12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the LORD.
13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.
14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
15 To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.
16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.
17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.
18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.
19 These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.
12 Among these were the divisions H4256 of the porters, H7778 even among the chief H7218 men, H1397 having wards H4931 one against H5980 another, H251 to minister H8334 in the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
13 And they cast H5307 lots, H1486 as well the small H6996 as the great, H1419 according to the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 for every gate. H8179
14 And the lot H1486 eastward H4217 fell H5307 to Shelemiah. H8018 Then for Zechariah H2148 his son, H1121 a wise H7922 counsellor, H3289 they cast H5307 lots; H1486 and his lot H1486 came out H3318 northward. H6828
15 To Obededom H5654 southward; H5045 and to his sons H1121 the house H1004 of Asuppim. H624
16 To Shuppim H8206 and Hosah H2621 the lot came forth westward, H4628 with the gate H8179 Shallecheth, H7996 by the causeway H4546 of the going up, H5927 ward H4929 against H5980 ward. H4929
17 Eastward H4217 were six H8337 Levites, H3881 northward H6828 four H702 a day, H3117 southward H5045 four H702 a day, H3117 and toward Asuppim H624 two H8147 and two. H8147
18 At Parbar H6503 westward, H4628 four H702 at the causeway, H4546 and two H8147 at Parbar. H6503
19 These are the divisions H4256 of the porters H7778 among the sons H1121 of Kore, H7145 and among the sons H1121 of Merari. H4847
12 Of these were the courses of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brethren, to minister in the house of Jehovah.
13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to their fathers' houses, for every gate.
14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a discreet counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
15 To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the store-house.
16 To Shuppim and Hosah westward, by the gate of Shallecheth, at the causeway that goeth up, watch against watch.
17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the store-house two and two.
18 For Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.
19 These were the courses of the doorkeepers; of the sons of the Korahites, and of the sons of Merari.
12 According to these `are' the courses of the gatekeepers; to the heads of the mighty ones `are' charges over-against their brethren, to minister in the house of Jehovah,
13 and they cause to fall lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for gate and gate.
14 And the lot falleth eastward to Shelemiah; and `for' Zechariah his son -- a counsellor with understanding -- they cause to fall lots, and his lot goeth out northward:
15 to Obed-Edom southward, and to his sons, the house of the gatherings;
16 to Shuppim and to Hosah to the west, with the gate Shallecheth, in the highway, the ascent, charge over-against charge;
17 to the east the Levites `are' six; to the north daily four, to the south daily four, and to the gatherings two by two,
18 at Parbar, to the west, `are' four at the highway, two at Parbar.
19 These are the courses of the gatekeepers, of the sons of the Korhite, and of the sons of Merari.
12 Among these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, among the head-men, as to the charges together with their brethren, for performing the service in the house of Jehovah.
13 And they cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers' houses, for every gate.
14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah; and they cast lots for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, and his lot came out northward;
15 to Obed-Edom southward; and to his sons the storehouse.
16 To Shuppim and Hosah westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the ascent, watch against watch.
17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and in the storehouse two [and] two.
18 At the portico westward, four at the causeway, two at the portico.
19 These are the divisions of the doorkeepers among the sons of the Korahites and among the sons of Merari.
12 Of these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the house of Yahweh.
13 They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers' houses, for every gate.
14 The lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
15 To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the store-house.
16 To Shuppim and Hosah westward, by the gate of Shallecheth, at the causeway that goes up, watch against watch.
17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the store-house two and two.
18 For Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.
19 These were the divisions of the doorkeepers; of the sons of the Korahites, and of the sons of Merari.
12 Of these were the divisions of the door-keepers, men of authority, having responsible positions like their brothers to be servants in the house of the Lord.
13 And the families were taken by the decision of the Lord for every door; the small family had the same chance as the great.
14 And the care of the door on the east came out for Shelemiah. Then the name of Zechariah his son, a man wise in discussion, came out, and the door on the north was given to him.
15 To Obed-edom, that on the south; and to his sons, the store-house.
16 To Hosah, the door on the west, by the door of Shallecheth, at the footway which goes up, watch by watch.
17 On the east were six Levites a day, and on the north and the south four a day, and for the store-house two and two.
18 For the pillared way, on the west, four at the footway and two at the pillared way itself.
19 These were the divisions of door-keepers, of the sons of the Korahites and of the sons of Merari.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 26
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 26 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 26
1Ch 26:1-12. Divisions of the Porters.
1, 2. Concerning the divisions of the porters—There were four thousand (1Ch 23:6), all taken from the families of the Kohathites and Merarites (1Ch 26:14), divided into twenty-four courses—as the priests and musicians.
Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph—Seven sons of Meshelemiah are mentioned (1Ch 26:2), whereas eighteen are given (1Ch 26:9), but in this latter number his relatives are included.
5. God blessed him—that is, Obed-edom. The occasion of the blessing was his faithful custody of the ark (2Sa 6:11, 12). The nature of the blessing (Ps 127:5) consisted in the great increase of progeny by which his house was distinguished; seventy-two descendants are reckoned.
6. mighty men of valour—The circumstance of physical strength is prominently noticed in this chapter, as the office of the porters required them not only to act as sentinels of the sacred edifice and its precious furniture against attacks of plunderers or popular insurrection—to be, in fact, a military guard—but, after the temple was built, to open and shut the gates, which were extraordinarily large and ponderous.
10. Simri the chief … though … not the first-born—probably because the family entitled to the right of primogeniture had died out, or because there were none of the existing families which could claim that right.
12. Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men—These were charged with the duty of superintending the watches, being heads of the twenty-four courses of porters.
1Ch 26:13-19. The Gates Assigned by Lot.
13. they cast lots—Their departments of duty, such as the gates they should attend to, were allotted in the same manner as those of the other Levitical bodies, and the names of the chiefs or captains are given, with the respective gates assigned them.
15. the house of Asuppim—or, "collections," probably a storehouse, where were kept the grain, wine, and other offerings for the sustenance of the priests.
16. the gate Shallecheth—probably the rubbish gate, through which all the accumulated filth and sweepings of the temple and its courts were poured out.
by the causeway of the going up—probably the ascending road which was cast up or raised from the deep valley between Mount Zion and Moriah, for the royal egress to the place of worship (2Ch 9:4).
ward against ward—Some refer these words to Shuppim and Hosah, whose duty it was to watch both the western gate and the gate Shallecheth, which was opposite, while others take it as a general statement applicable to all the guards, and intended to intimate that they were posted at regular distances from each other, or that they all mounted and relieved guard at the same time in uniform order.
17-19. Eastward were six Levites—because the gate there was the most frequented. There were four at the north gate; four at the south, at the storehouse which was adjoining the south, and which had two entrance gates, one leading in a southwesterly direction to the city, and the other direct west, two porters each. At the Parbar towards the west, there were six men posted—four at the causeway or ascent (1Ch 26:16), and two at Parbar, amounting to twenty-four in all, who were kept daily on guard.
18. Parbar—is, perhaps, the same as Parvar ("suburbs," 2Ki 23:11), and if so, this gate might be so called as leading to the suburbs [Calmet].
1Ch 26:20-28. Levites That Had Charge of the Treasures.
20. of the Levites, Ahijah—The heading of this section is altogether strange as it stands, for it looks as if the sacred historian were going to commence a new subject different from the preceding. Besides, "Ahijah, whose name occurs after" the Levites, is not mentioned in the previous lists. It is totally unknown and is introduced abruptly without further information; and lastly, Ahijah must have united in his own person those very offices of which the occupants are named in the verses that follow. The reading is incorrect. The Septuagint has this very suitable heading, "And their Levitical brethren over the treasures," &c. [Bertheau]. The names of those who had charge of the treasure chambers at their respective wards are given, with a general description of the precious things committed to their trust. Those treasures were immense, consisting of the accumulated spoils of Israelitish victories, as well as of voluntary contributions made by David and the representatives of the people.
1Ch 26:29-32. Officers and Judges.
29. officers and judges—The word rendered "officers" is the term which signifies scribes or secretaries, so that the Levitical class here described were magistrates, who, attended by their clerks, exercised judicial functions; there were six thousand of them (1Ch 23:4), who probably acted like their brethren on the principle of rotation, and these were divided into three classes—one (1Ch 26:29) for the outward business over Israel; one (1Ch 26:30), consisting of seventeen hundred, for the west of Jordan "in all business of the Lord, and in the service of the king"; and the third (1Ch 26:31, 32), consisting of twenty-seven hundred, "rulers for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king."