20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the first and Jesiah the second.
21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.
22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.
23 The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
24 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.
25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:
26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.
27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:
28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house 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;
29 Both for the shewbread, 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, and for all manner of measure and size;
20 Of the sons H1121 of Uzziel; H5816 Michah H4318 the first, H7218 and Jesiah H3449 the second. H8145
21 The sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 Mahli, H4249 and Mushi. H4187 The sons H1121 of Mahli; H4249 Eleazar, H499 and Kish. H7027
22 And Eleazar H499 died, H4191 and had no sons, H1121 but daughters: H1323 and their brethren H251 the sons H1121 of Kish H7027 took H5375 them.
23 The sons H1121 of Mushi; H4187 Mahli, H4249 and Eder, H5740 and Jeremoth, H3406 three. H7969
24 These were the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 after the house H1004 of their fathers; H1 even the chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 as they were counted H6485 by number H4557 of names H8034 by their polls, H1538 that did H6213 the work H4399 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 from the age H1121 of twenty H6242 years H8141 and upward. H4605
25 For David H1732 said, H559 The LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 hath given rest H5117 unto his people, H5971 that they may dwell H7931 in Jerusalem H3389 for ever: H5769
26 And also unto the Levites; H3881 they shall no more carry H5375 the tabernacle, H4908 nor any vessels H3627 of it for the service H5656 thereof.
27 For by the last H314 words H1697 of David H1732 the Levites H3881 were numbered H4557 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and above: H4605
28 Because their office H4612 was to wait H3027 on the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 in the courts, H2691 and in the chambers, H3957 and in the purifying H2893 of all holy things, H6944 and the work H4639 of the service H5656 of the house H1004 of God; H430
29 Both for the shewbread, H3899 H4635 and for the fine flour H5560 for meat offering, H4503 and for the unleavened H4682 cakes, H7550 and for that which is baked in the pan, H4227 and for that which is fried, H7246 and for all manner of measure H4884 and size; H4060
20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second.
21 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them `to wife'.
23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
24 These were the sons of Levi after their fathers' houses, even the heads of the fathers' `houses' of those of them that were counted, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from twenty years old and upward.
25 For David said, Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath given rest unto his people; and he dwelleth in Jerusalem for ever:
26 and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the tabernacle and all the vessels of it for the service thereof.
27 For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and upward.
28 For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God;
29 for the showbread also, and for the fine flour for a meal-offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all manner of measure and size;
20 Sons of Uzziel: Micah the head, and Ishshiah, the second.
21 Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
22 And Eleazar dieth, and he had no sons, but daughters, and sons of Kish their brethren take them.
23 Sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth, three.
24 These `are' sons of Levi, by the house of their fathers, heads of the fathers, by their appointments, in the number of names, by their polls, doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from a son of twenty years and upward,
25 for David said, `Jehovah, God of Israel, hath given rest to His people, and He doth tabernacle in Jerusalem unto the age;'
26 and also of the Levites, `None `are' to bear the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service;'
27 for by the last words of David they `took' the number of the sons of Levi from a son of twenty years and upward,
28 for their station `is' at the side of the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of Jehovah, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the cleansing of every holy thing, and the work of the service of the house of God,
29 and for the bread of the arrangement, and for fine flour for present, and for the thin unleavened cakes, and for `the work of' the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all `liquid' measure and `solid' measure;
20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah the head, and Jishijah the second.
21 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters; and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.
23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
24 These were the sons of Levi according to their fathers' houses, the chief fathers, as they were reckoned, by number of names by their polls, who did the work of the service of the house of Jehovah, from twenty years old and upward.
25 For David said, Jehovah the God of Israel has given rest to his people, and he will dwell in Jerusalem for ever;
26 and the Levites also have no more to carry the tabernacle, nor any of its vessels for its service.
27 For by the last words of David was this [done], -- the numbering of the sons of Levi from twenty years old and upward.
28 For their place was by the side of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the purifying of all holy things, and [for] the work of the service of the house of God;
29 and for the loaves to be set in rows, and for the fine flour for the oblation, and for the unleavened cakes, and for [what is baked in] the pan, and for that which is saturated [with oil], and for all measure of capacity and size;
20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second.
21 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
22 Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brothers the sons of Kish took them [to wife].
23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
24 These were the sons of Levi after their fathers' houses, even the heads of the fathers' [houses] of those of those who were counted, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and upward.
25 For David said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever:
26 and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the tent and all the vessels of it for the service of it.
27 For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and upward.
28 For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Yahweh, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God;
29 for the show bread also, and for the fine flour for a meal-offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all manner of measure and size;
20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah the first, and Isshiah the second.
21 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
22 And at his death Eleazar had no sons, but only daughters, and their relations, the sons of Kish, took them as wives.
23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli and Eder and Jeremoth, three.
24 These were the sons of Levi, grouped by families, the heads of the families of those who were numbered by name, by heads, all those of twenty years old and over who did the work of the house of the Lord.
25 For David said, The Lord, the God of Israel, has given his people rest, and he has made his resting-place in Jerusalem for ever;
26 And from now, there will be no need for the House of the Lord, and the vessels used in it, to be moved about by the Levites.
27 So among the last acts of David was the numbering of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and over.
28 Their place was by the side of the sons of Aaron in all the work of the house of the Lord, in the open spaces and in the rooms, in the making clean of all the holy things, in doing all the work of the house of the Lord,
29 The holy bread was in their care, and the crushed grain for the meal offering, of unleavened cakes or meal cooked over the fire or in water; they had control of all sorts of weights and measures;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 23
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
1Ch 23:1. David Makes Solomon King.
1. when David was old … he made Solomon … king—This brief statement, which comprises the substance of 1Ki 1:32-48, is made here solely to introduce an account of the preparations carried on by David during the latter years of his life for providing a national place of worship.
1Ch 23:2-6. Number and Distribution of the Levites.
2. he gathered together all the princes of Israel—All important measures relating to the public interest were submitted for consideration to a general assembly of the representatives of the tribes (1Ch 13:1; 15:25; 22:17; 26:1-32).
3. the Levites were numbered … thirty and eight thousand—Four times their number at the early census taken by Moses (see on Nu 4:1-49; 26:1-51). It was, in all likelihood, this vast increase that suggested and rendered expedient that classification, made in the last year of David's reign, which the present and three subsequent chapters describe.
by their polls, man by man—Women and children were not included.
4. twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord—They were not to preside over all the services of the temple. The Levites were subject to the priests, and they were superior to the Nethinim and other servants, who were not of the race of Levi. But they had certain departments of duty assigned, some of which are here specified.
5. praised the Lord with the instruments which I made—David seems to have been an inventor of many of the musical instruments used in the temple (Am 6:5).
6. David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi—These are enumerated according to their fathers' houses, but no more of these are mentioned here than the twenty-four thousand who were engaged in the work connected with the Lord's house. The fathers' houses of those Levites corresponded with the classes into which they [Josephus, Antiquities] as well as the priests were divided (see on 1Ch 24:20-31; 1Ch 26:20-28).
1Ch 23:7-11. Sons of Gershon.
7-11. the Gershonites—They had nine fathers' houses, six descended from Laadan, and three from Shimei.
1Ch 23:12-20. Of Kohath.
12. The sons of Kohath—He was the founder of nine Levitical fathers' houses.
13. Aaron was separated—as high priest (see on 1Ch 25:1-19).
14. concerning Moses—His sons were ranked with the Levites generally, but not introduced into the distinctive portion of the descendants of Levi, who were appointed to the special functions of the priesthood.
1Ch 23:21-23. Of Merari.
21-23. The sons of Merari—They comprised six fathers' houses. Summing them together, Gershon founded nine fathers houses, Kohath nine, and Merari six: total, twenty-four.
1Ch 23:24-32. Office of the Levites.
24-27. These were the sons of Levi … that did the work … from the age of twenty years and upward—The enumeration of the Levites was made by David (1Ch 23:3) on the same rule as that followed by Moses (Nu 4:3), namely, from thirty years. But he saw afterwards that this rule might be beneficially relaxed, and that the enrolment of Levites for their proper duties might be made from twenty years of age. The ark and tabernacle being now stationary at Jerusalem, the labor of the Levites was greatly diminished, as they were no longer obliged to transport its heavy furniture from place to place. The number of thirty-eight thousand Levites, exclusive of priests, was doubtless more than sufficient for the ordinary service of the tabernacle. But this pious king thought that it would contribute to the glory of the Lord to employ as many officers in his divine service as possible. These first rules, however, which David instituted, were temporary, as very different arrangements were made after the ark had been deposited in the tabernacle of Zion.