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1
Chronicles Chapter Twenty-six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 26
In
this chapter we have a further account of the disposition and distribution of
the Levites, to serve in other offices, as of porters at the several gates of
the temple, for which they cast lots, 1 Chronicles 26:1
of others, as over the treasures of the house of the Lord, 1 Chronicles 26:20,
and of others that were appointed judges in the land, to administer justice to
the people, 1 Chronicles 26:29.
1 Chronicles
26:1 Concerning the
divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of
the sons of Asaph.
YLT
1For the courses of the
gatekeepers: of the Korhites [is] Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the sons of
Asaph;
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,
1 Chronicles 6:23 a
Korhite.
1 Chronicles
26:2 2 And
the sons of Meshelemiah were Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the
second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
YLT
2and to Meshelemiah [are]
sons, Zechariah the first-born, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third,
Jathniel the fourth,
Verse 2-3
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.
1 Chronicles
26:3 3 Elam
the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
YLT
3Elam the fifth, Jehohanan
the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
1 Chronicles 26:4 4 Moreover the sons of
Obed-Edom were Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the
third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,
YLT
4And to Obed-Edom [are]
sons, Shemaiah the first-born, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar
the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,
Verse 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, 1 Chronicles 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 JewsF17Hieron.
Trad. Heb. in 2. Reg. fol. 77. M. beyond all credit, that all in his family
brought eight at a birth; the Targum here makes them eighty two in all.
1 Chronicles 26:5 5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar
the seventh, Peulthai the eighth; for God blessed him.
YLT
5Ammiel the sixth, Issachar
the seventh, Peullethai the eighth, for God hath blessed him.
1 Chronicles 26:6 6 Also to Shemaiah his son
were sons born who governed their fathers’ houses, because they were men
of great ability.
YLT
6And to Shemaiah his son
have sons been born, who are ruling throughout the house of their father, for
they [are] mighty of valour.
Also unto Shemaiah his son,.... His firstborn, 1 Chronicles 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.
1 Chronicles 26:7 7 The sons of Shemaiah were
Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers Elihu and Semachiah were
able men.
YLT
7Sons of Shemaiah [are]
Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad; his brethren [are] sons of valour, Elihu
and Semachiah,
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, JosephusF18Contr. Apion. l.
2. sect. 9. says, required the assistance of twenty men.
1 Chronicles 26:8 8 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.
YLT
8all these [are] of the sons
of Obed-Edom; they, and their sons, and their brethren, men of valour with
might for service, [are] sixty and two of Obed-Edom.
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 JewsF19T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 63. 2. & 64. 1. account
for in an extravagant manner, as the effect of miraculous births.
1 Chronicles 26:9 9 And Meshelemiah had sons
and brethren, eighteen able men.
YLT
9And to Meshelemiah [are]
sons and brethren, sons of valour, eighteen;
And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen,.... He had
seven sons, 1 Chronicles 26:1
and therefore must have eleven brethren or kinsmen.
1 Chronicles 26:10 10 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),
YLT
10and to Hosah, of the sons
of Merari, [are] sons: Shimri the head (though he was not first-born, yet his
father setteth him for head),
Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons,.... Who was a
fellow porter of Obededom's at the ark, 1 Chronicles 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.
1 Chronicles 26:11 11 Hilkiah the second,
Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the sons and brethren of Hosah were
thirteen.
YLT
11Hilkiah the second,
Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the sons and brethren of Hosah
[are] thirteen.
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.
1 Chronicles 26:12 12 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.
YLT
12According to these [are]
the courses of the gatekeepers; to the heads of the mighty ones [are] charges
over-against their brethren, to minister in the house of Jehovah,
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 sayF20Misn.
Middot, c. 1. sect. 1. , 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 1 Chronicles 26:17.
1 Chronicles 26:13 13 And they cast lots for
each gate, the small as well as the great, according to their father’s house.
YLT
13and they cause to fall
lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers,
for gate and gate.
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.
1 Chronicles 26:14 14 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;
YLT
14And the lot falleth
eastward to Shelemiah; and [for] Zechariah his son -- a counsellor with
understanding -- they cause to fall lots, and his lot goeth out northward:
And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah,.... The same
with Meshelemiah, 1 Chronicles 26:1
he by lot was placed at the eastern gate, called afterwards the gate Shushan,
the city Shushan being portrayed upon itF21Ib. (Misn. Middot, c.
1.), sect. 3. :
then for Zechariah his son (a wise counsellor); and who was
his firstborn, 1 Chronicles 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, 1 Chronicles 26:29
and their places were places of great trust, they had much treasure committed
to them, as appears by 1 Chronicles 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 usedF23Misn. Middot, ib. (c. 1. sect. 3.) & c. 2.
sect. 3. .
1 Chronicles 26:15 15 to Obed-Edom the South
Gate, and to his sons the storehouse.[a]
YLT
15to Obed-Edom southward, and
to his sons, the house of the gatherings;
To Obededom southward,.... Where were two gates
in later times, called the gates of HuldahF24Ib. (Misn. Middot), c.
1. sect. 3. :
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, 2 Chronicles 25:24,
but Dr. LightfootF25Prospect of the Temple, ch. 5. sect. 3. 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 thinksF26Not. in Middot, c. 1. sect. 1. No. 5. it was the
chamber Korban, which is not so probable.
1 Chronicles 26:16 16 To Shuppim and Hosah the
lot came out for the West Gate, with the Shallecheth Gate on the ascending
highway—watchman opposite watchman.
YLT
16to Shuppim and to Hosah to
the west, with the gate Shallecheth, in the highway, the ascent, charge
over-against charge;
To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward,.... Of
Shuppim no mention is before made; of Hosah, see 1 Chronicles 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, 1 Chronicles 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, 1 Kings 20:5 and
which agrees with the description JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 15. c. 11.
sect. 5. 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 Isaiah 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.
LightfootF2Ut supra, (Prospect of the Temple), c. 5. sect. 1. :
ward against ward; for as the gates answered one another, so
the wards or watches at them.
1 Chronicles 26:17 17 On the east were
six Levites, on the north four each day, on the south four each day, and for
the storehouse[b] two by
two.
YLT
17to the east the Levites
[are] six; to the north daily four, to the south daily four, and to the
gatherings two by two,
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, 1 Chronicles 26:14,
southward four a day: at the two gates of Huldah, 1 Chronicles 26:15
and toward Asuppim two and two; which were two gates, two at each gate, 1 Chronicles 26:15.
1 Chronicles 26:18 18 As for the Parbar[c] on the
west, there were four on the highway and two at the Parbar.
YLT
18at Parbar, to the west,
[are] four at the highway, two at Parbar.
At Parbar westward,.... A gate at the western wall; the Jewish
writers generally interpret it an outward place, but Dr. LightfootF3Ib.
(Prospect of the Temple, ch. 5.) sect. 2. thinks it is the same with Parvar,
which signifies suburbs, 2 Kings 23:11, and
which agrees with the description JosephusF4Ut supra. (Antiqu. l.
15. c. 11. sect. 5.) gives of one of the western gates, that it led to the
suburbs:
four at the causeway; by which was the gate
Shallecheth, 1 Chronicles 26:16.
and two at Parbar; the gate before mentioned.
1 Chronicles 26:19 19 These were the divisions
of the gatekeepers among the sons of Korah and among the sons of Merari.
YLT
19These are the courses of
the gatekeepers, of the sons of the Korhite, and of the sons of Merari.
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 1 Chronicles 26:1.
1 Chronicles 26:20 20 Of the Levites, Ahijah was
over the treasuries of the house of God and over the treasuries of the
dedicated things.
YLT
20And of the Levites, Ahijah
[is] over the treasures of the house of God, even for the treasures of the holy
things.
And of the Levites,.... The rest of the Levites, as the
Gershonites, Amramites, Izharites, and Hebronites, 1 Chronicles 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 careF5Joseph. de Bell. Jud. l.
6. c. 8. sect. 3. : 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.
1 Chronicles 26:21 21 The sons of Laadan, the
descendants of the Gershonites of Laadan, heads of their fathers’ houses,
of Laadan the Gershonite: Jehieli.
YLT
21Sons of Laadan: sons of the
Gershonite, of Laadan, heads of the fathers of Laadan the Gershonite: Jehieli.
As concerning the sons of Laadan,.... The same with Libni,
see 1 Chronicles 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.
1 Chronicles 26:22 22 The sons of Jehieli,
Zetham and Joel his brother, were over the treasuries of the house of
the Lord.
YLT
22Sons of Jehieli: Zetham,
and Joel his brother, over the treasures of the house of Jehovah,
The sons of Jehieli: Zetham, and Joel his brother,.... Both sons
of Jehieli: which were
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.
1 Chronicles 26:23 23 Of the Amramites, the
Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:
YLT
23for the Amramite, for the
Izharite, for the Hebronite, for the Uzzielite.
Of the Amramites and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the
Uzzielites. Who sprang from the four sons of Kohath, Amram, Izhar, Hebron,
and Uzziel, Exodus 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.
1 Chronicles 26:24 24 Shebuel the son of
Gershom, the son of Moses, was overseer of the treasuries.
YLT
24And Shebuel son of Gershom,
son of Moses, [is] president over the treasures.
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 Judges 18:30 but
very wrongly; this man, according to Jarchi and Kimchi, had all the treasures
and treasurers under him.
1 Chronicles 26:25 25 And his brethren by
Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri
his son, and Shelomith his son.
YLT
25And his brethren, of
Eliezer, [are] Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and
Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.
And his brethren by Eliezer,.... His kinsmen that
descended from Eliezer, the brother of Gershom, the ancestor of Shebuel, whose
descent from him in succession were
Rehabiah, Jeshaiah, Joram, Zichri, and Shelomith.
1 Chronicles 26:26 26 This Shelomith and his
brethren were over all the treasuries of the dedicated things which King
David and the heads of fathers’ houses, the captains over thousands and
hundreds, and the captains of the army, had dedicated.
YLT
26This Shelomith and his brethren
[are] over all the treasures of the holy things, that David the king, and heads
of the fathers, even heads of thousands, and of hundreds, and heads of the
host, sanctified;
Which Shelomith,.... The last mentioned in the lineage from
Eliezer, the younger son of Moses:
and his brethren; or kinsmen:
were over all the treasures of the dedicated things; which had
been devoted for the service of God, and of the temple particularly:
which David the king had dedicated; out of the spoils he
took in war, see 2 Samuel 8:11,
the chief fathers; princes of tribes, and heads of families:
the captains over thousands and hundreds; in the
several tribes of the kingdom, and were concerned in the administration of
justice to the people:
and the captains of the host, had dedicated; of the army,
out of the spoils in victory that came to their share, see Numbers 31:48 as
follows.
1 Chronicles 26:27 27 Some of the spoils won in
battles they dedicated to maintain the house of the Lord.
YLT
27from the battles, even from
the spoil they sanctified to strengthen the house of Jehovah;
Out of the spoils won in battle did they dedicate to maintain the
house of the Lord. When it should be built; for as yet it was not; both to repair it
when necessary, and to provide sacrifices for it; or to confirm, strengthen,
and animate the heart of the king to build it, so some, and put it into the
power of his hands to do it; so the Romans dedicated the best of their spoil,
and laid it up in the temple of Jupiter Feretrius, after the example of
Romulus, their first kingF6Vid. Valtrinum de re militar. Roman. l.
7. c. 21. ; yea, sometimes out of the spoil they erected temples, as Tarquinius
SuperbusF7Flori Hist. l. 1. c. 7. did; or repaired and ornamented
them, as the temple at Delphos, and othersF8Vid. Strabo, Geograph.
l. 6. p. 190. Liv. Hist. l. 10. c. 46. .
1 Chronicles 26:28 28 And all that Samuel the
seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah
had dedicated, every dedicated thing, was under the hand of Shelomith
and his brethren.
YLT
28and all that Samuel the
seer, and Saul son of Kish, and Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah
sanctified, every one sanctifying [any thing -- it is] by the side of Shelomith
and his brethren.
And all that Samuel the seer,.... Or prophet, won in
battle with the Philistines:
and Saul the son of Kish; in his wars with the
Moabites, Edomites, Amalekites, and Philistines:
and Abner the son of Ner: the general of his army,
who as such had his share in the spoils:
and Joab the son of Zeruiah; the general of David's
army, who fought with the Ammonites, Syrians, and others; all of whom
had dedicated more or less towards the building of the
temple, and the support of it, it being known by them all that God would have a
place to put his name in:
and whosoever had dedicated
anything, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren: this man had
a great trust committed to him, with his brethren; some, before mentioned, are
said to be over the treasures, some over one part, and some over another; but
this man was over all of them, he had the superintendency of the whole.
1 Chronicles 26:29 29 Of the Izharites,
Chenaniah and his sons performed duties as officials and judges over
Israel outside Jerusalem.
YLT
29Of the Izharite, Chenaniah
and his sons [are] for the outward work over Israel, for officers and for
judges.
Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were
for the outward business over Israel,.... Which was
done out of the temple, and out of Jerusalem, in the several parts of the
country:
for officers and judges; to administer justice
and judgment, and to take care that the laws of God were observed, both with
respect to things civil and religious, and delinquents punished; which is a
better sense than what Jarchi and Kimchi put upon this:
outward business, as if it lay in taking care to have timber
cut down in the forest, and stones dug and hewed in the mountains, for the
building of the temple; and that the lands were ploughed, and the vineyards,
gardens, and orchards, dressed, which were devoted to sacred uses.
1 Chronicles 26:30 30 Of the Hebronites,
Hashabiah and his brethren, one thousand seven hundred able men, had the
oversight of Israel on the west side of the Jordan for all the business of the Lord, and in the
service of the king.
YLT
30Of the Hebronite, Hashabiah
and his brethren, sons of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, [are] over the
inspection of Israel, beyond the Jordan westward, for all the work of Jehovah,
and for the service of the king.
And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour,
a thousand and seven hundred,.... And supposing the Izharites in the
preceding verse to be 1600, these, with those on the other side Jordan, 2700, 1 Chronicles 26:32
make up just the 6000 officers and judges, 1 Chronicles 23:4
these
were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward: in those
parts of the land which were on this side Jordan, to the west of it, yet nearer
to it than those meant by Israel in the preceding verse; it may respect those
that dwelt more remote from Jordan, though on this side also, towards the
Mediterranean sea:
in all business of the Lord, and in the service of the king; in
things divine and civil, what appertained to the worship of God, and the
support of civil government, and to take care that all the laws were observed,
moral, ceremonial, and judicial, and that both the Lord was feared, and the
king honoured, and both had what was due unto them.
1 Chronicles 26:31 31 Among the Hebronites,
Jerijah was head of the Hebronites according to his genealogy of the
fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought, and there
were found among them capable men at Jazer of Gilead.
YLT
31Of the Hebronite, Jerijah
[is] the head, of the Hebronite, according to his generations, for the fathers
-- in the fortieth year of the reign of David they have been sought out, and
there are found among them mighty ones of valour, in Jazer of Gilead –
Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the
Hebronites,.... The posterity of Hebron, the son of Kohath:
according to the generations of his fathers; a principal
man in the families that descended from his ancestors:
in the fortieth year of the reign of David; which was the
last year of his reign, in which year all the above things were done; the
distribution of the priests into their classes and courses, and so of the
Levites, singers, and porters; as well as the appointment of those several
judges and officers employed in divers parts of the land: and particularly in
this year those
Hebronites were sought for, and there were found among them mighty
men of valour, at Jazer of Gilead; a city on the other side
Jordan, which belonged to the tribe of Gad, see Numbers 21:32.
1 Chronicles 26:32 32 And his brethren were
two thousand seven hundred able men, heads of fathers’ houses, whom King
David made officials over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of
Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God and the affairs of the king.
YLT
32and his brethren, sons of
valour, two thousand and seven hundred, [are] heads of the fathers, and king
David appointeth them over the Reubenite, and the Gadite, and the half of the
tribe of Manasseh, for every matter of God and matter of the king.
And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven
hundred chief fathers,.... That is, the brethren or kinsmen of Jerijah the Hebronite
were so many principal men in their families, and men of fortitude and courage:
whom King David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and
the half tribe of Manasseh; all which lay on the other side Jordan; and
being so remote from the seat of civil government, and of the worship of God,
they were in greater danger of revolting, both from their obedience to their
king, and duty to their God; land therefore so large a number was appointed
over them, to instruct them and keep them in their duty to both, as follows:
for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king; to see that
they kept close to the pure worship and service of God; and were faithful and
loyal subjects of the king.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)