Bible Commentaries

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.

Ver. 1. In the book of the kings.] Not now extant. This chapter, and 1 Chronicles 3:19; 1 Chronicles 3:24, are noted for some parcels of the last passages, for history, of the Old Testament.

1 Chronicles 9:2 Now the first inhabitants that [dwelt] in their possessions in their cities [were], the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.

Ver. 2. Now the first inhabitants,] sc., After the return from captivity. [Ezra 1:1-11; Ezra 2:1-60]

That dwelt in their possessions.] The same they had before the captivity. A wonderful providence of God it was, that as the land kept her Sabbaths for those seventy years, so the country should be all that while kept empty, till the return of the natives: for we read not that any colonies were sent thither, nor any displaced to make room for these at their return.

And the Nethinims.] Dedititii; these were the posterity of those old Gibeonites. [Joshua 9:3-17] {See Trapp on "Ezra 2:58"} Vocati ad vilia officia Deum respiciant, &c. ^(a)

1 Chronicles 9:3 And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;

Ver. 3. And in Jerusalem dwelt.] See Nehemiah 11:1-2.

1 Chronicles 9:4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Pharez the son of Judah.

Ver. 4. Uthai, &c.] See the same catalogue in Nehemiah 11:4-36, though with some alteration of names, as before often.

1 Chronicles 9:5 And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons.

Ver. 5. And the Shilonites.] The posterity of Shelah, son of Judah. ^(a) [Genesis 38:5]

1 Chronicles 9:7 And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah,

Ver. 7. Hodaviah.] Alias Joed. [Nehemiah 11:7] Names are oft abbreviated.

1 Chronicles 9:10 And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin,

Ver. 10. And of the priests.] He had reckoned four distinct orders or ranks of people among the Jews, [1 Chronicles 9:2] and here he instanceth the second order or classis; viz., Sacerdotalis: Priestly.

1 Chronicles 9:11 And Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;

Ver. 11. The son of Hilkiah.] Who found the book of the law, which was presented to Josiah. [2 Kings 22:8-10]

The ruler of the house of God.] Next to the high priest.

1 Chronicles 9:13 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.

Ver. 13. For the work of the service.] Or, Men of work for the service, &c., that is, able and apt for the work.

1 Chronicles 9:14 And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;

Ver. 14. And of the Levites.] See 1 Chronicles 9:2; 1 Chronicles 9:10.

1 Chronicles 9:15 And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph;

Ver. 15. The son of Asaph.] Which Asaph is said to be the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer. [Nehemiah 11:17] {See Trapp on "Nehemiah 11:17"}

1 Chronicles 9:17 And the porters [were], Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum [was] the chief;

Ver. 17. Shallum was the chief.] He was overseer of the overseers of the porters.

1 Chronicles 9:18 Who hitherto [waited] in the king’s gate eastward: they [were] porters in the companies of the children of Levi.

Ver. 18. Who hitherto.] Even till the time that this book was gathered out of the ancient chronicles. [1 Chronicles 9:1]

1 Chronicles 9:19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites, [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.

Ver. 19. Being over the host of the Lord,] viz, When they of old encamped round about the tabernacle, in the wilderness.

1 Chronicles 9:20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, [and] the LORD [was] with him.

Ver. 20. And the Lord was with him.] To assist and accept him in his generous actions.

1 Chronicles 9:22 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.

Ver. 22. In their set office.] Or, For their fidelity. Or, In their trust, committed unto them by God and the commonwealth.

1 Chronicles 9:23 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.

Ver. 23. By wards,] i.e., By three distinct courses. [1 Chronicles 9:25]

1 Chronicles 9:24 In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.

Ver. 24. Towards the east.] The four parts of the temple answered to the four parts of the world. on Matthew 8:11.

1 Chronicles 9:33 And these [are] the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, [who remaining] in the chambers [were] free: for they were employed in [that] work day and night.

Ver. 33. Were free,] i.e., Freed from all other employments.

1 Chronicles 9:35 And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife’s name [was] Maachah:

Ver. 35. Saul’s race is here reiterated for some unknown cause, saith Diodate; for a preparation to the ensuing history, say others.

1 Chronicles 9:44 And Azel had six sons, whose names [are] these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these [were] the sons of Azel.

Ver. 44. These were the sons of Azel.] And here end the genealogies; the history followeth, and chiefly of David, in praise of whom this First Book of Chronicles, was especially written, as Vatablus observeth.