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1 Paralipomenon xxiii.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 1. Full,
satisfied, in the last year of his reign, and the 70th of his age. (Du Hamel) --- Cur non ut plenus vitæ conviva recedit?
(Lucretius iii.) --- Israel. This example was much followed by succeeding kings. (Calmet) --- Yet this is controverted.
(Houbigant) (Haydock)
Ver. 2. Princes,
heads of families, or officers of the army, chap. xxv. 1. (Menochius)
Ver. 3. Numbered
at the same time, when David caused his son to be crowned, and made these fresh regulations, ver. 27., and chap. xxvi. 31.
--- Upwards, according to the plan given by Moses. David afterwards ordered people of twenty years of age, to begin
to serve in the tabernacle, as it was now fixed, and consequently the labours were diminished. This tended to augment the
splendour of the religious worship, and to edify the people, who could not attend so constantly, in person.
Ver. 4. Overseers.
Hebrew shoterim. Septuagint, "scribes." Others suppose "lictors and executioners," who attended the judges.
(Grotius) --- These were functions from which the priests were exempted; (Calmet) so that the Levites alone are meant. (Menochius)
--- Judges. They had to decide the causes of the people, 2 Paralipomenon xxix. (Du Hamel)
Ver. 5. David.
Literally, "he." Septuagint, "they." Protestants, "which I made (said David) to praise therewith." (Haydock)
Ver. 6. Into
24 courses, like the priests, that each class might serve twice a year for a whole week, chap. xxiv. 31. (Tirinus)
--- God had already made choice of the posterity of Levi; and David, with the princes, Sadoc, &c., disposed of them by
lots, (chap. xxiv. 6.) to serve in the tabernacle, and in the future temple. (Worthington)
Ver. 7. Leedan,
or Lebni, Numbers iii. 18. (Menochius)
Ver. 8. Chief,
head of the rest; (Haydock) or all these three were chiefs, (Junius) no less than the sons of Semei, ver. 9.
Ver. 9. Semei;
perhaps (Calmet) sons of Joel. (Du Hamel) --- The brother of Leedan had four sons, ver. 10. (Menochius)
Ver. 10. Ziza.
Hebrew has "Zina," but reads "Ziza," ver. 11. (Calmet)
Ver. 11. Children.
All together were not more than the children of each of the preceding, so that they only formed one class. (Tirinus) --- It
would have been too burdensome for them to have performed the same service with those who were far more numerous: (Haydock)
therefore the sons of Semei were joined with the family of Leedan: (Calmet) or rather Jaus and Baria went together, as one
family. --- Counted. Hebrew, "in one class, according to their father's house." (Haydock)
Ver. 13. Minister.
Hebrew, "to sanctify the holy of holies." --- His. Hebrew, "in his name," with solemnity, Numbers vi. 23. The Levites
might bless the name of the Lord.
Ver. 14. Levi,
but not among the priests, (Calmet) though their father was an extraordinary priest, appointed by God to anoint Aaron, Psalm
xcviii. (Du Hamel)
Ver. 15. Eliezer.
His being uncircumcised, had almost proved fatal to his father, Exodus iv. 24. (Menochius) --- First. He might have
other brothers, (Calmet) though the title may be given to an only son, ver. 17., and Matthew i. 25. Subuel was perhaps (Haydock)
chief of a family, (Calmet) and was appointed over the treasury, chap. xxvi. 24. (Menochius)
Ver. 24. Old.
See ver. 3., and Numbers iv. 3. --- And upwards; as long as they were able to serve. They were excused from carrying
the tabernacle, &c., at fifty years of age, Numbers viii. 25. (Abulensis) (Menochius) --- To those who were turned of
thirty, the higher offices were entrusted; while the Levites began at twenty, to exercise themselves in things of less consequence,
under the direction of their elder brethren. (Tirinus) --- The kings might declare, by the advice of the Sanhedrim, what laws
were of a temporary nature. (Grotius) (Du Hamel)
Ver. 25. Ever.
They will not have to carry, the sacred vessels about, as formerly. (Haydock) --- In order that they may not be idle, we must
therefore provide them some other employment, ver. 28, &c. (Tirinus)
Ver. 28. Place.
Hebrew, "purifying all that is holy;" (Haydock) keeping clean all that is used about the sacred ministry. (Calmet)
Ver. 29. And
the priests, &c. This is not found in Hebrew or Septuagint. The Levites might prepare these things; though the priests
alone were to offer them in sacrifice. (Tirinus) (Chap. ix. 32., and Leviticus xxiv. 8.) --- Others think that (Calmet) the
priests received flour from the people, and baked it. (Menochius) --- But St. Jerome follows the tradition of the Jews, intimating
that the priests sowed the corn, and did every thing about the loaves of proposition, Malachias i. 6. --- Flour, Leviticus
ii. 1. --- Cakes, Exodus xxix. 2. --- Roasting the first-fruits, Leviticus ii. 14. (Menochius) --- Measure.
A standard was kept in the temple, (Exodus xxx. 13.; Calmet) to prevent any fraud. The Ediles at Rome performed the same office.
(Tirinus) --- There were not two measures in the country, as that would have caused confusion. (Du Hamel)
Ver. 30. And
the Levites. This also is omitted in Hebrew, "and to stand," &c., as all the preceding offices pertained to the Levites,
(Haydock) and priests were bound equally with them to praise the Lord.
Ver. 31. Lord.
Music accompanied this service twice a day, as it did the sacrifices which were offered for the prince, or for the nation,
Numbers x. 10. (Calmet) --- Rest. Hebrew, "the set festivals, by number, according to the order prescribed unto them
continually," &c. (Haydock)
Ver. 32. Brethren.
Let them follow the directions of the high priests, who are of the same tribe. (Menochius)
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Bible Text & Cross-references:
David appointeth Solomon king. The distribution of the
Levites, and their offices.
1 And *David, being old and full of days, made Solomon, his son, king
over Israel.
2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, and the priests
and Levites.
3 And the Levites were numbered, from the age of thirty years, and upwards:
and there were found of them thirty-eight thousand men.
4 Of these twenty-four thousand were chosen, and distributed unto the
ministry of the house of the Lord: and six thousand were the overseers and judges.
5 Moreover, four thousand were porters: and as many singers, singing
to the Lord with the instruments which David had made to sing with.
6 *And David distributed them into courses, by the families of the sons
of Levi; to wit, of Gerson, and of Caath, and of Merari.
7 The sons of Gerson were, Leedan and Semei.
8 The sons of Leedan: the chief, Jahiel, and Zethan, and Joel, three.
9 The sons of Semei: Salomith, and Hosiel, and Aran, three: these were
the heads of the families of Leedan.
10 And the sons of Semei were, Leheth, and Ziza, and Jaus, and Baria:
these were the sons of Semei, four.
11 And Leheth was the first, Ziza the second: but Jaus and Baria had
not many children, and therefore they were counted in one family, and in one house.
12 The sons of Caath were, Amram, and Isaar, Hebron, and Oziel, four.
13 *The sons of Amram, Aaron, and Moses. **And Aaron was separated to
minister in the holy of holies, he and his sons, for ever, and to burn incense before the Lord, according to his ceremonies,
and to bless his name for ever.
14 The sons also of Moses, the man of God, were numbered in the tribe
of Levi.
15 The sons *of Moses were, Gersom, and Eliezer:
16 The sons of Gersom: Subuel, the first.
17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Rohobia, the first: and Eliezer
had no more sons. But the sons of Rohobia were multiplied exceedingly.
18 The sons of Isaar: Salomith, the first.
19 The sons of Hebron: Jeriau, the first, Amarias, the second, Jahaziel,
the third, Jecmaam, the fourth.
20 The sons of Oziel: Micha, the first, Jesia, the second.
21 The sons of Merari: Moholi, and Musi. The sons of Moholi: Eleazar,
and Cis.
22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and the sons of
Cis, their brethren, took them.
23 The sons of Musi: Moholi, and Eder, and Jerimoth, three.
24 These are the sons of Levi, in their kindreds and families, princes
by their courses, and the number of every head that did the works of the ministry of the house of the Lord, from twenty years
old and upwards.
25 For David said: The Lord, the God of Israel, hath given rest to his
people, and an habitation in Jerusalem, for ever.
26 And it shall not be the office of the Levites to carry any more the
tabernacle, and all the vessels for the service thereof.
27 So according to the last precepts of David, the sons of Levi are to
be numbered from twenty years old and upwards.
28 And they are to be under the hand of the sons of Aaron, for the service
of the house of the Lord, in the porches, and in the chambers, and in the place of purification, and in the sanctuary, and
in all the works of the ministry of the temple of the Lord.
29 And the priests have the charge of the loaves of proposition, and
of the sacrifice of fine flour, and of the unleavened cakes, and of the frying-pan, and of the roasting, and of every weight
and measure.
30 And the Levites are to stand in the morning, to give thanks, and to
sing praises to the Lord: and in like manner in the evening,
31 As well in the oblation of the holocausts of the Lord, as in the sabbaths
and in the new moons, and the rest of the solemnities, according to the number and ceremonies prescribed for every thing,
continually, before the Lord.
32 And let them keep the observances of the tabernacle of the covenant,
and the ceremonies of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, that they may minister in the house
of the Lord.
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*
1: Year of the World 2988.
6: 1 Paralipomenon vi. 1.
13: 1 Paralipomenon vi. 3. --- ** Hebrews v. 4.
15: Exodus ii. 22. and xviii. 3. and 4.
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