I
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. XXVI.
We
have here an account of the business of the Levites. That tribe had made but a
very small figure all the time of the judges, till Eli and Samuel appeared.
But when David revived religion the Levites were, of all men, in the greatest
reputation. And happy it was that they had Levites who were men of sense, fit
to support the honour of their tribe. We have here an account, I. Of the
Levites that were appointed to be porters, ver. 1-19. II. Of those that were
appointed to be treasurers and storekeepers, ver. 20-28. III. Of those that
were officers and judges in the country, and were entrusted with the
administration of public affairs, ver. 29-32.
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The
Officers of the Levites.
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B.
C. Date.
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1 Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of
the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
2 And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael
the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3
Elam
the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. 4
Moreover the sons of Obed-edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad
the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the
fifth, 5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the
eighth: for God blessed him. 6 Also unto Shemaiah his son were
sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were
mighty men of valour. 7 The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael,
and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.
8 All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren,
able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of
Obed-edom. 9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men,
eighteen. 10 Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons;
Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father
made him the chief;) 11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third,
Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were
thirteen. 12 Among these were the divisions of the porters,
even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to
minister in the house of the LORD.
13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house
of their fathers, for every gate. 14 And the lot eastward fell to
Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and
his lot came out northward. 15 To Obed-edom southward; and to his
sons the house of Asuppim. 16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came
forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going
up, ward against ward. 17 Eastward were six Levites,
northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and
two. 18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two
at Parbar. 19 These are the divisions of the porters among
the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.
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 (Matt. xvi.
19), that they may admit, and exclude, according to the law of Christ.
II. Of several of those that were called to this service, it is taken notice
of that they were mighty men of valour (v. 6), strong men
(v. 7), able men (v. 8), and one of them that he was a wise
counsellor (v. 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, 1 Tim. iii. 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 (v. 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, 1 Tim. iii. 4, 5. I have kept thy law, says David,
and this I had because I kept thy precepts, Ps. cxix. 55, 56.
IV. It is said of one here that though he was not the first-born his father
made him the chief (v. 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, Deut. xxi. 16, 17),
but in this service, which required personal qualifications.
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, v. 13. It is not said that they were cast into
twenty-four courses, as before; but here are the names of about twenty-four (v.
1-11), and the posts assigned are twenty-four, v. 17, 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. xxi. 12.
20 And of the Levites, Ahijah was over
the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated
things. 21 As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of
the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were
Jehieli. 22 The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which
were over the treasures of the house of the LORD.
23 Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the
Uzzielites: 24 And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was
ruler of the treasures. 25 And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah
his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and
Shelomith his son. 26 Which Shelomith and his brethren were
over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the
chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of
the host, had dedicated. 27 Out of the spoils won in battles did
they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD.
28 And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son
of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had
dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his
brethren.
Observe, 1. There were treasures of the house of God. A great house
cannot be well kept without stores of all manner of provisions. Much was
expended daily upon the altar-flour, wine, oil, salt, fuel, besides the lamps;
quantities of these were to be kept beforehand, besides the sacred vestments
and utensils. These were the treasures of the house of God. And,
because money answers all things, doubtless they had an abundance of it, which
was received from the people's offerings, wherewith they bought in what they
had occasion for. And perhaps much was laid up for an exigence. These
treasures typified the plenty there is in our heavenly Father's house, enough
and to spare. In Christ, the true temple, are hid treasures of wisdom and
knowledge, and unsearchable riches. 2. There were treasures of
dedicated things, dedicated mostly out of the spoils won in battle
(v. 27), as a grateful acknowledgment of the divine protection. Abraham
gave Melchisedec the tenth of the spoils Heb. vii. 4. In Moses's time
the officers of the army, when they returned victorious, brought of their
spoils an oblation to the Lord, Num. xxxi. 50. Of late this pious
custom had been revived; and not only Samuel and David, but Saul, and Abner,
and Joab, had dedicated of their spoils to the honour and support of the house
of God, v. 28. Note, The more God bestows upon us the more he expects
from us in works of piety and charity. Great successes call for proportionable
returns. When we look over our estates we should consider, "Here are
convenient things, rich things, it may be, and fine things; but where are the
dedicated things?" Men of war must honour God with their spoils. 3. These
treasures had treasurers, those that were over them (v. 20, 26), whose
business it was to keep them, that neither moth nor rust might corrupt
them, nor thieves break through and steal, to give out as there was
occasion and to see that they were not wasted, embezzled, or alienated to the
common use; and it is probable that they kept accounts of all that was brought
in and how it was laid out.
29 Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were
for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges. 30 And
of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and
seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan
westward in all the business of the LORD,
and in the service of the king. 31 Among the Hebronites was
Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the
generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they
were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer
of Gilead. 32 And his brethren, men of valour, were two
thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the
Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter
pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.
All the offices of the house of God being well provided with Levites, we have
here an account of those that were employed as officers and judges in the
outward business, which must not be neglected, no, not for the temple itself.
The magistracy is an ordinance of God for the good of the church as truly as
the ministry is. And here we are told, 1. That the Levites were employed in
the administration of justice in concurrence with the princes and elders of
the several tribes, who could not be supposed to understand the law so well as
the Levites, who made it their business to study it. None of those Levites who
were employed in the service of the sanctuary, none of the singers or porters,
were concerned in this outward business; either one was enough to engage the
whole man or it was presumption to undertake both. 2. Their charge was both in
all business of the Lord, and in the service of the kings, v.
30 and again v. 32. They managed the affairs of the country, as well
ecclesiastical as civil, took care both of God's tithes and the king's taxes,
punished offences committed immediately against God and his honour and those
against the government and the public peace, guarded both against idolatry and
against injustice, and took care to put the laws in execution against both.
Some, it is likely, applied themselves to the affairs of religion, others to
secular affairs; and so, between both, God and the king were well served. It
is happy with a kingdom when its civil and sacred interests are thus
interwoven and jointly minded and advanced. 3. There were more Levites
employed as judges with the two tribes and a half on the other side of Jordan
than with all the rest of the tribes; there were 2700; whereas as the west
side of Jordan there were 1700, v. 30, 32. Either those remote tribes
were not so well furnished as the rest with judges of their own, or because
they, lying furthest from Jerusalem and on the borders of the neighbouring
nations, were most in danger of being infected with idolatry, and most needed
the help of Levites to prevent it. The frontiers must be well guarded. 4. This
is said to be done (as were all the foregoing settlements) in the fortieth
year of the reign of David (v. 31), that is, the last year of his
reign. We should be so much the more industrious to do good as we can see
the day approaching. If we live to enjoy the fruit of our labours, grudge
it not to those that shall come after us.
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