1 The priests and the Levites which came up with Zerubbabel.
10 The succession of high priests.
22 Certain chief Levites.
27 The solemnity of the dedication of the walls.
44 The offices of priests and Levites appointed in the temple.

We have in this chapter a record of little more than the names of a great many priests and Levites, that were eminent in their day among the returned Jews. It is good to know what our godly ancestors and predecessors were, that we may learn thereby what we should be.

the priests. 7:7 Ezr 2:1,2

Zerubbabel. 1Ch 3:17-19 Ezr 3:8 4:2 5:2 Hag 1:1,12,14 2:2,21-23 Zec 4:6-10 Mt 1:12,13

Zorobabel. Salathiel. Jeshua. 10 Zec 3:1-9 6:11

Joshua. Seraiah. 12-21 10:2-8 Ezr 2:2

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Malluch. 14

Melicu.

3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

Shechaniah. 14

Shebaniah. Rehum. 15

Harim. Meremoth. 15

Meraioth.

4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,

Ginnetho. Instead of Ginnetho, many MSS. and Vulgate have Ginnethon.

16

Ginnethon. Abijah. Lu 1:5

Abia.

5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Miamin. 17

Miniamin. Maadiah. The variation between Moadiah and Maadiah merely arises from the elision of {wav;} the LXX., however, in ver. 17, have Moadai.

17

Moadiah.

6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,

Joiarib. 11:10 1Ch 9:10

Jehoiarib.

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

Sallu. The variation of Sallu and Sallai is simply caused by the mutation of {wav} and {yood.}

20

Sallai. the chief. The chief of the priests seem to have been the heads of the courses established by David.

1Ch 24:18

of Jeshua. 1 Ezr 3:2 Hag 1:1 Zec 3:1

8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

Jeshua. 7:48 9:4 10:9-13

Mattaniah. 11:17,22

the thanksgiving. that is, The psalms of thanksgiving. 24 1Ch 9:33

9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.

over against. Ps 134:1-3

10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,

Jeshua. 26 1Ch 6:3-15

Eliashib. 3:1 13:4,7,28

11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.

Jonathan. Jaddua is supposed to be Jaddus the high priest, who went in his pontifical robes to meet Alexander the Great, when advancing to destroy Jerusalem; who was so struck with his appearance, that he forbore all hostilities, and granted many privileges to the Jews. According to Eusebius, he was high priest from A.M. 3665 to 3982.

11

12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

the chief. 22 1Ch 9:33,34 15:12 24:6-31

Seraiah. 1

13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

Melicu. 2

Malluch. Shebaniah. Two MSS. and Vulgate in ver. 3, have Shebaniah; and here many MSS. have Shechaniah.

3

Shechaniah.

15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

Harim. 3

Rehum. Meraioth. 3

Meremoth.

16 Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

Iddo. 4

Ginnethon. 4

Ginnetho.

17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai:

Miniamin. The LXX. and Vulgate have here Miamin.

5

Miamin. Moadiah. 5

Maadiah.

18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

Shemaiah. 6

19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

Sallai. 7

Sallu.

21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.

Eliashib. 10,11

recorded. 12,13

23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

the book. 1Ch 9:14-16

24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

Hashabiah. 8 8:7 9:4 10:9-13

according. 1Ch 23:1-32 25:1-26:32

the man. De 33:1 Jos 14:6 1Ki 17:24 2Ch 8:14 1Ti 6:11 2Ti 3:17

ward. 9 Ezr 3:10,11

25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.

Mattaniah. 8,9 11:17-19 1Ch 9:14-17

keeping. 1Ch 23:32 26:12 Isa 21:8

thresholds. or, treasuries, or assemblies.

26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.

Joiakim. 10

Nehemiah. 8:9 Ezr 7:6,11

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

A.M. 3559. B.C. 445. the dedication. Jerusalem was the holy city, and the wall was built under the immediate superintendence and blessing of Jehovah: it was therefore proper that it should be dedicated to that God who was there worshipped by solemn praises, prayers, and sacrifices. The dedication seems to have consisted in processions of the most eminent persons around the walls, with thanksgivings to God, who had enabled them to bring the work to so happy a conclusion; and, no doubt, to all this were added a particular consecration of the city to God, and the most earnest invocation that He would take it under His guardianship, and defend it and its inhabitants against their enemies.

De 20:5 Ps 30:1-12 *title

out. 11:20 1Ch 15:4,12 25:6 26:31 2Ch 5:13 29:4-11,30 Ezr 8:15-20

gladness. 8:17 De 16:11 2Sa 6:12 2Ch 29:30 Ezr 6:16 Ps 98:4-6 100:1,2 Php 4:4

thanksgivings. 1Ch 13:8 15:16,28 16:5,42 23:5 25:1-6 2Ch 5:13 7:6 Ezr 3:10,11 Ps 81:1-4 92:1-3 149:3 150:2-5 Re 5:8

28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;

plain. 6:2

Netophathi. 1Ch 2:54 9:16

29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.

the house. Or, Beth-Gilgal, a village erected where the Israelites encamped after they had crossed the Jordan.

De 11:30 Jos 5:9 10:43

Geba. 11:31 Jos 21:17 1Ch 6:60

Azmaveth. Ezr 2:24

30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

themselves. Ge 35:2 Ex 19:10,15 Nu 19:2-20 2Ch 29:5,34 Ezr 6:21 Job 1:5 Heb 5:1,3

31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:

the princes. 1Ch 13:1 28:1 2Ch 5:2

two great. 38,40

dung gate. 2:13 3:13,14

32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,

33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,

Azariah. 10:2-7

34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:

with trumpets. Nu 10:2-10 Jos 6:4 2Ch 5:12 13:12

Zechariah. 11:17 1Ch 6:39-43 25:2 26:10,11

36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.

musical instruments. 24 1Ch 23:5 2Ch 8:14 Am 6:5

Ezra. Ezr 7:1 8:1

37 And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

the fountain gate. 2:14 3:15,16

the stairs. Jerusalem was built on very uneven ground, some hills being enclosed within the walls, there was a necessity, therefore, for steps, by which to ascend and descend; probably similar to what is seen in the city of Bristol.

3:15 2Sa 5:7-9

water gate. 3:26 8:1,3,16

38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;

other. 31

tower. 3:11

broad. 3:8

39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.

the gate of Ephraim. 8:16 2Ki 14:13

the old. 3:6

the fish gate. 3:3 Zep 1:10

the tower. 3:1 Jer 31:38

the sheep. 3:32 Joh 5:2

the prison. 3:25,31 *Heb: Jer 32:2

40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:

31,32 Ps 42:4 47:6-9 134:1-3

41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

with trumpets. 35

42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

sang loud. Heb. made their voice to be heard. Ps 81:1 95:1 98:4-9 100:1,2 Isa 12:5,6

overseer. 11:14

43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

offered. Nu 10:10 De 12:11,12 1Ch 29:21,22 2Ch 7:5-7,10 29:35,36 Ps 27:6

God. 2Ch 20:27 Job 34:29 Ps 28:7 30:11,12 92:4 Isa 61:3 66:10-14 Jer 33:11 Joh 16:22

the wives also. Ex 15:20,21 2Ch 20:13 Ps 148:11-13 Jer 31:13 Mt 21:9,15 Eph 5:19 Jas 5:13

the joy. 1Sa 4:5 Ezr 3:13

44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

some. 10:37-39 13:5,12,13 2Ch 13:11,12 31:11-13

chambers. 1Ch 9:26 26:21-26

of the law. that is, appointed by the law. Judah rejoiced. Heb. the joy of Judah. Levites. Nu 3:10 8:24,25 1Ch 23:28 2Ch 5:11,12 Pr 8:34 Isa 40:31 Ro 12:7

waited. Heb. stood.

45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

the singers. 1Ch 25:1-26:32

the ward. That is, they suffered no unclean person to enter the temple.

1Ch 23:28 2Ch 23:6

46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

and Asaph. 1Ch 25:1-31 2Ch 29:30 Ps 73:1-28 *title Ps 83:1-18 *title

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.

Zerubbabel. 1,12,26

gave. 10:35-39 13:10-12 2Ch 31:5,6 Mal 3:8-10 Ga 6:6

and they. That is, the people separated, or set apart,the tenth of the produce of their lands for the use of the Levites; and the Levites separated the tenth of their tithes for the priests.

Nu 18:21-29

sanctified. that is, set apart.