A verse by verse commentary on I Chronicles 23 dealing with The Levites, Kohathites, and Merarites,

1. 1 CHRONICLES 23 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
The Levites
1When David was old and full of years, he made
his son Solomon king over Israel.
BARNES, "See the marginal references and notes. 1Ch_23:28-32 give the most
complete account in Scripture of the nature of the Levitical office.
CLARKE, "David was old and full of days - On the phrase full of days, see the
note on Gen_25:8.
GILL, "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 1Ch_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.
HENRY, "Here we have, I. The crown entailed, according to the divine appointment,
1Ch_23:1. David made Solomon king, not to reign with him, or reign under him, but
only to reign after him. This he did, 1. When he was old and full of days. He was but
seventy years old when he died, and yet he was full of days, satur dierum - satisfied with
living in this world. When he found himself going off, he made provision for the welfare
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2. of the kingdom after his decease, and pleased himself with the hopeful prospect of a
happy settlement both in church and state. 2. He did it in parliament, in a solemn
assembly of all the princes of Israel, which made Adonijah's attempt to break in upon
Solomon's title and set it aside, notwithstanding this public recognition and
establishment of it, the more impudent, impious, and ridiculous. Note, The settling or
securing of the crown in the interests of the temple is a great blessing to the people and a
great satisfaction to those who are themselves leaving the world.
II. The Levites numbered, according to the rule in Moses's time, from thirty years old
to fifty, Num_4:2, Num_4:3. Their number in Moses's time. by this rule, was 8580
(Num_4:47, Num_4:48), but now it had increased above four-fold, much more in
proportion than the rest of the tribes; for the serviceable men of Levi's tribe were now
38,000, unless we suppose that here those were reckoned who were above fifty, which
was not the case there. Joab had not numbered the Levites (1Ch_21:6), but David now
did, not in pride, but for a good purpose, and then he needed not fear wrath for it.
JAMISON, "1Ch_23:1. David makes Solomon king.
when David was old ... he made Solomon ... king — This brief statement, which
comprises the substance of 1Ki_1:32-48, is made here solely to introduce an account of
the preparations carried on by David during the latter years of his life for providing a
national place of worship.
K&D, "Number, duties, and fathers'-houses of the Levites. - This clear account of the
state and the order of service of the tribe of Levi is introduced by the words, 1Ch_23:1,
“David was old, and life weary; then he made his son Solomon king over Israel.” ‫ן‬ ֵ‫ָק‬‫ז‬,
generally an adjective, is here third pers. perf. of the verb, as in Gen_18:12, as ‫ע‬ ַ‫ב‬ָ‫שׂ‬ also
is, to which ‫ים‬ ִ‫ָמ‬‫י‬ is subordinated in the accusative. Generally elsewhere ‫ים‬ ִ‫ָמ‬‫י‬ ‫ע‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ‫שׂ‬ is
used, cf. Gen_35:29; Job_42:17, and also ַ‫ע‬ ֵ‫ב‬ָ‫שׂ‬ alone, with the same signification, Gen_
25:8. These words are indeed, as Berth. correctly remarks, not a mere passing remark
which is taken up again at a later stage, say 1Ch_29:28, but an independent statement
complete in itself, with which here the enumeration of the arrangements which David
made in the last period of his life begins. But notwithstanding that, it serves here only as
an introduction to the arrangements which follow, and is not to be taken to mean that
David undertook the numbering of the Levites and the arrangement of their service only
after he had given over the government to his son Solomon, but signified that the
arrangement of this matter immediately preceded Solomon's elevation to the throne, or
was contemporaneous with it. Our verse therefore does not contain, in its few words, a
“summary of the contents of the narrative 1 Kings 1,” as Berth. thinks, for in 1 Kings 1 we
have an account of the actual anointing of Solomon and his accession to the throne in
consequence of Adonijah's attempt to usurp it. By that indeed Solomon certainly was
made king; but the chronicler, in accordance with the plan of his book, has withdrawn
his attention from this event, connected as it was with David's domestic relations, and
has used ‫י‬ ִ‫ל‬ ְ‫מ‬ ִ‫ה‬ in its more general signification, to denote not merely the actual
elevation to the throne, but also his nomination as king. Here the nomination of
Solomon to be king, which preceded the anointing narrated in 1 Kings 1, that taking
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3. place at a time when David had already become bed-rid through old age, is spoken of.
This was the first step towards the transfer of the kingdom to Solomon; and David's
ordering of the Levitical service, and of the other branches of public administration, so
as to give over a well-ordered kingdom to his successor, were also steps in the same
process. Of the various branches of the public administration, our historian notices in
detail on the Levites and their service, compressing everything else into the account of
the army arrangements and the chief public officials, 1 Chron 27.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 23:1. He made Solomon king over Israel — Not that he
resigned the kingdom to him, but only declared his mind concerning Solomon’s
succeeding him in the throne after his death. Thus David himself is called king, 1
Samuel 16:1, because he was appointed and anointed to be king after Saul’s death,
though till then he was only a subject.
ELLICOTT, "After a brief notice of Solomon’s coronation in the old age of David,
the chronicler passes to the main subject of 1 Chronicles 23-26, viz., David’s
organisation of the Priests and Levites. The chapter before us presents (1) a
summary account of the number and several duties of the Levites (1 Chronicles
23:2-5); and (2) the father-houses or clans of the Levites, with an appendix of
remarks about their duties from this time forward (1 Chronicles 23:6-32).
Verse 1
(1) So when David was old and full of days.—Literally, Now David had become old
and satisfied with days. (See Genesis 35:29; Job 42:17; where both terms, which are
verbs here, appear as adjectives.) Perhaps our pointing is wrong. The expression
“satisfied with days” reminds us of Horace, who describes the philosopher as
departing this life like a satisfied guest (ut conviva satur, etc.).
He made Solomon his son king.—Heb., and he made, &c. This short statement is all
that the chronicler has chosen to repeat from 1 Kings 1, a narrative intimately
connected with David’s family affairs, with which he is not concerned to deal.
(Comp. 1 Chronicles 20, introductory remarks.)
TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 23:1 So when David was old and full of days, he made
Solomon his son king over Israel.
Ver. 1. So when David was old.] Tacitis senescimus annis. Old age stealeth upon us;
3

4. let us pack up our bundles, and prepare for our long home,
And full of days.] Satur dierum. He had seen enough of this world, and had a satiety
of life. He could better say than old Cato did, If I might become as young as ever I
was, I would not accept of it.
He made Solomon his son king.] This he had done before he was bedridden. [1
Chronicles 28:2; 1 Chronicles 29:12]
POOLE, "David maketh Solomon king, 1 Chronicles 23:1. The number and
distribution of the Levites, according to their families, 1 Chronicles 23:2-23. Their
office, 1 Chronicles 23:24-32.
Not that he did resign the kingdom to him, but that he declared his mind concerning
his succession into the throne after his death. As David himself is called king, 1
Samuel 16:1, because he was appointed and anointed to be king after Saul’s death,
though till then he was only a subject.
COFFMAN, ""Now David was old ... and made Solomon his son king over Israel"
(1 Chronicles 23:1). The truth here makes it impossible to receive Nathan's prophecy
in 2 Samuel 7 as a primary reference to Solomon. The Great One mentioned there
was prophesied to be born after David slept with his fathers. This verse clearly
indicates that Solomon enjoyed a co-regency for an unspecified time with David his
father.
"Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward" (1 Chronicles 23:3).
David's actions here in numbering the Levites conformed exactly to the instructions
of Moses given in Numbers 4:23.
"Four thousand praised Jehovah with the instruments that I (David) made" (1
Chronicles 23:5). David's actions in this had no prior command of God to justify it.
He violated the divine instructions that, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I
command you, neither shall ye diminish from it" (Deuteronomy 4:2). David's
invention of instruments of music and his introduction of them into the worship of
God was specifically condemned by the prophet Amos (Amos 5:23; 6:5). (We have
discussed this in Vol. 1 of my commentaries on the Minor Prophets, Joel, Amos and
Jonah, pp. 163-169,180-183.)
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5. WHEDON, " 1. When David was old… he made Solomon his son king — This
statement serves as an introduction to the account of the arrangement of the Levites
which follows. David, in his old age, made arrangements to hand over to his son a
well-organized theocracy. Chapters xxiii-xxvii show how thorough and extensive
were the arrangements and organization of the kingdom when Solomon was made
king over Israel.
During the period of the Judges and the reign of Saul the Levitical order had
become greatly disorganized. In the earlier part of David’s reign efforts were made
to restore them to their ancient work and standing, and at the time of the removal of
the ark to Zion much was accomplished in reorganizing the Levites, and
establishing a new and beautiful sanctuary service. But the more full and perfect
arrangement of both priests and Levites was the work of David’s last years. The
statements of this chapter may be conveniently tabulated as follows:
Whole number of Levites from thirty years old and upward 38,000 These embraced
four classes —
1. General Service — 24,000
2. Officers and Judges — 6,000
3. Porters — 4,000
4. Musicians — 4,000
PARKER, ""So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king
over Israel."— 1 Chronicles 23:1.
5

6. We are not to carry our kingships too far, and thus keep out other and stronger
men.—Kings should abdicate before they become imbecile; pastors should not wear
out the love of their people by continuing unduly in office.—It is always well to take
the opinion of others when it will be given frankly and lovingly as to our ability to
continue with vigour and happy effect the work in which we have been long
engaged.—Old age overtakes even David, of whom we once read as a youth "ruddy
and of a fair countenance."—Time conquers all.—The silent days and nights eat up
our strength, and leave us weak; consume our inheritance, and leave us poor; and
are all the while, in every action of deprivation, teaching us mournful but pithy and
useful lessons.—Blessed is the man who can bring his son to the throne, not only
because he is his Song of Solomon , but because he has a right to the crown, the right
of character, Wisdom of Solomon , capacity, and general fitness for high office.—
The son takes the crown by hereditary right in many instances; it is far better when
he takes it after preparation, and after having proved his character, in many trying
circumstances.—Israel continued, though David withered and died.—How true this
is in all the relations and outlooks of life!—The nation never dies; kings and mighty
men, generals and commanders, come and go, but the people, the very heart of the
nation, abide from century to century.—The countries have seen many occupants of
the throne, but the throne itself abides, the symbol and indeed the fact of
continuity.—Solomon has his day of coming, he will also have his day of going.—A
great statesmen has said there are only two happy days in the life of a cabinet
minister, the day on which he takes office and the day on which he leaves it.—Let us
have no fear because kings die, because pastors expire, because men of all degrees
are known no more in their personality: the one thing we may be sure of is that the
life which they symbolise will be preserved, directed, and perfected in the
providence of God.
Verses 1-32
How to Employ Old Age
1 Chronicles 23
ALTHOUGH the king was so old, he lost none of his interest in the highest
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7. department of his work. It is pitiful to see how soon some people sink into old age;
on the other hand, it is inspiring to observe how the noblest workers have disdained
to become old and have coveted only the glory of dying in harness. The pathos of
David"s action will be more clearly recognised if we remember that the literal
translation Isaiah , "Now David had become satisfied with days." Satisfied with
days, but not satisfied with labour: David had seen all the contents of time, in
poverty, persecution, honour, and majesty, and yet he was anxious for the
consolidation of his empire and the construction of the temple. When the heathen
poet described the death of a philosopher it was under the image of a guest who had
to the full enjoyed the feast. David, as a guest of the Lord, had himself sat long
enough at the table of time, and now he was desirous that his son should take up the
service and enjoyment of the empire, whilst he himself went forth to the mysteries of
another state. Old age can do for the future what mere youth is not permitted to
attempt. Old men are entitled to advise and stimulate those who are likely to succeed
them in the ministry of life. Wise old men never omit to infuse into their counsels
something of the fire and ambition of youth. They never recommend a mere
repetition of the past; they point rather to its enlargement and amendment,
believing that all the higher wisdom or providence is always a future blessing. There
is no finality in the plans of men. Wait upon God, expect clearer light, listen for
fuller instructions and always be prepared to accept and obey heaven"s revealed
will.
"He [David] made Solomon his son king over Israel" ( 1 Chronicles 23:1).
We are to remember that we are now in the hands of a mere chronicler who is
entitled to be brief in his statements, but we have a full account of what is here
indicated in the first chapter of the first Book of Kings. David might be technically
entitled to elect Solomon as his successor, but it would be unjust to his memory to
suppose that he availed himself of a mere technicality. In the instruction and
exhortation which he addressed to his son we find the larger reason of Solomon"s
elevation to the throne. David prepared for the temple as we have had ample
opportunity of observing, but we are in danger of neglecting to note that he
prepared his son Solomon with still more assiduous solicitude. Both the preparations
should be taken as one. It would have been a poor preparation had it been merely a
direction as to stone and gold and cedar; the true preparation was in the
enlightenment and direction of Solomon"s mind and heart. Parents cannot always
"prepare" a fortune for their children, but it lies within the power of the poorest to
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8. enrich the opening mind with solid instruction, and to comfort the tender heart with
exhortations and promises against the weakening influence of fear and disbelief.
"Now the Levites were numbered [The tribe of Levi had not been numbered at the
general census of the people recently taken (ch. 1 Chronicles 21:6); but in
preparation for the arrangements now contemplated, a special census was made of
them] from the age of thirty [The pattern of the Mosaic census was followed, and
those only were reckoned who had attained the age of thirty. We may assume that
the other limit mentioned in the Pentateuch ( Numbers 4:3, Numbers 4:23) was also
observed, and that none were counted who exceeded fifty] years and upward; and
their number by their polls, man by Prayer of Manasseh , was thirty and eight
thousand" ( 1 Chronicles 23:3).
In the realm of Israel there may be said to have been three estates, namely, the
princes and the priests and the Levites. David, therefore, in consulting the council,
showed himself to be what, in modern language, is called a constitutional monarch.
The details given of numbers and of ages indicate the military discipline which great
leaders of men have never failed to exercise: financiers count their gold and
statesmen count the people; before a man goes to war he should realise the exact
amount of his resources, lest he begin with a great flourish of boasting and end with
the muttering of humiliation. There should be nothing haphazard in the
arrangements of the Christian army; we should know how many we are when all
told, and a distinct estimate should be formed of the faculty, the genius, the
flexibility, and the endurance of every soldier. Classification is an element of
strength. The prince could not change places with the Levite, and the priest might
make a poor figure if he claimed to be prince. Mark the individuality of David"s
enumeration—the Levites were numbered by their polls [literally, "as to their
skulls"]. Every man should have a skull; every skull should represent a Prayer of
Manasseh , in knowledge, in faculty, in ambition, chastened by reverence. In modern
days we count hands; in ancient days Abraham counted souls and David counted
heads. Every hand should be a head, every head a soul, every soul a hand, and thus
there should be an inter-working and harmonious cooperation of all the powers and
uses of our lives.
"Of which twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of
8

9. the Lord" ( 1 Chronicles 23:4).
The word that is rendered "to set forward" means "to lead, or superintend." When
prisoners were taken in war the Levites were entitled to claim their share of the
number, and employ the captives in the menial work of the sanctuary.
The Levites were much more numerous than the priests, hence it was ordered in the
division of the prey, in the instance given in the Book of Numbers , that they were to
have two per cent. of the spoil, whereas the priests had only one-fifth per cent. of a
like amount: the calculation being, according to the best authorities three hundred
and twenty maidens, six thousand seven hundred sheep and goats, seven hundred
and twenty oxen, and six hundred and ten asses for the Levites. We recall the fact
that the Gibeonites were spared on condition of becoming Levitical bondsmen, or, in
Biblical words, "hewers of wood and drawers of water." We need superintendence,
as well as every other kind of service. The danger is that we pick and choose work
that is daintiest, instead of undertaking the work that most needs doing. If all were
generals, where were the army? If all were leaders, where were the followers? The
right spirit regards even doorkeeping in the sanctuary as an honour to be coveted.
PULPIT, "This chapter is the first of four employed on the subject of the Levites
and the services distributed among them. The twenty-four orders of priests, sons of
Aaron, occupy 1 Chronicles 24:1-31. The twenty-four orders of the singers and
musicians occupy the contents of 1 Chronicles 25:1-31. And the divisions of the
porters, with their gates; and of those Levites who had the keeping of the treasures
of the house of God; and the officers and judges, fill up 1 Chronicles 26:1-32. After
which the compiler is again awhile clear of the Levitical tribe.
Returning to our present chapter, it gives an account of the numbers of the Levites,
of their classification, of David's fresh arrangement of them and fresh distribution
of their work (1 Chronicles 26:1-6). But altogether the largest portion of the chapter
(1 Chronicles 26:6-32) is occupied with the rehearsal of the heads of houses
composing the four Levite families, and their offices.
9

10. 1 Chronicles 23:1-5
The numbering and the classification of the Levites.
1 Chronicles 23:1
David… made Solomon his son king over Israel. These words give the key note of
what remains in this book. David made his son king, as he himself acknowledges (1
Chronicles 28:5), under the superintending direction of God. The manner in which
the formal event was precipitated by the conduct of Adonijah is found at length in 1
Kings 1:11-53. The original occasion alluded to there more than once, on which
David promised, "and sware" to Bathsheba, that her son should be his chief heir
and successor to the throne, is not distinctly recorded. We can easily assign one
convenient place in the history for it to have found monition, viz. in 2 Samuel 12:25.
The brevity of the statement which composes this verse, when compared with all the
deeply interesting matter recorded in 1 Kings 1:11-53, is one among many other very
clear illustrations of the purposed silence of our present history in certain directions.
2 He also gathered together all the leaders of
Israel, as well as the priests and Levites.
GILL, "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.
JAMISON, "1Ch_23:2-6. Number and distribution of the Levites.
10

11. he gathered together all the princes of Israel — All important measures
relating to the public interest were submitted for consideration to a general assembly of
the representatives of the tribes (1Ch_13:1; 1Ch_15:25; 1Ch_22:17; 1Ch_26:1-32).
K&D, "Numbering of the Levites, and partition of their duties. - 1Ch_23:2. For this
purpose David collected “all the princes of Israel, and the priests and Levites.” The
princes of Israel, because the numbering of the Levites and the determination of their
duties was a matter of national importance. “The meaning is, that David, in a solemn
assembly of the princes, i.e., of the representatives of the lay tribes, and of the priests
and Levites, fixed the arrangements of which an account is to be given” (Berth.).
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 23:2. He gathered together all the princes, &c. — Partly to
declare God’s will, and his own desire, that Solomon should be his successor; and so
to cut off the claims and pretences which others of his sons might have made to the
crown; and partly to acquaint them with those directions which he had received
from God, by the Spirit, as appears from 1 Chronicles 28:11, &c., concerning the
establishment of a new order and method in the ministration of the priests and
Levites in the temple.
ELLICOTT, " (2) And he gathered together all the princes of Israel.—The form of
the verb (the imperfect with waw conversive) implies that this was done in
connection with the transfer of the kingdom to Solomon. The following chapters,
therefore, relate to arrangements made by David towards the close of his life.
(Comp. 1 Chronicles 26:30, “the fortieth year of the reign of David.”)
The princes of Israel.—Comp. 1 Chronicles 13:1; 1 Chronicles 15:25; 1 Chronicles
22:17. “The princes and the priests and the Levites” together constituted, in the
conception of the chronicler, the three estates of the realm: the representatives of all
spiritual and temporal authority. David consults with the national assembly in a
matter of national concern.
TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 23:2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with
the priests and the Levites.
Ver. 2. With the priests and the Levites.] These were most of all concerned in the
following charge: but the princes and people were to be informed of it. And albeit
this and the three following chapters may seem to be of little use unto us, yet we are
to hold that "every word of God is pure"; and "all Scripture is profitable to
11

12. instruct." Here we may learn that there should still be a supply of faithful ministers;
and these to be ordered by the supreme authority of the land; that there are
different offices of ministers; that order is to be observed in the Church; that each
one is to do his own work with utmost diligence, &c.
POOLE, " Partly to declare God’s mind and his own will, that Solomon should be
his successor; and so to cut off the claims and pretences which others of his sons
might make to the crown; and partly to acquaint them with those directions which
he had received from God by the Spirit, as appears from 1 Chronicles 28:11, &c.,
concerning the establishment of a new order and method in the ministration of the
priests and Levites in the temple.
PULPIT, "He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the
Levites. As on an occasion of supreme importance, David, in view of his own death
and of his son's succession at the present time, calls together the full council, and the
highest possible representative council of the nation. So 1 Chronicles 22:17; 1
Chronicles 24:6; 1 Chronicles 25:1; in which last passage the word "captains"
should have have been rendered "princes" ( ‫י‬ ִ‫שׂר‬ ). The arrangement of the Levites,
and the distribution of their functions in the presence of the princes, as here
described, and as it is even more strongly put (1 Chronicles 25:1), "by" them, simply
points to the fact that the ultimate outer authority, as between Church and state, lay
with the state. The Church was made for it, not it for the Church. And it was the
duty of the state to defend the Church.
3 The Levites thirty years old or more were
counted, and the total number of men was thirty-
eight thousand.
12

13. CLARKE, "Thirty years and upward - The enumeration of the Levites made in
the desert, Num_4:3, was from thirty years upwards to fifty years. In this place, the
latter limit is not mentioned, probably because the service was not so laborious now; for
the ark being fixed they had no longer any heavy burdens to carry, and therefore even an
old man might continue to serve the tabernacle. David made another ordinance
afterwards; see on 1Ch_23:24-27 (note).
GILL, "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, 1Ch_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 Num_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.
JAMISON, "the Levites were numbered ... thirty and eight thousand — Four
times their number at the early census taken by Moses (see on Num_4:1-49; see on
Num_26:1-51). It was, in all likelihood, this vast increase that suggested and rendered
expedient that classification, made in the last year of David’s reign, which the present
and three subsequent chapters describe.
by their polls, man by man — Women and children were not included.
K&D, "1Ch_23:3
The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upwards. This statement agrees
with that in Num_4:3, Num_4:23, Num_4:30, Num_4:39., where Moses caused those
from thirty to fifty years of age to be numbered, and appointed them for service about
the tabernacle during the journey through the wilderness. But Moses himself, at a later
time, determined that their period of service should be from twenty-five to fifty; Num_
8:23-26. It is consequently not probable that David confined the numbering to those of
thirty and upwards. But besides that, we have a distinct statement in 1Ch_23:24 that
they were numbered from twenty years of age, the change being grounded by David
upon the nature of their service; and that this was the proper age is confirmed by 2Ch_
31:17 and Ezr_3:8, according to which the Levites under Hezekiah, and afterwards, had
to take part in the service from their twentieth year. We must therefore regard ‫ים‬ ִ‫לשׂ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ in
Ezr_3:3 as having crept into the text through the error of copyists, who were thinking of
the Mosaic census in Num 4, and must read ‫ים‬ ִ‫ר‬ ְ‫שׂ‬ֶ‫ע‬ instead of it. The various attempts of
commentators to get rid of the discrepancy between 1Ch_23:3 and 1Ch_23:24 are mere
makeshifts; and the hypothesis that David took two censuses is as little supported by the
text, as that other, that our chapter contains divergent accounts drawn from two
different sources; see on 1Ch_23:24. The number amounted to 38,000, according to
13

14. their heads in men. ‫ים‬ ִ‫ר‬ ָ‫ב‬ְ‫ג‬ ִ‫ל‬ serves for a nearer definition of ‫ם‬ ָ‫ת‬ ְ‫גּ‬ ְ‫ֻל‬‫ג‬ ְ‫,ל‬ and explains that
only men were numbered, women not being included.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 23:3. From the age of thirty years and upward — Not only
till fifty, as it was appointed Numbers 4:2-3, but even till their death: for that was
but a temporary law grounded upon a special reason, because the Levites were
employed in carrying the tabernacle and sacred vessels from place to place; and
therefore God would have them freed from those burdens when they came to feel the
infirmities of age: which reason wholly ceasing upon the building of the temple,
their work being far easier than it had been, and their service being more a privilege
than a burden, their time of service is justly prolonged.
ELLICOTT, " (3) Now . . . and—i.e., after the council had agreed upon it.
The Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward.—A census like
that which Moses instituted (Numbers 4:3; Numbers 4:23; Numbers 4:30, &c.), of
all Levites “from thirty years old and upward unto fifty years,” for the work of the
Tabernacle.
By their polls, man by man.—Lit., As to their skulls, as to men. The second phrase
defines the first, and excludes women and children.
TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 23:3 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.
Ver. 3. Now the Levites were numbered.] Not as the people had been, [1 Chronicles
21:5-6] out of curiosity and vainglory: but on piety and prudence, and by a divine
instinct.
POOLE, " From the age of thirty years and upward; not only till fifty, as it was
appointed, Numbers 4:2,3, but even till their death; for that was but a temporary
law grounded upon a special reason, because the Levites were employed in carrying
the tabernacle and sacred vessels from place to place; and therefore God would have
them freed from those burdens when they came to feel the infirmities of age; which
reason wholly ceasing upon the building of the temple, and their work being far
14

15. easier than it had been, and their service being more a privilege than a burden, their
time of service is justly and fitly prolonged.
PULPIT, "Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward.
The thing which Joab had rightly resisted (1 Chronicles 21:3-6) and shrunk from
doing was now rightly done. There was now a practical and a legitimate object for
doing it. This consideration helps to determine what it was that "displeased the
Lord" in the former general census of David. In connection with this clause, 1
Chronicles 27:23 should be noted, where we read, "But David took not the number
of them from twenty years old and under: because the Lord had said he would
increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens." The period from the age of thirty
years up to fifty (Numbers 4:3, Numbers 4:23, Numbers 4:35, Numbers 4:39) was
fixed under Moses, for those "that came to do the service of the ministry, and the
service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation" (Numbers 4:47). It is
not certain, however, that this census did not inquire, in point of fact, respecting
some below this limit of age. For we may note 1 Chronicles 27:24 in the first place,
and this is partly explained by Numbers 8:23-25. The number "thirty and eight
thousand" of our present verse may be compared with the "eight thousand and five
hundred and four score" of Numbers 4:47, Numbers 4:48. It is to be observed how
promptly the national council did on this occasion commence with the arrangement
of the ministers of religion, "the Levites." As we read (Numbers 4:3) of "thirty
years" of age as the appointed age for the commencement of their ministry, and
(Numbers 7:3) of the present or "offering" of "six covered waggons and twelve
oxen," which the twelve "princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers,
princes of the tribes," offered "before the Lord," which greatly lessened the
laborious work of the Levites; so we find the commencing age reduced from time to
time, to "twenty-five" years (Numbers 8:24), and to "twenty years" of age, as in our
present chapter (Numbers 4:24-28).
4 David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are
to be in charge of the work of the temple of the
Lord and six thousand are to be officials and
15

16. judges.
GILL, "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 Deu_
16:18.
HENRY, "III. The Levites distributed to their respective posts (1Ch_23:4, 1Ch_23:5),
that every hand might be employed (for, of all men, an idle Levite makes the worst
figure), and that every part of the work might be carefully done. Now it was for the
honour of God that so great a number of servants attended his house and the business of
it. Much of the state of great men consists in the greatness of their retinue. When God
kept house in Israel see what a great household he had, and all well fed and well taught.
But what were these to the attendants of his throne above, and the innumerable
company of angels? It was the happiness of Israel that they had among them such a
considerable body of men who were obliged by their office to promote and keep up
religion among them. If the worship of God go to decay in Israel, let it not be said that it
was for want of due provision for the support of it, but that those who should have done
it were careless and false. The work assigned the Levites was four-fold: - 1. Some, and
indeed far the greater number, were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord:
24,000, almost two-thirds, were appointed for this service, to attend the priests in
killing the sacrifices, flaying them, washing them, cutting them up, burning them, to
have the meat-offerings and drink-offerings ready, to carry out dirt, and keep all the
vessels and utensils of the temple clean, and every thing in its place, that the service
might be performed both with expedition and with exactness. These served 1000 a-week,
and so went round in twenty-four courses. Perhaps while the temple was in building
some of these were employed to set forward that work, to assist the builders, at least to
quicken them, and keep good order among them, and the decorum which became
temple-work. 2. Others were officers and judges, not in the affairs of the temple, and in
the controversies that arose there (for there, we may suppose, the priests presided), but
in the country. They were magistrates, to give the laws of God in charge, to resolves
difficulties, and to determine controversies that arose upon them. Of these there were
6000, in the several parts of the kingdom, that assisted the princes and elders of every
tribe in the administration of justice. 3. Others were porters, to guard all the avenues of
the house of God, to examine those that desired entrance, and to resist those that would
force an entrance. These were the life-guards of the temple, and probably were armed
16

17. accordingly. 4. Others were singers and players on instruments, whose business it was to
keep up that part of the service; this was a new-erected office.
JAMISON, "twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the
house of the Lord — They were not to preside over all the services of the temple. The
Levites were subject to the priests, and they were superior to the Nethinim and other
servants, who were not of the race of Levi. But they had certain departments of duty
assigned, some of which are here specified.
K&D, "1Ch_23:4-5
1Ch_23:4 and 1Ch_23:5 contain words of David, as we learn from ‫ל‬ֵ‫לּ‬ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫ל‬ ‫י‬ ִ‫ת‬ ִ‫שׂ‬ָ‫ע‬ ‫ר‬ֶ‫ֲשׁ‬‫א‬
(1Ch_23:5, end), so that we must supply ‫יד‬ ִ‫ו‬ ָ‫ד‬ ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ֹאמ‬ ‫ַיּ‬‫ו‬ before 1Ch_23:4. ‫ה‬ֶ‫לּ‬ ֵ‫א‬ ֵ‫,מ‬ of these
(38,000) 24,000 shall be ‫וגו‬ ַ‫ח‬ֵ‫ַצּ‬‫נ‬ ְ‫,ל‬ to superintend the business, i.e., to conduct and carry
on the business (the work) of the house of Jahve. This business is in 1Ch_23:28-32 more
nearly defined, and embraces all the business that was to be carried on about the
sanctuary, except the specifically priestly functions, the keeping of the doors, and the
performance of the sacred music. For these two latter offices special sections were
appointed, 4000 for the porters' services, and the same number for the sacred music
(1Ch_23:5). Besides these, 5000 men were appointed Shoterim and judges. “The
instruments which I have made to sing praise” are the stringed instruments which David
had introduced into the service to accompany the singing of the psalms; cf. 2Ch_29:26;
Neh_12:36.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 23:4. To set forward the work of the house of the Lord —
To take care that all the work of the temple, about sacrifices, should be punctually
performed, either by themselves or others; which they were not to do all at once, but
by courses, a thousand at a time. Six thousand were officers and judges — Not in the
affairs of the temple, there the priests presided, but in several parts of the kingdom,
where they assisted the princes and elders of every tribe, in the administration of
justice.
ELLICOTT, " (4) Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward.—It is
clear from 1 Chronicles 23:5 that David himself is supposed to utter both verses,
thus personally assigning their commission to the Levites. The Hebrew here is
peculiar. We may render: “Of these let there be for superintending the work of the
house of Jehovah twenty-four thousand, and scribes and judges six thousand.”
To set forward.—An infinitive, as at 1 Chronicles 22:12. The verb is that of which
17

18. the participle often occurs in the titles of the Psalms. (Authorised “Version, “chief
musician.”) It means “to lead,” or “superintend.” The Levites had a share in
prisoners of war, according to Numbers 31:30. These they could employ in the more
menial work of the sanctuary. The Gibeonites were spared on condition of becoming
“hewers of wood and drawers of water,” i.e., Levitical bondsmen; and other whole
cities may have received the same terms (Joshua 9:23; Joshua 9:27). We have details
of the functions of these superintending Levites in 1 Chronicles 23:28-32, below.
And six thousand were officers and judges.—See above. “Officers” (shôtĕrîm) are
first mentioned in Exodus 5:6 (see Note there; and comp. Deuteronomy 16:18). The
word means writers (comp. Assyrian sadhâru, to write). The progress of the entire
people in power and civilisation elevated the Levites also; and from a warlike troop
of defenders of the sanctuary, they became peaceful guardians of the great Temple
at Jerusalem and its treasures, musicians and artists in its service, instructors and
judges scattered throughout the whole country (Ewald).
TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 23:4 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:
Ver. 4. Of which, twenty and four thousand were, &c.] That is, They performed their
different offices in their various courses, Hinc sequitur, Hence it followeth, saith an
expositor, that each priest and Levite ministered in the temple not much oftener
than twice a year; for there were of them twenty-four classes, each whereof served a
week together, and no more. Gospel ministers have a far harder task.
POOLE, " To set forward the work of the house of the Lord, i.e. to take care that all
the work of the temple about sacrifices and other parts or means of God’s service
should be punctually and diligently performed, either by themselves or others;
which they were not to do all at once, but by courses, a thousand at a time, as we
shall shortly see.
Officers and judges; whose work it seems to have been to judge of and determine all
difficult causes or differences which might arise, either among the inferior priests or
Levites about their sacred administrations, or among the people, which being
governed in all their concerns only by the laws of Moses, it was fit and necessary
that the priests and Levites should be consulted and concerned in their matters.
18

19. WHEDON, " 4. To set forward the work of the house — Rather, to preside over the
work; to attend to the various kinds of service specified in 1 Chronicles 23:28-32.
Officers and judges — Hebrew, Shoterim and Shophetim. They served as local
magistrates and judges throughout the various cities of the land. See notes on
Joshua 1:10, and comp. 1 Chronicles 26:29, and 2 Chronicles 19:8-10.
PULPIT, "To set forward (Hebrew ַ‫ח‬ֵ‫ַצּ‬‫נ‬ְ‫,ל‬ Piel conjugation). The strict meaning of the
word here is to superintend. The word has already occurred in the same sense in 1
Chronicles 15:21 . Officers and judges (Hebrew ‫ים‬ ִ‫ט‬ ְ‫פ‬ֹ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫ים‬ ִ‫ר‬ ְ‫מ‬ֹ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫.)ו‬ The explanation of
the nature of the work of these, as really outward work, for the "outward business
of Israel," is distinctly stated in 1 Chronicles 26:29; 2 Chronicles 11-19:5 . These
officers are mentioned under the same Hebrew term in Exodus 5:6, in a very
different connection. It is plain that they were generally foremen, or overseers; while
the judges took cognizance of matters which involved the interests of religion. This
verse and the following give between them the four divisions of Levites, afterwards
to be more fully described. The fuller account of the "twenty-four thousand" priests
(including attendants) occupies Exodus 18-24:1 .; the "six thousand" officers and
judges, 1 Chronicles 32-26:20 ; the "four thousand" porters, 1 Chronicles 19-26:1 ;
and the "four thousand who praised the Lord with the instruments," 1 Chronicles
31-25:1 .
5 Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four
thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical
instruments I have provided for that purpose.”
19

20. CLARKE, "Four thousand praised the Lord - David made this distribution
according to his own judgment, and from the dictates of his piety; but it does not appear
that he had any positive Divine authority for such arrangements. As to the instruments
of music which he made they are condemned elsewhere; see Amo_6:5, to which this
verse is allowed to be the parallel.
GILL, "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 2Ch_29:26.
JAMISON, "praised the Lord with the instruments which I made — David
seems to have been an inventor of many of the musical instruments used in the temple
(Amo_6:5).
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 23:5. Four thousand were porters — Whose office it was to
take the charge of all the gates of the temple, and its courts, that no forbidden or
unclean person might enter there, and of the courts themselves, and of the several
chambers and buildings belonging to the temple and the service thereof. These also
were to do their work by turns. Praised the Lord with instruments — Whereof two
hundred and eighty-eight persons were of greater skill than their brethren, and
instructed them, and had some authority over them.
ELLICOTT, " (5) Moreover four thousand were porters.—Literally, and four
thousand (are to be) warders. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 9:21-27.) Reuss thinks 4,000
warders too many; but the different clans went on duty in turn.
And four thousand praised the Lord . . .—Rather, and four thousand (are to be)
praising the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praising. (On
“praising,” see 1 Chronicles 16:4.) We have here an interesting reference to the fact
that David was not only a minstrel and inspired psalmist, but also an inventor of
stringed instruments. So the prophet Amos (1 Chronicles 6:5) speaks of the
effeminate nobles of Israel, “who prattle on the mouth of the nebel, that invent
themselves instruments of music, like David.” The reference is repeated in
20

21. Nehemiah 12:36.
Which I have made.—This expression proves that 1 Chronicles 23:4-5 should be
within inverted commas, as representing a spoken decree of David. Ewald thinks
that the narrative is interrupted in 1 Chronicles 23:5 by a fragmentary quotation
from an ancient poet who speaks in the name of Jehovah, characterising the
musicians as “those whom I have formed to sing my praise.” (But see 2 Chronicles
7:6.)
TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 23:5 Moreover four thousand [were] porters; and four
thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, [said David], to
praise [therewith].
Ver. 5. Moreover four thousand were porters.] Quos barbare vocant Sacristas.
And four thousand praised the Lord.] Whereof some were teachers, [1 Chronicles
25:7] and some scholars.
Which I made,] i.e., Invented, [Amos 6:6] and appointed to be used in the temple by
God’s commandment. [1 Chronicles 29:1-30 1 Chronicles 25:1-31]
POOLE, " Porters; whose office was to take the charge of all the gates of the temple
and its courts, that no forbidden or unclean person might enter there, and of the
courts them selves, and of several chambers or buildings belonging to the temple
and the service thereof: these also were to do their work by turns.
Four thousand praised the Lord with instruments; whereof two hundred and eighty-
eight were persons of greater skill than their brethren, and did instruct them, and
had some authority over them.
PULPIT, "Porters (Hebrew ‫ים‬ ִ‫ר‬ ְ‫ﬠ‬ֹ‫שׁ‬ ); doorkeepers. The word is so translated in 1
Chronicles 15:23, 1 Chronicles 15:24. It was the duty of these to keep the entrances
of the sanctuary, by day and night, in their courses (see also 2 Kings 7:10, 2 Kings
7:11). The Chaldaic equivalent of this word is ‫ע‬ ָ‫ר‬ ָ‫תּ‬ (Ezra 7:24; Daniel 2:49). There is
no connection between either the word or idea we have here, and those of Psalms
84:11, where the Hithp. conjugation of ‫פף‬ ָ‫ס‬ is used, and the sense of residence
21

22. probably intended to be conveyed. The instruments which I made… to praise.
Possibly the quotation of a short sentence often on David's lips. Men given to music
may have been very conscious of it, in ancient days, as well as in modern. The
language, however, does not necessarily assert that David claimed the inventing or in
any similar sense the making of these musical instruments, but that he appointed
them for the service of praise. What some of them were may be seen in 2 Chronicles
5:12—"cymbals, psalteries, harps, trumpets" (see also 2 Chronicles 29:25-27;
Nehemiah 12:35, Nehemiah 12:36; Amos 6:5).
BI, "And four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made.
Music and religion
I. The object of music. “To praise therewith” well expresses the attitude of the Bible
towards music. Plutarch says: “The chiefest and sublimest end of music is the graceful
return of our thanks to the gods.” In these words the wisdom of the Bible representation
is vindicated. A worthy conception of God is the only thing which can give the true
inspiration of music, and keep it pure and noble through all its strains. Thus music and
religion ought never to be divorced.
II. Some of the features of the revelation of God which the Bible gives, and see how they
agree with the best features of musical life and growth.
1. The Bible reveals God to man, and man to himself; it opens up depths of meaning
which ordinary life cannot sound; it calls man the son of God; it bases itself upon the
love of God, which passeth knowledge; it speaks of things which eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. If we allow
music any rights of its own, they must be based upon its claim to give expression
which is beyond the power of words, and to utter conceptions which thought cannot
formulate. It has the power to take them out of the surroundings even of the deepest
thoughts, to lift their aspirations where nothing else can go, to carry them into the
presence of a power of harmony and order more fundamental than the skill of the
hand or the logic of the mind can represent.
2. Then there is the universality of religion. It is meant for all men: there are all
grades and kinds of reception of it. The gospel of Christ is for all men; it has truths
for the simple, and doctrines for the wise; it meets all nations of men, each according
to its nature and its needs. So music in one way or another affects the simplest and
the most cultured, appeals to the joyful and to the sorrowing, defies lines of
nationality and of language, and is appropriated by all according to the needs of
each.
3. The object of religion is harmony—harmony between heaven and earth, between
man and man, harmony in the life of the individual, with its varying experiences. The
power of man to appreciate harmony finds a response in the growing resources of
the musical art; and the yearnings of man for a better existence, where life shall not
clash with death, joy with sorrow, and love with hate, finds an answer in a revelation
which destroys death, comforts sorrow, and makes love seen everywhere. There
could be no better expression for heaven, aa the place where such a revelation finds
22

23. its completion, than as the place of music. (Arthur Brooks, D. D.)
6 David separated the Levites into divisions
corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon,
Kohath and Merari.
GILL, "And these are the names of the sons of Levi, according to their
generations,.... Whose sons, according to the order of their birth, were as follow:
Gershom, and Kohath, and Merari; see Gen_46:11,
and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred and thirty seven years; and
exactly the same number of years is assigned him by Polyhistor from Demetrius (c), an
Heathen writer. Jarchi says, that the reason why, the years of the life of Levi are
reckoned is to show how long the bondage lasted; for there was no servitude as long as
any of the tribes (or of the sons of Jacob) remained, according to Exo_1:6 and the
Jewish chronologers (d) affirm that Levi was the last of the patriarchs that died; and that
he died in the year of the world 3332, and lived in Egypt ninety four years; and from his
time, to the going out of Egypt, were only one hundred and sixteen years; and they
further say the bondage could not last longer than one hundred and sixteen years, nor
shorter than eighty seven. Bishop Usher (e) places his death in A. M. 2385, and before
Christ 1619: according to the Targum of Jonathan, he lived to see Moses and Aaron the
deliverers of Israel; but that is false, since Joseph and all his brethren died before Moses
was born, Exo_1:6.
K&D, "The fathers'-houses of the Levites. - 1Ch_23:6. “And David divided them into
courses according to the sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari;” see on 1Ch_6:1.
The form ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ָֽ‫ֵח‬‫יּ‬ַ‫ו‬ which recurs in 1Ch_24:3 with the same pointing, is in more accurate
MSS in that place pointed ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ַ‫ֶח‬‫יּ‬ַ‫ו‬. There are also found in MSS and editions ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫לּ‬ ַ‫ח‬ְ‫ַי‬‫ו‬,
and the rare form of the Kal ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ַ‫ח‬ִ‫ַיּ‬‫ו‬ (for ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ְ‫ַח‬‫יּ‬ַ‫ו‬); cf. J. H. Mich. Notae crit. This last
pronunciation is attested for, 1Ch_24:3, by D. Kimchi, who expressly remarks that the
regular form ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ְ‫ַח‬‫יּ‬ַ‫ו‬ corresponds to it; cf. Norzi on this passage. Gesen. (in Thes. p. 483)
and Ew. (§83, c) regard ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ָֽ‫ֵח‬‫יּ‬ַ‫ו‬ as a variety of the Piel (‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫לּ‬ ַ‫ח‬ְ‫ַי‬‫ו‬), to which, however,
Berth. rightly remarks that it would be worth a thought only if the punctuation ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ָֽ‫ח‬ְ‫ַי‬‫ו‬
were confirmed by good MSS, which is not the case, though we find the Piel in the
Chronicle in 1Ch_15:3, and then with the signification to distribute. Berth. therefore
23

24. holds - and certainly this is the more correct opinion - that the form ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ָ‫ֶח‬‫יּ‬ַ‫ו‬, attested by
Kimchi for 1Ch_24:3, was the original reading in our verse also, and considers it a rare
form of the impf. Kal derived from ‫ם‬ ֵ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ְ‫ַח‬‫יּ‬ַ‫ו‬ (cf. 1Ch_24:4-5), by Kamets coming into the
pretonic syllable, after the analogy of ‫טוּם‬ ָ‫ח‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ִ‫יּ‬ for ‫טוּם‬ֲ‫ח‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ִ‫,י‬ 2Ki_10:14, and by the
passing of an ă (Pathach) into ĕ (Seghol) before the Kamets, according to well-known
euphonic rules. ‫ת‬ ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ְ‫ח‬ ַ‫מ‬ is a second accusative: “in divisions.” The tribe of Levi had been
divided from ancient times into the three great families of Gershonites, Kohathites, and
Merarites, corresponding to the three sons of Levi; cf. 1 Chron 6:1-53; 28:32. - From
1Ch_23:7 onwards we have an enumeration of the fathers'-houses into which these three
families were divided: 1Ch_23:7-11, the fathers'-houses of the Gershonites; 1Ch_
23:12-20, those of the Kohathites; and 1Ch_23:21-23, those of the Merarites. Berth., on
the other hand, thinks that in these verses only the fathers'-houses of those Levites who
performed the service of the house of Jahve, i.e., the 24,000 in 1Ch_23:4, and not the
divisions of all the Levites, are enumerated. But this opinion is incorrect, and certainly is
not proved to be true by the circumstance that the singers, porters, and the scribes and
judges, are only spoken of afterwards; nor by the remark that, in great part, the names
here enumerated appear again in the sections 1Ch_24:20-31 and 1Ch_26:20-28, while in
the enumeration of the twenty-four classes of musicians (1 Chron 25), of the doorkeepers
(26:1-19), and of the scribes and judges (1Ch_26:29-32), quite other names are met
with. The recurrence of many of the names here enumerated in the sections 1Ch_
24:20-31 and 1Ch_26:20-28 is easily explained by the fact that these sections treat of the
divisions of the Levites, according to the service they performed, and of course many
heads of fathers'-houses must again be named. The occurrence of quite other names in
the lists of musicians and doorkeepers, again, is simply the result of the fact that only
single branches of fathers'-houses, not whole fathers'-houses, were appointed musicians
and doorkeepers. Finally, Bertheau's statement, that in the catalogue of the scribes and
judges quite other names occur than those in our verses, is based upon an oversight; cf.
1Ch_26:31 with 1Ch_23:19.
JAMISON, "David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi — These
are enumerated according to their fathers’ houses, but no more of these are mentioned
here than the twenty-four thousand who were engaged in the work connected with the
Lord’s house. The fathers’ houses of those Levites corresponded with the classes into
which they [Josephus, Antiquities] as well as the priests were divided (see 1Ch_
24:20-31; 1Ch_26:20-28).
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 23:6. David divided them into courses — Which he did not
by his own invention, but, as a man of God, by his command, and with the advice
and concurrence of Gad and Nathan the prophets, as is manifest from 2 Chronicles
8:14; 2 Chronicles 29:25.
24

25. ELLICOTT, " (6) And David divided them into courses.—Heb., he divided him
them (reflexive form of verb, with suffix) into divisions. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 24:3,
and Genesis 14:15.) Others read the simple voice of the verb here, as at 1 Chronicles
24:4-5, 2 Chronicles 23:18, Nehemiah 9:22; others, again, the intensive voice, as at 1
Chronicles 16:3 (only). It is a question of pointing, the consonants remaining the
same in each form. “David divided them,” i.e., the 2,400 superintendents (1
Chronicles 23:4; comp. 1 Chronicles 23:24). Many of the names here enumerated
recur in 1 Chronicles 24:20-31; 1 Chronicles 26:20-28; whereas the names of the
courses of musicians (1 Chronicles 25:1-31), warders (1 Chronicles 26:1-19), and
scribes and judges (1 Chronicles 26:29-32), are totally different.
Among the sons of Levi.—Rather, according to the sons of Levi, viz., according to
Gershon, &c.: that is, according to the three great sub-divisions of the tribe (1
Chronicles 6:1; 1 Chronicles 6:16). Notice the correct spelling, “Gershon” (not
Gershom).
TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 23:6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of
Levi, [namely], Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Ver. 6. And David divided them into courses.] Into certain ranks and distinct
functions, according to the commandment of God by Gad and Nathan. [2 Chronicles
29:25] David, at the beginning of his reign, had distinguished the priests and Levites
into certain ranks and orders, [1 Chronicles 16:4] but now that their number was
greatly increased, and they were to serve in the temple that was shortly after to be
erected, he ordered all things better, and with greater diligence.
POOLE, "David divided them into courses; which he did not by his own invention,
but as a man of God, and by the command of God, and with the advice and
concurrence of Gad and Nathan the prophets, as is manifest from 2 Chronicles 8:14
29:25.
PULPIT, "Here begin the families of the Levites, as arranged in courses by David.
These arrangements were scrupulously observed by Solomon (2 Chronicles 8:14; 2
Chronicles 29:25).
25

26. Gershonites
7 Belonging to the Gershonites:
Ladan and Shimei.
GILL, "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, Exo_6:17.
JAMISON, "1Ch_23:7-11. Sons of Gershon.
the Gershonites — They had nine fathers’ houses, six descended from Laadan, and
three from Shimei.
K&D, "1Ch_23:7-11
The fathers'-houses of the Gershonites. - According to the natural development of the
people of Israel, the twelve sons of Jacob founded the twelve tribes of Israel; his
grandsons, or the sons of the twelve patriarchs, founded the families (‫ת‬ ‫ח‬ָ‫פּ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ִ‫;)מ‬ and
their sons, i.e., the great-grandsons of Jacob, founded the fathers'-houses (‫ת‬ ‫ב‬ ָ‫ית־א‬ ֵ‫.)בּ‬
But this natural division or ramification of the people into tribes, families, and fathers'-
houses (groups of related households), was not consistently carried out. Even the
formation of the tribes suffered a modification, when the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim
and Manasseh, who were born before Jacob's arrival in Egypt, were adopted by him as
his sons, and so made founders of tribes (Gen_48:5). The formation of the families and
fathers'-houses was also interfered with, partly by the descendants of many grandsons or
great-grandsons of Jacob not being numerous enough to form independent families and
fathers'-houses, and partly by individual fathers'-houses (or groups of related
households) having so much decreased that they could no longer form independent
groups, and so were attached to other fathers'-houses, or by families which had
originally formed a ‫ב‬ ָ‫ית־א‬ ֵ‫בּ‬ becoming so numerous as to be divided into several fathers'-
houses. In the tribe of Levi there came into operation this special cause, that Aaron and
his sons were chosen to be priests, and so his family was raised above the other Levites.
From these causes, in the use of the words ‫ה‬ ָ‫ח‬ָ‫פּ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ִ‫מ‬ and ‫ב‬ ָ‫ית־א‬ ֵ‫בּ‬ many fluctuations occur;
cf. my bibl. Archäol. ii. §140. Among the Levites, the fathers'-houses were founded not
26

27. by the grandsons, but by the great-grandsons of the patriarch.
1Ch_23:7-8
“Of the Gershonites, Laadan and Shimei,” i.e., these were heads of groups of related
families, since, according to 1Ch_23:9, their sons and descendants formed six fathers'-
houses. The sons of Gershon, from whom all branches of the family of Gershon come,
are called in 1Ch_6:2, as in Exo_6:17 and Num_13:18, Libni and Shimei; while in our
verse, on the contrary, we find only the second name Shimei, whose sons are
enumerated in 1Ch_23:10, 1Ch_23:11; and instead of Libni we have the name Laadan,
which recurs in 1Ch_26:21. Laadan seemingly cannot be regarded as a surname of Libni;
for not only are the sons of Shimei named along with the sons of Laadan in 1Ch_23:8
and 1Ch_23:9 as heads of the fathers'-houses of Laadan, without any hint being given of
the genealogical connection of this Shimei with Laadan, but mainly because of ‫י‬ִ‫נּ‬ֻ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ֵר‬‫גּ‬ַ‫ל‬ in
1Ch_23:7. In the case of Kohath and Merari, the enumeration of the fathers'-houses
descended from them is introduced by the mention of their sons, ‫קהת‬ ‫בני‬ and ‫מררי‬ ‫בני‬
(1Ch_23:12, 1Ch_23:21), while in the case of Gershon it is not so; - in his case, instead of
‫גרשׁון‬ ‫,בני‬ we find the Gentilic designation ‫י‬ִ‫נּ‬ֻ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ֵר‬‫גּ‬, to point out that Laadan and Shimei
are not named as being sons of Gershon, but as founders of the two chief lines of
Gershonites, of which only the second was named after Gershon's son Shimei, while the
second derived their name from Laadan, whose family was divided in David's time into
two branches, the sons of Laadan and the sons of Shimei, the latter a descendant of
Libni, not elsewhere mentioned. That the Shimei of 1Ch_23:9 is not the same person as
Shimei the son of Gershon mentioned in 1Ch_23:7, is manifest from the fact that the
sons of the latter are enumerated only in 1Ch_23:10. Each of these two lines numbered
at that time three fathers'-houses, the heads of which are named in 1Ch_23:8 and 1Ch_
23:9. ‫ֹאשׁ‬ ‫ר‬ ָ‫ה‬ in 1Ch_23:8 belongs to ‫ל‬ ֵ‫יא‬ ִ‫ח‬ְ‫:י‬ “the sons of Laadan were: the head (also the
first; cf. 1Ch_23:11, 1Ch_23:16) Jehiel, Zetham, and Joel, three.”
ELLICOTT, " (7) Of the Gershonites.—1 Chronicles 23:7-11 give the names of nine
Gershonite houses, or guilds. David’s “courses” of Levites were formed according to
the natural divisions already existing: i.e., they coincided with the father-houses.
They were doubtless twenty-four in number, like those of their brethren the
musicians (1 Chronicles 25:31), and like the priestly classes (1 Chronicles 24:4). So
states Josephus (Ant. vii. 14, 7).
Laadan, and Shimei.—See 1 Chronicles 6:2, where the two principal branches of the
Gershonites are called “Libni” and Shimei. “Laadan” is hardly the same as Libni,
but a branch prominent in the time of David.
PULPIT, "The heads of the houses of the first Levite family, viz; of Gershon, are
now enumerated. The subject occupies the five verses that close with the eleventh.
The family of Gershon branches into two—the name of the one Laadan (so written
27

28. again in 1 Chronicles 26:21; but in 1 Chronicles 6:17, 1 Chronicles 6:20, as well as in
Exodus 6:17 and Numbers 3:18, written Libui), and the name of the other Shimei.
8 The sons of Ladan:
Jehiel the first, Zetham and Joel—three in all.
GILL, "The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiah, and Zetham, and Joel. Not
his immediate sons, but some that descended from him.
ELLICOTT, "(8) The sons of Laadan.—These are named in two groups: viz., first,
the three mentioned in this verse; secondly, the three named in 1 Chronicles 23:9,
and called “sons of Shimei.” This Shimei is not the same as the Shimei of 1
Chronicles 23:7, whose sub-divisions are not given till 1 Chronicles 23:10.
POOLE, "The sons of Laadan, i.e. his posterity; and so in the following verses; for
these could not be their immediate sons.
PULPIT, "This verse contains the names of the three so-called sons of Laadan, but
(1 Chronicles 26:22) the last two appear to have been grandsons.
9 The sons of Shimei:
28

29. Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran—three in all.
These were the heads of the families of Ladan.
GILL, "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.
K&D, "1Ch_23:9-11
The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth or Shelomith (both forms are found in 26:35 of
another Shelomith), Haziel, and Haran, three. These (three and three) are the heads of
the fathers'-houses of Laadan. - In 1Ch_23:10 and 1Ch_23:11 there follow the fathers'-
houses of the Shimei mentioned in 1Ch_23:7 along with Laadan: they are likewise three,
derived from the four sons of Shimei, Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah; for the last two,
as they had not many sons, were included in one father's-house, one ‫ה‬ ָ‫דּ‬ ֻ‫ק‬ ְ‫,פּ‬ i.e., one
official class (1Ch_24:3; 2Ch_17:14). The Gershonites at that time, therefore, numbered
nine father's-houses-six named after Laadan, and three after Shimei.
ELLICOTT, " (9) These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.—Rather, heads of
the father-houses to Laadan. The names seem to be at once those of the clans, or
guilds, and of their existing chiefs. But perhaps we should render, These are the
chief father-houses. To Laadan, then, pertained six houses, viz., Jehiel, Zetham, Joel,
Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran.
PULPIT, "This verse purports to give the three sons of Shimei, but not the Shimei of
1 Chronicles 23:7, but of a descendant of Laadan. This is made clear, not only by the
remaining clause of this verse, which says, "These were the chief of the fathers of
Landau," and again by the enumeration in 1 Chronicles 23:10 of sons of that Shimei
who is coupled with Landau in 1 Chronicles 23:7, but also by a comparison of 1
Chronicles 24:22; 1 Chronicles 26:21-26. It is, of course, possible that the name
stands here in error for some other name, but the supposition is gratuitous.
29

30. 10 And the sons of Shimei:
Jahath, Ziza,[a] Jeush and Beriah.
These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.
GILL, "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.
ELLICOTT, " (10) And the sons of Shimei.—That is, of Shimei the “brother” of
Laadan (1 Chronicles 23:7). The bnê Shimei formed four houses, but were reckoned
as three, because the two last-named, Jeush and Beriah, were numerically weak, and
therefore counted as a single house and class (1 Chronicles 23:11).
Zina.—1 Chronicles 23:11 reads “Zizah” for this name, which is thus spelt quite
differently in two consecutive verses. “Zizah” is probably right. (Comp. 1 Chronicles
4:37; 2 Chronicles 11:20.) So the LXX. and Vulg.; Syriac and Arabic read “Zabda.”
POOLE, "The sons of Shimei; not that Shimei named 1 Chronicles 23:9, but
another, and possibly the son or grandson of that Shimei.
PULPIT, "(See Zechariah 12:13.) The Zina of this verse is Zizah in the very next
verse, which difference of form cannot be accounted for by any mere clerical
explanation. The name Jahath seems to have been a favourite name in this family (1
Chronicles 6:43).
30

31. 11 Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but
Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; so they
were counted as one family with one assignment.
CLARKE, "Therefore they were in one reckoning - The family of Shimei, being
small, was united with that of Laadan, that the two families might do that work which
otherwise belonged to one, but which would have been too much for either of these
separately.
GILL, "And Jahath was the chief,.... The prince and head of a family:
and Ziza the second; the same with Zina in 1Ch_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.
HENRY 11-23, "IV. The Levites mustered, and disposed of into their respective
families and kindreds, that an account of them might the better be kept, and those that
neglected their duty might be the more easily discovered, by calling over the roll, and
obliging them to answer to their names, which each family might do for itself. When
those of the same family were employed together it would engage them to love and assist
one another. When Christ sent forth his disciples two and two he put together those that
were brethren. Two families were here joined in one (1Ch_23:11) because they had not
many sons. Those that are weak and little, separately, may be put together and appear
considerable. That which is most observable in this account of the families of the Levites
is that the posterity of Moses (that great man) stood upon the level with common
Levites, and had no dignities or privileges at all peculiar to them; whilst the posterity of
Aaron were advanced to the priest's office, to sanctify the most holy things, 1Ch_23:13.
It is said indeed of the grandson of Moses, Rehabiah, that his sons were highly
31

32. multiplied, 1Ch_23:17, margin. When God proposed to him that, if he would let fall his
intercession for Israel, he would make of him a great nation, he generously refused it, in
recompence for which his family is here greatly increased, and makes up in number what
it wants in figure, in the tribe of Levi. Now, 1. The levelling of Moses' family with the rest
is an evidence of his self-denial. Such an interest had he both with God and man that if
he had aimed to raise his own family, to dignify and enrich that, he might easily have
done so; but he was no self-seeking man, as appears from his leaving to his children no
marks of distinction, which was a sign that he had the spirit of God and not the spirit of
the world. 2. The elevation of Aaron's family above the rest was a recompence for his
self-denial. When Moses (his younger brother) was made a god to Pharaoh, and he only
his prophet or spokesman, to observe his orders and do as he was bidden, Aaron never
disputed it, nor insisted upon his seniority, but readily took the inferior post God put
him in, submitted to Moses, and, upon occasion, called him his lord; and because he
thus submitted himself, in his own person, to his junior, in compliance with the will of
God, God highly exalted his family, even above that of Moses himself. Those that are
content to stoop are in the fairest way to rise. Before honour is humility.
ELLICOTT, "(11) But Jeush and Beriah had not many sons.—Now Jeush and
Beriah had not multiplied sons; so they became (one) father-home (bêth-âb), one
class (or muster—pĕquddâh). Altogether, then, there were nine Gershonite clans:
viz., six of the sons of Laadan, and three of the sons of Shimei, among the 24,000
Levites of 1 Chronicles 23:4.
POOLE, "They were reckoned together as one family, and were not called by the
name of their two immediate parents, but by the name of their grandfather Shimei.
PULPIT, "In one reckoning. The Hebrew of the word here translated "reckoning"
is ‫ה‬ ָ‫דּ‬ֻ‫ק‬ ְ‫,פ‬ i.e. "enumeration." The meaning is they were accounted as only one
"father's house." The derivative significations of the word are "care," "custody,"
and generally "office" (2 Chronicles 23:18 ). The total of Gershonite houses will
amount to nine, three of these being houses of Shimei, and six of Landau.
Kohathites
32

33. 12 The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel—four in all.
GILL, "The sons of Kohath,.... The second son of Levi:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four; see Exo_6:18.
JAMISON, "1Ch_23:12-20. Of Kohath.
The sons of Kohath — He was the founder of nine Levitical fathers’ houses.
K&D, "1Ch_23:12-13
The fathers'-houses of the Kohathites. - The four sons of Kohath who are named in
1Ch_23:12, as in 1Ch_6:2; 1Ch_6:18, and Exo_6:18, founded the four families of
Kohath, Num_3:27. From Amram came Aaron and Moses; see on Exo_6:20. Of these,
Aaron with his sons was set apart “to sanctify him to be a most holy one; he and his sons
for ever to offer incense before Jahve, to serve Him, and to bless in His name for ever.”
‫שׁ‬ ֶ‫ֹד‬‫ק‬ ‫ק‬ ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫דּ‬ ְ‫ק‬ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫ל‬ signifies neither, ut ministraret in sancto sanctorum (Vulg., Syr.), nor,
ut res sanctissimas, sacrificia, vasa sacra etc. consecrarent (Cler.). Against this
interpretation we adduce not only the objection advanced by Hgstb. Christol. iii. p. 119,
trans., that the office assigned by it to the Levites is far too subordinate to be mentioned
here in the first place, but also the circumstance that the suffix in ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫דּ‬ ְ‫ק‬ ַ‫,ה‬ after the
analogy of ‫ת‬ ְ‫ר‬ ָֽ‫,שׁ‬ must denote the object of the sanctifying; and this view is confirmed by
the subject, who offers incense and blesses, not being expressed with ‫יר‬ ִ‫ט‬ ְ‫ק‬ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫ל‬ and
ֵ‫ר‬ ָ‫ב‬ ְ‫.ל‬ The Vulgate translation cannot be accepted, for ‫ים‬ ִ‫שׁ‬ ָ‫ד‬ ָ‫ק‬ ‫שׁ‬ ֶ‫ֹד‬‫ק‬ cannot be the
ablative, and the most holy place in the temple is always called ‫ים‬ ִ‫שׁ‬ ָ‫ד‬ ֳ‫קּ‬ ַ‫ה‬ ‫שׁ‬ ֶ‫ֹד‬‫ק‬ with the
article. ‫קדשׁים‬ ‫,קדשׁ‬ without the article, is only used of the most holy things, e.g., of the
vessels connected with the worship, the sacrificial gifts, and other things which no lay
person might touch or appropriate. See on Exo_30:10; Lev_2:3, and Dan_9:24. Here it
is committed to Aaron, who, by being chosen for the priest's service and anointed to the
office, was made a most holy person, to discharge along with his sons all the priestly
functions in the sanctuary. Specimens of such functions are then adduced: ‫יי‬ ‫ֵי‬‫נ‬ ְ‫פ‬ ִ‫ל‬
‫יר‬ ִ‫ט‬ ְ‫ק‬ ַ‫,ה‬ the offering of the sacrifice of incense upon the altar of the inner sanctuary, as in
2Ch_2:3, 2Ch_2:5; Exo_30:7.; ‫ת‬ ְ‫ר‬ ָֽ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫,ל‬ “to serve Him,” Jahve, - a general expression,
including all the other services in the sanctuary, which were reserved for the priests; and
33

34. ‫מ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ִ‫בּ‬ ֵ‫ר‬ ָ‫ב‬ ְ‫,ל‬ to bless in His name, i.e., to pronounce the blessing in the name of the Lord
over the people, according to the command in Num_6:23, cf. 1Ch_16:2; Deu_21:5; not
“to bless His name” (Ges., Berth.). To call upon or praise the name of God is ‫מ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ֵ‫ר‬ ָ‫,בּ‬
Psa_96:2; Psa_100:4; and the assertion that ‫ם‬ ֵ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ב‬ ֵ‫ר‬ ָ‫בּ‬ is a somewhat later phrase
formed on the model of ‫ם‬ ֵ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ב‬ ‫א‬ ָ‫ר‬ ָ‫,ק‬ for “to call upon God” (Ges. in Lex. sub voce ‫,)בל‬ is
quite groundless. Our phrase occurs as early as in Deu_10:8 and Deu_21:5; and the
latter passage in connection with ‫ת‬ ְ‫ר‬ ָֽ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ל‬ of the priests; in the former, of the tribe of Levi,
but so used that it can refer only to the priests, not to the Levites also.
ELLICOTT, "(12) The sons of Kohath.—1 Chronicles 23:12-20 give the names of
nine Kohathite houses, “Amram, Izhar,” &c. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 6:2; 1 Chronicles
6:18.)
PULPIT, "This and the following eight verses give the Kohath heads of houses (1
Chronicles 5:1-26 :28; 1 Chronicles 6:2, 1 Chronicles 6:3, 1 Chronicles 6:18; Exodus
6:18; Numbers 3:27), four in their leading divisions.
13 The sons of Amram:
Aaron and Moses.
Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants
forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to
offer sacrifices before the Lord, to minister before
him and to pronounce blessings in his name
forever.
34

35. CLARKE, "To bless in his name - To bless the people by invoking the name of the
Lord.
GILL, "The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses,.... A son of Kohath, 1Ch_23:2.
and Aaron was separated; from the children of Israel, Exo_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
Num_6:23.
JAMISON, "Aaron was separated — as high priest (see 1Ch_24:1-19).
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 23:13. That he should sanctify the most holy things — That
he might keep them from pollution: for these most holy things were polluted when
they were touched by any other person. He and his sons for ever — Not only his
eldest sons the high-priests successively, but all his posterity, or all the priests: for
the works here following were not peculiar to the high- priest, but common to all the
priests.
ELLICOTT, " (13) And Aaron was separated.—Aaron and his sons, as priests, are
thus excluded from present consideration. They form the proper subject of 1
Chronicles 25:1-19, and are only mentioned here for the sake of completeness in the
reckoning.
That he should sanctify the most holy-things.—Rather, to hallow (or consecrate) him
as most holy; literally, holy of holies (qôdesh qŏdâshîm), an expression not applied
to Aaron in any other passage of Scripture. The meaning is that the priests
35

36. represented a higher grade of holiness, a more thorough consecration, than the mere
Levites, because they were called to the discharge of a higher and holier ministry.
He and his sons.—All the priests are included with Aaron.
To burn incense.—The Hebrew term means to burn victims as well as incense.
To minister unto him, and to bless in his name—The same words occur
(Deuteronomy 10:8) with reference to the purpose for which the tribe of Levi was
“separated.” The tribe obviously includes the Aaronite clan. (Comp. also
Deuteronomy 21:5.)
And to bless in his name.—This appears right from Numbers 6:23. Others render,
and to bless His name.
TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 23:13 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.
Ver. 13. And Aaron was separated.] (Exodus 28:1-43, Hebrews 5:4). So was Paul,
[Romans 1:1] and so is every faithful minister "separated unto the gospel of God"
(ib.). See Galatians 1:15.
And to bless in his name.] See Numbers 6:23. To pronounce God’s blessing upon his
people, is no small part of a minister’s duty: to blame, surely, are they that slight it.
POOLE, " That he should sanctify the most holy things; not positively, for so he
could not sanctify them, they being already sanctified by God in the highest degree;
but negatively, i.e. that he might keep them from pollution; for these most holy
things were polluted when they were touched by any other persons.
He and his sons; not only his eldest sons, the high priests successively, but all his
posterity, or all the priests; for the works here following were not peculiar to the
high priest, but common to all the priests, who might all
36

37. burn incense, 2 Chronicles 29:11 Luke 1:9, and to
minister in the temple, and to bless the people in God’s name, Numbers 6:23
Deuteronomy 10:8.
WHEDON, "13. Aaron was separated — The divisions and courses of his sons, the
priests, are given in the next chapter, and so not numbered with the ordinary
Levites.
PULPIT, "The sons of Amram. From Amram, the first-mentioned son of Kohath,
come the two great names of Aaron and Moses (Exodus 6:20). Aaron was
separated,… and his sons for ever. This statement must be read, both with 1
Chronicles 23:3—into the number of Levites mentioned in which Aaron and his sons
do not count—and with 1 Chronicles 23:14, which implies that Moses and his sons
did count into that number. The sons of Aaron are dealt with in 1 Chronicles
24:1-19, infra. That he should sanctify the most holy things. The Hebrew text
renders it doubtful whether the rendering here should not rather be, "Aaron was
separated to sanctify him as most holy," etc. If it be so, this is the only place where
the forcible term, "holy of holies" (most holy), is used of Aaron. The duties of the
priest are described as threefold, in this place, viz.: "to burn incense before the
Lord,"—this will carry the idea of making atonement; "to minister to God," on
behalf of man, ― this will be one part of the work of a mediator; and "to bless in
the Name of God,"—this will fulfil the remaining part. For ever. The proviso may,
no doubt, include reference to the "ever-living High Priest." The threefold summary
of solemn and beneficent duties receives ample illustration from many passages, and
in special connection with the names of Aaron and his sons (Exodus 28:1, Exodus
28:38, Exodus 28:43; Exodus 29:1, Exodus 29:35, Exodus 29:45, Exodus 30:7-10;
Numbers 6:22-27).
14 The sons of Moses the man of God were
37

38. counted as part of the tribe of Levi.
CLARKE, "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.
GILL, "The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. See Exo_18:3.
K&D, "1Ch_23:14
“But as to Moses the man of God” (cf. Deu_33:1), “his sons were called after the tribe
of Levi,” i.e., were reckoned in the ranks of the Levites, not of the priests. On ‫ל‬ַ‫ע‬ ‫א‬ ָ‫ר‬ ְ‫ק‬ ִ‫,נ‬ cf.
Gen_48:6; Ezr_2:61; Neh_7:63.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 23:14. His sons were named of the tribe of Levi — They
were accounted only as common Levites, and were not priests: which is mentioned
for the honour of Moses, and the demonstration of his eminent piety and self-denial,
who willingly left the government to Joshua, and the priesthood to Aaron, and was
content to have his posterity reduced to a private and mean condition.
ELLICOTT, " (14) Now concerning Moses the man of God.—Rather, Now Moses,
the man of God.
His sons were named (or should be named) of the tribe of Levi.—See Genesis 48:6
for the phrase “to be called after” (niqrâ’ ‘al). Aaron’s sons were priests; but the
sons of Moses, his brother, were reckoned as simple Levites, and therefore their
houses are here enumerated (1 Chronicles 23:15-17).
The man of God.—See Deuteronomy 33:1; Psalms 90; Joshua 14:6. David is so
38

39. called (2 Chronicles 8:14; Nehemiah 12:24). The meaning of the title is one charged
with a Divine mission. Hence the prophets were so called in the times of the kings;
and St. Paul applies the title to Timothy (1 Timothy 6:11).
TRAPP, "1 Chronicles 23:14 Now [concerning] Moses the man of God, his sons were
named of the tribe of Levi.
Ver. 14. Now concerning Moses the man of God.] Who was so familiar with God,
and his ambassador to the people. We must think and speak honourably of the
saints departed.
His sons were named of the tribe of Levi.] Chief of the Levites, [1 Chronicles 26:23]
but below the sons of Aaron, the priests. And here A Lapide hath this good note,
Mira fuit Moysis resignatio et humilitas, &c. Wonderful was the self-denial and
humility of Moses in submitting to God’s appointment herein, that the principality
should be transferred to Joshua, and that his sons should be reckoned not priests,
but Levites only, though himself were "king in Jeshurun."
POOLE, "i.e. They were accounted only as common Levites, and were not priests;
which is mentioned partly to secure the priesthood within the bounds to which God
had confined it, lest they should presume to invade it upon a confidence in the
nobleness of their extraction; and partly for the honour of Moses, and the
demonstration of his eminent piety and self-denial, who willingly left the
government to Joshua, and the priesthood to Aaron, and was content to have his
posterity reduced to a very private and mean condition.
WHEDON, " 14. Moses… his sons were named of the tribe of Levi — Unlike his
priestly brother Aaron, his sons were numbered with the ordinary Levites.
PARKER, ""Moses the man of God"— 1 Chronicles 23:14.
A beautiful description of any man.—A possible description of every man.—A
needful description of each man if he is to abide in his Father"s house for ever.—
Some men have attained eminence in godliness.—No renown is to be compared with
39

40. this, no influence is equal to that which arises from such recognition.—When is a
man a "man of God"?—When he believes in God"s existence, when he is assured of
God"s providence, when he has sunk his will in the divine purpose, when he lives
and moves and has his being in God.—"Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God."—Is there not
something suggestive in this continuity of terms?—Moses was the man of God, Jesus
was the Son of God, and every believer in Christ may claim his own degree of that
same sonship.—Moses was faithful as a servant, Christ was faithful as a Son.—Jesus
Christ advances us in nomenclature; once he called us disciples, then he called us
servants, then he called us friends: what he will call us when we meet him in heaven,
life"s conflict over, who can tell? He will then find some new and dearer name for
us, and by the bestowal of a new designation he will awaken still warmer love, and
bring us to some higher estate of life.—When God gives a name he expresses by it
some growth in character.—God"s names are not mere appellations, signs by which
men are known one from another; they are characters, they are credentials, they are
approbations.—There is no higher title than to be a man of God, a slave of Christ, a
temple of the Holy Ghost.—At the time of the writing of this Book of Chronicles,
Moses had long been dead, yet still he was remembered by his piety; he might have
been called the legislator of Israel, the statesman of Israel, the greatest mind ever
known in Israel: yet by none of these designations is he recorded, but by the simple
yet grand indication that he was "the man of God."
PULPIT, "Moses the man of God. This title is distinguished by the presence of the
article. The 'Speaker's Commentary' mentions it as occurring only nine times, of
which five instances belong to Moses (Deuteronomy 33:1; Joshua 14:6; 2 Chronicles
30:16; Ezra 3:2; with the present place); three instances show the title applied to
David (2 Chronicles 8:14; Nehemiah 12:24, Nehemiah 12:36); and once it is applied
to Shemaiah (1 Kings 12:22). Although the sons of Moses belonged, as is here said, to
the tribe of Levi, they did not belong to that portion which discharged priestly
duties.
40

41. 15 The sons of Moses:
Gershom and Eliezer.
GILL, "To this verse the Targum adds, “The same Jonathan, who became a false
prophet, repented in his old age; and David made him his chief treasurer.”
K&D, "1Ch_23:15-17
Each of his two sons Gershon and Eliezer (see Exo_2:22 and Exo_18:3.) founded a
father's-house; Gershon through his son Shebuel (‫ל‬ ֵ‫בוּא‬ ְ‫,שׁ‬ in 1Ch_24:20 ‫ל‬ ֵ‫א‬ ָ‫,)שׁוּב‬ Eliezer
through Rehabiah. The plurals ‫בני‬ ‫,ג‬ ‫בני‬ ‫א‬ are used, although in both cases only one son,
he who was head (‫ֹאשׁ‬ ‫ר‬ ָ‫)ה‬ of the father's-house, is mentioned, either because they had
other sons, or those named had in their turn sons, who together formed a father's-house.
From the remark in 1Ch_23:17, that Eliezer had no other sons than Rehabiah, while
Rehabiah had very many, we may conclude that Gershon had other sons besides
Shebuel, who are not mentioned because their descendants were numbered with
Shebuel's father's-house.
ELLICOTT, "(15) The sons of Moses.—See Exodus 2:22 for “Gershom,” Exodus
18:3-4 for both. Gershom means “expulsion” (comp Genesis 3:24), and is a variant
form of Gcrshon. What is said in Exodus 2:22 is an allusive play on the name, not a
derivation of it. “Eliezer,” God is help, a distinct name from “Eleazar” (1 Chronicles
23:22), God hath helped, or, is a helper.
PULPIT, "We read of the birth of Gershom to Moses and Zipporah (Exodus 2:22;
see also Exodus 18:4, where Eliezer is also spoken of).
16 The descendants of Gershom:
41

42. Shubael was the first.
CLARKE, "To this verse the Targum adds, “The same Jonathan, who became a false
prophet, repented in his old age; and David made him his chief treasurer.”
GILL, "Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief. Of the posterity of
Gershom in the times of David, called Shubael, 1Ch_24:20, the Targum makes him to be
the same with Jonathan, Jdg_18:30. (l).
ELLICOTT, " (16) The sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief (Heb., head).—The
statement that “Shebuel was the chief” implies that Gershom had other sons not
mentioned here, as being reckoned members of the clan the sons of Gershom.
Shebuel is called Shubael in 1 Chronicles 24:20.
17 The descendants of Eliezer:
Rehabiah was the first.
Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of
Rehabiah were very numerous.
CLARKE, "But the sons of Rehabiah were very many - The Targum says, “On
42

43. account of the merits of Moses, the posterity of Rehabiah were multiplied to more than
sixty myriads.”
GILL, "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 writers (m) fancy;
which they gather from Exo_1:7, and that though Moses deprecated the multiplication of
his seed, God fulfilled it.
ELLICOTT, " (17) And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief.—The word
“were” (became) ought not to be in italics in the text, as it is expressed in the
Hebrew.
The chief (head) means founder and eponym of the clan the sons of Rehabiah.
And Eliezer had none other sons.—Literally, And there became not to Eliezer ether
sons, and the sons of Rehabiah had multiplied exceedingly (unto height, 1
Chronicles 22:5). The clan Rehabiah was very populous.
Thus (1 Chronicles 23:16-17) the descendants of Moses were comprised in two
father-houses, or clans, viz., Shebuel and Rehabiah.
POOLE, " The sons of Eliezer, for the son; the plural number for the singular, as
Genesis 46:23 1 Chronicles 2:8,31, and oft elsewhere.
Rehabiah the chief, Heb. the first-born. He is so called, not because others were
born after him, but because none were born before him. See Poole "Matthew 1:25".
PULPIT, "Rehabiah. He was the chief ( ‫ראשׁ‬ָ‫ה‬ ); but it happened that he was also the
only son. Hence it is added in antithesis that his sons were very many (see the name
again, 1 Chronicles 26:25). The non-priestly Amramites are therefore seen to
correspond with the houses of Shebuel and Rehabiah.
43

44. 18 The sons of Izhar:
Shelomith was the first.
GILL, "Of the sons of Izhar,.... Another son of Kohath, the son of Levi, 1Ch_23:12.
Shelomith the chief; the principal descendant of Izhar at this time.
K&D, "1Ch_23:18
Only one son of Jizhar, the brother of Amram, is mentioned, Shelomith as head, after
whom the Jizharite father's-house is named.
ELLICOTT, "18) The sons of Izhar.—Second son of Kohath. The sons of Izhar
made one clan, that of Shelômith (or Shelômôth, 1 Chronicles 24:22). The same
variation occurred in the Hebrew of 1 Chronicles 23:9, above.
PULPIT, "Of the sons of Ishar. While six names in all are mentioned under Amram,
only one, Shelomith, is found under his next brother, Izhar. This Shelomith (spelt
Shelomoth in 1 Chronicles 24:22) is not the same with the Shelomith of 1 Chronicles
26:25, 1 Chronicles 26:26.
19 The sons of Hebron:
Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the
44

45. third and Jekameam the fourth.
GILL 19-21, "Of the sons of Hebron,.... A third son of Kohath, 1Ch_23:12,
Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the
fourth: of the sons of Uzziel; another son of Kohath, 1Ch_23:12,
Micah the first, Jesiah the second: the sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi,
Exo_6:19,
the sons of Mahli, Eleazar and Kish: of whom see 1Ch_24:28.
K&D, "1Ch_23:19-20
Amram's next brother Hebron had four sons, and the youngest brother Uzziel two,
who founded fathers'-houses; so that, besides the priests, nine Levitical fathers'-houses
are descended from Kohath, and their chiefs who served in the sanctuary are
enumerated in 1Ch_24:20-25.
ELLICOTT, "(19) The sons of Hebron.—“Of” is wanting in the Hebrew here, as
well as in 1 Chronicles 23:16; 1 Chronicles 23:18; 1 Chronicles 23:20. The sons of
Hebron comprised four houses, clans, or classes. Their names recur in 1 Chronicles
24:23.
20 The sons of Uzziel:
Micah the first and Ishiah the second.
Merarites
45

46. ELLICOTT, " (20) The sons of Uzziel constituted two houses and classes. The nine
clans of Kohathite Levites are again rehearsed at 1 Chronicles 24:20-25.
PULPIT. "Jesiah; in 1 Chronicles 23:25 of next chapter written Isshiah. The two
houses from Uzziel given in this verse make up the number of houses from Kohath
to nine (as given again in 1 Chronicles 24:20-24), and to these must be added the
priests through Aaron and his sons, two houses, making in all eleven.
21 The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
The sons of Mahli:
Eleazar and Kish.
K&D, "1Ch_23:21-22
The fathers'-houses of the Merarites. - 1Ch_23:21. As in 1Ch_6:19; Exo_6:19, and
Num_3:33, two sons of Merari are mentioned-Mahli and Mushi-who founded the two
families of Merari which existed in the time of Moses. Mahli had two sons, Eleazar and
Kish; the first of whom, however, left behind him at his death only daughters, who were
married to the sons of Kish (‫ם‬ ֶ‫יה‬ ֵ‫ֲח‬‫א‬, i.e., their cousins), according to the law as to
daughters who were heiresses (Num_26:6-9). The descendants of Mahli, therefore, were
comprehended in the one father's-house of Kish, whose head at that time (1Ch_24:29)
was Jerahmeel.
46

47. ELLICOTT, "21) The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi.—See Exodus 6:19, and
Numbers 3:33, and 1 Chronicles 6:19.
PULPIT, "This and the following two verses give the houses of Merari, contributing
four houses, and, with the nine Gershonite and eleven Kohathite, adding up to
twenty-four. Merari is the third son of Levi (Genesis 46:11). The Mahli and Mushi of
this verse were possibly grandson and son of Merari, if we follow the guidance of 1
Chronicles 6:47. Yet it would seem far more natural to explain this last-quoted
passage by our 1 Chronicles 6:23, which would then parallel it. Otherwise we must
account for the name of Mahli habitually standing first, as here, as in 1 Chronicles
6:19 also, and 1 Chronicles 24:26, as also in Exodus 6:19; Numbers 3:20, Numbers
3:33, etc.; in all of which places the statement is as distinct as in this verse, that
Mahli and Mushi were sons. This and the following verse must be compared
particularly with 1 Chronicles 24:26-29; the Jaaziah of which passage was evidently
no son of Merari, on a par with Mahli and Mushi, but a later descendant. His
descendants were three—Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri (Beno being no proper name,
but signifying "his son").
22 Eleazar died without having sons: he had only
daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish,
married them.
CLARKE, "Their brethren the sons of Kish took them - This was according to
the law made Num_27:1, etc., and Num_36:5-9, in favor of the daughters of
Zelophehad, that women who were heiresses should marry in the family of the tribe of
their father, and that their estates should not be alienated from them.
47

48. GILL, "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.
ELLICOTT, " (22) And Eleazar died, and had no sons.—Thus his house merged in
that of the sons of Kish, who married his daughters according to the Law (Numbers
36:6-9). The sons of Mahli, then, were represented in David’s day by the house of
Kish. (See 1 Chronicles 24:29.)
PULPIT, "Their brethren… took them; i.e. their kinsmen, as margin, "took them"
to wife (Numbers 36:5-12). (For the sons of Kish, see 1 Chronicles 24:29.)
23 The sons of Mushi:
Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth—three in all.
GILL, "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 1Ch_24:30.
K&D, "1Ch_23:23
Of the sons of Mushi, three founded fathers'-houses, so that the Merarites formed only
48