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1
Chronicles Chapter Twenty-four
1 Chronicles 24
Chapter Contents
The divisions of the priests and Levites.
When every one has, knows, and keeps his place and work,
the more there are the better. In the mystical body of Christ, every member has
its use, for the good of the whole. Christ is High Priest over the house of
God, to whom all believers, being made priests, are to be in subjection. In
Christ, no difference is made between bond and free, elder and younger. The
younger brethren, if faithful and sincere, shall be no less acceptable to
Christ than the fathers. May we all be children of the Lord, fitted to sing his
praises for ever in his temple above.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 1 Chronicles》
1 Chronicles 24
Verse 1
[1] Now
these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and
Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Divisions —
The several branches into which that family was divided.
Verse 2
[2] But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children:
therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.
Therefore, … —
Were the only persons to whom the execution of that office was committed.
Verse 3
[3] And
David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the
sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.
Distributed —
Allotting to each of them several times, wherein they should by turns have the
government of holy ministrations.
Verse 5
[5] Thus
were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the
sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and
of the sons of Ithamar.
By lot —
That the disposal thereof might be of the Lord, and so all contention be
prevented, as no man could be charged with partiality, nor could any say, they
had wrong done them. In like manner Matthias was chosen to the apostleship by
lot with prayer. "And I know not, says Mr. Henry, but it might be still used
in faith, in parallel cases, as an instituted ordinance." Of God - Or
rather, of the things of God, that is, of all persons ministering in the
sanctuary, and of all holy ministrations done in it, and of all other matters
of the Lord, as they are called by way of distinction from, the king's matters,
2 Chronicles 19:11.
Verse 6
[6] And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote
them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the
son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and
Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for
Ithamar.
One, … —
Or, the chief of one house of the fathers was taken (by lot) for Eleazar (out
of his family) and that which was taken after it was taken for Ithamar, out of
his family. So the first lot fell to Eleazar, and the second to Ithamar, the
third to Eleazar, and the fourth to Ithamar, so successively, 'till all the
families of Ithamar had received their lots. And afterwards all the lots came
forth to the rest of Eleazar's families, which were double in number to those
of Ithamar.
Verse 7
[7] Now
the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
Came —
Out of the vessel in which all the lots were put together, and out of which
they were severally taken.
Verse 19
[19]
These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the
LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of
Israel had commanded him.
These, … — In
this order and method they were to come to perform the offices of the temple.
To come — To
come into the temple every sabbath-day, and to continue there 'till the next
sabbath, when they were relieved by others.
Aaron —
Under the direction of the high-priests, whom he calls Aaron, because he
represented his person and executed his office, and their father, because of
the authority which by God's appointment he had over them.
Verse 31
[31]
These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the
presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the
fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against
their younger brethren.
Over against —
Answerable for number and order to those of the priests, so that there should
be a course of the Levites for each course of the priests.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 1 Chronicles》
24 Chapter 24
Verse 2
But Nadab and Abihu died before their father.
The death of Nadab and Abihu
Learn:
I. That sin
inverts the natural order of things. “They died before their father.”
II. That sin
deprives of blessings which God can bestow. They “had no children.”
III. That sin often
overwhelms with fearful ruin.
IV. That sin is
often mentioned in history to warn of its consequences. (J. Wolfendale.)
Sad deaths
I. The sins which
caused them.
1. Disobedience to Divine injunction.
2. Gross inconsistency.
3. Rashness in approaching God.
4. Presumptuous in set.
II. The punishment
which followed the sins.
1. A dishonourable death.
2. A sudden death.
3. An overwhelming death.
4. A retributive death. (J. Wolfendale.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》