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1 Chronicles Chapter Twenty-three

 

1 Chronicles 23 Outline of Contents

The Divisions of the Levites (v.1~32)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 23

In this chapter David makes Solomon king 1 Chronicles 23:1 calls together the princes priests and Levites numbers the latter and assigns them their proper work 1 Chronicles 23:2 divides them into three classes 1 Chronicles 23:6 when the number of them was taken from twenty years of age and upwards; the reasons of which are given partly from the rest the land enjoyed and partly from the several branches of their work and office in the temple 1 Chronicles 23:24.

 

1 Chronicles 23:1  So when David was old and full of days he made his son Solomon king over Israel.

   YLT  1And David is old and satisfied with days and causeth his son Solomon to reign over Israel

So when David was old and full of days .... Perhaps was now in the last year of his age about seventy years old though before he was bedridden; see 1 Chronicles 28:2

he made Solomon his son king over Israel; declared him to be his successor; this was before the affair of Adonijah for then he ordered him to be anointed king and placed on the throne; and this aggravated the rebellion of Adonijah that it was against the declared and known will of his father.

 

1 Chronicles 23:2  2 And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel with the priests and the Levites.

   YLT  2and gathereth all the heads of Israel and the priests and the Levites;

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel .... Ordered them to be assembled partly to acquaint them with his will and pleasure that Solomon should succeed him in the kingdom; and partly to settle the order of the work and service of the temple; and therefore these were convened

with the priests and Levites; to assign to them their respective places and offices.

 

1 Chronicles 23:3  3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand.

   YLT  3and the Levites are numbered from a son of thirty years and upward and their number by their polls is of mighty men thirty and eight thousand.

Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward .... So they were numbered in the days of Moses and by his order and so they were now at first; though afterwards there was a new reckoning of them 1 Chronicles 23:24.

and their number by their posts; or according to their heads:

man by man was thirty and eight thousand; which vastly exceeds the number in the times of Moses; see Numbers 4:47 but then those above fifty years of age were not numbered as they now might; since their work in the temple would be much more easy no burdens to carry as the ark the vessels &c.

 

1 Chronicles 23:4  4 Of these twenty-four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the Lord six thousand were officers and judges

   YLT  4Of these to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah [are] twenty and four thousand and officers and judges six thousand

Of which twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord .... To prepare for the work of the priests by slaying the sacrifices flaying them cutting them in pieces and washing them and bringing them to the altar; 1000 of these served weekly in their turns:

and six thousand were officers and judges: that acted as justices of the peace in the several parts of the country heard causes and administered justice to the people being trained up in and acquainted with the laws of God civil as well as ecclesiastic; some were more properly judges and others executioners of their sentence; see Deuteronomy 16:18.

 

1 Chronicles 23:5  5 four thousand were gatekeepers and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments “which I made ” said David “for giving praise.”

   YLT  5and four thousand gatekeepers and four thousand giving praise to Jehovah `with instruments that I made for praising ' [saith David.]

Moreover four thousand were porters .... At the east north and south gates of the temple in their turns:

and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments; were singers in the temple which in all made up 38 000:

which I made said David to praise therewith; which instruments he devised and ordered to be made to praise the Lord with; see 2 Chronicles 29:26.

 

1 Chronicles 23:6  6 Also David separated them into divisions among the sons of Levi: Gershon Kohath and Merari.

   YLT  6And David distributeth them into courses: Of the sons of Levi: of Gershon Kohath and Merari.

And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi .... Into three classes according to the number of them which follow: namely:

Gershon Kohath and Merari; see Exodus 6:16.

 

1 Chronicles 23:7  7 Of the Gershonites: Laadan[a] and Shimei.

   YLT  7Of the Gershonite: Laadan and Shimei.

Of the Gershonites were Laadan and Shimei. These two were the immediate posterity of Gershon; are the same with Libni and Shimhi and heads of families Exodus 6:17.

 

1 Chronicles 23:8  8 The sons of Laadan: the first Jehiel then Zetham and Joel—three in all.

   YLT  8Sons of Laadan: the head [is] Jehiel and Zetham and Joel three.

The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiah and Zetham and Joel. Not his immediate sons but some that descended from him.

 

1 Chronicles 23:9  9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomith Haziel and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Laadan.

   YLT  9Sons of Shimei [are] Shelomith and Haziel and Haran three; these [are] heads of the fathers of Laadan.

The sons of Shimei .... Not him that was the son of Gershon but a descendant of Laadan his son as Kimchi observes:

Shelomith and Haziel and Haran these were the chief of the fathers of Laadan; of the families that sprang from him.

 

1 Chronicles 23:10  10 And the sons of Shimei: Jahath Zina [b] Jeush and Beriah. These were the four sons of Shimei.

   YLT  10And sons of Shimei [are] Jahath Zina and Jeush and Beriah; these [are] sons of Shimei four.

And the sons of Shimei .... The son of Gershon and brother of Laadan according to Kimchi which seems right:

were Jahath Zina and Jeush and Beriah; these four were the sons of Shimei; descendants of his in the times of David.

 

1 Chronicles 23:11  11 Jahath was the first and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; therefore they were assigned as one father’s house.

   YLT  11And Jahath is the head and Zizah the second and Jeush and Beriah have not multiplied sons and they become the house of a father by one numbering.

And Jahath was the chief .... The prince and head of a family:

and Ziza the second; the same with Zina in 1 Chronicles 23:10 and is there read Ziza in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions:

but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; so as to constitute distinct families:

therefore they were in one reckoning according to their father's house; made one family with their brethren.

 

1 Chronicles 23:12  12 The sons of Kohath: Amram Izhar Hebron and Uzziel—four in all.

   YLT  12Sons of Kohath [are] Amram Izhar Hebron and Uzziel four.

The sons of Kohath .... The second son of Levi:

Amram Izhar Hebron and Uzziel four; see Exodus 6:18.

 

1 Chronicles 23:13  13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was set apart he and his sons forever that he should sanctify the most holy things to burn incense before the Lord to minister to Him and to give the blessing in His name forever.

   YLT  13Sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron is separated for his sanctifying the holy of holies he and his sons -- unto the age to make perfume before Jehovah to serve Him and to bless in His name -- unto the age.

The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses .... A son of Kohath 1 Chronicles 23:2.

and Aaron was separated; from the children of Israel Exodus 28:1

that he should sanctify the most holy things he and his sons for ever; by an holy use of them and keeping them from all unholy and profane uses; and this they were to do as long as the Aaronic priesthood lasted:

to burn incense before the Lord; in the holy place on the altar of incense; which none but priests descended from Aaron might do:

to minister unto him; both at the altar of burnt offering and of incense; and the high priest in the holy of holies:

and to bless his name for ever or "in his name"; that is the people in his name; see Numbers 6:23.

 

1 Chronicles 23:14  14 Now the sons of Moses the man of God were reckoned to the tribe of Levi.

   YLT  14As to Moses the man of God his sons are called after the tribe of Levi.

Now concerning Moses the man of God .... Raised up by him as a prophet admitted to great familiarity with him a lawgiver from him and the ruler and guide of Israel under him through the wilderness:

his sons were named of the tribe of Levi; were only common Levites; Moses had no ambition to gratify; he sought no honour for his posterity; the civil government was left to Joshua and the priesthood to Aaron.

 

1 Chronicles 23:15  15 The sons of Moses were Gershon[c] and Eliezer.

   YLT  15Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. See Exodus 18:3.

 

1 Chronicles 23:16  16 Of the sons of Gershon Shebuel[d] was the first.

   YLT  16Sons of Gershom: Shebuel the head.

Of the sons of Gershom Shebuel was the chief. Of the posterity of Gershom in the times of David called Shubael 1 Chronicles 24:20 the Targum makes him to be the same with Jonathan Judges 18:30.F12So in Hieron. Trad. Heb. in Paralipom. fol. 84. c. .

 

1 Chronicles 23:17  17 Of the descendants of Eliezer Rehabiah was the first. And Eliezer had no other sons but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

   YLT  17And sons of Eliezer are Rehabiah the head and Eliezer had no other sons and the sons of Rehabiah have multiplied exceedingly.

And the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah the chief .... The first and only begotten as it follows:

and Eliezer had none other sons; before nor after him:

but the sons of Rehabiah were very many; or greatly multiplied; not as the Targum says above 600 000; the number of Israel as the Jewish writersF13T. Bab Beracot fol. 7. 1 2 Bemidbar Rabba sect. 16. fol. 220. 4. fancy; which they gather from Exodus 1:7 and that though Moses deprecated the multiplication of his seed God fulfilled it.

 

1 Chronicles 23:18  18 Of the sons of Izhar Shelomith was the first.

   YLT  18Sons of Izhar: Shelomith the head.

Of the sons of Izhar .... Another son of Kohath the son of Levi 1 Chronicles 23:12.

Shelomith the chief; the principal descendant of Izhar at this time.

 

1 Chronicles 23:19  19 Of the sons of Hebron Jeriah was the first Amariah the second Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.

   YLT  19Sons of Hebron: Jeriah the head Amariah the second Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.

Verses 19-21

Of the sons of Hebron .... A third son of Kohath 1 Chronicles 23:12

Jeriah the first Amariah the second Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth: of the sons of Uzziel; another son of Kohath 1 Chronicles 23:12

Micah the first Jesiah the second: the sons of Merari Mahli and Mushi Exodus 6:19

the sons of Mahli Eleazar and Kish: of whom see 1 Chronicles 24:28.

 

1 Chronicles 23:20  20 Of the sons of Uzziel Michah was the first and Jesshiah the second.

   YLT  20Sons of Uzziel: Micah the head and Ishshiah the second.

 

1 Chronicles 23:21  21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.

   YLT  21Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

 

1 Chronicles 23:22  22 And Eleazar died and had no sons but only daughters; and their brethren the sons of Kish took them as wives.

   YLT  22And Eleazar dieth and he had no sons but daughters and sons of Kish their brethren take them.

And Eleazar died and had no sons but daughters .... And so none to succeed him in his office and service:

and their brethren the sons of Kish took them; married them their uncle's sons their own cousins.

 

1 Chronicles 23:23  23 The sons of Mushi were Mahli Eder and Jeremoth—three in all.

   YLT  23Sons of Mushi: Mahli and Eder and Jerimoth three.

And the sons of Mushi .... The other son of Merari:

Mahli; so called from his uncle his father's brother:

and Eder and Jerimoth three; mentioned again 1 Chronicles 24:30.

 

1 Chronicles 23:24  24 These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses—the heads of the fathers’ houses as they were counted individually by the number of their names who did the work for the service of the house of the Lord from the age of twenty years and above.

   YLT  24These [are] sons of Levi by the house of their fathers heads of the fathers by their appointments in the number of names by their polls doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah from a son of twenty years and upward

These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers .... According to the three classes of them as descending from the three sons of Levi:

even the chief of the fathers; or heads of families:

as they were counted by number of names by their polls; or according to their heads one by one:

that did the work for the service of the house of the Lord; the particulars of which are in 1 Chronicles 23:28.

from the age of twenty years and upwards; they were first numbered thirty and upwards 1 Chronicles 23:3 but David before his death ordered they should be numbered from twenty and upwards 1 Chronicles 23:27 because the Israelites being increased there would be more work for the priests in the temple which would require the assistance of more Levites. The reasons follow.

 

1 Chronicles 23:25  25 For David said “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever”;

   YLT  25for David said `Jehovah God of Israel hath given rest to His people and He doth tabernacle in Jerusalem unto the age;'

For David said .... As a reason why he ordered a new account to be taken:

the Lord God of Israel hath given rest unto his people: from all their enemies round about and settled rest in the land so that there was no danger of being carried captive as they were time after time in the days of the Judges and whereby they became more numerous:

that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever; where the temple would always continue and not be removed as the ark and tabernacle had been and where all Israel would appear three times in the year continually.

 

1 Chronicles 23:26  26 and also to the Levites “They shall no longer carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”

   YLT  26and also of the Levites `None [are] to bear the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service;'

And also unto the Levites .... Or with respect to them:

they shall no more carry the tabernacle: on their shoulders from place to place as they had done:

nor any vessels of it for the service thereof; and so the service of it did not require men at their full strength but such as were but twenty years of age might be employed in it.

 

1 Chronicles 23:27  27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above;

   YLT  27for by the last words of David they [took] the number of the sons of Levi from a son of twenty years and upward

For by the last words of David .... Or therefore by the last orders he gave before his death:

the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above; as able and sufficient to do the work of their office.

 

1 Chronicles 23:28  28 because their duty was to help the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord in the courts and in the chambers in the purifying of all holy things and the work of the service of the house of God

   YLT  28for their station [is] at the side of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah over the courts and over the chambers and over the cleansing of every holy thing and the work of the service of the house of God

Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron .... The priests:

for the service of the house of the Lord; to assist them therein and not to bear burdens as in times past; the Targum is "wherefore the place of their habitations was by the side of the sons of Aaron for the worship of the sanctuary of the Lord:"

in the courts and in the chambers and in the purifying of all holy things and the work of the service of the house of God; to keep the house and all the apartments in it courts and chambers clean by sweeping and washing them and carrying out all the filth thereof made by the sacrifices and otherwise.

 

1 Chronicles 23:29  29 both with the showbread and the fine flour for the grain offering with the unleavened cakes and what is baked in the pan with what is mixed and with all kinds of measures and sizes;

   YLT  29and for the bread of the arrangement and for fine flour for present and for the thin unleavened cakes and for [the work of] the pan and for that which is fried and for all [liquid] measure and [solid] measure;

Both for the shewbread .... Also to make and get that ready every week for the priests to set on the shewbread table when they took off the other that had stood a week see 1 Chronicles 9:32.

and for the fine flour for meat offering and for the unleavened cakes and for that which is baked in the pan and for that which is fried; to deliver out the flour of which these several things were made see 1 Chronicles 9:31 and Leviticus 2:1

and for all manner of measures and size; as the hin and the ephah and the several parts of them for things both liquid and dry which were in their keeping and according to which they gave out the proper quantity of oil and wine and fine flour upon occasion.

 

1 Chronicles 23:30  30 to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord and likewise at evening;

   YLT  30and to stand morning by morning to give thanks and to give praise to Jehovah and so at evening;

And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord .... The office of others of them was to sing the praises of God both vocally and with instruments of music at the time of the morning sacrifice:

and likewise at even; at the time of the evening sacrifice by way of thankfulness for the mercies of the night and of the day.

 

1 Chronicles 23:31  31 and at every presentation of a burnt offering to the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the set feasts by number according to the ordinance governing them regularly before the Lord;

   YLT  31and for all the burnt-offerings -- burnt-offerings to Jehovah for sabbaths for new moons and for appointed seasons by number according to the ordinance upon them continually before Jehovah.

And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord .... This was the work of the priests to offer such sacrifices and not the Levites; but the meaning is according to the Targum and so Kimchi that these not only sung the praises of God morning and evening but at all times when burnt offerings were offered to the Lord; besides some of them helped the priests at such times in slaying the sacrifices and bringing them to the altar: and especially their service was requisite

in the sabbaths in the new moons and on the set feasts by number; because besides the daily sacrifices there were additional offerings at those times:

according to the order commanded unto them continually before the Lord; see Numbers 28:1.

 

1 Chronicles 23:32  32 and that they should attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting the needs of the holy place and the needs of the sons of Aaron their brethren in the work of the house of the Lord.

   YLT  32And they have kept the charge of the tent of meeting and the charge of the sanctuary and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren for the service of the house of Jehovah.

And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation .... That no unclean persons entered into it and that none of the vessels were carried out of it; this was the business of the porters:

and the charge of the holy place; of things that belonged unto it the vessels in it and what was requisite for it and used there: and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren; the priests whatever they should command them to do: in the service of the house of the Lord; in any part and branch of it before specified.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Chronicles 23:7 Spelled Libni in Exodus 6:17
  2. 1 Chronicles 23:10 Septuagint and Vulgate read Zizah (compare verse 11).
  3. 1 Chronicles 23:15 Hebrew Gershom (compare 6:16)
  4. 1 Chronicles 23:16 Spelled Shubael in 24:20