A verse by verse commentary on I Chronicles 26 dealing with The Gatekeepers and The Treasurers and Other Officials.

1. 1 CHRONICLES 26 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
The Gatekeepers
1The divisions of the gatekeepers:
From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore,
one of the sons of Asaph.
CLARKE, "The divisions of the porters - There were four classes of these, each
of which belonged to one of the four gates of the temple, which opened to the four
cardinal points of heaven. The eastern gate fell to Shelemiah; the northern, to Zechariah,
1Ch_26:14; the southern, to Obed-edom, 1Ch_26:15; the western, to Shuppim and
Hosah, 1Ch_26:16. These several persons were captains of these porter-bands or door-
keepers at the different gates. There were probably a thousand men under each of these
captains; as we find, from 1Ch_23:5, that there were four thousand in all.
GILL, "Concerning the divisions of the porters,.... Or doorkeepers, whose business
it was to open and shut the doors of the temple, to keep all impure and improper persons
from entering into it, or any of the vessels being carried out of it, and to prevent tumults
and riots about it; these, as it seems, David divided into a like number of classes, as the
singers, to take their turns in waiting:
of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph; not
Asaph the singer, who was a Gershonite, but the same with Eliasaph, 1Ch_6:23 a
Korhite.
HENRY, "Observe, I. There were porters appointed to attend the temple, who guarded
all the avenues that let to it, opened and shut all the outer gates and attended at them,
not only for the state, but for service, to direct and instruct those who were going to
worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the decorum they were to observe, to encourage
those that were timorous, to send back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against
thieves and others that were enemies to the house of God. In allusion to this office,
ministers are said to have the keys to the kingdom of heaven committed to them (Mat_
1

2. 16:19), that they may admit, and exclude, according to the law of Christ.
JAMISON, "1Ch_26:1-12. Division of the porters.
Concerning the divisions of the porters — There were four thousand (1Ch_
23:6), all taken from the families of the Kohathites and Merarites (1Ch_26:14), divided
into twenty-four courses - as the priests and musicians.
Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph — Seven sons of
Meshelemiah are mentioned (1Ch_26:2), whereas eighteen are given (1Ch_26:9), but in
this latter number his relatives are included.
K&D, "The classes of the doorkeepers, the stewards of the treasures of the sanctuary,
and the officers for the external business. - Vv. 1-19. The classes of the doorkeepers.
1Ch_26:1. The superscription runs shortly thus: “As to ( ְ‫)ל‬ the divisions of the
doorkeepers.” The enumeration beings with ‫ים‬ ִ‫ח‬ ְ‫ר‬ ָ‫ק‬ַ‫:ל‬ to the Korahites (belongs)
Meshelemiah (in 1Ch_26:14, Shelemiah). Instead of ‫ף‬ ָ‫ס‬ ָ‫א‬ ‫ֵי‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ן־בּ‬ ִ‫מ‬ we should read,
according to 1Ch_9:19, ‫ף‬ ָ‫ָס‬‫י‬ ְ‫ב‬ ֶ‫א‬ ‫ֵי‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ן־בּ‬ ִ‫,מ‬ for the Korahites are descended from Kohath
(Exo_6:21; Exo_18:16), but Asaph is a descendant of Gershon (1Ch_6:39.). - In 1Ch_
26:2, 1Ch_26:3, seven sons of Meshelemiah are enumerated; the first-born Zechariah is
mentioned also in 1Ch_9:21, and was entrusted, according to 1Ch_26:14, with the
guarding of the north side.
ELLICOTT, "This chapter deals with (1) the classes of the porters, or warders (1
Chronicles 26:1-19); (2) the keepers of the treasures of the sanctuary (1 Chronicles
26:20-28); (3) the officials charged with external business, and chiefly scribes and
judges (1 Chronicles 26:29-32).
Verse 1
(1) Concerning the divisions of the porters.—Literally, (as) to courses to porters. (Comp.
1 Chronicles 23:6.) As many as 4,000 Levites were set apart for this function by the
king’s orders. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 23:25.)
Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah.—To the Korhites (sons of Korah) belonged
Meshelemiah son of Kôrç. Meshelemiah is called Shelemiah (1 Chronicles 26:14), and
Shallum (1 Chronicles 9:19).
Of the sons of Asaph.—Not the chief musician Asaph, who was a Gershonite (1
Chronicles 6:39-48); whereas the Korhites were a Kohathite stock (Exodus 6:21). The
name here is evidently an abbreviation of Ebiasaph (1 Chronicles 9:19), as Ahaz of
Jehoahaz.
PULPIT, "This chapter is occupied in its first nineteen verses with an enumeration of the
porters and Then of their arrangement. The porters were those who were to have charge
of the entrances of the sanctuary. For at present, all was in plan only, thus set out by
2

3. David beforehand.
1Ch_26:1
The subject of the porters has been before us in 1Ch_9:17-27; 1Ch_15:23, 1Ch_15:24;
1Ch_16:38; 1Ch_23:5, in which last passage we are told that there were four thousand of
the Levites who were porters. The divisions of the porters spoken of in the present
chapter were from the sons of Korah or Kore, and Merari (1Ch_23:10, 1Ch_23:19). The
Korahite porters are given us in the first nine verses. The first mentioned is
Meshelemiah, who, though called the same in 1Ch_23:2, 1Ch_23:9, appears as
Shelemiah in 1Ch_23:14, and in 1Ch_9:19 as Shallum. Asaph, given here as one of the
ancestors, must be replaced by Ebi-asaph (1Ch_6:23, 1Ch_6:37; 1Ch_9:19; also Exo_
6:24), who was a Korahite, whereas Asaph was a Gershonite (1Ch_6:39, 1Ch_6:43).
PARKER, ""The sons of Asaph." ( 1 Chronicles 26:1)
That name we know. We find it in chapter26 , 1 Chronicles 26:1. Asaph was a sweet
singer, Asaph was a psalmist, Asaph occurs again and again in the Psalm; so that when
we come upon his name in the Book of Chronicles we feel that we had anticipated the
coming in of a friend. Is that not a pleasing reflection? But unfortunately this is not the
same Asaph. Do not be led away by letters and syllables, for this man is quite another
Asaph; not the chief musician Asaph who has done so much for the church. In this
instance we had an abbreviation of the man"s real name, which was Ebiasaph. We
ourselves sometimes cut names in two. We describe a man by a variation of the name his
parents gave him. How we leaped when we saw "Asaph," as if we had known him,
whereas it was not the man at all. Some very curious instances of this kind occur in
Scripture. The most noticeable probably is this, "Judas, not Iscariot." Why that guarding
word? We know why. Shall we take up some sweet human name and so use it that men
who bear the same name will have to guard themselves against a ruinous identification
with us? Have we spoiled a name? When our mother gave it to us it was pure as morning
dew; now it is like a drop of black poison: men who carry that name say in the public
journals, "We are not to be mistaken for the other man." "Judas, not Iscariot," not the
bag-bearer, not the thief, not the traitor; "Judas," but not the bad Judas. There is also
another use for the term. Sometimes we have to say, "Asaph, not the chief musician."
The deprecation, then, is on the other side. Men have names that have been rendered
illustrious, and because they have been burdened with them they have to apologise for
their own littleness. This is cruel to children. A parent ought to think much before he
calls his child "John Milton," or "Martin Luther," or "Oliver Cromwell," or "John
Wesley," or "George Whitefield." Another instance we have in the expression, "James the
Less." That would seem to be really an undeserved stigma upon an obscure person; he
might have been let alone. But we must have such criticism if we are to be exact in our
identifications. Then we read, "the other Mary." There were many Marys, and there was
"the other Mary"; each had her distinctions, peculiarities, or excellences. Let us see to it
that our name has attached to it some token of which men are not ashamed. We may be
spoken of as the suppliant mighty in prayer, the philanthropist generous with both
hands, the father that can always find another seat at the table, the mother that will not
3

4. put an Amen to her prayer until the prodigal is quite home.
GUZIK, "1 CHRONICLES 26 - THE GATEKEEPERS FOR THE TEMPLE
A. The divisions of the gatekeepers.
1. (1 Chronicles 26:1-5) The divisions of the gatekeepers.
Concerning the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of
Kore, of the sons of Asaph. And the sons of Meshelemiah were Zechariah the firstborn,
Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, Elam the fifth, Jehohanan
the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. Moreover the sons of Obed-Edom were Shemaiah the
firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,
Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth; for God blessed him.
a. Divisions of the gatekeepers: These had the responsibility for security, both in a
practical and spiritual sense. They made sure that only those who were ready to serve
and worship God could come to the temple and its associated building. Their work had
to be organized and arranged just as much as the work of the priests who officiated at
the sacrifices.
i. “Though less prominent than some of their Levitical colleagues, from time to time the
gatekeepers made a vital contribution to national life, notably under the high priest
Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 23:4-6; 2Ch_23:19), and in the reigns of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles
31:14-19) and Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:9-13).” (Selman)
ii. “Essentially their duty was to make ordinary people aware of the practical limits of
holiness, for anyone entering the sanctuary unlawfully did so on penalty of death.”
(Selman)
iii. Though some might see their work as humble, it was actually of great priviledge.
Remember the envy of the Psalmist: I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my
God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Psalms 84:10)
b. Of the sons of Asaph: “Not that famous Asaph the singer, but another Asaph, called
also Ebiasaph, 1 Chronicles 6:37.” (Trapp)
4

5. 2 Meshelemiah had sons:
Zechariah the firstborn,
Jediael the second,
Zebadiah the third,
Jathniel the fourth,
GILL, "And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn,.... And
six more, who are mentioned in their order:
Jediael, Zebadiah, and Jathniel, Elam, Jehohanan, and Elioenai.
ELLICOTT, "(2) And the sons of Meshelemiah were.—Rather, And Meshelemiah had
sons, viz., Zechariah the firstborn. (See 1 Chronicles 9:21, and 1 Chronicles 26:14 below.)
The seven “sons” of Meshelemiah-Shallum represent seven guilds of porters.
3 Elam the fifth,
Jehohanan the sixth
and Eliehoenai the seventh.
5

6. ELLICOTT, " (3) Jehohanan (Jah bestowed), the full form of Johanan, John.
Elioenai.—Heb., Elyĕhô-çnai (mine eyes are towards Jehovah. Comp. Psalms 123),
the full form of Elyô-çnai (1 Chronicles 3:24).
4 Obed-Edom also had sons:
Shemaiah the firstborn,
Jehozabad the second,
Joah the third,
Sakar the fourth,
Nethanel the fifth,
BARNES, "Obed-edom and Hosah 1Ch_26:10 had been “porters,” or door - keepers,
from the time of the bringing up of the ark into Jerusalem 1Ch_15:24; 1Ch_16:38.
GILL 4-5, "Moreover, the sons of Obededom,.... The same at whose house the ark
was, before it was brought by David to Zion; his sons were porters also, as himself, 1Ch_
15:24, mention is made of eight sons of his, according to their birth:
Shemaiah, Jehozabad, Joah, Sacar, Nethaneel, Ammiel, Issachar, Peulthai;
for God blessed him; as with wealth and riches, so with a numerous offspring, and
that because of his entertainment of the ark at his house; the great increase of his family
is aggravated by the Jews (q) beyond all credit, that all in his family brought eight at a
birth; the Targum here makes them eighty two in all.
K&D 4-7, "Obed-edom's family. Obed-edom has been already mentioned in 1Ch_
16:38 and 1Ch_15:24 as doorkeeper; see the commentary on the passage. From our
passage we learn that Obed-edom belonged to the Kohathite family of the Korahites.
According to 1Ch_26:19, the doorkeepers were Korahites and Merarites. The Merarites,
however, are only treated of from 1Ch_26:10 and onwards. ‫ם‬ֹ‫ֱד‬‫א‬ ‫ד‬ ֵ‫ב‬ֹ‫ע‬ ְ‫וּל‬ (1Ch_26:4)
corresponds to ‫ָהוּ‬‫י‬ ְ‫מ‬ ֶ‫ל‬ֶ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ִ‫ל‬ ְ‫ו‬ (1Ch_26:2), and is consequently thereby brought under
‫ים‬ ִ‫ה‬ ְ‫ר‬ ָ‫קּ‬ַ‫ל‬ (1Ch_26:1). Here, 1Ch_26:4, 1Ch_26:5, eight sons with whom God had blessed
6

7. him (cf. 1Ch_13:14), and in 1Ch_26:6 and 1Ch_26:7 his grandchildren, are enumerated.
The verb ‫ד‬ַ‫ל‬ ‫נ‬ is used in the singular, with a subject following in the plural, as frequently
(cf. Ew. §316, a). The grandchildren of Obed-edom by his first-born son Shemaiah are
characterized as ‫ים‬ ִ‫ל‬ָ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ִ‫מּ‬ ַ‫,ה‬ the dominions, i.e., the lords (rulers) of the house of their
fathers (‫ל‬ָ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ִ‫,מ‬ the abstract dominion, for the concrete ‫ל‬ֵ‫שׁ‬ֹ‫מ‬; cf. Ew. §160, b), because
they were ‫ל‬ִ‫י‬ ַ‫ח‬ ‫י‬ ֵ‫ר‬ ‫בּ‬ִ‫,גּ‬ valiant heroes, and so qualified for the office of doorkeepers. In the
enumeration in 1Ch_26:7, the omission of the ‫ו‬ cop. with ‫יו‬ ָ‫ח‬ ֶ‫א‬ ‫ד‬ ָ‫ָב‬‫ז‬ ְ‫ל‬ ֶ‫א‬ is strange;
probably we must supply ְ‫ו‬ before both words, and take them thus: And Elzabad and his
brethren, valiant men, (viz.) Elihu and Semachiah. For the conjecture that the names of
the ‫יו‬ ָ‫ח‬ ֶ‫א‬ are not given (Berth.) is not a very probable one.
ELLICOTT, "(4) Moreover the sons of Obed-edom.—And Obed-edom had sons. Obed-
edom (1 Chronicles 15:24) is called a son of Jeduthun in 1 Chronicles 16:38. This
Jeduthun was not the Merarite chief musician, but a Korhite. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 26:1; 1
Chronicles 26:10; 1 Chronicles 26:19.)
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:4, 1Ch_26:5
Here we have the enumeration of eight sons of Obed-edom (1Ch_15:21, 1Ch_15:24;
1Ch_16:38). That in this last reference Obed-edom seems to be called "son of Jeduthun"
is owing probably to the omission of a name. For former occurrences of the sentence,
God blessed him, with its present evident allusion, see 1Ch_13:14; 2Sa_6:11. To this
passage, the expression of 1Ch_25:5, "to lift up the horn," is probably analogous, where
see comment.
5 Ammiel the sixth,
Issachar the seventh
and Peullethai the eighth.
(For God had blessed Obed-Edom.)
7

8. BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:5. For God blessed him — With a numerous posterity,
and other blessings, for his respect and affection to the ark. The increase and
building up of families are owing to the divine blessing. And a great blessing it is to
have many children when they are like these, eminent in the service of God.
CLARKE, "For God blessed him - “That is, Obed-edom; because of the ark of the
Lord which was in his house; and to him was given the honor that he should see his
children and grand-children, even fourscore and two, masters of the Levites.” - T. In
1Ch_26:8, we have only sixty-two mentioned.
JAMISON, "God blessed him — that is, Obed-edom. The occasion of the blessing
was his faithful custody of the ark (2Sa_6:11, 2Sa_6:12). The nature of the blessing
(Psa_127:5) consisted in the great increase of progeny by which his house was
distinguished; seventy-two descendants are reckoned.
ELLICOTT, "(5) For God blessed him.—Comp. 1 Chronicles 13:14, where it is said, “God
blessed the house of Obed-edom.” His sons’ names are all testimonies to his thankful
recognition of the Divine favour. The firstborn is Shemaiah, Jah hath heard (viz.) the
prayer for offspring; Jehozabad, Jah hath bestowed, is the second; Joah, Jah is a
kinsman, the third; Sacar, reward (Genesis 15:1), is the fourth; Nethaneel, or Nathanael
(Dositheus, Dorotheus, Deusdedit) God hath given, the fifth; Ammiel, a kinsman is God,
the sixth; the seventh, Issachar, there is a reward; the eighth, Peulthai (Heb., Pĕullĕthai),
work or recompense of Jah.
BI, "For God blessed him.
The blessing of Obed-edom
Learn—
I. That god will honour signal service.
II. That signal service thus rewarded is commended to our notice.
1. That we may discern the goodness of God.
2. That we may imitate the example. (J. Wolfendale.)
The banning of Obed-edom
I. What it consists of.
1. Family increase.
2. Family honour.
8

9. 3. Family reputation.
II. How it is gained.
1. By a right mind.
2. By right action. (J. Wolfendale.)
6 Obed-Edom’s son Shemaiah also had sons, who
were leaders in their father’s family because they
were very capable men.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:6. They were mighty men of valour — This clause is
divers times mentioned, because their office required both strength and courage: for
they were to shut the doors of the temple, one whereof was so great and weighty that
in the second temple it required twenty men to open and shut it. They were also to
keep the guard, to keep out all unclean or forbidden persons, to prevent or suppress
any tumults or disorders which might happen in the temple or in its courts, to keep
the treasures of the temple, (1 Chronicles 26:20; 1 Chronicles 26:22; 1 Chronicles
26:24; 1 Chronicles 26:26,) to be officers and judges over Israel, (1 Chronicles
26:29,) and to manage every matter pertaining to God and the affairs of the king, 1
Chronicles 26:32.
CLARKE, "They were mighty men of valor - They were not only porters or door-
keepers in the ordinary sense of the word, but they were a military guard for the gates:
and perhaps in this sense alone we are to understand their office.
GILL, "Also unto Shemaiah his son,.... His firstborn, 1Ch_26:4.
were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father; were heads of
families, eminent and principal men:
for they were mighty men of valour; which their office sometimes required them to
be, to guard the temple at night as well as day from thieves and robbers, and to hinder
resolute men entering in, unfit for it, and seize on rioters, and quell tumults raised.
9

10. HENRY, "II. Of several of those that were called to this service, it is taken notice of
that they were mighty men of valour (1Ch_26:6), strong men (1Ch_26:7), able men
(1Ch_26:8), and one of them that he was a wise counsellor (1Ch_26:14), who probably,
when he had used this office of a deacon well and given proofs of more than ordinary
wisdom, purchased to himself a good degree, and was preferred from the gate to the
council-board, 1Ti_3:13. As for those that excelled in strength of body, and courage and
resolution of mind, they were thereby qualified for the post assigned them; for whatever
service God calls men to he either finds them fit or makes them so.
III. The sons of Obed-edom were employed in this office, sixty-two of that family. This
was he that entertained the ark with reverence and cheerfulness; and see how he was
rewarded for it. 1. He had eight sons (1Ch_26:5), for God blessed him. The increase and
building up of families are owing to the divine blessing; and a great blessing it is to a
family to have many children, when like these they are able for, and eminent in, the
service of God. 2. His sons were preferred to places of trust in the sanctuary. They had
faithfully attended the ark in their own house, and now were called to attend it in God's
house. He that is trusty in little shall be trusted with more. He that keeps God's
ordinances in his own tent is fit to have the custody of them in God's tabernacle, 1Ti_3:4,
1Ti_3:5. I have kept thy law, says David, and this I had because I kept thy precepts,
Psa_119:55, Psa_119:56.
JAMISON, "mighty men of valour — The circumstance of physical strength is
prominently noticed in this chapter, as the office of the porters required them not only to
act as sentinels of the sacred edifice and its precious furniture against attacks of
plunderers or popular insurrection - to be, in fact, a military guard - but, after the temple
was built, to open and shut the gates, which were extraordinarily large and ponderous.
ELLICOTT, " (6) That ruled throughout the house of their father.—Rather, The lords of
their clan. The word translated “that ruled,” is not a verb, but an abstract noun
(mimshâl), like our expression “the authorities,” or “the government.” It only occurs
besides in Daniel 11:3; Daniel 11:5.
Mighty men of valour.—See Note on 1 Chronicles 9:13.
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:6, 1Ch_26:7
In the former of these verses, eulogy is pronounced by anticipation on the six grandsons
of Obed-edom through his son Shemaiah, about to be mentioned in the latter verse.
The singular number of the verb (‫ד‬ַ‫,)נוֹל‬ with a plural nominative, as found here, often
occurs elsewhere, and repeatedly, even in this book, in cases where the relative pronoun
‫ר‬ ֶ‫שׁ‬ ַ‫א‬ intervenes between the subject and its verb. That ruled throughout the house
of their father. The plural masculine abstract noun (‫ים‬ ִ‫ל‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ִ‫מּ‬ ַ‫)ה‬ here employed, in place
of a verbal or participial form, is intended to gain force. A similar use of the feminine
form of the same noun in the singular, and with suffix, may be cited from 2Ch_32:9.
Whose brethren. An erroneous translation for his brethren; a correction, however,
rendering more patent the inconvenience of the unexplained absence of the conjunction,
which seems to be called for before both "Elzabad," and "his brethren." Bertheau
10

11. suggests that other names are wanting which should fill up the meaning of "his
brethren." The brethren intended were probably Elihu and Semachiah.
POOLE, " That ruled throughout the house of their father; that had the command of
their brethren and families, being, as some say, captains of hundreds or of thousands; of
which see Exodus 18:25 2 Kings 11:9.
They were mighty men of valor: this clause is divers times mentioned, because their
office returned both strength and courage; for they were to shut the doors of the temple,
one whereof was so great and weighty, that in the second temple it required the help of
twenty men to open and shut it, as Josephus, an eye-witness, reports. They were also to
keep the guard, and to keep out all unclean or forbidden persons, who might sometimes
presumptuously attempt to enter into the temple, as Uzziah did, and to prevent or
suppress any tumults or disorders which might happen in the temple or in its courts,
and to keep the treasures of the temple. 1 Chronicles 26:20,22,24,26, and to be officers
and judges over Israel, 1 Chronicles 26:29, and to manage every matter pertaining to
God and the affairs of the king, 1 Chronicles 26:32.
GUZIK, "2. (1 Chronicles 26:6-8) Shemaiah and his sons, and the other sons of Obed-
Edom.
Also to Shemaiah his son were sons born who governed their fathers’ houses, because
they were men of great ability. The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and
Elzabad, whose brothers Elihu and Semachiah were able men. All these were of the sons
of Obed-Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, able men with strength for the
work: sixty-two of Obed-Edom.
a. Who governed their fathers’ houses, because they were men of great ability: Shemaiah
was of the family of gatekeepers, yet his sons rose to positions of high responsibility
because they were men of great ability. They are also described as able men with
strength for the work.
i. “Able men might be better translated, ‘strong men’. The job might entail removal of
unwelcome people or objects (cf. 2 Chronicles 26:16-20).” (Selman)
11

12. 7 The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed
and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah
were also able men.
GILL, "The sons of Shemaiah,.... The same before mentioned, the firstborn of
Obededom:
Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, and Elzabad, whose brethren were strong
men; Elihu and Semachiah; which may rather denote their valour and courage, as
before, though strength of body was needful, particularly to open and shut the doors of
the temple, which, Josephus (r) says, required the assistance of twenty men.
ELLICOTT, " (7) And Obed, Elzabad.—This is probably corrupt, as the conjunction,
which is used with the preceding names, is wanting between Obed and Elzabad.
Probably Obed-Elzabad is a corruption of some single name, perhaps Obed-el: (comp.
the Syriac and Arabic, Ubdâêl and Ufîdîlu), or Abdiel (1 Chronicles 5:15; Syriac, Abdâêl;
Arabic, Afâdîlu); see Note on 1 Chronicles 26:12. (Those two versions, however, give six
names, while the LXX. gives eight.)
Whose brethren were strong men.—The Hebrew has “his brethren.” The conjunction
appears to be missing again. Read: And his brethren, sons of strength, Elihu and
Semachiah.
8 All these were descendants of Obed-Edom; they
and their sons and their relatives were capable
men with the strength to do the work—
descendants of Obed-Edom, 62 in all.
12

13. GILL, "All these of the sons of Obededom,.... And grandsons:
they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the
service; men of fortitude of mind and strength of body, as before observed: were
sixty two of Obededom: that sprung from him, which the Jews (s) account for in an
extravagant manner, as the effect of miraculous births.
K&D 8-9, "The whole number of doorkeepers of Obed-edom's family, his sons and
brethren, was sixty-two; able men with strength for the service. The singular ‫ל‬ִ‫י‬ ַ‫ח‬ ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫,א‬
after the preceding plural, is most simply explained by taking it to be in apposition to the
‫ֹל‬‫כּ‬ at the beginning of the verse, by repeating ‫ֹל‬‫כּ‬ mentally before ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫.א‬ - In 1Ch_26:9 the
number of Meshelemiah's sons and brothers is brought in in a supplementary way.
ELLICOTT, " (8) Able men.—Were men of power; in the original, a singular collective.
For strength.—Literally, In the strength, i.e., ability.
Were threescore and two . . .—A distinct sentence: There were sixty and two (belonging)
to Obed-edom. Perhaps the word kol, “every,” has fallen out before ish hayil (comp. 1
Chronicles 10:12, where the same phrase occurred). In that case render, All these were of
the sons of Obed-edom; they and their sons and their brethren, every man of power in
the strength for service. The “sons and brethren” of the porters may be compared with
those of the musicians (1 Chronicles 25:9; 1 Chronicles 25:29).
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:8
Able men for strength for the service. The Hebrew gives this in the singular,
‫ִל‬‫י‬ ַ‫ישׁיח‬ ִ‫,א‬ etc. The apparent intention is to distribute equally to each and every one of all
of the sons of Obed-edom, the high character for strength given to them as grouped
here together.
9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, who were
able men—18 in all.
13

14. GILL, "And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen,....
He had seven sons, 1Ch_26:1 and therefore must have eleven brethren or kinsmen.
ELLICOTT, " (9) And Meshelemiah.—This goes back to 1 Chronicles 26:2, and forms a
kind of supplement to the statement there. The Korhite (Kohathite) porters make a total
of 80 families; viz., 62 of Obed-edom, and 18 of Meshelemiah.
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:9
This somewhat sudden return to the name of Meshelemiah is evidently in order to put
his numbers in a convenient position, to be added to those of Obed-edom just stated,
thus making in all eighty porters from the Korabites.
GUZIK, "3. (1 Chronicles 26:9-12) Other gatekeepers.
And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, eighteen able men. Also Hosah, of the
children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the first (for though he was not the firstborn, his
father made him the first), Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth;
all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen. Among these were the divisions of the
gatekeepers, among the chief men, having duties just like their brethren, to serve in the
house of the LORD.
a. Having duties just like their brethren, to serve in the house of the LORD: Some would
make a distinction between the spiritual work of the temple and the practical work of the
temple and regard the spiritual work as more important. The Chronicler is careful to
remind us that the work of these gatekeepers, whose service was more practical in
nature, was esteemed by God as just as valuable.
i. “A very important point is made by the inclusion of these groups, even though they
might seem to represent a diversion from Chronicles’ main theme. As God’s people pay
proper attention to their status as a worshipping community, the distinction between the
sacred and the secular disappears. All tasks, whether mundane or specialized, ‘religious’
or ‘lay’, have value in the eyes of God.” (Selman)
10 Hosah the Merarite had sons: Shimri the first
(although he was not the firstborn, his father had
14

15. appointed him the first),
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:10. His father made him the chief — Not in inheriting
the estate, (this was forbidden by the law,) but in this service, for which he was
better qualified than his elder brother.
HENRY, "IV. It is said of one here that though he was not the first-born his father
made him the chief (1Ch_26:10), either because he was very excellent, or because the
elder son was very weak. He was made chief, perhaps not in inheriting the estate (for
that was forbidden by the law, Deu_21:16, Deu_21:17), but in this service, which
required personal qualifications.
GILL, "Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons,.... Who was a fellow
porter of Obededom's at the ark, 1Ch_16:38.
Simri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him
the chief); the firstborn being unfit for service, either through want of an intellectual
capacity, or of strength of body, or through some defect or another; according to the
Syriac version, he was dead; so some understand the words, he, the father, had no
firstborn remaining or living.
JAMISON, "Simri the chief ... though ... not the first-born — probably because
the family entitled to the right of primogeniture had died out, or because there were
none of the existing families which could claim that right.
K&D 10-11 Merarites. Hosah's sons and brothers. ‫ה‬ ָ‫ס‬ ‫ח‬ has been already mentioned
(1Ch_16:38) along with Obed-edom as doorkeeper. Hosah made Shimri head of the
Merarites, who served as doorkeepers, because there was no first-born, i.e., because his
first-born son had died without leaving any descendant, so that none of the families
descended from Hosah had the natural claim to the birthright. All the sons and brothers
of Hosah were thirteen. Meshelemiah had eighteen (cf. 1Ch_26:9), and Obed-edom
sixty-two (1Ch_26:8); and all taken together they make ninety-three, whom we are
(according to 1Ch_26:12.) to regard as the heads of the 4000 doorkeepers. In 1Ch_9:22
the number of the doorkeepers appointed by David is stated to be 212, but that number
most probably refers to a different time (see on 1Ch_9:22). Bertheau further remarks:
“According to 1Ch_16:38, sixty-eight are reckoned to Obed-edom and Hosah, in our
passage seventy-five; and the small difference between the numbers is explained by the
fact that in the first passage only the doorkeepers before the ark are referred to.” Against
this we have already shown, in our remarks on 1Ch_16:38, that the number there
mentioned cannot be held with certainty to refer to the doorkeepers.
ELLICOTT, " (10) Also Hosah, of the children of Merari.—Four chiefs of the sons of
Hosah are named, and thirteen assigned as the total number of families belonging to this
15

16. clan (1 Chronicles 26:10-11). Adding them to the 18 of Meshelemiah and the 62 of Obed-
edom, we get a total of 93 principal porters, presiding over the 4,000 Levites appointed
to that work (1 Chronicles 23:5).
Simri (Shimri) the chief (for though he was not his firstborn . . .).—This may mean either
that the oldest family had died out, or that none of these families could prove its
seniority to the rest.
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:10, 1Ch_26:11
The porters from the descendants of Merari are given in these two verses, in all
thirteen. Hosah, it will be remembered, is found together with Obed-edom in 1Ch_
16:38, as one of the porters of the the ark. These thirteen bring up the number of porters
to ninety-three. We have read (1Ch_9:22) that later the number became two hundred
and twelve. Though… yet. The likelier translation of the Hebrew would be, For there
was not a firstborn (i.e. the issue of the firstborn had failed, and his line was therefore
extinct), and his father made him the chief. Moreover, it is but probable that, if it
had been a case of superseding the firstborn, the fact would not have been stated without
an explanation of what had led to it or justified it.
POOLE, "Taking away the birthright from the first-born, either absolutely for some
gross miscarriage, as Genesis 49:4; or only in this respect, because he wanted either
strength or valour, or some other qualification necessary for his office.
11 Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third and
Zechariah the fourth. The sons and relatives of
Hosah were 13 in all.
GILL, "Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the
sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen. Four sons, and nine brethren or
kinsmen.
12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, through
16

17. their leaders, had duties for ministering in the
temple of the Lord, just as their relatives had.
BARNES, "This verse is obscure, but its probable meaning is the following: “To these
divisions of the porters, principal men, (were assigned) the watches, together with their
brethren, for service in the house of the Lord;” i. e., the “chief men” 1Ch_26:1-11,
amounting to no more than 93, kept the watch and ward of the house, together with a
further number of their brethren (4,000, 1Ch_23:5), who assisted them from time to
time.
CLARKE, "The rest of this chapter, with the whole of the 28th, is wanting both in
the Syriac and Arabic.
GILL, "Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief
men,.... These before named were the principal men of the porters, among which was a
division or distribution of them into classes or courses, in which they served weekly in
turn:
having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord;
meaning either to watch in, as on the north against the south, and the east against the
west, and "vice versa". The Jews say (t), the priests kept ward in three places in the
house of the sanctuary; in the house of Abtines, in the house of Nitzotz, and in the house
of Moked; and the Levites in twenty one places, five at the five gates of the mountain of
the house, four at the four corners of it within, five at the five gates of the court, four at
the four corners of it without, one at the chamber of the offering, one at the chamber of
the vail, and another behind the house of atonement, the holy of holies; but rather the
sense is, that they had wards or courses answerable to those of the priests, and the other
Levites, the singers, and were distributed into twenty four classes or courses as they,
which are thus reckoned by Kimchi; at the east six, at the north four, at the south four, at
Asuppim two and two, which were four, at the west four, and at Parbar two; lo, twenty
four; see 1Ch_26:17.
JAMISON, "Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the
chief men — These were charged with the duty of superintending the watches, being
heads of the twenty-four courses of porters.
K&D, "The division of the doorkeepers according to their posts of service. 1Ch_26:12.
“To these classes of doorkeepers, viz., to the heads of the men, (were committed) the
watches, in common with their brethren, to serve in the house of Jahve.” By ‫ת‬ ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ְ‫ח‬ ַ‫מ‬
‫ה‬ֶ‫לּ‬ ֵ‫א‬ ְ‫ל‬ it is placed beyond doubt that the above-mentioned names and numbers give us
the classes of the doorkeepers. By the apposition ‫ים‬ ִ‫ר‬ ָ‫ב‬ְ‫גּ‬ ַ‫ה‬ ‫י‬ֵ‫אשׁ‬ ָ‫ר‬ ְ‫,ל‬ the meaning of which
is discussed in the commentary on 1Ch_24:4, ‫השׁ‬ ‫ת‬ ‫ק‬ ְ‫ל‬ ְ‫ח‬ ַ‫מ‬ is so defined as to show that
17

18. properly the heads of the households are meant, only these having been enumerated in
the preceding section, and not the classes.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:12. Wards — Hebrew, having wards answerably to their
brethren the other Levites, who were divided into twenty-four courses, as the priests
also, and the porters were.
POOLE, " Having wards one against another; Heb. having wards against or
answerably to their brethren, to wit, the other Levites, who were divided into
twenty-four courses, as the priests also were, and so it seems were the porters.
ELLICOTT, " (12) Among these were the divisions of the porters.—Rather, To
these, the courses (1 Chronicles 23:6) of porters, that is, to the heads of the men (1
Chronicles 24:4), were watches or charges (1 Chronicles 25:8) in common with their
brethren (1 Chronicles 24:31), to minister in the house of Jehovah (1 Chronicles
16:37). The statement of this verse makes it evident that the names in 1 Chronicles
26:2-11 represent the courses of the porters or warders. As the twenty-four sons of
Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun represented the twenty-four courses of musicians in 1
Chronicles 25, a similar classification might naturally be expected here. Accordingly,
we actually find seven sons of Meshelemiah (1 Chronicles 26:2-3), eight sons of
Obed-edom (1 Chronicles 26:4-5), and four sons of Hosah (1 Chronicles 26:10-11),
which together make nineteen heads and classes. It remains to add the “sons” of
Shemaiah son of Obed-edom. As the text stands, these appear to be six in number,
which would give a total of twenty-five (7 + 8 + 4 + 6). But the connection of the
Hebrew in 1 Chronicles 26:7 is so unusual as to suggest at once that something is
wrong: and if we assume Obed-Elzabad to represent one original composite name,
like Obed-edom, we get five “sons of Shemaiah,” and so a total of twenty-four
classes or courses of warders. (From this verse to the end of chapter 27 the Syriac
and Arabic versions fail us.)
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:12
Translate, To these divisions of the porters, as regards the chief men,
belonged the charge together with their brethren to officiate in the house of
the Lord. According to the present chapter, then, the divisions add up to ninety-three.
And if at any time of the history it were the case that these ninety-three were the leaders
of groups among the total of "four thousand porters," it would put exactly forty-two
18

19. under each of these ninety-three, leaving but one over. This number ninety-three,
meantime, does not agree with the two hundred and twelve of 1Ch_9:22. And the three
score and two of Obed-edom in 1Ch_9:8 of the present chapter does not agree with the
three score and eight of Obed-edom in 1Ch_16:38. At the same time, no little light may
be thrown on this subject by noticing that the porters numbered in Zerubbabel’s time
one hundred and thirty-nine (Ezr_2:42); and that the number one hundred and
seventy-two is given for them by Nehemiah (Neh_11:19). The conclusion may well be
that the numbers varied in David’s time and the other times severally;and that the date
in question (1Ch_9:22) was not the same with the date of David in our present chapter,
but was a subsequent date nearer the time of the Captivity. There is, therefore, no special
ground for doubting the accuracy of the numbers given in this chapter.
13 Lots were cast for each gate, according to their
families, young and old alike.
CLARKE, "They cast lots - for every gate - None of these captains or their
companies were permitted to choose which gate they would guard, but each took his
appointment by lot.
GILL, "And they cast lots,.... To determine at which gate each should stand, who at
this gate, and who at the other, &c.
as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for
every gate; meaning, not little ones and grown persons in a family, but the smaller and
poorer families, and the larger and richer ones, had their places assigned them at the
several gates, as the lot directed; they did not go according to the dignity and precedence
of their families, but according to lot.
JAMISON, "1Ch_26:13-19. The gates assigned by lot.
they cast lots — Their departments of duty, such as the gates they should attend to,
were allotted in the same manner as those of the other Levitical bodies, and the names of
the chiefs or captains are given, with the respective gates assigned them.
19

20. K&D, "1Ch_26:13
The distribution of the stations by lot followed (cf. 1Ch_25:8), the small as the great;
i.e., the younger as the older cast lots, according to their fathers'-houses, “for door and
door,” i.e., for each door of the four sides of the temple, which was built so that its sides
corresponded to the points of the compass.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:13. They cast lots, as well the small as the great —
Determining the times and places of their service, not by age or dignity, but merely
by lot. According to the house of their fathers — A several lot being allowed for each
several house. For every gate — That it might be known to whom the care of each
gate was more especially committed.
HENRY, "V. The porters, as the singers, had their post assigned them by lot, so many
at such a gate, and so many at such a one, that every one might know his post and make
it good, 1Ch_26:13. It is not said that they were cast into twenty-four courses, as before;
but here are the names of about twenty-four (1Ch_26:1-11), and the posts assigned are
twenty-four, 1Ch_26:17, 1Ch_26:18. We have therefore reason to think they were
distributed into as many companies. Happy are those who dwell in God's house: for, as
they are well fed, well taught, and well employed, so they are well guarded. Men attended
at the gates of the temple, but angels attend at the gates of the New Jerusalem, Rev_
21:12.
ELLICOTT, " (13) And they cast lots.—Compare 1 Chronicles 25:8.
As well the small as the great . . .—Rather, Small and great (senior and junior) alike,
according to their houses, for each gate. The posts of the porters were assigned by lot,
without distinction of rank between the various families. The Sanctuary was built square
with the four points of the compass, and had four gates, one on each side. The
orientation of temples was the rule with the ancient Semites; and the importance
attached to the cardinal points is illustrated by the ancient designation of the Babylonian
and Assyrian sovereigns as “King of the four quarters,” i.e., of heaven (sar arba’i kiprat).
GUZIK, "4. (1 Chronicles 26:13-19) The lot for each family of the gatekeepers.
And they cast lots for each gate, the small as well as the great, according to their father’s
house. The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son
Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the North Gate; to Obed-Edom the
South Gate, and to his sons the storehouse. To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came out for
the West Gate, with the Shallecheth Gate on the ascending highway; watchman opposite
watchman. On the east were six Levites, on the north four each day, on the south four
each day, and for the storehouse two by two. As for the Parbar on the west, there were
four on the highway and two at the Parbar. These were the divisions of the gatekeepers
among the sons of Korah and among the sons of Merari.
20

21. a. They cast lots for each gate: They determined the order and arrangement of the
service for the gatekeepers the same way that they determined the order and
arrangement for the priests in their service.
b. The small as well as the great: This means that David let the LORD decide when it
came to organizing and ordering these offices, and he did not let prestige or position
determine thei appointments.
i. “Our method is not that of casting lots, but of seeking the direct guidance of the Spirit.
But we need to remember that in our choice of men for office in the work of the Church
of God, the things of privilege, which too often count in human affairs, must have no
weight with us.” (Morgan)
ii. “But chiefly we are concerned with the temple of the heart. We surely need the
doorkeeper there, for in the history of the inner life there is so much going and coming;
such troops of thoughts pour into the shrine of the soul, and pour out. And often, in the
crowd, disloyal and evil thoughts intrude, which, before we know it, introduce a sense of
distance and alienation from God.” (Meyer)
POOLE, " They cast lots, as well the small as the great; determining the times and places
of their service not by age or dignity, but merely by lot.
According to the house of their fathers; a several lot being allowed for each several
house.
For every gate, that it might be known to whom the care of each gate was more especially
committed.
14 The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah.[a]
Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise
counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to
him.
21

22. GILL, "And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah,.... The same with Meshelemiah,
1Ch_26:1 he by lot was placed at the eastern gate, called afterwards the gate Shushan,
the city Shushan being portrayed upon it (u):
then for Zechariah his son (a wise counsellor); and who was his firstborn, 1Ch_
26:2 a man of great parts and learning: for they were not mean persons that were
employed in this office, nor was the office a mean one, like that of our porters; but men
of considerable rank and figure, and of knowledge and learning, were in it; some of them
were judges, 1Ch_26:29 and their places were places of great trust, they had much
treasure committed to them, as appears by 1Ch_26:20,
they cast lots, and his lot came out northward; where was a gate in later times,
called Teri or Tedi, which differed from other gates in this, that it had no threshold, only
one stone was laid upon another, and was not commonly used (w).
K&D, "1Ch_26:14
The lot towards the east, i.e., for the guarding of the east side, fell to Shelemiah (cf.
1Ch_26:1, 1Ch_26:2); while that towards the north fell to his first-born Zechariah.
Before ‫ָהוּ‬‫י‬ ְ‫ר‬ַ‫כ‬ְ‫,ז‬ ְ‫ל‬ is to be repeated. To him the title ‫ל‬ֶ‫כ‬ ֶ‫שׂ‬ ְ‫בּ‬ ‫ֵץ‬‫י‬ ‫י‬ is given, for reasons
unknown to us. ‫גו‬ ‫ילוּ‬ ִ‫פּ‬ ִ‫,ה‬ (for him) they threw lots.
BENSON, "Verse 14-15
1 Chronicles 26:14-15. Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor — Which is noted as an
excellent and useful accomplishment for his office, in which there was need of
wisdom as well as courage, as may appear by the description of their work, 1
Chronicles 26:20, &c. See the note on 1 Chronicles 26:6. The house of Asuppim —
Or, of gatherings; probably so named from the assembly of the elders, who met
there to consult about the affairs of the temple.
ELLICOTT, " (14) And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah.—The courses of the sons
of Shelemiah (Meshelemiah 1 Chronicles 26:1; 1 Chronicles 26:9, and Shallum 9:19)
received by lot the post of honour on the east side of the Sanctuary.
Then for Zechariah his son.—Heb., And Zechariah his son, counselling with
22

23. sagacity, they cast lots. The preposition for may have fallen out before Zechariah; or
perhaps Zechariah is the real subject of the verb “cast lots,” which is plural, because
Zechariah is the name of a clan or guild. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 24:31; xxv, 8).
Zechariah, the firstborn of Meshelemiah (1 Chronicles 26:2), obtained the charge of
the north side “They cast lots” may mean drew a lot from the urn.
A wise counsellor.—This little touch is obviously a mark of truth. The chronicler
could have had no motive for so characterising a warder of the Temple, unless he
had found it in some older source, of which he has only given extracts.
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:14-16
The casting of lots for the four chief names and the four chief aspects of gates, now
proceeds. A special note is made of the care taken for the house of Asuppim; i.e. of
"gatherings" or "stores." For all that we know of this "house," we seem to be left to the
verses (15, 17) of this passage, and to the expression (Neh_12:25), "the storehouses, or
stores of the gates" (though the Authorized Version, the "thresholds" of the gates), which
would have been more intelligible had it been reversed, "the gates of the stores."
Presumably it was a building for keeping safe certain of the sacred property, and was
situated south of the temple, and, judging from 1Ch_26:17, had two doorways. The
Vulgate translates seniorum concilium. To Shuppim. Nothing can be made of this
word in this connection, as a proper name, though we have it (1Ch_7:12, 1Ch_7:15) as
such. It is now generally rejected, as probably duo to the error of some transcriber,
whose eye may have been caught again by the last tee syllables of the closely preceding
"Asuppim." But some would place it as the last word of the previous verse, and make it
amplify the meaning of Asuppim, e.g. "gatherings for stores." Shallecheth. By
derivation, this word means "sending or throwing down." Hence some call it, "the refuse
gate." The situation of it is, however, defined here, as by the causeway of the going
up, and would seem to render such an interpretation less likely. According to Grove (in
Smith’s ’Bible Dictionary’), this causeway is still traceable: it runs up from the central
valley of the town to the sacred site west of the temple (1Ki_10:5; 2Ch_9:4); and Grove
would identify the "gate of Shallecheth" with the present Bab Silsileh. The Septuagint
translates ἡ πυλὴ παστοφορίου, i.e. the gate of the temple-cell, which word they could
get from the inverting of the order of the first two letters of the Hebrew Shallecheth. The
Septuagint then mutts the following word, ‫ה‬ָ‫לּ‬ ִ‫ס‬ ְ‫,מ‬ Ward against ward; i.e. watch with
watch. The expression up- pears to refer to the fact that Hosah’s lot threw to him the
charge of a double position.
PARKER, ""Zechariah... a wise counsellor" ( 1 Chronicles 26:14).
Not a musician, but a wise counsellor; no use with firearms, if we must modernise the
23

24. expression, but great in sagacity; nothing with his hands, but an army with his head.
"Zechariah" is in the singular number, and also in the plural number. Let us take heed of
our parsing. There are terms even in English which are both singular and plural, and
there is no atom of distinction between the one number and the other, so far as the
shape of the name in type is concerned. "Zechariah" was a Prayer of Manasseh , and
"Zechariah" was a tribe, a clan, or a guild. We think the word "Guild" a modern
invention. Practically, it is in the Bible as everything else is in the Bible; seek, and ye
shall find. Zechariah the man could give counsel; he knew what Israel ought to do, for he
had understanding of the times; there was no problem too entangled for him to simplify,
there was no case that he could not throw light upon; he had that peculiar insight which
amounts to inspiration; he was never consulted in vain; when men thought they had a
very great question, Zechariah , by one sentence, showed that after all it was a very small
problem; and when men supposed themselves equal to the discussion of the problem, by
one inquiry Zechariah widened the horizon, and showed them how gifted they were with
simple incapability.
Thus in this field of names we have gleaned somewhat. The gleaner must not be
mistaken for the reaper: but he would be a careless husbandman who did not glean his
fields as well as reap them. So now and again in these biblical studies it is well to go back
to do a day"s gleaning, and come home in evening twilight to thank God for handfuls
that might have been lost. These chapters bristle with names; there are names we can
hardly pronounce: the great lesson is that we may be somewhere in God"s list Let each
say, Oh, thou who keepest life"s book, let me have a place on some page! If I cannot be
with the warriors, may I not be with the musicians? If I cannot be with the musicians,
may I not be with the porters, the door-openers, the lamplighters, of the sanctuary? If I
may not be near the king, may I not be near the door? Of what avail is it to be on any list
of man"s invention and creation if we are omitted from the record on high? There is a
book in heaven—a book called the Book of Life; if a man"s name be written there, fire
cannot burn it. How are names to be written there? Through him who is the life, the
blessed eternal Son of God. What are we doing? Great wonders, famous miracles?
Rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice that your names are
written in heaven. Crush the demon Envy that says, Try to rise from one list into
another; do not be content with being a porter, a doorkeeper, when you might be a wise
counsellor or a skilled musician. Rather say, The Lord gave me what I have in the way of
faculty and talent; I see the number is only one, but a great deal can be done with one
talent; as I have only one I cannot spend time in talking to you; I must leave you and get
to work, so as to make as much as possible of the one talent. Or, I see the number is only
two, but two is plural, and, once in the plural, who can tell where one may end? I will
hasten, and double the dowry. In this spirit let us live, crushing envy, dismissing
jealousy, contenting ourselves with God"s method of election and endowment, because it
is to him, and not to Prayer of Manasseh , we must render the last account.
POOLE, "A wise counsellor; which is noted as an excellent and useful accomplishment
for his office, in which there was need of wisdom as well as courage, as may appear by
the description of their work, 1 Chronicles 26:20, &c. See Poole "1 Chronicles 26:6".
24

25. 15 The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-Edom,
and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons.
BARNES, "The house of Asuppim - literally, “the house of collections” (see the
margin and compare Neh_12:25 margin). A treasure-house of some kind or other is
probably intended.
CLARKE, "The house of Asuppim - The house of the collections; the place where
either the supplies of the porters, or the offerings made for the use of the priests and
Levites, were laid up.
GILL, "To Obededom southward,.... Where were two gates in later times, called the
gates of Huldah (x):
and to his sons, the house of Asuppim; the word has the signification of gathering,
hence some take it to be a council house, where the sanhedrim or elders gathered
together, and sat; and others, rather a treasure house, where things of value were
collected and laid up, since Obededom had the charge of gold and silver, and the vessels
of the house, 2Ch_25:24, but Dr. Lightfoot (y) is of opinion, that"Asuppim were two
gates in the western wall, which stood most south, or nearest to Jerusalem; "and the
house of Asuppim" was a large piece of building that ran between them, which was a
treasury, or various rooms for treasuring or laying up something for the use of the
temple;''though L'Empereur thinks (z) it was the chamber Korban, which is not so
probable.
JAMISON, "the house of Asuppim — or, “collections,” probably a storehouse,
where were kept the grain, wine, and other offerings for the sustenance of the priests.
K&D, "1Ch_26:15
To Obed-edom (fell the lot) towards the south, and to his sons it fell (to guard) the
house Asuppim. As to ‫ים‬ ִ‫פּ‬ ֻ‫ֲס‬‫א‬ ָ‫ית־ה‬ ֵ‫,בּ‬ called for brevity ‫ים‬ ִ‫פּ‬ ֻ‫ֲס‬‫ע‬ in 1Ch_26:17, i.e., house of
collections or provisions (cf. Neh_12:25), we can say nothing further than that it was a
building used for the storing of the temple goods, situated in the neighbourhood of the
southern door of the temple in the external court, and that it probably had two
25

26. entrances, since in 1Ch_26:19 it is stated that two guard-stations were assigned to it.
COKE, ". The house of Asuppim— The storehouse, or that place in which the provision
of the porters was laid up. Houbigant. See Micah 7:1 and Nehemiah 12:25 in the Hebrew.
Others suppose, that it was a place where the vessels and treasure of the temple were
deposited.
ELLICOTT, "15) To Obed-edom (the lot fell) southward; and to his sons (fell by lot) the
house of Asuppim.—“Asuppim” occurs only in 1 Chronicles 26:15; 1 Chronicles 26:17 of
this chapter, and in Nehemiah 12:25. It seems to mean collections, stores of provisions
and material for the use of the Temple and its ministers; so that Bêth-hâ-asuppîm is the
storehouse or magazine. Nothing more is known about it. (The Vulgate takes ’asuppîm
to mean “Council of Elders;” confusing the word with ’asuppôth, Ecclesiastes 12:11.)
POLE, "Asuppim; a place so called; or, of gatherings; so named either from the assembly
of the elders, who met there to consult about the affairs of the temple; or from the
people, who were there gathered together to hear the discourses and debates of the
teachers of the law; or because the gifts of the people towards the house and worship of
God were kept there. See 2 Kings 22:4 2 Chronicles 25:24.
16 The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh
Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and
Hosah.
Guard was alongside of guard:
BARNES, "All recent commentators seem to be agreed that the words “to Shuppim”
ought to be cancelled, the name having arisen from an accidental repetition of the
preceding word, “Asuppim.”
The gate Shallecheth - literally, “the gate of projection” - the gate, i. e., through
which were “thrown out” the sweepings of the temple, the ashes, the offal of the victims,
and the like.
The causeway of the going up - Compare the marginal reference note.
Ward against ward - Or, “watch opposite to watch.” Hosah had in charge both the
western gate of the temple, and also the gate Shallecheth, which was in the outer wall,
opposite. Hence, he had to keep two watches, one over against the other.
26

27. CLARKE, "The gate Shallecheth - The gate of the projections: probably that
through which all the offal of the temple was carried out.
GILL, "To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward,.... Of Shuppim no
mention is before made; of Hosah, see 1Ch_26:10 their lot was to be placed at the gates
on the western wall, where were four; the two more southward being assigned to the
sons of Obededom, whose lot also was southward, are taken notice of under the division
in the preceding verse; Parbar was another, 1Ch_26:18, and another follows here:
with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up; this gate was in
later times called Coponius, from the name of a Roman commander, in the times of
Herod, who might give it this name on his account; it might have the name of
Shallecheth either from "sending out", or carrying out the filth of the temple through it;
or rather from "casting up the causeway", as here expressed, which was the going up, or
ascent, Solomon made, by which he went up to the temple, 1Ki_20:5 and which agrees
with the description Josephus (a) gives of one of the gates on the western wall, that it led
to the royal palace, the valley between being filled up for the passage; on each side of
which causeway, it is said, grew oaks and teil trees, see Isa_6:13 which served both to
keep up the causeway, and to make a fine, pleasant, shady walk for the king to pass
through to the temple; all which are observed by Dr. Lightfoot (b):
ward against ward; for as the gates answered one another, so the wards or watches at
them.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:16. With the gate Shallecheth — A gate of the court, so
called, as some think, because the ashes and filth of the temple were cast out on that
side, which was the most convenient for that purpose, because that was a private
quarter, the great ways to the temple lying on the other sides. By the causeway of
going up — By which causey they went up toward the temple. Ward against
ward — As one gate was over against another, the west against the east, and the
north against the south, so one ward was over against another.
JAMISON, "the gate Shallecheth — probably the rubbish gate, through which all
the accumulated filth and sweepings of the temple and its courts were poured out.
by the causeway of the going up — probably the ascending road which was cast
up or raised from the deep valley between Mount Zion and Moriah, for the royal egress
to the place of worship (2Ch_9:4).
ward against ward — Some refer these words to Shuppim and Hosah, whose duty it
was to watch both the western gate and the gate Shallecheth, which was opposite, while
others take it as a general statement applicable to all the guards, and intended to
intimate that they were posted at regular distances from each other, or that they all
mounted and relieved guard at the same time in uniform order.
27

28. K&D, "1Ch_26:16
The word ‫ים‬ ִ‫פּ‬ֻ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ל‬ is unintelligible, and probably has come into the text merely by a
repetition of the two last syllables of the preceding word, since the name ‫ים‬ ִ‫פּ‬ֻ‫שׁ‬ (1Ch_
7:12) has no connection with this passage. To Hosah fell the lot towards the west, by the
door Shallecheth on the ascending highway. ‫ה‬ָ‫ל‬ ‫ע‬ ָ‫ה‬ ‫ה‬ָ‫לּ‬ ִ‫ס‬ ְ‫מ‬ ַֽ‫ה‬ is the way which led from
the lower city up to the more lofty temple site. Instead of the door on this highway, in
1Ch_26:18, in the statement as to the distribution of the guard-stations, Parbar is
named, and the highway distinguished from it, four doorkeepers being appointed for the
‫ה‬ָ‫לּ‬ ִ‫ס‬ ְ‫,מ‬ and two for ‫ר‬ ָ‫בּ‬ ְ‫ר‬ַ‫.פּ‬ ְ‫ר‬ַ‫.פּ‬ ‫ר‬ ָ‫בּ‬ ְ‫ר‬ַ‫,פּ‬ probably identical with ‫ים‬ ִ‫ָר‬‫ו‬ ְ‫ר‬ַ‫,פּ‬ 2Ki_23:11, a
word of uncertain meaning, was the name of an out-building on the western side, the
back of the outer court of the temple by the door Shallecheth, which contained cells for
the laying up of temple goods and furniture. ‫ת‬ ֶ‫כ‬ ֶ‫לּ‬ַ‫,שׁ‬ Böttcher translates, Proben, S. 347,
“refuse-door;” see on 2Ki_23:11. Nothing more definite can be said of it, unless we hold,
with Thenius on 2Ki_23:11, that Ezekiel's temple is in all its details a copy of the
Solomonic temple, and use it, in an unjustifiable way, as a source of information as to
the prae-exilic temple. ‫ר‬ ָ‫מ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ִ‫מ‬ ‫ת‬ ַ‫מּ‬ֻ‫ע‬ ְ‫ל‬ ‫ר‬ ָ‫מ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ִ‫מ‬ (as in Neh_12:24), guard with (over against?)
guard, or one guard as the other (cf. on ‫ת‬ ַ‫מּ‬ֻ‫ע‬ ְ‫,ל‬ 1Ch_26:12 and 1Ch_25:8), Bertheau
connects with Hosah, according to the Masoretic punctuation, and explains it thus:
“Because it was Hosah's duty to set guards before the western gate of the temple, and
also before the gate Shallecheth, which lay over against it.” Clericus, on the contrary,
refers the words to all the guard-stations: cum ad omnes januas essent custodiae, sibi ex
adverso respondebant. This reference, according to which the words belong to what
follows, and introduce the statement as to the number of guards at the individual posts
which follows in 1Ch_26:17., seems to deserve the preference. So much is certain in any
case, that there is no ground in the text for distinguishing the gate Shallecheth from the
western gate of the temple, for the two gates are not distinguished either in 1Ch_26:16 or
in 1Ch_26:18.
ELLICOTT, " (16) To Shuppim and Hosah.—No such name as Shuppim (1
Chronicles 7:12) occurs among those of the Levitical warders as given above in 1
Chronicles 26:1-11. It is almost certainly a mistaken repetition of the last two
syllables of Asuppim, which immediately precedes it. (The mistake is as old as the
Vulgate; the LXX. has ε ς δε τερον, perhaps reading lishnàyîm instead of le
Shuppîm.) Read: And to Hosah (the lot fell) to the west, with the gate Shallèketh
on the highway that goeth up.
The gate Shalleketh, mentioned here only. The name means casting down (in
Isaiah 6:13, it denotes felling a tree); and hence this gate has been identified with
the “Rubbish” or “Refuse Gate.” (Comp. Nehemiah 3:13.) It seems an objection to
this, that the gate faced the highway that goeth up from the lower city to the
Temple. Perhaps the name alludes to the drop, or steep descent, from the
Sanctuary to the city.
Ward against ward.—Heb., mishmâr lĕ‘ummath mishmâr. Compare the use of the
28

29. same preposition in 1 Chronicles 26:12 and 1 Chronicles 25:8; 1 Chronicles 24:31.
Here the meaning seems to be that Hosah had to guard two posts, viz., the
western gate of the Temple, and the gate Shalleketh which lay opposite, in the
western wall of the Temple area. (The LXX. has φυλακὴ κατέναντι φυλακ ς;
the Vulgate custodia contra custodiam; implying that Hosah’s warders were
stationed opposite to each other.) But perhaps these concluding words refer to all
four stations, and should be rendered, ward like ward, or ward and ward alike, or
post over against post.
POOLE, " Shuppim and Hosah for some reason were joined together in the
custody of that gate.
The gate Shallecheth; a gate of the court so called, as some think, because the
ashes and filth of the temple were cast out on that side, which was the most
convenient gate for that purpose, because that was a private quarter, the great
ways to the temple lying on the other sides.
By the causeway of the going up; by which causeway they went up towards the
temple.
Ward against ward; which may respect either,
1. The time of their watching, that when one guard went off another came on. Or
rather,
2. The place of their guard; and so this may be understood, either,
1. Of this western quarter, where there was a double guard, either because there
were two gates there, as some think, or for some other cause now unknown. Or
rather,
2. Of all the quarters compared together; of all which having spoken he adds this,
that as one gate was over against another, the west against the east, and the north
against the south, so one ward was over against another.
17 There were six Levites a day on the east, four a
29

30. day on the north, four a day on the south and two
at a time at the storehouse.
BARNES, "(1Ch 26:17) Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward
four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.
CLARKE, "Eastward were six Levites - It is supposed that there were more guards
set at this eastern gate, because it was more frequented than the others. At each of the
other gates were only four; at this, six.
GILL, "Eastward were six Levites,.... The eastern gate, being the way of entrance
into the temple, required more porters:
northward four a day; in the daytime, or every day, where was the gate Teri or Tedi,
1Ch_26:14, southward four a day: at the two gates of Huldah, 1Ch_26:15 and toward
Asuppim two and two; which were two gates, two at each gate, 1Ch_26:15.
JAMISON 17-19, "Eastward were six Levites — because the gate there was the
most frequented. There were four at the north gate; four at the south, at the storehouse
which was adjoining the south, and which had two entrance gates, one leading in a
southwesterly direction to the city, and the other direct west, two porters each. At the
Parbar towards the west, there were six men posted - four at the causeway or ascent
(1Ch_26:16), and two at Parbar, amounting to twenty-four in all, who were kept daily on
guard.
K&D 17-18, "1Ch_26:17-18
Settlement of the number of guard-stations at the various sides and places. Towards
morning (on the east side) were six of the Levites (six kept guard); towards the north by
day (i.e., daily, on each day), four; towards the south daily, four; and at the storehouse
two and two, consequently four also; at Parbar towards the west, four on the highway
and two at Parbar, i.e., six. In all, therefore, there were twenty-four guard-stations to be
occupied daily; but more than twenty-four persons were required, because, even
supposing that one man at a time was sufficient for each post, one man could not stand
the whole day at it: he must have been relieved from time to time. Probably, however,
there were always more than one person on guard at each post. It further suggests itself
that the number twenty-four may be in some way connected with the divisions or classes
of doorkeepers; but there is only a deceptive appearance of a connection. The division of
the priests and musicians each into twenty-four classes respectively is no sufficient
analogy in the case, for these classes had to perform the service in succession each for a
week at a time, while the twenty-four doorkeepers' stations had to be all occupied
simultaneously every day. - In 1Ch_26:2-11, then, twenty-eight heads in all are
enumerated by name (Meshelemiah with seven sons, Obed-edom with eight sons and six
grandsons, and Hosah with four sons); but the total number in all the three families of
30

31. doorkeepers is stated at ninety-three, and neither the one nor the other of these numbers
bears any relation to twenty-four. Finally, the posts are so distributed that Meshelemiah
with his eighteen sons and brothers kept guard on the east and north sides with six
posts; Obed-edom with his sixty-two sons and brothers on the south side with four and 2
x 2, that is, eight posts; and Hosah with his thirteen sons and brothers on the western
side with four and two, that is, six; so that even here no symmetrical distribution of the
service can be discovered.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:17. Eastward were six Levites — For that, being the
chief gate of the temple, required a better guard. Toward Asuppim — That is, the
house of Asuppim, as it is called 1 Chronicles 26:15, where also it is said to be on the
south side; on which there seems to have been a double guard, both belonging to
Obed-edom, (1 Chronicles 26:15,) one at the south gate, and the other at Asuppim,
where possibly the sacred treasures, mentioned 1 Chronicles 26:20, &c., were laid
up, and therefore a particular guard was necessary. See on 1 Chronicles 26:15.
ELLICOTT, " (17) Eastward were six Levites.—Literally, To the east the Levites
were six; to the northward for the day four; to the southward for the day four; and
to the Stores two two (i.e., two apiece, or two by two). We must supply for the day in
the first clause, with the LXX.
Toward Asuppim two and two.—The magazine appears to have had two doors, with
two warders stationed at each.
POOLE, " Eastward were six Levites; for that being the chief gate of the temple,
required a better guard.
Toward Asuppim, i.e., the house of Asuppim, as it is called, 1 Chronicles 26:15,
where also it is said to be on the south side; on which there seems to have been a
double guard both belonging to Obed-edom, 1 Chronicles 26:15, one at the south
gate, and the other at Asuppim; here possibly the sacred treasures, mentioned 1
Chronicles 26:20, &c., were laid up, and therefore a particular guard was necessary.
See Poole "1 Chronicles 26:15".
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:17, 1Ch_26:18
These verses give the number of individuals who composed the watch at a time,
31

32. beginning again from Shelemiah’s eastward position. The two and two toward
Asuppim suggest most naturally the suppositon of two attendants at each of two gates,
or else of two succeeding two. Parbar (‫ר‬ ָ‫בּ‬ ְ‫ר‬ַ‫.)פ‬ This word appears as ‫ָר‬‫ו‬ ְ‫ר‬ ָ‫פּ‬ in 2Ki_23:11.
These words, with forms akin to them, are often found in the Targums, but not
elsewhere in the Scriptures. The nearest approach to the meaning of the word, as yet
discovered, is a "suburb." The connection may just do as much as indicate that, whereas
four porters kept the causeway gate, the Parbar gate was in closer proximity to the
temple that was to be, but what this Parbar really was is not yet ascertained. Possibly it is
the προάστειον of Josephus (’Ant.,’ 15. 11.5). If we add the numbers of Levites given in
these two verses, it will be noticed that they mount up to twenty-four.
18 As for the court[b] to the west, there were four
at the road and two at the court[c] itself.
BARNES, "“Parbar” must designate here the space between the western wall of the
temple building and the wall of the court, which would be a sort of “precinct” or
“purlieu” of the temple (2Ki_23:11 note). Here were two gates, at one of which two
guards were stationed; while at the Shallecheth, which gave upon the causeway, there
were four. In this whole account, the temple is spoken of as if it were existing, when it
was not as yet built. We must suppose that David formed the whole plan of the temple,
and fixed the stations and numbers of the porters, though it was left for Solomon to
carry out his instructions.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:18. At Parbar westward — Or, As concerning Parbar,
which was another gate, or some building on the western quarter of the temple.
Four at the causeway — Which led to Parbar. And two at Parbar — At the gate or
house itself; by which it may seem that this was a place of some importance, either
32

33. the vessels of the temple, or some part of the treasures of God’s house, being kept
there.G
GILL. "At Parbar westward,.... A gate at the western wall; the Jewish writers
generally interpret it an outward place, but Dr. Lightfoot (c) thinks it is the same with
Parvar, which signifies suburbs, 2Ki_23:11, and which agrees with the description
Josephus (d) gives of one of the western gates, that it led to the suburbs:
four at the causeway; by which was the gate Shallecheth, 1Ch_26:16.
and two at Parbar; the gate before mentioned.
JAMISON, "Parbar — is, perhaps, the same as Parvar (“suburbs,” 2Ki_23:11), and if
so, this gate might be so called as leading to the suburbs [Calmet].
ELLICOTT, " (18) At (the) Parbar westward.—See 2 Kings 23:11, where a plural
Parwârîm occurs. The meaning of the word is unknown. According to Gesenius
(Thesaur. p. 1123), “Parwâr” is the right spelling; and the term answers to a Persian
word denoting “summer-house,” i.e., a building open to light and air. He makes “the
Parbar” a cloister running round the court of the Temple, from which the cells were
entered. (See Note on 1 Chronicles 23:28.) Both spellings occur in Persian. Richardson’s
Persian Dictionary gives as many as fifteen variant forms of the word, besides Parwâr
and Parbâr. His definition of the meaning is, “an open gallery or balcony on the top of a
house, au upper room open on all sides to the air; a summer department or habitation;
the roof of a house; a private door or entrance to a house.”
At the causeway.—That is, the highway of 1 Chronicles 26:16. These four warders,
therefore, stood by the gate Shalleketh. Adding together the numbers given in 1
Chronicles 26:17-18, we find that there were twenty-four warders on duty every day. The
recurrence of the number is curious; but its relation to the twenty-four classes of the
porters can hardly be determined. It is likely, however, that the twenty-four warders
represent chiefs with their companies rather than individuals (comp. 1 Chronicles
26:12). Twenty-four would be an insignificant fraction of 4,000 (1 Chronicles 23:6).
POOLE, " At Parbar, or, as concerning Parbar, which was another gate, or some building
on the western quarter of the temple.
At the causeway, which led to Parbar. At Parbar; at the gate or house itself; by which it
may seem that this was a place of some importance, either the vessels of the temple, or
some part of the treasures of God’s house, being kept here.
33

34. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers
who were descendants of Korah and Merari.
GILL, "These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and
among the sons of Merari. For among those Levites which descended from Kore, a
grandson of Kohath, and which sprung from Merar, a brother of Kohath, the porters
only wore; see 1Ch_26:1.
BARNES, "The divisions of the porters - The account of the porters here given
makes them only twenty-four in number at any one time; 1Ch_23:5 states that the duty
was discharged by 4,000 persons. Perhaps of the 93 chief porters here spoken of 1Ch_
26:8-9, 1Ch_26:11, 1Ch_26:24 were always on guard as officers, while of the remaining
3,907, a certain proportion were each day on duty as their subordinates.
K&D, "1Ch_26:19
Subscription, in which it is again stated that the classes of doorkeepers were taken
from among the Korahites and Merarites.
ELLICOTT, "(19) These are the divisions of the porters.—These are the courses of the
porters, belonging to the sons of the Korhite, and to the sons of Merari. This concluding
remark proves that only the Kohathite and Merarite divisions of Levi had part in the
duty of Temple-warders. The Gershonites were not represented among the porters (see 1
Chronicles 26:1; 1 Chronicles 26:10).
The Treasurers and Other Officials
20 Their fellow Levites were[d] in charge of the
treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries
34

35. for the dedicated things.
CLARKE, "The treasures of the house of God - Where the money was kept,
which was to be expended in oblations for the temple. - Jarchi.
GILL, "And of the Levites,.... The rest of the Levites, as the Gershonites, Amramites,
Izharites, and Hebronites, 1Ch_26:21.
Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God; as the tithes, vessels,
vestments, wine, and oil, and other things; such an one was Phinehas at the time of the
destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasian, who being taken, showed and delivered the
priests' garments, and many other precious things and sacred ornaments under his care
(e): and over the treasures of the dedicated things; voluntarily devoted for sacrifices and
repairs of the temple; and this Ahijah had the care of each of those at first, which
afterwards were divided, and put under the care of different persons.
JAMISON, "1Ch_26:20-28. Levites that had charge of the treasures.
of the Levites, Ahijah — The heading of this section is altogether strange as it
stands, for it looks as if the sacred historian were going to commence a new subject
different from the preceding. Besides, “Ahijah, whose name occurs after” the Levites, is
not mentioned in the previous lists. It is totally unknown and is introduced abruptly
without further information; and lastly, Ahijah must have united in his own person
those very offices of which the occupants are named in the verses that follow. The
reading is incorrect. The Septuagint has this very suitable heading, “And their Levitical
brethren over the treasures,” etc. [Bertheau]. The names of those who had charge of the
treasure chambers at their respective wards are given, with a general description of the
precious things committed to their trust. Those treasures were immense, consisting of
the accumulated spoils of Israelitish victories, as well as of voluntary contributions made
by David and the representatives of the people.
K&D, "The stewards of the treasures of the sanctuary. - 1Ch_26:20 appears to
contain the superscription of the succeeding section. For here the treasures of the house
of God and the treasures of the consecrated things are grouped together, while in 1Ch_
26:22 and 1Ch_26:26 they are separated, and placed under the oversight of two Levite
families: the treasures of the house of Jahve under the sons of the Gershonite Laadan
(1Ch_26:21, 1Ch_26:22); the treasures of the consecrated things under the charge of the
Amramites. But with this the words ‫ָה‬‫יּ‬ ִ‫ֲח‬‫א‬ ‫ם‬ ִ‫יּ‬ ִ‫ו‬ ְ‫ל‬ ַֽ‫ה‬ cannot be made to harmonize.
According to the Masoretic accentuation, ‫ם‬ ִ‫יּ‬ ִ‫ו‬ ְ‫ל‬ ַֽ‫ה‬ alone would be the superscription; but
‫ם‬ ִ‫יּ‬ ִ‫ו‬ ְ‫ל‬ ַֽ‫ה‬ alone gives no suitable sense, for the Levites have been treated of already from 1
Chron 23 onwards. Moreover, it appears somewhat strange that there is no further
characterization of ‫ָה‬‫יּ‬ ִ‫ֲח‬‫א‬, for the name is a very common one, but has not before
occurred in our chapter, whence we would expect a statement of his descent and his
family, such as we find in the case of the succeeding chief overseers. All these things tend
35

36. to throw doubt upon the correctness of the Masoretic reading, while the lxx, on the
contrary, in καὶ οἱ Δευῖται ἀδελφοὶ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῶν θησαυρῶν κ.τ.λ, give a perfectly
suitable superscription, which involves the reading ‫ם‬ ֶ‫יה‬ ֵ‫ֲח‬‫א‬ instead of ‫ָה‬‫יּ‬ ִ‫ֲח‬‫א‬. This reading
we, with J. D. Mich. and Berth., hold to be the original. On ‫ם‬ ֶ‫יה‬ ֵ‫ֲה‬‫א‬ ‫ם‬ ִ‫יּ‬ ִ‫ו‬ ְ‫ל‬ ַֽ‫,ה‬ cf. 1Ch_6:29;
2Ch_29:34.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:20. The treasures of the house of God, and the treasures
of the dedicated things — These seem to be two different kinds of treasures, the
former containing the sacred vessels and other treasures, which by God’s command
were appropriated to the maintenance of the house; the latter only those things
which had been freely given or dedicated to God.
COFFMAN, "REGARDING THE KEEPERS OF THE TREASURES
And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the
treasures of the dedicated things. The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites
belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers; houses belonging to Ladan the
Gershonite: Jehieli. The sons of Jehieli: Zetham, and Joel his brother, over the
treasures of the house of Jehovah. Of the Amramites, of the Izharites, of the
Hebronites, of the Uzzielites: and Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was
ruler over the treasures. And his brethren: of Eliezer came Rehabiah his son, and
Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son. This
Shelemoth and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things,
which David the king, and the heads of the fathers' houses, the captains over
thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host had dedicated. Out of the
spoil won in battles did they dedicate to repair the house of Jehovah. And all that
Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the
son of Zeruiah, had dedicated, whosoever had dedicated anything, it was under the
hand of Shelomoth, and of his brethren.
COKE, "1 Chronicles 26:20. And of the Levites, Ahijah, &c.— But their brethren
the Levites were over, &c. Houbigant, who reads the 21st and 22nd verses thus: 1
Chronicles 26:21. The sons of Laadan; of the sons of Laadan the Gershonite, the
chiefs of the family of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehiel, and his sons: 1
Chronicles 26:22. But Jehiel, Zetham, and Joel, his brethren, were set over the
treasures of the house of the Lord.
ELLICOTT, "(20) And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of
God.—Literally, And the Levites—Ahijah over the treasures, . . . a strange
beginning, for hitherto none but Levites have been in question. We should have
36

37. expected at least “the other Levites.” Further, the name Ahijah is suspicious,
because (1) not found among the proper names in 1 Chronicles 23:7 sqq.; (2) it
stands alone, without any reference to a family, such as is made in every other case
(see 1 Chronicles 26:21-25); (3) the addition of the single letter m at the end of the
word, would give the sense “their brethren,” which is in fact the reading of the LXX.
Read therefore, And the Levites their brethren were over the treasures; that is, the
Levites other than those whose duties have already been described.
Treasures of the house of God.—The ordinary revenues and stores of the Sanctuary,
including various kinds of legally prescribed contributions, and special gifts (see
Exodus 30:11-14; Leviticus 27; Numbers 18:16; 1 Chronicles 29:7-8).
Treasures of the dedicated things.—See margin and 1 Chronicles 26:26-27.
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:20-28
These verses describe those Levites to whom belonged the care of the treasures of the
house of God and of the treasures of things dedicated, i.e. "dedicated to maintain the
house of the Lord" (1Ch_26:27, 1Ch_26:28).
1Ch_26:20
First, the Hebrew text contains no "of" in the first word of this verse; and, secondly, no
meaning can be obtained cut of the name Ahijah as it is placed here. The Septuagint
reading, "their brethren," is exactly what we should expect, and is paralleled by other
passages (2Ch_29:34). This correction of the present text may be safely accepted, viz.
‫ם‬ ֶ‫יה‬ ֵ‫ח‬ֲ‫א‬ for ‫ָה‬‫יּ‬ ִ‫ה‬ֲ‫א‬ The two classes of treasures are here marked, preparatory to the
statements of 1Ch_26:22 and 1Ch_26:26-28.
GUZIK, "B. Other Levitical servants to the temple.
1. (1 Chronicles 26:20-25) Overseerers for the treasuries of the house of God.
Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasuries of the house of God and over the treasuries
of the dedicated things. The sons of Laadan, the descendants of the Gershonites of
Laadan, heads of their fathers’ houses, of Laadan the Gershonite: Jehieli. The sons of
Jehieli, Zetham and Joel his brother, were over the treasuries of the house of the LORD.
Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: Shebuel the son of
Gershom, the son of Moses, was overseer of the treasuries. And his brethren by Eliezer
were Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son, and Shelomith
his son.
37

38. a. Over the treasuries of the house of God and over the treasuries of the dedicated
things: David set in order the financial organization necessary to administrate the
building of the temple, including oversight of the all the riches brought in by David’s
conquest of neighboring peoples (the dedicated things).
POOLE, "Either these are the same kind of treasures, the latter phrase only explaining
the former, the particle and being used for that is; or rather, they are two different kinds
of treasures, the former containing the sacred vessels and other treasures, which by
God’s command were appropriated to the maintenance of the house, and worship, and
ministers of God, as tithes, and first-fruits, and other things; and the latter only those
things which had been freely given or dedicated to God for those ends; of which 1
Chronicles 26:26,27.
21 The descendants of Ladan, who were
Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads
of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite,
were Jehieli,
GILL, "As concerning the sons of Laadan,.... The same with Libni, see 1Ch_
23:7.
the sons of the Gershonite Laadan; so called, to distinguish him from another
Laadan, as Kimchi thinks:
chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite; that sprung from him: were Jehieli;
and his sons next mentioned.
K&D 21-22, "1Ch_26:21-22
1Ch_26:21 and 1Ch_26:22 to together: “The sons of Laadan, (namely) the sons of the
Gershonite family which belong to Laadan, (namely) the heads of the fathers'-houses of
Laadan of the Gershonite family: Jehieli, (namely) the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his
brother Joel (see 1Ch_23:7), were over the treasures of the house of Jahve.” The
38

39. meaning is this: “Over the treasures of the house of Jahve were Zetham and Joel, the
heads of the father's-house of Jehieli, which belonged to the Laadan branch of the
Gershonites.” Light is thrown upon these words, so obscure through their brevity, by
1Ch_23:7-8, according to which the sons of Jehiel, or the Jehielites, are descended from
Laadan, the older branch of the Gershonites. This descent is briefly but fully stated in the
three clauses of the 21st verse, each of which contains a more definite characterization of
the father's-house Jehieli, whose two heads Zetham and Joel were entrusted with the
oversight of the treasures of the house of God.
ELLICOTT, "(21, 22) These two verses contain one statement, viz :—The sons of Laadan,
i.e., The sons of the Gershonite belonging to Laadan, the heads of the houses of Laadan
the Gershonite, Jehieli, that is, the sons of Kehieli, Zetham, and Joel his brother, were
over the treasures of the house of Jehovah. In other words, Zetham and Joel the chiefs of
the clan Jehiel, which was the leading house of the Laadanite branch of Gershon, had
charge of the Temple stores. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 23:7-8.) Jehieli looks like the gentilic
form of Jehiel, the Jehielite.
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:21, 1Ch_26:22
These verses name those who had the care of the treasures of the house of the Lord. They
are Gershonites through Laaden, previously called Libni (1Ch_6:17; also Exo_6:17;
Num_3:18). The sons named as heads of houses are three, viz. Jehieli (1Ch_23:8) and
his sons, Zetham and Joel. Those who think that 1Ch_23:8 carries with it the meaning
that Jehieli, Zetham, and Joel were all three brothers, can, in point of fact, plausibly
reduce this verse to their shape. For the yod, not welcome at the end of the name Jehieli
here, might be read the conjunction vau in both instances in which it occurs. The
reading would then run thus: "Jehiel and the sons of Jehiel, both Zetham and Joel his
brother."
22 the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother
Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the
temple of the Lord.
GILL, 'The sons of Jehieli: Zetham, and Joel his brother,.... Both sons of
Jehieli: which were
39

40. over the treasures of the house of the Lord; that part of the trust which before
was committed to Ahijah, which concerned provisions for sacred uses, before observed.
POOLE., "As Shelomith and his brethren were over the treasures of the dedicated things,
1 Chronicles 26:26. But both may seem to have been subject and accountable to Ahijah,
who was over both these kinds of treasures, 1 Chronicles 26:20. Or Ahijah might have a
general oversight into the management of those treasures as an auditor of the accounts,
although the others had more dignity and power in the disposal of them.
23 From the Amramites, the Izharites, the
Hebronites and the Uzzielites:
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:23. Of the Amramites — Or, Concerning the
Amramites, &c. The meaning is, the persons following were of these, or the most of
these families. Only here is none of the family of the Uzzielites; either because that
family was now extinct, whence it is that we read no more of them in the Scripture,
but only in this place, and Numbers 3:27, or because there was none of them fit to be
employed and trusted in these matters.
GILL,the Amramites and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites.
Who sprang from the four sons of Kohath, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, Exo_6:18
with respect to the concerns they severally had in the trust of the treasures, the account
follows, all but the Uzzielites, who are not after mentioned.
K&D 23-24, "1Ch_26:23-24
1Ch_26:23 and 1Ch_26:24 also go together: “As to the Amramites, Jisharites,
Hebronites, and Uzzielites (the four chief branches of the Kohathite family of Levites,
1Ch_23:15-20), Shebuel the son of Gershon, the son of Moses, was prince over the
treasures” (w before Shebuel introduces the apodosis, cf. Ew. §348, a, and = Germ. “so
war”).
40

41. ELLICOTT, " (23) of the Amramites, and the Izharites.—Or, As for the Amramites, &c.
This enumeration of the four great clans of Kohath is a sort of heading to the rest of the
chapter, which relates to Amramites (1 Chronicles 26:24-28), Izharites (1 Chronicles
26:29), and Hebronites (1 Chronicles 26:30-32). (Comp. 1 Chronicles 23:12-20.)
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:23
The chiefs of the preceding two verses were introduced as descendants of Gershon
through his son Laadan. The four names of this verse would seem to stand collectively
for that of their father Kohath. One might, under these circumstances, have looked for
the name of some member of each of these sub-families to appear in the number of the
treasure-keepers just about to be mentioned. This is not so. Yet among other officials,
and before the end of the general subject, the
Izharites (1Ch_26:29) and the Hebronites (1Ch_26:30, 1Ch_26:31) do appear. This
may possibly explain the mapping out thus of the Kohath family.
POLE, "Or, as concerning the Amramites, &c. The meaning is, the persons here
following were of these, or the most of these, families. Only here is none of the family of
the Uzzielites; either because that family was now extinct; whence it is that we read no
more of them in the Scripture, but only in this place, and Numbers 3:27; or because
there was none of them fit to be employed and trusted in these matters.
24 Shubael, a descendant of Gershom son of
Moses, was the official in charge of the treasuries.
CLARKE, "Shebuel the son of Gershom - “Shebuel, that is, Jonathan, the
son of Gershom, the son of Moses, who returned to God [‫שבואל‬ shebuel]. And David,
seeing him expert in money matters, constituted him chief treasurer.” - T.
GILL, "And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the
treasures. This is the first time that any of the posterity of Moses are taken notice of, as
being in any office of honour, authority, and trust; by the Targum he is said to be
Jonathan, spoken of in Jdg_18:30 but very wrongly; this man, according to Jarchi and
Kimchi, had all the treasures and treasurers under him.
BENSON, "1 Chronicles 26:24. Shebuel, the son of Moses — That is, descended
41

42. from Moses; was ruler of the treasures — The chief over all the treasures mentioned
before or afterward, as his very title shows, which is peculiarly given to him, and to
none of the rest. This is the sole honour that we read of hitherto conferred upon any
of the posterity of Moses.
ELLICOTT, "(24) And Shebuel.—Rather, Now Shebuel The office of comptroller-
in-chief of the treasures was hereditary in the house of this Amramite. Hence he is
called “ruler,” or rather prince, (nâgîd, 1 Chronicles 5:2; 1 Chronicles 12:27; 1
Chronicles 13:1); both departments mentioned in 1 Chronicles 26:20 being subject
to his control.
PULPIT, "1Ch_26:24, 1Ch_26:25
Shebuel (1Ch_23:16; 1Ch_24:20), then, was the Amramite representative (and
apparently a very special one in the office of ‫יר‬ִ‫ָג‬‫נ‬, here attributed to him) through
Gershom, the elder son of Moses. Next, through Eliezer, the second son of Moses, and
through Rehabiah, son of Eliezer (1Ch_23:17), we are brought to the four—Jeshaiah
(1Ch_24:21, Isshiah), and Joram, and Zichri, and Shelomith, who seem at first to
mark four successions of generations upon Rehabiah, but who more probably (though it
cannot be said positively) were four brothers, each a son of Rehabiah (1Ch_23:17). And
it may be that it is to these four that reference is made in the first clause of our next verse
(26), "Which Shelomith and his brethren," etc. The Shelomith here intended as an
Amramite must be distinguished from the Gershonite of 1Ch_23:9, and from the
Izharite of 1Ch_23:18.
25 His relatives through Eliezer: Rehabiah his
son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zikri his son
and Shelomith his son.
GILL, "And his brethren by Eliezer,.... His kinsmen that descended from Eliezer,
42

43. the brother of Gershom, the ancestor of Shebuel, whose descent from him in succession
were
Rehabiah, Jeshaiah, Joram, Zichri, and Shelomith.
K&D, "1Ch_26:25
“And his (Shebuel's) brethren of Eliezer were Rehabiah his (Eliezer's) son, and
Jeshaiah his son, ... and Shelomoth his son.” These descendants of Eliezer were called
GIhebuel was through his father Gershon.
ELLICOTT, "(25) And his brethren by Eliezer.—And his (Shebuel’s) brethren (kinsmen)
belonging to (the house of) Eliezer (Moses’ second son) were Rehabiah his (Eliezer’s)
son, and Jeshaiah his (Rehabiah’s) son, &c. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 23:17.) The object of the
verse is to show the extraction of Shelomith or Shelomoth, whose function is defined in 1
Chronicles 26:26. Shelomith the Amramite is not to be confused with the Gershomite
Shelomith (1 Chronicles 23:9), nor with the Izharite (1 Chronicles 23:18; 1 Chronicles
24:22).
26 Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of
all the treasuries for the things dedicated by King
David, by the heads of families who were the
commanders of thousands and commanders of
hundreds, and by the other army commanders.
GILL, "Which Shelomith,.... The last mentioned in the lineage from Eliezer, the
younger son of Moses:
and his brethren; or kinsmen:
43