And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.
1 Chronicles 24:4 Commentary
8 historical voicesHow the Church has read 1 Chronicles 24:4 across two millennia — Matthew Henry, John Calvin, Augustine of Hippo, John Chrysostom and more, gathered verse by verse from the public domain.
E os filhos de Eleazar foram achados, quanto a seus principais varões, muitos mais que os filhos de Itamar; e repartiram-nos assim: Dos filhos de Eleazar havia dezesseis cabeças de famílias paternas; e dos filhos de Itamar pelas famílias de seus pais, oito.
E acharam-se mais chefes dentre os filhos de Eleazar do que dentre os filhos de Itamar; e assim foram distribuídos: dos filhos de Eleazar, chefes das casas paternas, dezesseis; e dos filhos de Itamar, segundo as suas casas paternas, oito.
Voices across the centuries
Puritans 3
Introduction
This chapter gives us a more particular account of the distribution of the priests and Levites into their respective classes, for the more regular discharge of the duties of their offices, according to their families. I. Of the priests (v. 1-19). II. Of the Levites (Ch1 24:20-31).
Introduction
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 24
This chapter relates the distribution David made of the priests into twenty four classes or courses, and which were observed by lot, and each course had an head or principal man over it, Ch1 24:1 and of a like distribution of the Levites into the same number of courses, to attend the priests in theirs, Ch1 24:20.
And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar,.... Or heads of men, heads of their fathers' houses and families:
and thus were they divided; among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar, according to the house of their fathers; in all twenty four, and into so many classes or courses did David divide them; Jarchi says at first when the tabernacle was at Shiloh, there were but sixteen courses, eight from Eleazar, and eight from Ithamar, as is explained in the treatise of fasting (n); but when David saw that there were more heads of men, or chief men of Eleazar's, he divided the courses of Eleazar into two parts, and fixed sixteen courses; and the courses of Ithamar he established as at first, eight courses; left them as they were, which he thinks appears from Ch1 24:6 but of the former number of courses, and when and by whom fixed, the Jews are divided (o); See Gill on Luk 1:5. Perhaps there were none before David's time.
(n) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1. (o) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1.
Modern 5
Introduction
David divides the families of Eleazar and Ithamar, by lot, into twenty-four courses, vv. 1-19. How the rest of the sons of Levi were disposed of, Ch1 24:20-31.
Introduction
DIVISION OF THE SONS OF AARON INTO FOUR AND TWENTY ORDERS. (1Ch. 24:1-19)
Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron--(See on Ch1 23:6).
there were more chief men found--The Hebrew may be translated, "There were more men as to heads of the sons of Eleazar." It is true, in point of fact, that by the census the number of individuals belonging to the family of Eleazar was found greater than in that of Ithamar. And this, of necessity, led to there being more fathers' houses, and consequently more chiefs or presidents in the former.
Introduction
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 24
This chapter relates the distribution David made of the priests into twenty four classes or courses, and which were observed by lot, and each course had an head or principal man over it, Ch1 24:1 and of a like distribution of the Levites into the same number of courses, to attend the priests in theirs, Ch1 24:20.
And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar,.... Or heads of men, heads of their fathers' houses and families:
and thus were they divided; among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar, according to the house of their fathers; in all twenty four, and into so many classes or courses did David divide them; Jarchi says at first when the tabernacle was at Shiloh, there were but sixteen courses, eight from Eleazar, and eight from Ithamar, as is explained in the treatise of fasting (n); but when David saw that there were more heads of men, or chief men of Eleazar's, he divided the courses of Eleazar into two parts, and fixed sixteen courses; and the courses of Ithamar he established as at first, eight courses; left them as they were, which he thinks appears from Ch1 24:6 but of the former number of courses, and when and by whom fixed, the Jews are divided (o); See Gill on Luk 1:5. Perhaps there were none before David's time.
(n) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1. (o) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1.
Cross-references
Numbers 25:11
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
1 Chronicles 23:24
These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.
1 Chronicles 15:6
Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty: