Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Chronicles 26

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Introduction

1  The divisions of the porters.
13  The gates assigned by lot.
20  The Levites that had charge of the treasures.
29  Officers and judges.
Verse 1

Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
the divisions
There were four classes of these, each of which belonged to the four gates of the temple, which opened to the four cardinal points of heaven. The eastern gate fell to Shelemiah; the northern to Zechariah, (ver. 14;) the southern to Obed-edom, (ver. 15;) and the western to Shuppim and Hosah, (ver. 16.) These several persons were captains of these porter-bands, or door-keepers, at the different gates. There were probably a thousand men under each of these captains; as we find, from ch. 23:5, that their whole number was four thousand.
the porters
9:17-27, 15:18,23,24, 2 Chronicles 23:19
Korhites
Numbers 26:9-11, Psalms 44:1, 49:1; *titles
Meshelemiah
Shelemiah, is merely an abbreviation of Meshelemiah, by the aphæresis of [Mêm] mem.
Shelemiah
Asaph. This variation arises from the rejection of the word av, "father," and the mutation of [Yôwd] yood, into ['Aleph] aleph; being written in the parallel passages Ebiasaph, and here Asaph.
6:37, 9:19
Ebiasaph
Verse 4

Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,
Obed-edom
15:18,21,24, 16:5,38
Verse 5

Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.
him
"That is, Obed-edom, as ch. 13:14."
Psalms 128:1
Verse 6

Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.
mighty men of valour
They were not only porters, or door keepers, in the ordinary sense of the word, but they were a military guard to the gate, as Dr. Delaney suggests that the word shöârim should be rendered here: and perhaps in this sense alone are we to understand their office, which appears to have been of considerable dignity, and conferred only on men of the first rank. They were appointed to attend the temple, to guard all the avenues to it, to open and shut all the outer gates, and attend at them, not only for state but for service. They were also required to direct and instruct those who were going to worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the conduct they were to observe, to encourage those who were timid, to send back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against thieves and others who were enemies to the house of God.
8, 12:28, Judges 6:12, 2 Samuel 2:7; *marg:; 2 Chronicles 26:17, Nehemiah 11:14, 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:3
Verse 8

All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.
able men
Matthew 25:15, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 2 Corinthians 3:6, 1 Peter 4:11
Verse 9

And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.
Meshelemiah
1,14
Verse 10

Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;)
Hosah
16:38
his father
5:1,2
Verse 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.
wards
That is, classes against each other. Ward formerly signified a class or division: we still apply the term to the different apartments in hospitals, and to the more extensive districts into which the city of London is divided.
25:8
Verse 13

And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.
as well the small as the great
Heb. or, as well for the small as for the great.
24:31, 25:8
Verse 14

And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
Shelemiah
Meshelemiah
Zechariah.
Verse 15

To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.
Asuppim
Heb. gatherings.
17; Or collections; probably the place where either the supplies of the porters, or the offerings made for the priests and Levites, were laid up. Obed-edom is said to have had the charge of the treasures, etc., in 2, 25:24.
Verse 16

To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.
Hosah
10,11
Shallecheth
That is, ejection; probably the gate through which all the filth which from time to time might accumulate in the temple and its courts, was cast out.
causeway
1 Kings 10:5, 2 Chronicles 9:4
ward against ward
That is, their stations were opposite to each other; as the north to the south, and the east to the west.
12, 25:8, Nehemiah 12:24
Verse 17

Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.
Eastward
9:24, 2 Chronicles 8:14
Asuppim
Verse 18

At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.
Parbar
2 Kings 23:11, {Parbar} is most probably the same as {parwar,} which denotes suburbs, (2, 23:11,); and consequently this may be considered as leading to the suburbs.
Verse 19

These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.
Kore
Kore, or rather, Kohri, is essentially the same with Korah, merely having a paragogic [Yôwd] yood.
Numbers 16:11
Korah
Verse 20

And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.
treasures
22, 9:26-30, 22:3,4,14-16, 28:12-19, 29:2-8, 1 Kings 14:26, 15:18, Malachi 3:10
dedicated things
Heb. holy things.
26-28, 18:11, 1 Kings 7:51, 2 Chronicles 31:11,12
Verse 21

As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli.
Laadan
6:17
Libni
23:7
Verse 22

The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the LORD.
Jehieli
Jehieli, is the same as Jehiel, with the addition of [Yôwd] yood.
23:8, 29:8
Jehiel
over the treasures.
20, Nehemiah 10:38
Verse 23

Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:
Amramites
23:12, Numbers 3:19,27
Verse 24

And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures.
Shebuel
The difference between Shubael, and Shebuel, simply arises from the elision of [Vâv] wav and a change of vowels.
23:15,16, 24:20
Shubael
Verse 25

And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.
Eliezer
23:15, Exodus 18:4
Rehabiah
23:17
Shelomith
23:18
Verse 26

Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated.
over all the treasures
18:11, 22:14, 29:2-9, Numbers 31:30-52
Verse 27

Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD.
Out
Joshua 6:19
spoils won in battles
Heb. battles and spoils. to maintain.
2 Kings 12:14, Nehemiah 10:32-34
Verse 28

And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren.
Samuel
1 Samuel 9:9
Abner
1 Samuel 14:47-51, 17:55
Joab
2 Samuel 10:9-14
Verse 29

Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.
Izharites
23, 23:12
the outward
2 Chronicles 34:13, Nehemiah 11:16
officers
23:4, 2 Chronicles 19:8-11
Verse 30

And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the LORD, and in the service of the king.
the Hebronites
23:12,19
men of valour
officers
Heb. over the charge.
Verse 31

Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead.
Jerijah
23:19
Jeriah
fortieth.
29:27, 1 Kings 2:11
Jazer
Joshua 21:39, Isaiah 16:9
Verse 32

And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.
men of valour
chief fathers
15:12, 23:24, 24:31
Reubenites
12:37
and affairs
Heb. and thing.
2 Chronicles 19:11; There were more Levites employed as judges with the two tribes and half on the other side of Jordan, than with all the rest of the tribes; there were two thousand seven hundred, whereas on the west side of Jordan there were only one thousand seven hundred. Either those remote tribes were not so well furnished as the rest with judges of their own, or because they lay farthest from Jerusalem, on the borders of the neighbouring nations, and were thus much in danger of being infected with idolatry, they most needed the help of Levites to prevent their running into the abominations of the idolaters.

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