1 Paralipomenon xxiv.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 2. Before. Hebrew, “in the presence of.” See Leviticus x. 2. — Priesthood, under Aaron. Eleazar succeeded him, and the posterity of Ithamar obtained the dignity under Heli.
Ver. 3. Ahimelech is styled also Achimelech and Abiathar, ver. 6, 21., and chap. xviii. 16. (Calmet) — Courses, twenty-four, which were to serve by lot, that no one might complain, as they were equally princes, ver. 5. Hence St. Dionisius styles Zachary “prince of the priests.” But the pontiff was over all. (Tirinus)
Ver. 4. Houses. The descendants of Eleazar were far more numerous.
Ver. 5. Of God, great. Elohim also signifies “judges,” and we might translate, “princes of the judges.” (Grotius) (Du Hamel) — These men occupied the first dignities of the priesthood, and of the judicature, or they were princes in all sacred affairs. (Calmet) — They were to offer sacrifice, and to enjoy spiritual jurisdiction, in the house of God. (Worthington) — As their claims were therefore equal, the decision was left to lots. (Menochius) — It would have been otherwise difficult for all to be satisfied. See Josue vii. 14. (Calmet)
Ver. 6. Ithamar. All was done with the utmost order, and the priests took care to observe the regulation, till the end of the republic. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] vii. 2., and contra Apion i., and ii., and Luke i. 5.) — The family of Eleazar had many prerogatives over the rest, as it was longer in possession of the high priesthood, and more numerous; but that of Ithamar, gave pontiffs to the nation at the time of this regulation. The Hebrew is very obscure, and is deemed incorrect. (Cap.) (Grotius) (Calmet) — Protestants, “one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.” — The insertion of “one,” which is in the Septuagint, removes the difficulty. (Haydock) — The two families were enregistered alternately, (Menochius) till the eight families of Ithamar were done. (Haydock)
Ver. 10. Abia, the progenitor of St. John the Baptist, Luke i. 5. Yet whether his father was “chief of the priests” of his course, as St. Dionisius asserts, or whether he sprung from Eleazar, or from Ithamar, is uncertain. (Tirinus)
Ver. 19. Aaron, and his successors. The former might have given some directions, which tradition had preserved. (Calmet)
Ver. 20. Subael, grandson of Moses, chap. xxiii. 16.
Ver. 21. Rohobia was in the same degree, by Eliezer. (Menochius)
Ver. 23. And his. Protestants, “the sons of Hebron, Jeriah, the first.” The words underlined, shew what omissions are in the text, (Haydock) which is probably corrupted, as well as the Septuagint. Jeria and Amarias were sons of Hebron, chap. xxiii. 19., and xxvi. 31. Jahath may, therefore, be the same with Hebron. (Calmet)
Ver. 26. The son. Hebrew, “the son of Jehasia, or of Oziau….” But the name of this son is lost. It is wonderful that the posterity of Gersom are passed over. (Calmet) — Protestants, “the sons of Jaaziah; Beno. — 27. The sons of Merari, by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoam.” (Haydock) — Septuagint vary, and the original text is supposed to be changed by some transcriber, (Capel. &c.) as we read only of Moholi and Musi, ver. 26., and chap. xxiii. 21.
Ver. 31. Over-against, in imitation of the priests, (Calmet) being likewise divided into twenty-four classes. (Tirinus) — Both, &c. Hebrew, “the principal fathers over-against their younger brethren.” All the rest is omitted. Lots decided the place and functions both of father and children. (Haydock)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The divisions of the priests into four and twenty courses, to serve in the temple: the chiefs of the Levites.
1 Now these were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abiu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar.
2 *But Nadab and Abiu died before their father, and had no children: so Eleazar and Ithamar did the office of the priesthood.
3 And David distributed them, that is, Sadoc, of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech, of the sons of Ithamar, according to their courses and ministry.
4 And there were found many more of the sons of Eleazar among the principal men, than of the sons of Ithamar. And he divided them so, that there were of the sons of Eleazar, sixteen chief men, by their families: and of the sons of Ithamar, eight, by their families and houses.
5 And he divided both the families, one with the other, by lot: for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
6 And Semeias, the son of Nathanael, the scribe, a Levite, wrote them down before the king and the princes, and Sadoc, the priest, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, and the princes also, of the priestly and Levitical families: one house, which was over the rest, of Eleazar: and another house, which had the rest under it, of Ithamar.
7 Now the first lot came forth to Joiarib, the second to Jedei,
8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
9 The fifth to Melchia, the sixth to Maiman,
10 The seventh to Accos, the eighth to Abia,
11 The ninth to Jesua, the tenth to Sechenia,
12 The eleventh to Eliasib, the twelfth to Jacim,
13 The thirteenth to Hoppha, the fourteenth to Isbaab,
14 The fifteenth to Belga, the sixteenth to Emmer,
15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,
16 The nineteenth to Pheteia, the twentieth to Hezechiel,
17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,
18 The three and twentieth to Dalaiau, the four and twentieth to Maaziau.
19 These are their courses, according to their ministries, to come into the house of the Lord, and according to their manner, under the hand of Aaron, their father: as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.
20 Now, of the rest of the sons of Levi, there was of the sons of Amram, Subael: and of the sons of Subael, Jehedeia.
21 Also of the sons of Rohobia, the chief, Jesias.
22 And the son of Isaar, Salemoth; and the son of Salemoth, Jahath:
23 And his son, Jeriau, the first, Amarias, the second, Jahaziel, the third, Jecmaan, the fourth.
24 The son of Oziel, Micha: the son of Micha, Samir.
25 The brother of Micha, Jesia: and the son of Jesia, Zacharias.
26 The sons of Merari: Moholi and Musi: the son of Oziau: Benno.
27 The son also of Merari: Oziau, and Soam, and Zacchur, and Hebri.
28 And the son of Moholi: Eleazar, who had no sons.
29 And the son of Cis, Jeramael.
30 The sons of Musi: Moholi, Eder, and Jerimoth. These are the sons of Levi, according to the houses of their families.
31 And they also cast lots over-against their brethren, the sons of Aaron, before David, the king, and Sadoc, and Ahimelech, and the princes of the priestly and Levitical families, both the elder and the younger. The lot divided all equally.
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2: Leviticus x. 2.; Numbers iii. 4.