Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Chronicles · Chapter 9 – Chapter 10
CHAP. IX.
Verſ. 2. NOw the firſt inhabitants, &c.] In the former chapters we had the genealogies of thoſe that were before the Babylonian captivity; but here now we are told who they were that returned out of Babylon, Now the firſt inhabitants that dwelt in their poſſeſſions in their cities were the Iſraelites; that is, thoſe who firſt returned from Babylon, and were again ſettled in their ſeverall poſſeſſions were the children of Iſrael (for not onelyonly thoſe of Judah and Benjamin, but ſome alſo of the other tribes returned thence, verſ. 3. to wit, ſuch as ſled to Judah when the ten tribes were firſt carried away by Tiglath-pileſer and Shalmaneſer; and ſuch as did at firſt leave the land of Iſrael, when Jeroboam did firſt ſet up his golden calves there: the prieſts alſo, the Levites and the Nethinims, that is, (as the word ſignifieth) men given, to wit, to God and to the ſervice of the Temple, and it is meant of the Gibeonites; ſee the note Joſh. 9.21.
Verſ. 3. And in Jeruſalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, &c.] To wit, every tenth man amongſt them choſen by lot, and ſuch as did beſides voluntarily offer themſelves to dwell there, Nehem. 11.1, 2. And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jeruſalem; the rest of the people alſo cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jeruſalem, the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities. And the people bleſſed the men, that willingly offered themſelves to dwell at Jeruſalem.
Verſ. 5. And of the Shilonites; Aſaiah the first born, &c.] That is, the ſonnes of Shiloni, Neh. 11.5. and he that is here called Aſaiah, is in likelyhood the ſame that is there called Maaſeiah.
Verſ. 7. Sallu the ſonne of Meſhullam, the ſonne of Hodaviah, the ſonne of Haſenuah, &c.] Nehem. 11.7. Meſhullam is ſaid to be the ſonne of Joed, the ſonne of Pedaiah; either therefore Meſhullams father was called both Joed and Hodaviah, and his grandfather both Pedaiah and Haſenuah; or elſe theſe here mentioned were his father and grandfather, and thoſe mentioned in Nehemiah were his progenitours farther off.
Verſ. 9. And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty and ſix.] Nehem. 11.8. they are ſaid to have been nine hundred twenty and eight; but there (it may ſeem) onelyonly thoſe are numbred that were choſen by lot to dwell in Jeruſalem, here thoſe alſo that did voluntarily proffer themſelves to dwell there. Nehem. 11.2. And the people bleſſed all the men that willingly offered themſelves to dwell at Jeruſalem.
Verſ. 11. And Azariah the ſonne of Hilkiah, &c.] Called alſo Seraiah, Neh. 11.11. and it is ſaid here that this Azariah or Seraiah was the ruler of the houſe of God, to wit, at the return of the people from Babylon: whereby is not meant that he was high prieſt, (for Joſhua was then high prieſt, Hagg. 1.1.) but that he was the chief, or one of the chief of the inferiour prieſts, who were called the ſecond prieſts, Numb. 3.32. And of his brethren there were when they returned from Babylon, eight hundred twenty and two, Nehem. 11.12.
Verſ. 12. And Adaiah the ſonne of Jeroham, the ſonne of Paſhur, &c.] Neh. 11.12. it is evident that there were three deſcents between Paſhur and Jeroham; and there alſo, verſ. 13. it is expreſſed, that of his brethren there were two hundred fourty and two.
And Maaſiai the ſonne of Adiel, the ſonne of Jahzerah, &c.] Nehem. 11.13. he is called Amaſhai, the ſonne of Azareel, the ſonne of Ahaſiai, the ſonne of Meſhilemoh, the ſonne of Immer: and of this family it is ſaid that there were, verſ. 14. an hundred twenty and eight.
Verſ. 14. And of the Levites, Shemaiah, &c.] Having formerly ſet down the chief of the prieſts that returned from Babylon, here he alſo addes who were the chief of the Levites that returned; of whom there were at Jeruſalem (beſides thoſe that were ſeated elſewhere, and the porters, and others afterwards mentioned) two hundred foureſcore and foure, as is noted Nehem. 11.18.
Verſ. 15. Mattaniah the ſonne of Micah, the ſonne of Zichri.] Called alſo Zabdi. Nehem. 11.17.
Verſ. 16. And Obadiah the ſonne of Shemaiah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites.] Who were of the tribe of Judah, amongſt whom the Levites were ſeated at firſt, till their cites could be aſſigned them.
Verſ. 17. And the porters were Shallum and Akkub, &c.] That is, theſe were the chief; for of them in all there were an hundred ſeventy and two, Nehem. 11.19. beſides thoſe that were porters in the inner entries, verſ. 21, 22.
Verſ. 18. Who hitherto waited in the kings gate eaſtward.] That is, Shallum the chief of them, and thoſe of his courſe or family, unto the time of the writing of this book, waited in the eaſt gate, which was called the kings gate, becauſe formerly the kings of Judah uſed to go into the Temple at that gate.
Verſ. 19. And Shallum the ſonne of Kore and his brethren: (of the houſe of his father) the Korahites were over the work of the ſervice, keepers of the gates of the Tabernacle.] That is, he and the reſt of the Korahites, were keepers of all the outer gates of the tabernacle or Temple; for even the Temple is ſometimes called the tabernacle.
And their fathers being over the host of the Lord, were keepers of the entry.] That is, and the fathers of them, the heads and chief of them kept the entry, that is, the entry by which they paſſed from the outer court into the court of the prieſts, the inward gate: or elſe it may be meant of the fathers of theſe Levites, who waited upon the tabernacle before the Temple was built, and ſo is added onelyonly to ſhew, that theſe Levites were now keepers of the gates of the temple, as their fathers in former times had waited at the entry of the Tabernacle; and were over the host of the Lord, that is, over the Levites, when after the manner of an hoſt or army they pitched about the Tabernacle, when the Iſraelites went through the wilderneſſe. And indeed this expoſition ſeems the more probable, becauſe of that which follows in the next verſe.
Verſ. 20. And Phinehas the ſonne of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time paſt.] That is, Phinehas the ſonne of Eleazar, the ſonne of Aaron, had the chief command over the Levites in time paſt.
Verſ. 21. And Zechariah the ſonne of Meſhelemiah, was porter of the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation.] That is, he (and perhaps his brethren) was porter of the doore that led out of the prieſts court into the Temple, ſo that his was of all the chief place; ſee chap. 26.1, 2.
Verſ. 22. All theſe which were choſen to be porters in the gates, were two hundred and twelve.] See the note above, verſ. 17. and Nehem. 11. and chap. 23.5.
Theſe were reckoned by their genealogies in their villages: whom David and Samuel the ſeer did ordain in their ſet office.] That is, whereas before the dayes of Samuel, the Levites did all promiſcuouſly intend the whole ſervice of the Tabernacle, when Samuel judged Iſrael, 1. Sam. 7.6. he it ſeems began to divide the work amongſt them, and to appoint them their ſeverall charges and imployments, which David afterward did much perfect, appointing ſo many ſeverall courſes for the ſeverall ſervices of the Temple, and ſo by their turnes they attended, in their ſeverall places, the work of Gods houſe.
Verſ. 23. So they and their children had the over ſight of the gates of the houſe of the Lord, namely, the houſe of the Tabernacle, by wards.] Some at one gate, and ſome at an other.
Verſ. 25. And their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come after ſeven dayes from time to time with them.] That is, the brethren of the foure chief porters mentioned, verſ. 17. ſerved by turns; and every week one company went out, and another company came in.
Verſ. 31. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites (who was the firſt born of Shallum the Korahite,) had the ſet office over the things that were made in the pans.] That is, to look to the proviſion of flowre and ſuch things as were kept in the treaſuries and ſtore-chambers requiſite for theſe uſes, and to deliver them at times convenient to the prieſts, by whom they were made ready, and offered to the Lord.
Verſ. 33. And theſe are the ſingers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers, were free.] That is, the Levites; they were alſo the ſingers in the Temple, who were freed from all other imployments, becauſe they were continually imployed in that work.
Verſ. 35. And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, &c.] The ſtock of Saul is here again repeated, to make way to the ſtory of the kings, which is begun with the death of Saul in the following chapter.
Verſ. 37. And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah.] Called Zacher, chap. 8.31.
Verſ. 39. And Ner begat Kiſh, and Kiſh begat Saul, &c.] See the note, chap. 8.33.
CHAP. X.
Verſ. 2. ANd the Philiſtines ſlew Jonathan, &c.] See the note 1. Sam. 31.2. in which chapter many other paſſages of this chapter are explained.
Verſ. 6. So Saul died and his three ſonnes, and all his houſe died together.] That is, all his ſervants and attendants that accompanied him in this warre, 1. Sam. 31. 6.
Verſ. 10. And they put his armour in the houſe of their gods, &c.] That is, in the houſe of Aſhtaroth. See 1. Sam. 31.10.
Verſ. 12. And buried their bones under the oak, &c.] Having firſt burnt their bodies. See 1. Sam. 31.12, 13.
Verſ. 13. So Saul died for his tranſgreſſion which he committed againſt the Lord, even againſt the word of the Lord, &c.] To wit, both in not ſtaying Samuels coming, as he was appointed, ſeven dayes, when he warred againſt the Philiſtines, and alſo in ſparing Agag and the beſt of the ſpoil, contrary to the Lords command, in his warre againſt Amalek.
Verſ. 14. And enquired not of the Lord.] See 1. Sam. 28.6.