Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Chronicles · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
Verſ. 1. OF the Korhites was Meſhelemiah the ſonne of Kore, of the ſonnes of Aſaph.] This was not Aſaph the chief muſician, but another Levite of the ſame name, called alſo Ebiaſaph, chap. 6.37.
Verſ. 2. And the ſonnes of Meſhelemiah were, Zechariah the firſt-born, &c.] Here are named ſeven ſonnes of Meſhelemiah, verſ. 2, 3. and of Obed Edom alſo ſeven ſonnes (beſides Shemaiah) verſ. 4, 5. and ſix grand-children the ſonnes of Shemaiah, verſ. 7. and foure ſonnes of Hoſah, verſ. 10, 11. which together make twenty foure; and therefore I conceive they are here named, becauſe they were the heads of the twenty foure orders and courſes of the porters that came up in their turn to do their ſervice, together with the twenty foure courſes of the prieſts and ſingers: though it be not noted which had the firſt courſe, and which the ſecond, as is before noted of the prieſts and ſingers.
Verſ. 5. For God bleſſed him.] That is, Obed-edom, becauſe he received the ark into his houſe, therefore the Lord bleſſed him, as is noted before, chap. 13, 14. to wit, not onelyonly with a numerous iſſue, but with great proſperity in all other regards, and hence it was, that eight of his ſonnes (beſides his grandchildren by Shemaiah) were heads in the foure and twenty courſes of the porter or guard of the Temple.
Verſ. 6. For they were mighty men of valour.] The work of the porters was not onelyonly to keep all unclean perſons from entring into the holy place; but alſo to prevent all confuſion at the reſorting of the people on their ſolemne feſtivals to the Temple, when they came in great multitudes, as alſo to be a guard to the holy place upon all other occaſions; and therefore it was requiſite that they ſhould be men of might and valour: and the ſonnes of Shemaiah being men eminent this way, they were appointed to be heads of the ſeverall diviſions and courſes of the porters.
Verſ. 8. Threeſcore and two of Obed-Edom] The number of theſe, as alſo of thoſe, verſ. 9, 11. is expreſſed I conceive, becauſe in every diviſion they were the chief; for there were in all of the porters foure thouſand, chap. 23.5.
Verſ. 12. Among theſe were the diviſions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another.] That is, amongſt theſe chief men of theſe families, were their ſeverall courſes of porters, divided ward againſt ward, anſwerable to thoſe of the ſingers and other Levites, to wit, in foure and twenty courſes.
Verſ. 13. And they caſt lots as well the ſmall as the great, according to the houſe of their fathers for every gate.] Being divided into twenty foure diviſions (which were to come up in their ſeverall courſes and orders for the ſervice of the Temple, and having waited a week, to depart to their dwellings, and another to come in their ſteads) they did alſo caſt lots to know how the ſervice ſhould be divided amongſt them, and in particular, which of them ſhould have the charge of the ſeverall gates of the Temple. But may ſome ſay, being there were but eighteen of the ſonnes and brethren of Meſhelemiah verſ. 9. to whom by lot the charge of the eaſt gate fell, verſ. 14. how could there be in each of the twenty foure courſes ſome of the ſonnes and brethren of Meſhelemiah to take the charge of the eaſt gate: I anſwer; firſt, that thoſe eighteen of Meſhelemiahs ſonnes and brethren, verſ. 9. were happely the chief, and beſides theſe there were many more: yea, ſecondly, happely under the lot of Meſhelemiah many other Levites were comprehended, beſides his ſonnes and brethren, for there were of theſe porters foure thouſand in all, chapter 23.5.
Verſ. 14. And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah, &c.] That is to Shelemiah or Meſhelemiah, verſ. 1. and his company, there fell the cuſtodie of the eaſt gate, which was the chief gate, as being in the front of the Temple, and to Zechariah his ſonne the cuſtodie of the north-gate.
Verſ. 15. To Obed-Edom ſouth-ward, and to his ſonnes, the houſe of Aſuppim.] That is, the houſe of gatherings, ſo called, either becauſe this, was the houſe where the ſeventy Elders did uſe to aſſemble and gather themſelves together, and ſit in councell; or elſe becauſe here the gifts of the people were gathered and laid up: this houſe was alſo in or at the ſouth gate, and ſo Obed-edom and his ſonnes had alſo the charge thereof; and indeed that here in following times the greateſt part of the Temples treaſures were laid up, may be probably gathered from that which is ſaid, 2. Chron. 25.24. And he took all the gold and ſilver, and all the veſſels that were found in the houſe of God with Obed-edom.
Verſ. 16. To Shuppim and Hoſah, the lot came forth weſt-ward, with the gate Shalleeheth, by the cauſes of the going up, ward againſt ward.] The families of theſe two, were it ſeems joyned together under one head. It is generally held that there was no gate weſt-ward either into the court of the prieſts or the people; but yet out of the court of the Gentiles it ſeems there was a gate weſt-ward, and therefore it is expreſſely ſaid, chap. 9.24. In foure quarters were the porters toward the eaſt, weſt, north, and ſouth; and here that Shippim and Hoſah were deſigned by lot to be porters weſt-ward: we find no mention of this gate Shallecheth elſewhere in the Scripture: but that it was on the weſt ſide is clear by the words in this place, and that it was by the cauſey of the going up, which needs muſt be ſome cauſey on the weſt ſide whereby they went up to the Temple, and therefore could not be, as ſome think it was, that aſcent mentioned 1. Kings 10.5, which was doubtleſſe on the eaſt ſide towards the frontiſpice of the Temple, and becauſe the word Shallecheth ſignifieth caſting out, therefore it is held that out of this gate they uſed to caſt forth all their aſhes and ſweepings, &c. out of the Temple. However, it ſeems clear by the words, that there was another gate weſt-ward, beſides this that was called Shallecheth, becauſe it is ſaid that the lot weſt-ward fell to Shuppim and Hoſah with the gate Shallecheth, ward againſt ward, whereby I conceive is meant that whileſt one company waited at the gate Shallecheth, another company waited at the other weſt gate, and this I take to be that which verſ. 18. is called Parbar, for there it is ſaid that Parbar was weſt ward, and that of theſe porters there ſtill waited foure at the cauſey, that is the gate Shallecheth which was by the cauſey, and two at Parbar.
Verſ. 17. South-ward foure a day, and toward Aſuppim two and two.] That is, at the houſe of Aſuppim were ſtill ſucceſſively two waiting, beſides the foure that were at the ſouth-gate where this houſe of Aſuppim was; or elſe the meaning is, that of the foure that waited ſouth-ward, two were ſtill at the ſouth gate, and two at the houſe of Aſuppim.
Verſ. 18. And Parbar weſt-ward, &c.] See the note above, verſ. 16.
Verſ. 20. And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treaſures of the houſe of God, and over the treaſures of the dedicate things.] Even thoſe that had the cuſtody of the treaſures were comprehended under the foure thouſand that were called porters, chap. 23.5. and having therefore expreſſed who were the chief porters, that had the cuſtody of the ſeverall gates and doores of the Temple, in theſe following verſes is expreſſed, to whom by lot it fell to be the porters for the cuſtody of the ſacred treaſures, and there being two diviſions of them, ſome that had the charge of the treaſures of the Temple, to wit, the holy veſſels, and veſtments, &c. and ſome that had the cuſtody of the dedicate things, to wit, the free will gifts that were given, and the money that at certain times for the repairing of the Temple and for the dayly ſacrifices, was collected amongſt the people; firſt in theſe words is expreſſed who was choſen to have the overſight of thoſe that were employed in both theſe ſervices, to wit, Ahijah.
Verſ. 22. Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treaſures of the Lord.] That is, which had the cuſtody of the holy veſſels and veſtments, and ſuch other things as were uſed in the Temple. See the former note.
Verſ. 23. Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, &c.] That is, theſe that are mentioned in the ſequel of the chapter were of theſe families, and were employed, as is afterward expreſſed.
Verſ. 24. And Shebuell the ſonne of Gerſhom, the ſonne of Moſes, was ruler of the treaſures.] That is, the treaſures of the dedicate things, not the treaſures of the houſe of God, to wit, the holy veſtments, and veſſels, &c. which were in the cuſtody of Jehiel and his ſonnes, as is before noted verſ. 21, 22. but the treaſures of the dedicate things which were in the cuſtody of Shelomith and his brethren, verſ. 25, 26. over whom this Shebuell was the ruler.
Verſ. 25. And his brethren by Eliezer: Rehabiah his ſonne, and Jeſhaiah his his ſonne, &c.] The meaning is, that all theſe were the ſonnes of Eliezer.
Verſ. 29. Of the Izrahites, Chenaniah and his ſonnes were for the outward buſineſſe over Iſrael, &c.] Beſides thoſe Levites that attended on the prieſts in their ſervice, and the porters and ſingers, there were ſix thouſand that were diſperſed throughout the land for Officers and Judges, chap. 23.4. whoſe charge was for the outward buſineſſe over Iſrael; that is, to take care of thoſe things that were to be done abroad out of the temple; as to give judgements in matters of doubt concerning the Law, to train up the younger Levites in the knowledge of the Law, to look to the gathering, and receiving of ſuch monies as was to be collected amongſt the people for the ſervice of the Temple (as when they were numbred, and upon other occaſions) and to make proviſion throughout the land for wood, and all other proviſion neceſſary for the ſacrifices, and all other ſervices for the Temple: and theſe were ſome of the family of the Izharites, and ſome of the Hebronites, verſ. 30.31. and becauſe there the number of the Hebronites is expreſſed, and where there charge lay, to wit, that ſeventeen hundred were Officers among them of Iſrael, on this ſide Jordan weſtward, verſ. 30. and two thouſand ſeven hundred without Jordan eaſtward, verſ. 31, 32. It may be probably inferred that there were of the Izharites ſixteen hundred (which makes up the juſt number of the ſix thouſand Judges and Officers, mentioned chap. 23.4.) and that all theſe were employed (under Chenaniah the chief of them) within Jordan weſtward, becauſe otherwiſe there would be farre more employed amongſt the two tribes and a half without Jordan, then in all the land of Iſrael beſides.
Verſ. 30. A thouſand and ſeven hundred, were officers among them of Iſrael on this ſide Jordan weſtward, in all buſineſſe of the Lord, and in the ſervice of the king.] That is, in providing ſuch ſacrifices as the king offered (which were indeed many, upon many occaſions) or by the ſervice of the king, may be meant the ſervice they did for the Temple, onelyonly with reſpect to the kings command and juriſdiction, or the putting of the kings decrees in execution for the obſerving of Gods Laws; for other Officers the king had that were employed in the kings civil affairs.
Verſ. 31. Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the cheif, &c.] That is, amongſt thoſe Hebronites that were without Jordan.
And there were found among them mighty men of valour, at Jazer of Gilead.] Where there number was taken.
Verſ. 32. And his brethren, men of valour, were two thouſand and ſeven hunred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, &c.] There were in all of theſe judges and officers but ſix thouſand, chap. 23.4. ſo that though all the Iſharites ver. 19. were employed within Jordan; (as is probable they were) yet there were almoſt as many in the two tribes and an half without Jordan, as were amongſt the other nine tribes and an half within Jordan. To wit, becauſe being divided (as it were) from Gods people by the river Jordan, there was the more care requiſite to retain them in their obedience to the Law, and to prevent any back-ſliding or remiſſeneſſe in the worſhip of God at Jeruſalem, whither with the other Iſraelites they were bound at certain times to reſort.