called also Maaseiah, Nehem. 11. 5.

7 And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam , the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah.

Who is mentioned, but described by other Parents, Neh. 11. 7. or at least by persons under other Names. Possibly these were his more immediate, and those his more remote Parents: or he might be born of one, and adopted by another. For this is certain, Men are sometimes in Scripture called the Sons of those who adopted them, or whose Right of Inheritance fell to them.

9 And their brethren according to their generarations, nine hundred and fifty and six . All these men were chief of the fathers in the house of their fathers.

They are reckoned but 928. in Neh. 11. 8. either because there he mentions onely those that were by Lot determined to dwell at Ierusalem, to whom he here adds those who freely offered themselves to it; see Neh. 11. 1, 2. because some of the persons and Families first placed there were dead or extinguished, or else removed from Ierusalem upon some emergent Occasion.

11 And Azariah the son of Hilkiah , the son of Meshullam, the ion of Zadok, the son of Merajoth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God .

The same called Seraiah, Nehem. 11. 11.

Either of him in Iosiahs time, 2 Kin. 22. 8. or rather another of the same Name.

Or, a ruler in the house of God: Not the High-Priest, who was Ezra, Ezr. 3▪ 8. but a Chief Ruler under him; either the second Priest, as such are called, Numb. 3. 32. or the Head of one of the 24. Families or Courses of the Priests.

12 And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur , the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer.

i. e. His Great Grandson, as appears from Neh. 11. 12, 13.

13 And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and seven hundred and threescore, very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

Heb. mighty men of valour: Which is here noted as an excellent Qualification for their Place; because the Priests might meet with great Opposition and Difficulty in the Faithful discharge of their Office, in the Execution of the Censures upon all Impure persons without Exception, and in preserving Sacred things from Violation by the Touch of Forbidden Hands. Of which see an Eminent Instance in Azariah, 2 Chren. 26, 17, &c.

Marginal references: Heb. mighty men of valour.

16 And Obadiah the son of Shemajah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun: and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathite .

Or, Netophathites; which were in Iudah, ch. 2. 54. Here they now dwelt, either because their proper Cities were not yet built: or because they were not yet numerous enough to replenish them.

17 And the Porters were Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren. Shallum was the chief.

Whose Office it was to keep all the Gates of the Temple, that no unclean Person or Thing might enter into it.

18 (Who hitherto waited in the kings gate eastward) They were porters in the companies of the children of Levi.

In the East-gate of the Temple, which was so called, either because it was the Chief and most Magnificent of all the Gates: or because the Kings of Iudah used to go to the Temple through that Gate, 2 King. 16. 18. Compare Ezek. 44. 1, 2. Under this Gate he comprehends all the rest, which also were guarded by these Porters.

Or, according to the companies, or orders, or courses, i. e. They kept the Gates successively according to that Method into which themselves and the rest of their Brethren the Levites were distributed for the more convenient management of their several Offices; among which this of the Porters was one.

19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren (of the house of his father) the Korhites were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle : and their fathers being over the host of the LORD , were keepers of the entry ▪

Or, who were, to wit, in time past, which is expressed in a like case, v. 20. when the Tabernacle was standing, before the Temple was built.

The Kohathites, of whom see on Numb. 4. [illegible: 1+ letters].

Or, with (as this Hebrew Particle is oft used) the host, &c. i. e. when the Israelites were in the Wilderness encamped in a Military manner round about the Tabernacle, with, or among whom these were then placed.

i. e. Of the Vail by which they entred into the Tabernacle; which he calls the entry distinctively, because then there were no Gates. The meaning is, That all things were now restored to their Primitive Order and Institution; and the several Persons took those Places and Offices upon them, which their Ancestors had before them.

Marginal references: Heb. threshold[illegible: 1+ letters].

20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with him .

i. e. Over all the Porters and other Levites and Priests before mentioned.

To direct, and assist, and bless him in the discharge of his Place. Which seems here related to encourage his Successor, and consequently all the Priests and Levites of this time to go on couragiously and resolutely in their Work, not doubting but God will stand by them as he had done by their Fathers.

Marginal references: Num [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1+ letters].

21 And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah, was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

To wit, in the time of David, as the following verse sheweth. See ch. 26. 1, 2. & 27. 2.

i. e. Chief Porter.

i. e. Of the Door which led out of the Priests Court into the Tabernacle in which the Ark was placed, 2 Sam. 6. 17.

22 All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates, were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages : whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office .

Where their usual Residence was, and whence they came to Ierusalem in their Courses.

In the times of the Judges there was much Disorder and Confusion both in the Jewish State and Church, and the Levites came to the Tabernacle promiscuously and as their Inclinations or occasions brought them. But Samuel the best of Judges, having some prospect and good hopes of deliverance from their Enemies and of an happy Settlement of the Israelitish Church and Nation; and observing that the Levites were greatly increased, he began to think of establishing some Order among the Levites in their Ministration about the Tabernacle. And these Intentions of his probably were communicated by him to David, who after Samuels death and his own peaceable Settlement in his Throne, revived and perfected Samuels Design and took care to put it in execution.

Heb. in their faith or faithfulness, i. e. either 1. in their Office, which is called faithfulness, because this is required in that Office. Or, 2. In the Faithful discharge of their Duty and in obedience to the Will of God signified to them by Revelation or by the spirit, as it is said of David, 1 Chron. 28. 12. which they received by Faith, and accordingly designed and David executed it. And so this is added to shew that this was no Humane Invention, as some might conceive, but a Divine Appointment, to which all ought to submit.

Marginal references: Ch▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]6. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].; 1 Sa[illegible: 1+ letters] 9 9.; Heb. [illegible: 1 word].; Or, [illegible: 1 word].

23 So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the LORD, namely, the house of the tabernacle , by wards .

To wit, in Davids time.

This is added to explain what he means by the House of the Lord, not that Tabernacle which David had set up for the Ark; but that more solemn Tabernacle, which Moses had made by Gods express Command and most particular Direction; which in Davids time was at Gibeon; in which God was and would be worshipped until the Temple was built. See 1 King. 3. 2, &c. 2 Chron. 1. 3, 5, &c.

i. e. By Turns or Courses, each of them at his Gate and in his appointed Time.

24 In four quarters were the porters : toward the east, west, north, and south.

i. e. The Chief Porters, as this is explained, v. 26.

25 And their brethren which were in their villages, were to come after seven days , from time to time with them .

From their several Villages to the Place of Worship.

Every Sabbath or seventh day the Courses were changed, and the New Commers were to tarry till the next Sabbath-day. See 2 Kin. 11. 5, 7, 9.

i. e. To be with them, i. e. with the Chief Porters who always abode in the Place of Gods Worship, and to minister to them.

26 For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office ; and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.

i. e. These were constantly upon the place and in the execution of their Office, that so they might oversee and direct the Inferiour Porters in their work. Or, as others render the words, agreeably to the Hebrew Text, For these (i. e. their brethren, v. 25.) were under the charge or committed to the trust of the four chief porters, who also were Levites, as their Brethren were; whereas the Chief of all of them was a Priest. Either way these words contain a Reason of what was said, v. 25. why the rest were to come to these and to be with them.

In which the Sacred Utensils and other Treasures belonging to the Temple were kept.

Marginal references: Or, trust.; Or▪ [illegible: 1 word].

27 And they lodged round about the house of God , because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them.

Therefore they were obliged to constant Residence in the Place; and were not permitted to dwell in the Villages, as their Brethren were.

Marginal references: Heb. they were [illegible: 1+ letters] the key▪ & Gr.

30 And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices .

This is added to prevent a Mistake, and to shew that although the Levites were intrusted with the keeping of this Ointment, yet none but the Priests could make it. See Exod. 30. 22, &c.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1 word].; [illegible: 1 word] 30. 2[illegible: 1+ letters].

31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites (who was the first-born of Shallum the Korhite) had the set office over the things that were made in the pans .

i. e. was to take care that Fine Flour might be provided and [illegible: 1 word] sa[illegible: 1+ letters]ly and well, that when occasion required they might make Cakes in Pans to be offered to the Lord: of which see on Lev. 2. 5.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1 word].; O[illegible: 1+ letters], [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word].

32 And other of their brethren of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shew-bread to prepare it every sabbath.

Of which see Exod. 35. 13.

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

33 And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers , were free : for they were imployed in that work day and night .

i. e. Others of the Levites; of whose several Offices he had spoken before.

Or rather, were; which is understood, and all along in the foregoing and following verses, and again in this very verse.

Where they waited that they might be ready to come [illegible: 1+ letters]hensoever they were called to the Service of God in the Taber [illegible: 1+ letters].

From all Trouble and Employment, that they might wholly attend upon the proper Work.

Either composing or ordering sacred Songs; or actually singing; or teaching others to sing th[illegible: 1+ letters].

i. e. Continually, and particularly in the Morning and Evening, the two Times appointed for solemn Service and Offerings.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span].; [illegible: 1 span]

34 These chief fathers of the Levites, were chief throughout their generations: these dwelt at Jerusalem .

Upon their return from Babylon they were not suffered to chuse their Habitations in the Country, as others were, but were obliged to settle themselevs at Ierusalem, that they might constantly attend upon Gods Service there, and be ready to instruct the younger Levites in their Office, as they needed or desired it.

35 And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel whose wives name was Maacha :

In this and the following verses to the end of this Chapter he repeats what he had said before ch. 8. 29, &c. concerning Sauls Genealogy, that he might make way for the following History. Which i[illegible: 1+ letters] a Figure called Epa[illegible: 1+ letters]alepsis, which is frequent both in Sacred and Prof[illegible: 1+ letters] Writ[illegible: 1+ letters].

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span].