1-12 The divisions of the porters 13-19 The gates assigned by lot 20-28 The Levites that had charge of the treasures 29-32 Officers and judges

the divisions There were four classes of these, each of which belonged to the four gates of the temple, which opened to the four cardinal points of heaven. The eastern gate fell to Shelemiah; the northern to Zechariah (ver 14.) the southern to Obed-edom (ver 15) and the western to Shuppim and Hosah (ver 16). These several persons were captains of these porter-bands, or door-keepers, at the different gates. There were probably a thousand men under each of these captains; as we find, from 1ch 23:5, that their whole number was four thousand.

the porters 1Ch 9:17-27 15:18,23,24 2Ch 23:19

Korhites Nu 26:9-11 Ps 44:1 49:1

Meshelemiah. Shelemiah, is merely an abbreviation of Meshelemiah, by the aphaeresis of () {mem}. 1Ch 25:14

Shelemiah
Asaph This variation arises from the mutation of {yood} into {aleph}; being written in the parallel passages () {Ebiaspah}, and here Asaph. 1Ch 6:37 9:19

Ebiasaph

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 Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth.

Obed-edom 1Ch 15:18,21,24 16:5,38

5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.

him. `That is, Obed-edom, as ch 13:14.' Ps 128:1

6 Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valor.

mighty men of valour They were not only porters, or door keepers, in the ordinary sense of the word, but they were a military guard to the gate, as Dr. Delaney suggests that the word {shoarim} should be rendered: and perhaps in this sense alone are we to understand their office, which appears to have been of considerable dignity, and conferred only on men of the first rank. They were appointed to attend the temple, to guard all the avenues to it, to open and shut all the outer gates, and attend at them, not only for state but for service. They were also required to direct and instruct those who were going to worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the conduct they were to observe, to encourage those who were timid, to send back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against thieves and others who were enemies to the house of God. 1Ch 26:8 2Ch 26:17 Ne 11:14 1Ti 6:12 2Ti 2:3

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 Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.

able men Mt 25:15 1Co 12:4-11 2Co 3:6 1Pe 4:11

9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.

Meshelemiah 1Ch 26:1,14

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;)

Hosah 1Ch 16:38

his father 1Ch 5:1,2

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.

wards That is, classes against each other. Ward formerly signified a class or division: we still apply the term to the different apartments in hospitals, and to the more extensive districts into which the city of London is divided. 1Ch 25:8

13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.

as well the small as the great [heb] or, as well for the small as for the great. 1Ch 24:31

14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.

Shelemiah 1Ch 25:1

Meshelemiah Zechariah 1Ch 25:2

15 To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.

Asuppim [heb] gatherings. Or, collections 1Ch 26:17

probably the place where either the supplies of the porters, or the offerings made for the priests and Levites, were laid up. Obed-edom is said to have had the charge of the treasures, etc. 2Ch 25:24

16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.

Hosah 1Ch 25:10,11

Shallecheth That is, ejection; probably the gate through which all the filth which from time to time might accumulate in the temple and its courts, was cast out.

causeway 1Ki 10:5 2Ch 9:4

ward against ward That is, their stations were opposite to each other; as the north to the south, and the east to the west. 1Ch 25:12 25:8 Ne 12:24

17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.

Eastward 1Ch 9:24 2Ch 8:14

Asuppim 1Ch 26:15

18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.

Parbar Parbar is most probably the same as parwar, which denotes suburbs. 2Ki 23:11

in which sense it is often used in the Chaldee Targums; and consequently this may be considered as leading to the suburbs.

19 These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.

Kore Kore, or rather, Kohri, is essentially the same with () Korah, merely having a paragogic {yood}. Nu 16:11

Korah

20 And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.

treasures 1Ch 26:22 9:26-30 22:3,4,14-16 28:12-19 29:2-8 1Ki 14:26 15:18 Mal 3:10

dedicated things [heb] holy things 1Ch 26:26-28 18:11 1Ki 7:51 2Ch 31:11,12

21 As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli.

Laadan 1Ch 6:17

Libni 1Ch 23:7

22 The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the LORD.

Jehieli Jehieli, () is the same as Jehiel, () with the addition of {yood} 1Ch 23:8 29:8

Jehiel
over the treasures 1Ch 26:20 Ne 10:38

23 Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:

Amramites 1Ch 23:12 Nu 3:19,27

24 And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures.

Shebuel The difference between () Shubael, and () Shebuel, simply arises from the elision of {wav} and a change of vowels. 1Ch 23:15,16 24:20

Shubael

25 And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.

Eliezer 1Ch 23:15 Ex 18:4

Rehabiah 1Ch 23:17

Shelomith 1Ch 23:18

26 Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated.

over all the treasures 1Ch 18:11 22:14 29:2-9 Nu 31:30-52

27 Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD.

Out Jos 6:19

spoils won in battles [heb] battles and spoils
to maintain 2Ki 12:14 Ne 10:32-34

28 And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren.

Samuel 1Sa 9:9

Abner 1Sa 14:47-51 17:55

joab 2Sa 10:9-14

29 Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.

Izharites 1Ch 26:23 23:12

the outward 2Ch 34:13 Ne 11:16

officers 1Ch 23:4 2Ch 19:8-11

30 And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valor, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the LORD, and in the service of the king.

the Hebronites 1Ch 23:12,19

men of valour 1Ch 26:6

officers [heb] over the charge

31 Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valor at Jazer of Gilead.

Jerijah 1Ch 23:19

Jeriah
fortieth 1Ch 29:27 1Ki 2:11

Jazer Jos 21:39 Isa 16:9

32 And his brethren, men of valor, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.

men of valour 1Ch 26:6-9

chief fathers 1Ch 15:12 23:24 24:31

Reubenites 1Ch 12:37

and affairs [heb] and thing 2Ch 19:11

There were more levites employed as judges with the two tribes and a half on the other side of Jordan, than with all the rest of the tribes; there were two thousand seven hundred, whereas on the west side of Jordan there were only one thousand seven hundred. Either those remote tribes were not so well furnished with judges of their own, or because they lay farthest from Jerusalem, on the borders of the neighbouring nations, and were thus in danger of being infected with idolatry, they most needed the help of Levites to prevent their running into the abominations of the idolaters.