Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708)

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F I R S T   C H R O N I C L E S

CHAP. XXIV.

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This chapter gives us a more particular account of the distribution of

the priests and Levites into their respective classes, for the more

regular discharge of the duties of their offices, according to their

families.

I. Of the priests,

ver. 1-19.

II. Of the Levites,

ver. 20-31.

The Courses of the Priests.	B. C. 1015.

     

1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons

of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

  2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no

children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s

office.

  3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of

Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their

offices in their service.

  4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar

than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among

the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house

of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according

to the house of their fathers.

  5 Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the

governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God,

were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

  6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the

Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok

the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the

chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal

household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

  7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to

Jedaiah,

  8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

  9 The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

  10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

  11 The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,

  12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

  13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

  14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

  15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,

  16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,

  17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to

Gamul,

  18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth

to Maaziah.

  19 These were the orderings of them in their service to come

into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under

Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

     

The particular account of these establishments is of little use to us

now; but, when Ezra published it, it was of great use to direct their

church affairs after their return from captivity into the old channel

again. The title of this record we have

v. 1—

These are the

divisions of the sons of Aaron, not by which they divided one from

another, or were at variance one with another (it is a pity there

should ever be any such divisions among the sons of Israel, but

especially among the sons of Aaron), but the distribution of them in

order to the dividing of their work among themselves; it was a division

which God made, and was made for him.

1. This distribution was made for the more regular discharge of the

duties of their office. God was, and still is, the God of order, and

not of confusion, particularly in the things of his worship. Number

without order is but a clog and an occasion of tumult; but when every

one has, and knows, and keeps, his place and work, the more the better.

In the mystical body, every member has its use, for the good of the

whole,

Rom. xii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. xii. 12.

2. It was made by lot, that the disposal thereof might be of the Lord,

and so all quarrels and contentions might be prevented, and no man

could be charged with partiality, nor could any say that they had wrong

done them. As God is the God or order, so he is the God of peace.

Solomon says of the lot that it causeth contention to cease.

3. The lot was cast publicly, and with great solemnity, in the

presence of the king, princes, and priests, that there might be no room

for any fraudulent practices or the suspicion of them. The lot is an

appeal to God, and ought to be managed with corresponding reverence and

sincerity. Matthias was chosen to the apostleship by lot, with prayer

(Acts i. 24, 26),

and I know not but it might be still used in faith in parallel cases,

as an instituted ordinance. We have here the name of the public notary

that was employed in writing the names, and drawing the lots,

(v. 6):

Shemaiah, one of the Levites.

4. What those priests were chosen to was to preside in the affairs of

the sanctuary

(v. 5),

in their several courses and turns. That which was to be determined by

the lot was only the precedency, not who should serve (for they chose

all the chief men), but who should serve first, and who next, that

every one might know his course, and attend in it. Of the twenty-four

chief men of the priests sixteen were of the house of Eleazar and eight

of Ithamar; for the house of Ithamar may well be supposed to have

dwindled since the sentence passed on the family of Eli, who was of

that house. The method of drawing the lots is intimated

(v. 6),

one chief household being taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar. The

sixteen chief names of Eleazar were put in one urn, the eight for

Ithamar in another, and they drew out of them alternately, as long as

those for Ithamar lasted, and then out of those only for Eleazar, or

two for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar, throughout.

5. Among these twenty-four courses the eighth is that of Abijah or

Abia

(v. 10),

which is mentioned

(Luke i. 5)

as the course which Zechariah was of, the father of John the Baptist,

by which it appears that these courses which David now settled, though

interrupted perhaps in the bad reigns and long broken off by the

captivity, yet continued in succession till the destruction of the

second temple by the Romans. And each course was called by the name of

him in whom it was first founded, as the high priest is here called

Aaron

(v. 19),

because succeeding in his dignity and power, though we read not of any

of them that bore that name. Whoever was high priest must be reverenced

and observed by the inferior priests as their father, as Aaron their

father. Christ is high priest over the house of God, to whom all

believers, being made priests, are to be in subjection.

     

20 And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons

of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.

  21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first

was Isshiah.

  22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth;

Jahath.

  23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the

second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

  24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah;

Shamir.

  25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah;

Zechariah.

  26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of

Jaaziah; Beno.

  27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur,

and Ibri.

  28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.

  29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.

  30 The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These

were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.

  31 These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the

sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and

Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and

Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger

brethren.

     

Most of the Levites here named were mentioned before,

ch. xxiii. 16,

&c.

They were of those who were to attend the priests in the service of the

house of God. But they are here mentioned again as heads of the

twenty-four courses of Levites (and about so many are here named), who

were to attend the twenty-four courses of the priests: they are

therefore said to cast lots over against their brethren (so they

are called, not their lords), the sons of Aaron, who were

not to lord it over God’s clergy, as the original word is,

1 Pet. v. 3.

And, that the whole disposal of the affair might be of the Lord, the

principal fathers cast lots over against their younger brethren; that

is, those that were of the elder house came upon he level with those of

the younger families, and took their place, not by seniority, but as

God by the lot directed. Note, In Christ no difference is made between

bond and free, elder and younger. The younger brethren, if they be

faithful and sincere, shall be no less acceptable to Christ than the

principal fathers.

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708)

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