Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
1 Chronicles 26:12

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 1 Chronicles 26:12. The rest of this chapter, with the whole of the xxviiith, is wanting both in the Syriac and Arabic.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Arrangements for the Levites (23:1-26:32)

Having appointed Solomon to be his successor, David made further arrangements for the service of the temple. First, he set out a plan to distribute duties among the Levites. A census showed that there were 38,000 Levites eligible for temple service. Of these, 14,000 were official record-keepers, judges, guards, singers and musicians. The remainder were to help in the general service of the temple (23:1-6). Clearly, there were far too many Levites to work in the temple all at the same time. David therefore divided them into groups according to their families, the total number of groups coming to twenty-four (7-23).

Each Levitical group was to serve in the temple two weeks each year. (This accounted for forty-eight weeks. The remaining four weeks would be taken up with the festivals of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, when all the men of Israel were to assemble at the central place of worship. On these occasions all Levites would be on duty; see Exodus 23:14-17.) The work of the Levites included assisting the priests, keeping the temple clean, providing the music and singing for worship, and attending to the many practical matters connected with the sacrifices and ceremonies (24-32).

The priests also were divided into twenty-four groups, each of which served in the temple for two weeks per year as outlined above. The service alternated between the Eleazar branch and the Ithamar branch of the Aaronic family. Each priest’s turn for service was decided by drawing lots (24:1-6). The names of the twenty-four priestly groups are then given (7-19), followed by a further list of some Levitical families (20-31).
Among the temple singers (a total of 4,000; see 23:5) were 288 specially skilled musicians. Included in these were twenty-four leaders (25:1-7). These 288 musicians were also divided into twenty-four groups that served in rotation. Their job was apparently to train and lead the section to which they were assigned (8-31).
There were also 4,000 gate-keepers, or temple guards (see 23:5). They too were probably divided into twenty-four groups who took turns to go on duty. The number of positions to be guarded was twenty-four (26:1-19). The wealth that David and others won for Israel through their conquests was administered by a group of treasurers, whose names are listed (20-28). The 6,000 judges (see 23:4) were most likely organized on a rotation system for their service. Some of them were concerned with the central administration, some worked only in the area west of Jordan, and some worked only among the two and a half tribes that were located east of Jordan (29-32).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THEIR ASSIGNMENT BY CASTING LOTS

"Of these were the courses of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brethren, to minister in the house of Jehovah. And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to their fathers' houses, for every gate. And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a discreet counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward. To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the storehouse. To Shuppim and Hosah westward, by the gate of Shallecheth, at the causeway that goeth up, watch against watch. Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the store-house two and two. for Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbor. These were the courses of the doorkeepers; of the sons of the Korahites, and of the sons of Merari."

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

This verse is obscure, but its probable meaning is the following: “To these divisions of the porters, principal men, (were assigned) the watches, together with their brethren, for service in the house of the Lord;” i. e., the “chief men” 1 Chronicles 26:1-11, amounting to no more than 93, kept the watch and ward of the house, together with a further number of their brethren (4,000, 1 Chronicles 23:5), who assisted them from time to time.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 26

Chapter twenty-six: the division of the porters and then their assignment over the various gates around the temple. And then in verse twenty: those who had charge over the treasures of the house of the Lord. And interestingly enough, in verse twenty-six,

Which Shelomith and his brothers were over the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over the thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated. Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD. And all that Samuel, and Saul, and Abner, and Joab had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and his brothers ( 1 Chronicles 26:26-28 ).

So that in reality, the thought or the idea of building a temple for God probably was as old as Samuel. In other words, the idea probably first came up in Samuel's time, and Samuel started setting aside for the treasury for the house of the Lord. Which was added to then by Saul. And then, of course, the generals of David bringing the spoils of war and placing them there in order to build the house unto the Lord.

And then several of the priests were established for the judges in the land to hear the various cases that dealt with religious matters. "

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men,.... These before named were the principal men of the porters, among which was a division or distribution of them into classes or courses, in which they served weekly in turn:

having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord; meaning either to watch in, as on the north against the south, and the east against the west, and "vice versa". The Jews say t, the priests kept ward in three places in the house of the sanctuary; in the house of Abtines, in the house of Nitzotz, and in the house of Moked; and the Levites in twenty one places, five at the five gates of the mountain of the house, four at the four corners of it within, five at the five gates of the court, four at the four corners of it without, one at the chamber of the offering, one at the chamber of the vail, and another behind the house of atonement, the holy of holies; but rather the sense is, that they had wards or courses answerable to those of the priests, and the other Levites, the singers, and were distributed into twenty four classes or courses as they, which are thus reckoned by Kimchi; at the east six, at the north four, at the south four, at Asuppim two and two, which were four, at the west four, and at Parbar two; lo, twenty four; see 1 Chronicles 26:17.

t Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 1.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.   2 And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,   3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.   4 Moreover the sons of Obed-edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,   5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.   6 Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.   7 The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.   8 All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obed-edom.   9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.   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;)   11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.   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.   13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.   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.   15 To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.   16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.   17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.   18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.   19 These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.

      Observe, I. There were porters appointed to attend the temple, who guarded all the avenues that let to it, opened and shut all the outer gates and attended at them, not only for the state, but for service, to direct and instruct those who were going to worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the decorum they were to observe, to encourage those that were timorous, to send back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against thieves and others that were enemies to the house of God. In allusion to this office, ministers are said to have the keys to the kingdom of heaven committed to them (Matthew 16:19), that they may admit, and exclude, according to the law of Christ.

      II. Of several of those that were called to this service, it is taken notice of that they were mighty men of valour (1 Chronicles 26:6; 1 Chronicles 26:6), strong men (1 Chronicles 26:7; 1 Chronicles 26:7), able men (1 Chronicles 26:8; 1 Chronicles 26:8), and one of them that he was a wise counsellor (1 Chronicles 26:14; 1 Chronicles 26:14), who probably, when he had used this office of a deacon well and given proofs of more than ordinary wisdom, purchased to himself a good degree, and was preferred from the gate to the council-board, 1 Timothy 3:13. As for those that excelled in strength of body, and courage and resolution of mind, they were thereby qualified for the post assigned them; for whatever service God calls men to he either finds them fit or makes them so.

      III. The sons of Obed-edom were employed in this office, sixty-two of that family. This was he that entertained the ark with reverence and cheerfulness; and see how he was rewarded for it. 1. He had eight sons (1 Chronicles 26:5; 1 Chronicles 26:5), for God blessed him. The increase and building up of families are owing to the divine blessing; and a great blessing it is to a family to have many children, when like these they are able for, and eminent in, the service of God. 2. His sons were preferred to places of trust in the sanctuary. They had faithfully attended the ark in their own house, and now were called to attend it in God's house. He that is trusty in little shall be trusted with more. He that keeps God's ordinances in his own tent is fit to have the custody of them in God's tabernacle, 1 Timothy 3:4; 1 Timothy 3:5. I have kept thy law, says David, and this I had because I kept thy precepts,Psalms 119:55; Psalms 119:56.

      IV. It is said of one here that though he was not the first-born his father made him the chief (1 Chronicles 26:10; 1 Chronicles 26:10), either because he was very excellent, or because the elder son was very weak. He was made chief, perhaps not in inheriting the estate (for that was forbidden by the law, Deuteronomy 21:16; Deuteronomy 21:17), but in this service, which required personal qualifications.

      V. The porters, as the singers, had their post assigned them by lot, so many at such a gate, and so many at such a one, that every one might know his post and make it good, 1 Chronicles 26:13; 1 Chronicles 26:13. It is not said that they were cast into twenty-four courses, as before; but here are the names of about twenty-four (1 Chronicles 26:1-11; 1 Chronicles 26:1-11), and the posts assigned are twenty-four, 1 Chronicles 26:17; 1 Chronicles 26:18. We have therefore reason to think they were distributed into as many companies. Happy are those who dwell in God's house: for, as they are well fed, well taught, and well employed, so they are well guarded. Men attended at the gates of the temple, but angels attend at the gates of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:12.