Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
The priests are distributed into 24 classes, and to each is assigned its class of Levites to serve in the sacrifices.
Vulgate Text: 1 Paralipomenon 24:1-31
1. Now for the sons of Aaron, these were their divisions: the sons of Aaron were Nadab, and Abihu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father without children: and so Eleazar and Ithamar served in the priesthood. 3. And David divided them, that is, Zadok from the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech from the sons of Ithamar, according to their turns and ministry. 4. And there were found many more sons of Eleazar among the leading men than sons of Ithamar. So he divided them: for the sons of Eleazar, sixteen leaders by their families; and for the sons of Ithamar, eight by their families and houses. 5. And he divided both families among themselves by lots; for they were leaders of the sanctuary and leaders of God, both from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar. 6. And Shemaiah the son of Nethanel, the Levite scribe, recorded them before the king and the leaders, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and also the heads of the priestly and Levitical families: one house, which took precedence over the rest, for Eleazar; and another house, which had the rest under it, for Ithamar. 7. And the first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8. the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9. the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10. the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11. the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, 12. the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13. the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14. the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 15. the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, 16. the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel, 17. the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, 18. the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 19. These were their turns according to their ministry, to enter the house of the Lord, according to their rite, under the direction of Aaron their father: as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 20. And of the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shebuel; and of the sons of Shebuel, Jehdeiah. 21. And of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief. 22. And of the Izharites, Shelomoth; and the son of Shelomoth, Jahath: 23. and his sons: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 24. Son of Uzziel: Micah; son of Micah: Shamir. 25. Brother of Micah: Isshiah; and the son of Isshiah: Zechariah. 26. Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. Son of Jaaziah: Beno. 27. And the sons of Merari through Jaaziah: Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. 28. And of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no children. 29. And the son of Kish: Jerahmeel. 30. And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of Levi according to the houses of their families. 31. And they also cast lots alongside their brethren the sons of Aaron, before King David, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the heads of the priestly and Levitical families, the greater as well as the lesser: the lot divided all equally.
Verse 3: David Divided Them by Turns
3. AND DAVID DIVIDED THEM, THAT IS, ZADOK FROM THE SONS OF ELEAZAR, AND AHIMELECH FROM THE SONS OF ITHAMAR, ACCORDING TO THEIR TURNS — that is, he divided all the priests, descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar, into 24 classes. He divided them, I say, not by himself, but through the two High Priests, namely through Zadok who was from the descendants of Eleazar, and through Ahimelech who was from the descendants of Ithamar. For this distribution of priests pertained to the High Priest, not to the king.
Verse 5: Divided by Lots
5. AND HE DIVIDED BOTH FAMILIES AMONG THEMSELVES BY LOTS — lest anyone could complain that he had been unjustly placed behind, and another promoted by favoritism, but
so that all would be regarded with equal right and standing: therefore the matter was decided by lot, and the lot assigned to each one his order and turn.
FOR THEY WERE LEADERS OF THE SANCTUARY. — There were 24 priestly families, and each had its own leader, namely the firstborn, who presided over everyone in his turn and directed everything in the temple; therefore he was the chief priest of his class, and hence was called a pontiff. There were therefore 24 pontiffs or chief priests, of whom there is frequent mention in the Gospels; but over all of these the supreme Pontiff, namely Zadok, was preeminent and presided.
Verse 6: Ahimelech the Son of Abiathar
6. AHIMELECH THE SON OF ABIATHAR. — From this it appears that Abiathar the Pontiff, being ill or occupied with other matters, delegated his duties to his son Ahimelech, so that he might assist alongside Zadok the Pontiff and distribute these 24 priestly classes.
Verse 10: The Eighth, Abijah
10. THE EIGHTH, ABIJAH — From this division was Zechariah the father of John the Baptist; therefore it is certain that he was not the supreme Pontiff. For the Pontiff did not have a turn, but presided over all. Whether Zechariah was a Pontiff, that is, the leader and firstborn of his family of Abijah, as St. Dionysius says in the Celestial Hierarchy chapter 4, and likewise whether he was from the descendants of Eleazar or from the descendants of Ithamar, is uncertain.
Verse 26: The Son of Jaaziah, Beno
26. THE SON OF JAAZIAH, BENO — and the others who are listed in verse 27, as I will now explain.
Verse 27: The Son of Merari, Jaaziah
27. THE SON OF MERARI: JAAZIAH. — These words seem to be intercepted by a parenthesis; for the following names, namely "Shoham and Zaccur and Ibri, are sons of Jaaziah." This is clear from the Hebrew and Chaldean which read thus: The sons of Merari through Jaaziah, or by Jaaziah: Beno and Shoham and Zaccur and Ibri. For since it had said: "the son of Jaaziah, Beno," and had not said whose son "Jaaziah" was, it therefore explains this by adding: "the son of Merari, Jaaziah," and then continues with the remaining sons of Jaaziah besides the already-named Beno, saying: and Shoham and Zaccur and Ibri. — For the sons of Merari, namely Mahli and Mushi, he had already listed in verse 26. So Vatablus, Pagninus, and others.
Verse 31: They Also Cast Lots
31. AND THEY ALSO CAST LOTS ALONGSIDE THEIR BRETHREN — that is, opposite or facing their brethren, that is, their kinsmen: and as Vatablus translates, facing their brethren. The Septuagint: just as their brethren; that is, just as the priests, descendants of Aaron, divided into 24 classes had cast lots to determine in what order each should minister in the tabernacle; so also the Levites received their turns of ministry by casting lots.