Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 24

Verse 1

divisions . . . Aaron. 1 Chronicles 2:0 4 is concerning the courses of the priests, as 1 Chronicles 2:0 3 is of the Levites. Compare 1 Chronicles 23:6 .

Verse 2

children = sons.

Verse 3

distributed = divided into courses, as in 1 Chronicles 23:6 .

Verse 4

chief men = strong men. Hebrew. geber. App-14 . Here denoting the heads of houses, or families.

Verse 5

divided by lot. See note on the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:30 ).

God. Hebrew. Elohim. (with Art.) = the [true] God. App-4 .

and of. Some codices, with four early printed editions, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and from among".

Verse 6

the scribe = the secretary. Compare 1 Chronicles 27:32 . See note on 2 Samuel 8:17 .

Ahimelech. So that Abiathar had a son named Ahimelech, who assisted him, as Hophni and Phinehas assisted Eli.

Verse 7

lot came forth. See notes on Exodus 28:30 .

Jehoiarib. The twenty-four courses took, and kept, the names of these first heads (verses: 1 Chronicles 24:7-18 ). Each officiated a week (Sabbath to Sabbath), and Zacharias belonged to the eighth (Luke 1:5 ). Compare Nehemiah 12:0 . Solomon appointed the same courses, which were continued by Hezekiah and Josiah. Only four returned from the Captivity (Ezra 2:36-39 . Nehemiah 7:39-42 ; Nehemiah 12:1-21 ). Luke 1:5 shows that they must have been made complete.

Verse 19

the orderings = the appointments: i.e. the order in which they fulfilled their service was all of Jehovah.

as = according as.

Verse 20

the rest of the sons of Levi. Verses 20-30 give the names of the heads of the twenty-four courses of Levites enumerated in 1 Chronicles 23:6-23 .

Verse 23

Jeriah. Some codices, with eight early printed editions, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "and the sons of Jeriah", but the Ellipses are rightly supplied from Ch. 1 Chronicles 23:19 .

Verse 26

Beno = his son; Jaaziah being a third son of Merari.

Verse 31

cast lots. See notes on the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:30 . Numbers 26:55 ).

over against = equally with.