Deeper Commentary
1Ch 26:1 For the divisions of the doorkeepers: of the Korahites,
Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph-
This would have had special relevance for the returned exiles at the
time of Ezra and Nehemiah, who had to guard the gates and new walls of the
temple. The list of the names of the families who were to do this work in Nehemiah
contrasts sharply with the list we find here- the Levites simply
didn't all do that work, which was so vital during the period of rebuilding.
Ezra 2 says that the Gentile nethinim, probably the Gibeonites, were pressed
into service as porters / doorkeepers. And so Nehemiah was glad to use
anyone willing to do it. We see here the principle of 'The end justifies the
means' being put to the test. That principle cannot be applied universally;
but we see how by the same token, legalistic obedience to command cannot be
allowed to stop the essence of His work being done.
1Ch 26:2 Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn Jediael the second,
Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth-
1 Chron. 23:5 says that there were 4000 such porters or
"gatekeepers". The Mosaic tabernacle had functioned without these huge
numbers. But the scale of David's grandiose plans for the temple required
this huge number of Levites and singers. He made the mistake which Solomon
followed, in thinking that mere scale of worship was somehow pleasing to
God; when instead David ought to have learned from his sin with Bathsheba
that God looks upon the heart.
1Ch 26:3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh-
The "porters and singers"
at the restoration
were Levites
(Neh. 7:1).
The use of Levites to guard the gates was a conscious attempt to restore
the situation in Solomon's temple (1 Chron. 9:17-22; 26:12-19),
suggesting these huge numbers were not just to be porters but also literal
defenders of the gates. We should
also remember that the Levites and priests accounted for about half the
population of Jerusalem (Neh. 11:6-19 cp. 1 Chron. 9:9-22). According to
Ez. 44:11-14, the repentant Levites were to be the gatekeepers in the
restored temple. But there is no evidence they did repent, indeed the
record in Nehemiah shows they were on the side of the Samaritan
opposition, intermarrying with them; and so the Kingdom situation possible
at the restoration was precluded.
1Ch 26:4 Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second,
Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth-
Obed-Edom had faithfully cared for the ark when others, including
David, didn't want to know about it and even considered it to bring
cursing rather than blessing. But he is given no special reward for that
spiritual maturity and all those years of quiet work. His family were made
mere gatekeepers (Ps. 84:10). And recognition of our quiet service will
likewise not be in this life.
1Ch 26:5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth;
for God blessed him-
Eight sons was seen as a special blessing. God made Obed-Edom a
'house' because he had truly cared for the ark. David had failed to learn
from this point. For God had told him that He didn't want this temple, but
rather wanted to make David a house of people.
1Ch 26:6 Also to Shemaiah his son were sons born, who ruled over the house
of their father; for they were mighty men of valour-
The great blessing of Obed-Edom's "house" or family is stressed; they
were "mighty men of valour", "capable men" (:7). But "just" gatekeepers
(Ps. 88:10). As noted on :5, God blessed Obed-Edom by building him a
house, just as He had promised to do to David. But David didn't seem
interested in that, so fixated was he on his plan to build God the house
which God didn't want.
1Ch 26:7 The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, whose
brothers were capable men, Elihu and Semachiah-
See on :6. We note all these names have God in them and are not at
all secular. They reflect the abiding spirituality of Obed-Edom's family.
And he himself was a mere Edomite ["Edom"] servant ["obed"].
1Ch 26:8 All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom: they and their sons and
their brothers, able men in strength for the service; sixty-two of
Obed-Edom-
1 Chron. 26:8 speaks of a group of 62 relatives of Obed-Edom, whereas
1 Chron. 16:38 speaks of 68. The extra six may refer to "Asaph and his
brothers, who are referred to in the otherwise strange reference in 1
Chron. 16:38 to "Obed-Edom with their brothers". The preceding verse (1
Chron. 16:37) has spoken of "Asaph and his brothers".
1Ch 26:9 Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, valiant men, eighteen-
The reference to "valiant men" suggests that the work of being a
"gatekeeper" indeed focused upon the defence of the gates, although the
Hebrew word can equally mean "porter".
1Ch 26:10 Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the
chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him
chief)-
Again continues the theme so often noted in the Biblical record and
these name lists, that the firstborn is rejected and others take his
place.
1Ch 26:11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth.
All the sons and brothers of Hosah were thirteen-
Hosah along with Obed-edom was one of those with the honour of
carrying the ark (1 Chron. 16:38), but he is still made a humble
gatekeeper (Ps. 88:10).
1Ch 26:12 Of these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, even of the
chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the house of
Yahweh-
The idea is that the chief men as well as their [lesser] "brothers"
were all still brethren, and the experience of serving God was to level
them. Notice the stress
on the equality of the priests and the studied irrelevance of their
personal wealth (1 Chron. 24:31; 25:8; 26:12). The Law was geared around
the assumption that the priests would be so caught up in Yahweh's work
that they would never be rich (consider Dt. 14:29), and the wonder of
doing His work would compensate for their lack of physical possessions
(Num. 18:23). The early church began by having all things common, in
imitation of how the priests had "like portions to eat" (Dt. 18:8). Yet the early church couldn't sustain the intensity of their
initial realization of these things.
1Ch 26:13 They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to
their fathers’ houses, for each gate-
This continues the theme discussed on :12, of all these men, of whatever
secular standing, being united together in the Lord's service. And that is
an abiding principle. True unity and brotherhood is found from serving
together, and is never an outcome of merely theoretical agreement.
1Ch 26:14 The lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son,
a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward-
David's temple envisaged the temple having four main gates, and
presumably having a large square wall around it. For the gates he
envisages are simply divided according to the points of the compass.
1Ch 26:15 To Obed-Edom southward; and to his sons, the storehouse-
"The gates of the stores", which apparently had two entrances to it
(:17).
1Ch 26:16 To Shuppim and Hosah, westward, by the gate of Shallecheth, at
the causeway that goes up, watch against watch-
'Shallecheth' means "sending or throwing down", and may mean that
this was to be "the refuse gate". That is possibly the vision for the west
gate behind Ez. 46:19,20. However :18 seems to describe this west gate as
having a colonnade and causeway. It could be that this was “the entering
in of the house of the Lord". See on :18. It would have led up to the
Temple either from Ophel on the south, or from the Western part of the
city across the Tyropoeon Valley. Archaeologists have discovered remnants
of two such causeways “Wilson’s Arch” and “Robinson’s Arch”.
1Ch 26:17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four
a day, and for the storehouse two and two-
The storehouse gate was on the south (:15), so this refers to the
south gate with two entrances, rather than the west gate, which is
described in :18.
1Ch 26:18 For the colonnade on the west, four at the causeway, and two at
the colonnade-
See on :16. It seems David envisaged the entrance as being from the
west. But in fact in God's vision of the temple in Ez. 40-48, the east
gate, the very opposite, is the entrance. The original word parvaim
is Persian and means “lighted by the sun”, explaining why later these
precincts became a place for sun worship (2 Kings 13:11 s.w.). AV "Parbar
westward" became the name of a 1980s Christadelphian rock band, named
after what they considered was one of the Bible's obscurest verses.
1Ch 26:19 These were the divisions of the doorkeepers; of the sons of the
Korahites, and of the sons of Merari-
"Merari" means "bitter"; from these rather unpromising beginnings
were to arise those who gave their lives to the service of God and His
people. And we see similar transformation in the lives of so many.
1Ch 26:20 Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of God’s house,
and over the treasures of the dedicated things-
We note from :26-28 that Samuel, Saul and Joab, as well as David, had
dedicated spoils won in battle to the work of the sanctuary. Yet despite
that generosity and all those victories, Joab and Saul apparently died
unspiritual men and in condemnation. Saul certainly. So generous giving
and victories for the Lord are no guarantee at all of true spirituality.
1Ch 26:21 The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to
Ladan, the heads of the fathers’ households belonging to Ladan the
Gershonite: Jehieli-
We note that both Moses and Aaron had sons called Gershon (Ex. 2:22).
Such repetition of names within families and in the same generation was
quite common, and is one thing which makes the study of the genealogies
difficult in places.
1Ch 26:22 The sons of Jehieli: Zetham and Joel his brother were over the
treasures of the house of Yahweh-
These were "brothers" of Jehieli (1 Chron. 23:8), demonstrating how
elastic are the Hebrew terms for "brothers" and "sons of".
1Ch 26:23 Of the Amramites, of the Izharites, of the Hebronites, of the
Uzzielites-
That is, the Kohathites (1 Chron. 23:12).
1Ch 26:24 and Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler over
the treasures-
This is, I believe, the only reference to any direct descendant of
Moses having any public role in the work and worship of Israel. The Bible
is carefully against all nepotism, personality cults and inherited sense
of spiritual leadership and worthiness. All are to serve God from their
own experience and from forging their own personal relationships with Him.
1Ch 26:25 His brothers: of Eliezer, Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son,
Joram his son, Zichri his son and Shelomoth his son-
This could refer to four generations, but the idea was that the
descendants of each of these families was to have a specific duty in the
temple system. So probably these are all the sons of Rehabiah (1 Chron.
23:17).
1Ch 26:26 This Shelomoth and his brothers were over all the treasures of
the dedicated things, which David the king, and the heads of the fathers’
households, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of
the army, had dedicated-
The promises God makes involve a solemn commitment by
Him to us- the serious, binding nature of His oath to us is easy to
forget. God swore to David “by my holiness” (Ps. 89:35). The Hebrew for
“holiness” is the very same word translated “dedication”. David’s response
to God’s dedication to him was to dedicate [s.w.] all the silver and gold
which he had won from this world, to the service of God’s house (1 Chron.
26:26; 2 Chron. 5:1). Our response to God’s dedication to us should be a
like dedication of what we have to Him. Covenant relationship with God
requires much of both Him and us. The case of David is a nice illustration
of the meaning of grace. David wanted to do something for God-
build Him a house, spending his wealth to do so. God replied that no, He
wanted to build David a house. And He started to, in the promises
He gave David. And David’s response to that grace is to still do
something- to dedicate his wealth to God’s house, as God had dedicated
Himself to David’s house. This is just how grace and works should be
related in our experience.
1Ch 26:27 They dedicated some of the spoil won in battles to repair the
house of Yahweh-
This could refer to a separate fund set up for the long term
maintenance or repairing of the house. The fund was evidently empty by the
time of 2 Chron. 24:5.
1Ch 26:28 All that Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of
Ner and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated, whoever had dedicated
anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth, and of his brothers-
Samuel, Saul and Joab, as well as David, had dedicated spoils won in
battle to the work of the sanctuary. Yet despite that generosity and all
those victories, Joab and Saul apparently died unspiritual men and in
condemnation. Saul certainly. So generous giving and victories for the
Lord are no guarantee at all of true spirituality.
1Ch 26:29 Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward
business over Israel, for officers and judges-
Solomon taught that if the ants can be so zealous, well why can’t the
ecclesia of God be zealous [for it was ‘believers’ that he was teaching].
The ants scurry around, working as if there is no tomorrow, to build up
something so precarious that is in any case so tragically short lived.
Can’t we be yet more zealous, with a like loving co-operation, building
the eternal things that we are (Prov. 6:6,7)? And Solomon pressed the
point further, in that ants are self-motivated; they need no “guide,
overseer or ruler”. This was surely a reference to the complex system of
overseers which Solomon had to place over Israel in order to build the
temple and build up the Kingdom. The same Hebrew word for “overseer” is
found in 1 Chron. 23:4; 26:29. Yet ideally, he seems to be saying, every
Israelite ought to be a zealous worker. Prov. 12:24 says the same: “The
hand of the diligent [whoever
he / she is] shall bear rule [in practice]” [s.w. Prov. 6:7 “ruler”]. And
we must ask ourselves, whether for whatever reason the new Israel hasn’t
slumped into the same problem, of lack of self-motivation, waiting to be
asked to do something before we do it, over-relying upon our “overseers”.
The ants aren’t like this. They see the job to be done, and naturally get
on with it.
1Ch 26:30 Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, men of valour,
one thousand seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan
westward, for all the business of Yahweh, and for the service of the king-
"Across Jordan westward" suggests this was written from the
perspective of being on the Persian side, suggesting this was a Divinely
inspired edit carried out when Chronicles was written up or rewritten in
captivity. The context is of the temple service, so perhaps these people
were not mere administrative officials, but responsible for gathering the
tithes from those areas.
1Ch 26:31 Of the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even of the Hebronites,
according to their generations by fathers’ households. 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-
That is, at the very end of David's life. He was active in making his
plans right up to the end of his life. Even if building a temple was a
case of misplaced ideals and obsession, we have to give him credit for
zealously working and planning for the Lord's work right to the end of his
days, even when he knew he would not live to see it coming to reality.
"There were found" could suggest the problem with finding people according
to the genealogical system worked out. Working out who actually were the
living descendants of ancient families would not have been easy.
1Ch 26:32 His brothers, men of valour, were two thousand seven hundred,
heads of fathers’ households, whom king David made overseers over the
Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every
matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king-
David was clearly concerned that the tribes
on the other side of Jordan might wander both spiritually and politically,
and not pay their tithes to the temple.
2700 overseers in their territory was a lot. We note that their brief was
to assist them firstly in things "pertaining to God". We can
assume that as these were Levites, their duty was to teach these
separatist tribes about God. We should be concerned firstly about the
spiritual wellbeing of weaker, isolated brethren- and only secondly be
concerned about their identity with our particular community. Solomon
however abused this system by using this system of overseers to eventually
whip the people with heavy taxes, which all went to him; even when he had
turned away from Yahweh worship.
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