1Ch 9:1 So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression.
Were reckoned by genealogies - Not now by the writer of this book in the preceding chapters; for two of the tribes are not reckoned at all, and the rest but in part; but there had been kept an exact account of them:
all Israel were reckoned by genealogies--From the beginning of the Hebrew nation, public records were kept, containing a registration of the name of every individual, as well as the tribe and family to which he belonged. "The book of the kings of Israel and Judah" does not refer to the two canonical books that are known in Scripture by that name, but to authenticated copies of those registers, placed under the official care of the sovereigns; and as a great number of the Israelites (1Ch_9:3) took refuge in Judah during the invasion of Shalmaneser, they carried the public records along with them. The genealogies given in the preceding chapters were drawn from the public records in the archives both of Israel and Judah; and those given in this chapter relate to the period subsequent to the restoration; whence it appears (compare 1Ch_3:17-24) that the genealogical registers were kept during the captivity in Babylon. These genealogical tables, then, are of the highest authority for truth and correctness, the earlier portion being extracted from the authenticated records of the nation; and as to those which belong to the time of the captivity, they were drawn up by a contemporary writer, who, besides enjoying the best sources of information, and being of the strictest integrity, was guided and preserved from all error by divine inspiration.
they were written in the book of the kings of Israel - not in the canonical book or books of Kings, but in the annals, journals, and diaries, which each king took care to be kept with some exactness, often referred to in the preceding books; out of which this writer, under a divine direction, had taken what was proper to be continued, and had carried the genealogy down to the captivity of the ten tribes; but the genealogy being lost with them, he could proceed no further, nor say anything more concerning them:
who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression - their idolatry, and were now returned again; of them the writer proposes to give a further account.
This chapter expresses that one end of recording all these genealogies was, to direct the Jews, when they returned out of captivity, with whom to unite, and where to reside.
1Ch 9:2 Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.
The first inhabitants - the first inhabitants of the holy land after the return from the captivity. Properly speaking, the divisions mentioned in this verse constituted the whole of the Israelitish people, who were, ever since the days of Joshua, divided into the four following classes:
(1) Israelites, i. e. the mass of the laity, whether belonging to the ten tribes or the two;
(2) priests;
(3) Levites; and
(4) the lowest order of the ministry, The Nethinim, or slaves of the temple, the remains of the Gibeonites, who, having deceived Joshua, were condemned to this service Jos_9:21, etc. These last, whose name is derived from a root “to give,” were a sort of sacred slaves - persons “given” to the Levites to perform the more laborious duties of the sanctuary. Some had been “given” as early as the time of Moses Num_31:47; and the number afterward increased Jos_9:23; Ezr_8:20. In David’s time it is probable that other conquered people were added, as the successors of the Gibeonites were not sufficient to perform all the drudgery of the temple service. At the time of the return from the captivity, owing to the small number of Levites who came back Ezr_2:40-42, the services of the Nethinims became very important. They are mentioned under the name of Nethinims only in Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah.
the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions--This chapter relates wholly to the first returned exiles. Almost all the names recur in Nehemiah (Neh. 11:1-36), although there are differences. When the historian speaks of "the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions," he implies that there were others who afterwards returned and settled in possessions not occupied by the first. Accordingly, we read of a great number returning successively under Ezra, Nehemiah, and at a later period. And some of those who returned to the ancient inheritance of their fathers, had lived before the time of the captivity (Ezr_3:12; Hag_2:4, Hag_2:10).
1Ch 9:3 And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;
in Jerusalem dwelt Judah and Benjamin - Of which tribes were the largest number that went into, and returned out of, captivity:
1Ch 9:4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Pharez the son of Judah.
Uthai the son of Ammihud - The list here is nearly the same with those found in Ezra and Nehemiah, and contains those who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel; but the list in Nehemiah is more ample, probably because it contains those who came afterwards. The object of the sacred writer here was to give the list of those who came first.
Uthai the son of Ammihud - Called Athaiah, Neh_11:4 though his ancestors there are differently reckoned here; his genealogy here is traced from his father Ammihud, through Omri, Imri, Bani, Pharez, to Judah .
Uthai the son of Ammihud - In the same place there dwelt, of the sons of Judah, three chiefs of the three most important families of Judah, that of Pharez, that of Shelah, and that of Zerah; cf. 1Ch_2:3-4. Of the family of Pharez was Uthai, whose descent is traced back in 1Ch_9:4 to Bani, of the children of Pharez. The name Bani occurs, 1Ch_6:31, among the Merarites; while in the genealogies of Judah, 1 Chron 2-4, neither Bani nor Uthai, nor any one of his ancestors who are here named, is mentioned. In Neh_11:4, on the contrary, there is named of the sons of Pharez, Athaiah, with quite other ancestors; while not a single one of the five names of the persons through whom his race is traced back to Mahalaleel, of the sons of Pharez, coincides with the ancestors of Uthai.
1Ch 9:5 And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons.
And of the Shilonites - Not called so from the city of Shiloh, which was in Ephraim; whereas these here intended were of the tribe of Judah, and were either the descendants of a man whose name was Shiloni, Neh_11:5 or rather these are the same with the Shelanites, Num_26:20 so called from Shelah the son of Judah; and so the Targum here is,"and of the tribe of Shelah:"
1Ch 9:6 And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety.
Zerah - Another son of Judah :
And their brethren, 690 - This refers to the three heads mentioned in 1Ch_9:4-6, Uthai, Asaiah, and Jeuel, whose brethren are the other heads of fathers'-houses of the three families descended from Judah; cf. 1Ch_9:9.
1Ch 9:7 And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah,
And of the sons of Benjamin - Who were of the tribe of Benjamin, and went with Judah into captivity, and returned with them, and such of them as dwelt in Jerusalem before that:
Sallu the son of Meshullam - whose pedigree is differently given in Neh_11:7,
the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenaah - perhaps these men had two names, there called Joel and Pedaiah in Neh_11:7.
1Ch 9:8 And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;
Ibneiah the son of Jeroham - Who with two more, Elah and Meshullam, whose ancestors are given, of whom we have no mention elsewhere, were all of the tribe of Benjamin, said to settle at Jerusalem.
1Ch 9:9 And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty and six. All these men were chief of the fathers in the house of their fathers.
nine hundred amd fifty and six - Which was the number of the Benjaminites there resident put together, and which greatly exceeded that of Judah , 1Ch_9:6.
nine hundred amd fifty and six - They are reckoned but nine hundred and twenty - eight in Neh_11:8, either because there he mentions only those that were by lot determined to dwell at Jerusalem, to whom he here adds those who freely offered themselves to it; or because some of the persons first placed there were dead, or removed from Jerusalem upon some emergent occasion.
all these men were chief of the fathers - principal men in the families of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, even all the seven before mentioned.
1Ch 9:10 And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin,
Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin - are not here names of individuals but of priestly families. From 1Ch_24:7-17, it appears that Jehoiarib was the original head of the first “course,” Jedaiah of the second shift, and Jachin of the twenty-first shift. Jedaiah was the son of Jehoiarib, and Jachin is called Jachin, Neh_11:10.
1Ch 9:11 And Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;
The ruler of the house of God - The high priest at this time was Jeshua the son of Jozadak, (Ezr_3:8), and Seraiah, (Neh_11:11), called here Azariah, was the ruler of the house; the person next in authority to the high priest, and who probably had the guard of the temple and command of the priests, Levites, etc. It is likely that the person here was the same as is called the second priest, 2Ki_25:18, who was the sagan or high priest’s deputy. This is the Azariah mentioned in 1Ch_6:13, the son of Hilkiah, etc., the grandfather of the Jehozadak who was led captive into Babylon .
the ruler of the house of God - high priest in it; which is to be understood of Ahitub, and not of Azariah or Seraiah in the time of Ezra; for Joshua was then high priest.
Azariah the son of Hilkiah - That is, the son of Azariah, whose name was Seraiah, see 1Ch_6:13, whose pedigree is traced up from Hilkiah through Meshullam, called Shallum, 1Ch_6:12. Zadok, Meraioth, to Ahitub:
1Ch 9:12 And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasiai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;
Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur - In this genealogy, between Jeroham and Pashur, were three more here omitted, Pelaliah, Amzi, Zechariah, Neh_11:12, and then Pashur the son of Malchijah.
Maasiai the son of Adiel - whose pedigree is traced up from hence, through Jahzerah, Meshullam, Meshillemith, to Immer; one of the five heads of the courses settled by David,
Adaiah and Maasiai in 1Ch_9:12 we have two other heads of the priestly fathers'-houses, with an enumeration of their ancestors, through whom they are traced back to the classes of priests to which they belonged respectively, viz., Adaiah to the class Malchijah (1Ch_24:9), and Maasiai to the class Immer (1Ch_24:14). According to this, therefore, there dwelt at Jerusalem, of the priesthood, the three classes Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin, Azariah the prince of the temple, and of the classes Malchijah and Immer, the fathers'-houses Adaiah and Maasiai. In 1Ch_9:13 the whole number is estimated at 1760.
1Ch 9:13 And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and seven hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
And their brethren - These, with other priests, made up this number, which was greater than those of Judah and Benjamin, that dwelt in Jerusalem , put together:
very able men for the work - men that had not only strength of body, which some part of the work of the priests required; but had courage and fortitude of mind to set about the service of God with cheerfulness, and to preserve it from corruption.
very able men for the work - Heb. mighty men of valour: which is here noted as an excellent qualification for their place; because the priests might meet with great opposition in the discharge of their office, in the execution of the censures upon all impure persons without exception, and in preserving sacred things from violation by the touch of forbidden hands.
1Ch 9:14 And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
And of the Levites - Having given an account of the two first classes of the people, the Israelites and priests, the author of the book now proceeds to the Levites, the third class; and the first mentioned is Shemaiah, whose ancestors, Hashub, Azrikam, and Hashabiah:
Merari - the third son of Levi.
The Levites - Of these there dwelt in Jerusalem, Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of, etc., a Merarite; and (1Ch_9:15) Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal; and Mattaniah the son of Micah, a descendant of Asaph, and consequently a Gershonite (1Ch_9:16); and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, as descendant of Jeduthun, consequently also a Merarite; and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who dwelt in the villages of the Netophathite, i.e., of the lord or possessor of Netopha, a locality in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem; cf. Neh_7:26.
1Ch 9:15 And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph;
Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah - Four more of the chief of the Levites, the pedigree of the last of which is traced up by Micah and Zichri to Asaph, the singer in the times of David, a descendant of Gershon, the first son of Levi; Bakbakkar is thought by one scholar to be the same with Bakbukiah, Neh_11:17.
1Ch 9:16 And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites.
Obadiah the son of Shemaiah - Called Abda the son of Shammua, Neh_11:17.
the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun - who was Ethan, another of the singers in the time of David:
that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites - the villages about Netophah, which was in the tribe of Judah , 1Ch_2:54, Neh_7:26 which may be understood either of Elkanah, the ancestor of Berechiah, whose dwelling was there; or of Berechiah who had dwelt there in the past, for now he dwelt at Jerusalem .
1Ch 9:17 And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief;
And the porters - Or keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: Whose office it was to keep all the gates of the temple, that no unclean person or thing might enter into it. The service was so divided among the four, that each along with his brethren performed the duty of watching by one of the four sides and chief entrances of the temple (cf. 1Ch_9:24 and 1Ch_9:26), and these four were consequently heads of those divisions of the Levites to whom was committed the duty of the watch. In Neh_11:20, on the contrary, the doorkeepers mentioned are Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, 172 (men); but the other two chiefs named in the Chronicle are there omitted, while in the Chronicle no number is given. Here the agreement between the two registers ceases. In the Chronicle there follows first of all, in 1Ch_9:18-26, some remarks on the service of the doorkeepers; and then in 1Ch_9:26-32 the duties of the Levites in general are spoken of; and finally, in 1Ch_9:32 and 1Ch_9:34 we have subscriptions. In Nehemiah, on the other hand, we find in 1Ch_9:20 the statement that the remaining Israelites, priests, and Levites dwelt in their cities; and after some statements as to the service of the Levites, the enumeration of these cities is introduced.
1Ch 9:18 Who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi.
Who hitherto waited - Translate, “Who to this day waits. These were the porters in the stations of the sons of Levi.” The words of the first clause refer to Shallum, and imply that, whereas Shallum (and his house) had originally the general superintendence of the temple gates, a change had been made when the author wrote, and Shallum’s charge had become the east gate only.
The king’s gate - That by which the kings of Judah went to the temple; 2Ki_16:18. Although there was no king in Israel on the return from the captivity, yet the old ceremonial was kept up, probably in the hope that the scepter would, ere long, be restored to the house of David. It is an honor by which Eastern kings are distinguished, to have a gate exclusively devoted to their own special use, and which is kept constantly closed, except when he goes out or returns (Eze_44:2). There being no king then in Israel , this gate would be always shut.
porters in the companies of the children of Levi - or in the camp of Levi, which was placed around the tabernacle, as in the wilderness.
porters in the companies of the children of Levi - an antiquated expression, bringing to remembrance the time of Moses, when the Levites, on the journey through the wilderness, were encamped about the tabernacle (Num_3:21.).
1Ch 9:19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the host of the LORD, were keepers of the entry.
Shallum the son of Kore - The same as in 1Ch_9:17 whose pedigree is traced up to Ebiasaph the son of Korah, see Exo_6:24.
Shallum the son of Kore - 1Ch_9:19 gives more exact information as to Shallum's person and his official position. He, the descendant of Kore, the son (descendant) of Abiasaph, a Korahite, and his brethren according to his father's-house (i.e., called brethren because they, like him, belonged to the father's-house of Korah), were over the work of the service, viz., keepers of the thresholds of the tent, i.e., of the house of God, of the temple, which, according to the ancient custom, was called tent, because God's house was formerly a tent-the tabernacle. “And his fathers (the ancestors of Shallum) were by the encampment of Jahve, guardians of the entrance.” With these words the author of this register goes back into the ancient time; and we learn that Shallum's ancestors, of the father's-house of the Korahite Abiasaph, had held the office of guardian of the entrance to the house of God from the time of the conquest of Canaan and the setting up of the tabernacle in Shiloh . The remark in 1Ch_9:20, that Phinehas the son of Eleazar was prince over them in time past, points to the same period. In the book of Joshua and the older books there is no record of the matter; but since the Korahites were descended through Ishhar from Kohath, and the Kohathites held, according to Num_4:4., the first place among the servants of the holy place, and were responsible for the holiest vessels, we cannot doubt that the statement here rests upon accurate historical tradition.
Keepers of the entry - Whose business it was to suffer no person to come to the tabernacle but the priests, during the performance of the sacred service.
keepers of the entry - into the tabernacle, that none might enter that were impure; or into the court of the priests, excepting priests; or into the holiest of all.
their fathers being over the host of the Lord - the Levites, who were the Lord's army, and whose service is represented as a warfare, Num_4:5.
1Ch 9:20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with him.
Phinehas was prince over them - not as high priest, but during the high-priesthood of his father Eleazar, i.e., in the time of Joshua, just as Eleazar, under the high-priesthood of Aaron in the time of Moses, had the oversight of the keepers of the holy place, as prince of the princes of Levi (Num_3:32).
the Lord was with him - inspiring him with zeal for his honor and glory, assisting and strengthening him to do his will and work, as particularly in the affair of Zimri, Num_25:7.
1Ch 9:21 And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation - who was the chief porter, and kept the door; either that led into the outer court, and kept out all unclean persons from entering there; or that which led into the court of the priests, that none but priests might enter there.
Zechariah, the son of Meshelemiah - can only be the Zechariah who is mentioned in 1Ch_26:2 as the first-born of Meshelemiah, and who lived in the time of David; for at the time when David divided the porters into classes, there fell to him the lot towards midnight, i.e., the duty of waiting at the door on the north side of the holy place (1Ch_26:14).
1Ch 9:22 All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.
David and Samuel the seer did ordain - The porters, like the singers Neh_12:29, dwelt for the most part in the villages round Jerusalem . They were the descendants of those originally selected for the work by David. David’s arrangements are here regarded as having had the sanction of Samuel - which would imply that he planned them in the lifetime of Saul, while he was still a fugitive and an outlaw.
David and Samuel the seer did ordain - the scheme was first drawn by Samuel the prophet, and communicated to David, who put it into execution, to be constantly and perpetually observed.
David and Samuel the seer did ordain - In the times of the judges there was much disorder both in the Jewish state and church, and the Levites came to the tabernacle promiscuously, and as their inclinations or occasions brought them. But Samuel observing they were greatly increased, began to think of establishing order in their ministration. And these intentions of his probably were communicated to David, who after his own peaceable settlement in his throne, revived and perfected Samuel's design, and took care to put it in execution.
were two hundred and twelve - As fixed in the days of David, and might not be fewer:
1Ch 9:23 So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the LORD, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards.
they and their children had the oversight of the gates - They that were appointed in David's time to watch the gates of the temple, their posterity succeeded them in that office; for it was hereditary:
Tabernacle - This is added to explain what he means by the house of the Lord, not that tabernacle which David had set up for the ark; but that more solemn tabernacle, which Moses had made by God's express command; which in David's time was at Gibeon; in which God was worshipped until the temple was built.
1Ch 9:24 In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south.
1Ch 9:25 And their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come after seven days from time to time with them.
to come after seven days from time to time with them - If the number of warders was, as stated in Nehemiah Neh_11:19 And the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers who kept the gates, were a hundred and seventy-two 172 (168 besides the four chief warders), and the number employed at any one time was, as under David 1Ch_26:17-18 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward the storehouse, two by two. At the Parbar, westward, four at the highway, two at the Parbar, twenty-four, then the turn of the courses to keep ward came every seven weeks.
to come after seven days from time to time with them - there was a new course of them every week; the old ones went off of duty, and another course succeeded, which came out of the villages where they dwelt, and the old course retired to theirs.
their brethren, which were in their villages - Assigned them to dwell in:
1Ch 9:26 For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.
For the four chief porters - A contrast seems intended between the four chief porters, whose charge was constant, and the remainder, who kept watch by turns. The four chief porters who were over all the two hundred and twelve, and had one over them, 1Ch_9:17, these were never changed, nor went into the country villages; but were always upon the spot, and in their office, superintending the rest:
For the four chief porters - These were constantly upon the place, in the execution of their office, that they might oversee the inferior porters in their work.
the chambers and treasuries - or, storehouses, treasuries. In which the sacred utensils and other treasures belonging to the temple, were kept.
1Ch 9:27 And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them.
they lodged round about the house of God - In chambers on the outward wall about it, that they might be near to do their office:
the charge was upon them - to guard the house: They passed the night around the house of God, because the care of or watch over it was committed to them, and “they were over the key, and that every morning,” they had to open the door every morning.
the opening thereof every morning pertained to them - that is, the opening of the doors of the mountain of the house, and the court of women; for as for others, that appertained to the priests.
1Ch 9:28 And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale.
the ministering vessels - by which we are probably to understand the costly vessels, the golden cups for the libations, etc., which were brought from the treasure-chamber only for a short time for use in the service. They were brought, according to the number, into the place where the service took place, and after being again numbered, were again carried forth; and according to 1Ch_9:29.
the ministering vessels - Which the priests used in sacrificing, and which the Levites brought to them, and returned again to their proper places.
By tale - literally, “by number.” The vessels for service taken out of the treasury were counted, that the same number should be returned to the treasury after the service was over,
1Ch 9:29 Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices.
Some of them also were appointed to oversee - They were committed to their care; they delivered them out on occasion, and their business was to see that they were returned when they had done their use and service:
1Ch 9:30 And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices.
The sons of the priests made the ointment - Only the priests were permitted to make this ointment; all others were forbidden to do it on pain of death; Exo_30:34-38. the Levites had the care of the spices, they might not make the ointment with them, the preparation from various spices of the holy anointing oil, Exo_30:23-25 was part of the priest's duty.
The sons of the priests made the ointment - This is added to show, that though the Levites were intrusted with the keeping of this ointment, yet none but the priests could make it.
1Ch 9:31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the set office over the things that were made in the pans.
Mattithiah the first-born of Shallum the Korahite - This Shallum would seem to be the person mentioned in 1Ch_9:19, whose actual first-born was Zechariah 1Ch_26:2. Mattithiah may have been his eldest lineal descendant at the time here spoken of.
the things that were made in the pans - the meat offerings that were made in pans; and so had the care of the fine flour, oil, and frankincense used in them, which he delivered to the priests when necessary, Lev_2:5,
1Ch 9:32 And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath.
the shewbread - Finally, to some of the Kohathites was committed the preparation of the shew-bread, which required to be laid on the table fresh every Sabbath; Lev_24:5-8. Twelve loaves of which were set every week before the ark upon the shewbread table, and the old ones taken away: now the work of these Levites was to make this shewbread, and get it ready every week to be set upon the table, and which was done not by them, but by priests; under the second temple, the family of Garmu was set over this work.
1Ch 9:33 And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night.
these are the singers - Others of them were employed in singing, and were masters of the song, and presided in that service. A number of Levites were employed by rotation in singing the praises of Jehovah; and they seem to have continued the service day and night.
in the chambers were free - from all other work and service; and there they abode, even in the chambers of the temple, that they might be near to perform their work, and not be defiled, and made unfit for it:
employed in that work day and night - some or other of them, either in composing or singing psalms and hymns, or teaching others how to sing them.
Day and night - Continually, and particularly in the morning and evening, the two times appointed for solemn service. Thus was God continually praised, as it is fit he should be, who is continually doing us good.
1Ch 9:34 These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem.
Chief throughout their generations - The superintendents, that is, were the genealogical head of the different Levitical divisions, and bore special rule, each over those of his own blood and race. The hereditary principle prevailed, not only in the high priesthood, but also in the priestly offices of the second rank.
these dwelt at Jerusalem - always resided there, and did not in turns go into the country villages, as the inferior Levites did; their office requiring them to be constantly there.
1Ch 9:35 And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife's name was Maachah:
The family of King Saul - An almost exact repetition of 1Ch_8:29-38; and probably intentionally made by the author. In order to connect the genealogical section of his work with the historical, he re-introduces the genealogy of the person with whose death his historical section opens. From hence to the end of the chapter is a repetition of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel ; which is made to lead on to and connect the following history of the kings of Judah , begun in this book, and carried on in the next unto the Babylonish captivity.
The family of King Saul - This register has already occurred in 1Ch_8:29-38, along with those of other families of the tribe of Benjamin, and is repeated here only to connect the following history of the kingship with the preceding genealogical lists. It forms here the introduction to the narrative of Saul's death in 1Ch_10:1-14, which in turn forms the transition to the kingship of David. The deviations of this register from that in 1Ch_8:29-38, show that it has been derived from another document in more complete preservation than that in 1 Chron 8.
in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel - Whose name is here mentioned, when it is not in 1Ch_8:29.:
1Ch 9:36 And his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab,
1Ch 9:37 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth.
Zechariah - Zacher is merely an abbreviation of Zechariah, by the omission of Jah or Yah, one of the names of God. 1Ch_8:31, Zacher
1Ch 9:38 And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem, over against their brethren.
1Ch 9:39 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
1Ch 9:40 And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal: and Meribbaal begat Micah.
1Ch 9:41 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and Ahaz.
And Ahaz - This is added by our translators from 1Ch_8:35, but such liberties should only be taken in a note; for although the words are now sufficiently distinguished from the text by being printed in Italics, yet it is too much to expect that every editor of a Bible will attend to such distinctions, and in process of time the words will be found incorporated with the text.
1Ch_9:35, and the following verses, are a repetition of what we find in 1Ch_8:29-38.
1Ch 9:42 And Ahaz begat Jarah; and Jarah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza;
1Ch 9:43 And Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.
Rephaiah - Rapha is merely a contracted form of Rephaiah. 1Ch_8:37, Rapha
1Ch 9:44 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these were the sons of Azel.
