Chapter XXV.
1–7.
The Families of the Singers.
The Chronicler displays so much interest in the liturgical worship of the Temple that it is very probable that he was himself a member of the musical guilds. There is no reason to question the importance of the musicians in the Temple worship of the late post-exilic period. But the development of their organisation and duties was certainly a gradual process, and did not, as the Chronicler here represents, spring into being, full-grown, in the days of David. Three classes—the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (= Ethan) had come to be clearly recognised. They are here regarded as divided into twenty-four courses (like the Levites and Priests), but that this even in the Chronicler’s time represents not an actuality but an ideal is suggested by the artificial character of the names which conclude the list—see verse 4, note on Hananiah.
¹Moreover David and the captains of the host separated for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of them that did the work according to their service was:
1. Moreover David] Render, And David.
separated] compare xxiii. 13, note.
who should prophesy] i.e. sing and praise in the manner of the prophets, compare 1 Samuel x. 5. There is no reference to the predictive power or the higher spiritual activities of the great prophets. Nevertheless the term serves, and is intended, to invest the office of the musicians with a greater honour than that of the ministrant Levites.
psalteries] See xiii. 8, note.
²of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah¹, the sons of Asaph; under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied after the order² of the king.
2. Asaph] See xv. 17, note.
Asharelah] In verse 14, “Jesharelah.”
after the order] All was done according to the order established by king David.
³Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri¹, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six²; under the hands of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord.
3. Jeduthun] See xvi. 41, note.
Zeri] read as in verse 11, Izri.
Jeshaiah] After Jeshaiah LXX. B inserts the name “Shimei” (Σεμεεὶ), no doubt rightly for (1) six sons are reckoned in this verse, (2) the “Shimei” of verse 17 is otherwise unmentioned in verses 2–4, though his twenty-three companions are named.
⁴Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel¹, Shebuel², and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth:
4. Heman] See xv. 17, note.
Uzziel] In verse 18, “Azarel.” The variation between the two words when written with Hebrew consonants is small. Compare note on 2 Chronicles xxvi. 1 (“Uzziah” and “Azariah”).
Shebuel] In verse 20, “Shubael.”
Jerimoth] In verse 22, “Jeremoth.”
Hananiah, Hanani] Hananiah, which signifies “Jehovah (Jah) is gracious,” and Hanani (probably a contraction of Hananiah) are names found not infrequently in the Old Testament; but the following seven words are practically impossible as proper names, and the nine words together, with some easy alterations, actually form a poetical petition, which may be rendered thus:
“Be gracious unto me, O God; be gracious unto me!
Thou art my God.
Thou hast magnified and exalted help for him that sat in distress.
Thou hast given visions abundantly.”
What explanation can be offered of this startling fact? It may be that the names are wholly artificial, invented by the Chronicler to fill out the desired twenty-four courses (see the head-note above), but the device is clumsy and the Chronicler was not likely to be bankrupt for names. Perhaps by a curious chance the original names bore some slight resemblance to a sentence such as the above, and the resemblance has at some time been perfected by a fanciful scribe.
⁵all these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. ⁶All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; Asaph¹, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king.
5. the king’s seer] This title is given to Gad in xxi. 9, and to Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, all three in 2 Chronicles xxxv. 15 (LXX. not Hebrew).
in the words of God] The exact meaning of this is uncertain; it may either mean “in Divine things” (i.e. arrangements for worship), or “by Divine appointment” (compare 2 Chronicles xxix. 15 “by the words of the Lord”).
to lift up the horn] i.e. to make loud blasts upon the horn; but a slightly different division of the Hebrew consonants should probably be made and the phrase connected with the following verse. Render therefore, To lift up the horn (i.e. to increase his power) God gave to Heman, etc.
fourteen sons] Corresponding with the fourteen names given in verse 4.
⁷And the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in singing unto the Lord, even all that were skilful, was two hundred fourscore and eight.
7. two hundred fourscore and eight] The number corresponds with the twenty-four courses of twelve members each about to be enumerated.
8–31.
The Allotment of the Courses.
⁸And they cast lots for their charges¹, all alike, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.
8. for their charges, all alike] charges, i.e. duties. The Hebrew text is faulty, but the Revised Version rendering probably represents the right reading.
the teacher as the scholar] LXX. τελείων καὶ μανθανόντων (i.e. the initiated and the learners). For a similar inclusive phrase compare the Arabic “he that giveth to hear and he that heareth,” and see further references in Driver, Deuteronomy (International Crititcal Commentary), p. 376. Instead of “the teacher” we may render “the skilful” as in verse 7; the Hebrew word is the same. It is to be noted that we have here twenty-four courses of singers corresponding with the twenty-four courses of the priests.
⁹Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah; he and his brethren and sons were twelve: ¹⁰the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
9. for Asaph] A comparison of verses 9–31 with verses 2–4 shows that the first, third, fifth and seventh lots fell to Asaph, the second, fourth, eighth, tenth, twelfth and fourteenth to Jeduthun, and the rest (fourteen in number) to Heman.
¹¹the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ¹²the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ¹³the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
11. Izri] See note on Zeri, verse 3.
¹⁴the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ¹⁵the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ¹⁶the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
14. Jesharelah] Compare verse 2.
¹⁷the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
17. Shimei] Not mentioned in the present text of verses 2–4; see note on Jeshaiah, verse 3.
¹⁸the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ¹⁹the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
18. Azarel] Called Uzziel, verse 4.
²⁰for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ²¹for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
20. Shubael] Called Shebuel, verse 4.
²²for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ²³for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ²⁴for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ²⁵for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ²⁶for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ²⁷for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ²⁸for the one and twentieth to Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ²⁹for the two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ³⁰for the three and twentieth to Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve: ³¹for the four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.
22. Jeremoth] Called Jerimoth, verse 4.
Chapter XXVI.
1–12 (compare ix. 17–27).
The Courses of the Doorkeepers.
¹For the courses of the doorkeepers: of the Korahites; Meshelemiah¹ the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph². ²And Meshelemiah had sons; Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth;
1. Meshelemiah, etc.] For the names of the doorkeepers see notes on ix. 17 ff.
of the sons of Asaph] For Asaph read Ebiasaph, as in ix. 19.
³Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
3. Eliehoenai] The form differs from that in iii. 23, but has the same meaning, viz., “Mine eyes are towards Jehovah.”
⁴And Obed-edom had sons; Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethanel the fifth;
4. Obed-edom] For Obed-edom see xiii. 13, note.
⁵Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth: for God blessed him. ⁶Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled over the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.
5. for God blessed him] “him” refers to “Obed-edom” (verse 4), who was blessed with eight sons. It seems likely that the phrase “God blessed him” is intended to be a reminiscence of xiii. 14 and indicates that the Levitical Obed-edom was strangely identified by tradition with Obed-edom the Gittite in whose house the Ark was temporarily left by David (xiii. 13). For other references to Obed-edom as one of the doorkeepers, see xv. 18, 24, xvi. 38. On the other hand he is classed as a singer in xv. 21, xvi. 5, passages which are probably additions to the original text of Chronicles, or at any rate represent later or divergent tradition.
⁷The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were valiant men, Elihu, and Semachiah. ⁸All these were of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men in strength for the service; threescore and two of Obed-edom.
7. whose brethren] The pronoun refers to Elzabad.
⁹And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, valiant men, eighteen.
9. Meshelemiah] Compare verses 1–3 to which verse 9 is a supplement.
¹⁰Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Shimri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief;) ¹¹Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.
10. Hosah] He is mentioned as a doorkeeper along with Obed-edom in xvi. 38.
¹²Of these were the courses of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having charges¹ like as their brethren, to minister in the house of the Lord.
12. Of these ... even of the chief men] In verses 8, 9, 11 taken together ninety-three doorkeepers are enumerated, who are presumably the heads of the four thousand mentioned in xxiii. 5. In ix. 22 again the total number (as it seems) of doorkeepers is given as two hundred and twelve. The discrepancy may be due to the Chronicler having used different documents belonging to different dates: for other possibilities see note on ix. 22.
13–19 (compare ix. 23–26).
The Stations of the Doorkeepers.
Remark how naïvely the Chronicler names various parts of the Temple as if it had been already in existence at this time.
¹³And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate. ¹⁴And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah¹. Then for Zechariah his son, a discreet counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward. ¹⁵To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the storehouse.
14. Shelemiah] i.e. Meshelemiah, verses 1, 2.
¹⁶To Shuppim and Hosah westward, by the gate of Shallecheth¹, at the causeway that goeth up, ward against ward. ¹⁷Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the storehouse two and two.
16. To Shuppim and Hosah] Read, To Hosah. The word “Shuppim” should be omitted from the text. It is merely an accidental repetition (in a corrupt form) of the last word in verse 15, namely “Asuppim,” rendered storehouse.
by the gate of Shallecheth] There is no other mention in the Bible of a gate “Shallecheth,” but it is perhaps to be identified with “the entering in of the house of the Lord ... which was in the precincts” (“Parvārim” Hebrew) mentioned 2 Kings xxiii. 11; compare note on verse 18. Possibly the text should be corrected and we should read, following the LXX., “by the gate of the chamber.”
at the causeway that goeth up] “The causeway” led up to the Temple either from Ophel (on the south) or from the Western City (across the Tyropœon Valley). Traces of two causeways have been discovered by excavation, viz., “Wilson’s Arch” (Bädeker, Palestine⁵, p. 65) and “Robinson’s Arch” (Palestine⁵ p. 66). The second of these arches probably marks the site of a causeway belonging to the period of the Kings.
¹⁸For Parbar¹ westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar¹. ¹⁹These were the courses of the doorkeepers; of the sons of the Korahites, and of the sons of Merari.
18. Parbar] This word, apparently the same as parvarim, 2 Kings xxiii. 11 (Revised Version “precincts”; compare margin here), seems to denote some building built on the Temple area on the west side. It may have been a colonnade. The word is Persian and means “lighted [by the sun].”
20–32.
Various Officers.
²⁰And of the Levites¹, Ahijah was over the treasuries of the house of God, and over the treasuries of the dedicated² things.
20. And of the Levites, Ahijah was over] Read (with LXX.; compare margin), And the Levites their brethren were over. The confusion of readings is easy in Hebrew; compare ii. 25 for a similar case.
the dedicated things] Compare verses 26–28.
²¹The sons of Ladan¹; the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers’ houses belonging to Ladan the Gershonite; Jehieli².
21. Ladan] compare xxiii. 7; called Libni in vi. 17 [2, Hebrew].
Jehieli] Read Jehiel as in xxiii. 8, xxix. 8; and probably delete the following “The sons of Jehieli,” compare xxiii. 8.
²²The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, over the treasuries of the house of the Lord.
22. Zetham, and Joel] These appear as brethren of Jehiel in xxiii. 8; but since families, not individuals, are spoken of, the discrepancy is not important.
²³Of the Amramites, of the Izharites, of the Hebronites, of the Uzzielites:
23. the Amramites, etc.] Compare xxiii. 12.
²⁴and Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler over the treasuries.
24. Shebuel] rather Shubael, as in xxiv. 20; compare xxiii. 16.
²⁵And his brethren; of Eliezer came Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son.
25. of Eliezer came Rehabiah] Compare xxiii. 15–17, xxiv. 21.
Shelomoth] (so Kethīb); Authorized Version Shelomith follows Ḳerī; compare verse 28 (margin).
²⁶This Shelomoth and his brethren were over all the treasuries 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. ²⁷Out of the spoil¹ won in battles did they dedicate to repair the house of the Lord. ²⁸And 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 any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomoth², and of his brethren.
26. David the king] Compare xviii. 11.
²⁹Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.
29. Izharites] Compare xxiii. 12.
the outward business] This business is here expressly defined as work “for officers and judges,” as compared with the duties of maintaining the worship of the Temple and the construction or repair of the fabric (compare xxiii. 4; 2 Chronicles xix. 11; Nehemiah xi. 16).
³⁰Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond Jordan westward; for all the business of the Lord, and for the service of the king.
30. the Hebronites] Compare xxiii. 12.
had the oversight of Israel] How their duties were related to those of Chenaniah and his sons (verse 29) is not made clear.
beyond Jordan westward] Compare Joshua xxii. 7, Revised Version Western Palestine is meant.
³¹Of the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers’ houses. 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.
31. Jerijah] called Jeriah (Hebrew Jerijahu) in xxiii. 19.
at Jazer] compare vi. 81 (vi. 66, Hebrew); Numbers xxi. 32, Revised Version The Eastern Hebronites were given office east of Jordan; compare verse 32.
³²And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred, heads of fathers’ houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king.
32. his brethren] i.e. the brethren of Jerijah. It is remarkable that their number should be given as 2700 for the two and a half tribes, whereas the overseers for the nine and a half tribes west of Jordan are said to number only 1700. Curtis sees in this a hint of the importance of Gilead in the Chronicler’s period (compare 1 Maccabees v. 45).