1 David in his old age makes Solomon king 2-6 The number and distribution of the Levites 7-11 The families of the Gershonites 12-20 The sons of Kohath 21-23 The sons of Merari 24-32 The office of the Levites

A.M. 2989 B.C. 1015 An. Ex. Is. 476
old 1Ch 29:28 Ge 25:8 35:29 1Ki 1:1 Job 5:26

he made 1Ch 28:5 29:22-25 1Ki 1:33-39

2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

he gathered 1Ch 13:1 28:1 Jos 23:2 24:1 2Ch 34:29,30

3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

the Levites Nu 4:2,3,23,30,35,43,47

thirty and eight Nu 4:48

4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:

twenty 1Ch 23:28-32 9:28-32 26:20-27

set forward. or, oversee Ne 11:9,22 Ac 20:28

officers and judges 1Ch 26:29-31 De 16:18 17:8-10 2Ch 19:8 Mal 2:7

5 Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

porters 1Ch 9:17-27 15:23,24 16:38 26:1-12 2Ch 8:14 35:15 Ezr 7:7 Ne 7:73

praised 1Ch 6:31-48 9:33 15:16-22 16:41,42 25:1-7 2Ch 20:19-21 Ps 87:7

the instruments 1Ki 10:12 2Ch 29:25,26 Am 6:5

6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

divided 2Ch 8:14 29:25 31:2 35:10 Ezr 6:18

courses [heb] divisions 1Ch 24:1 26:1

Gershon Gershon () is called () Gershom, in the parallel passage, simply by the mutation of () {noon} into () {mem} 1Ch 6:1,16 Ex 6:16-24 Nu 26:57,58

7 Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.

Gershonites 1Ch 6:17-20 15:7 26:21

Laadan Laadan and Libni, seem to have been two distinct names of this person; but the variation of Shimi and Shimei exists only in the translation, the original being uniformly (). Ex 6:17

Libni, Shimi

8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

Jehiel 1Ch 15:18,20,21 6:33,34 15:7,11,17

9 The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

Zina Zina seems to be a mistake for Zizah; for both the LXX and Vulgate read uniformly () Ziza 1Ch 23:11

Zizah

11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house.

Zizah 1Ch 23:10

had not many sons [heb] did not multiply sons

12 The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

sons of Kohath 1Ch 6:2 Ex 6:18 Nu 3:27 26:58

13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.

The sons 1Ch 6:3 Ex 6:20 Nu 3:27 26:59

separated Ex 28:1 Nu 18:1 Ps 99:6 106:16 Ac 13:2 Ro 1:1 Ga 1:15 Heb 5:4

sanctify Ex 29:33-37,44 Le 10:10,17,18 16:11-19,32,33 17:2-6 Nu 18:3-8

to burn incense Ex 30:6-10,34-38 Le 10:1,2 16:12,13 Nu 16:16-18,35-40,46,47 1Sa 2:28 2Ch 26:18-21 Lu 1:9 Re 8:3

to bless Le 9:22,23 Nu 6:23-27 De 21:5

14 Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.

the man De 33:1 Ps 90:1

his sons 1Ch 26:23-25

15 The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.

Gershom Ex 2:22 4:20 18:3,4

16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.

Shebuel 1Ch 24:20 25:20

Shubael 1Ch 26:24

17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

the chief. or, the first 1Ch 26:25

were very many [heb] were highly multiplied

18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

Shelomith 1Ch 24:22

Shelomoth 1Ch 26:26

19 Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

Hebron 1Ch 23:12 15:9 24:23

20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the first and Jesiah the second.

21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.

Merari 1Ch 23:6 6:20,30 24:26-30

Mahli Ex 6:19

Mahali

22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.

had no sons 1Ch 24:28

brethren. or, kinsmen
took them Nu 36:6-8

23 The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

Jeremoth 1Ch 24:30

Jerimoth

24 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

the sons of Levi Nu 10:17,21

after the house Nu 1:4 2:32 3:15,20 4:34-49

by their polls Nu 1:4 2:32 3:15,20 4:34-49

by their polls Nu 1:2,18,22 3:47

from the age At first David appointed the Levites to serve from thirty years old and upwards; but considering, probably, that the temple which was about to be built, with its courts, chambers, etc., would require a more numerous ministry, he fixed this period, by this subsequent regulation, at twenty years and upwards. In the time of Moses, the age was from thirty years to fifty: here this latter period is not mentioned, probably because the service was not so laborious now; for the ark being fixed, they had no longer any burdens to carry; and therefore even an old man might continue to serve. See the Note on Nu 8:24. Nu 8:24

twenty 1Ch 23:3,27 Nu 1:3 4:3 8:24 Ezr 3:8

25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:

The Lord 1Ch 22:18 2Sa 7:1,11

that they may dwell in Jerusalem. or, and he dwelleth in Jerusalem. 1Ki 8:13,27 Ps 9:11 68:16,18 132:13,14 135:21 Isa 8:18 Joe 3:21 Zec 8:3 2Co 6:16 Col 2:9

26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

carry Nu 4:5,49 7:9

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

by the last 1Ch 23:3,24 2Sa 23:1 Ps 72:20

numbered [heb] numbers

28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house 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;

office was to wait, etc. [heb] station was at the hand of Aaron 1Ch 18:17 Ne 11:24

for the service 1Ch 23:4 28:13 Nu 3:6-9 1Ki 6:5 2Ch 31:11 Ezr 8:29 Ne 13:4,5,9 Jer 35:4 Eze 41:6-11,26 42:3,13

purifying 1Ch 9:28,29 2Ch 29:5,18,19 35:3-6,11-14

29 Both for the shewbread, 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, and for all manner of measure and size;

for the shewbread It was the priests' office to place this bread before the Lord; and it was their privilege to feed on the old loaves when they were replaced by the new. 1Ch 9:31,32 Ex 25:30 Le 24:5-9 1Ki 7:48 2Ch 13:11 29:18 Ne 10:33 Mt 12:4 Heb 9:2

the fine flour 1Ch 9:29 Le 6:20-23

unleavened Le 2:4-7 7:9

pan. or, flat plate
for all manner of measure. The standards of all weights and measures were in the sanctuary; and therefore the levites had the inspection of weights and measures of every kind, that no fraud might in this way be committed. Honesty is inseparably connected with piety; and hence the levites, being sufficiently numerous, were employed to superintend the former, as well as the latter. Le 19:35,36 Nu 3:50

30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even:

stand 1Ch 6:31-33 9:33 16:37-42 25:1-7 2Ch 29:25-28 31:2 Ezr 3:10,11 Ps 135:1-3,19,20 137:2-4 Re 5:8-14 14:3

every morning Ex 29:39-42 Ps 92:1-3 134:1,2

31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:

in the sabbaths Le 23:24,39 Nu 10:10 Ps 81:1-4 Isa 1:12,14

set feasts Le 23:1-17 Nu 28:1-29:40

32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

keep 1Ch 9:27 Nu 1:53 1Ki 8:4

the charge of the sons Nu 3:6-9,38