Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
The orders and classes of the Levites who were gatekeepers of the temple are enumerated; and also the keepers of the treasures both of the temple and of the King.
Vulgate Text: 1 Paralipomenon 26:1-32
1. And the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 2. The sons of Meshelemiah: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3. Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. 4. And the sons of Obed-edom: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, 5. Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth: for the Lord blessed him. 6. And to Shemei his son were born sons who were heads of their families: for they were very mighty men. 7. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were mighty men: also Elihu and Semachiah. 8. All these were of the sons of Obed-edom: they, and their sons, and their brethren, very able men for the service, sixty-two of Obed-edom. 9. And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, very strong men, eighteen. 10. And of Hosah, that is, of the sons of Merari: Shimri was the chief (for he was not the firstborn, but his father had appointed him chief), 11. Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all these sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen. 12. These were distributed as gatekeepers, so that the chiefs of the watches, together with their brethren, would always minister in the house of the Lord. 13. And they cast lots equally, both small and great, according to their families, for each of the gates. 14. The lot for the eastern gate fell to Shelemiah. And to Zechariah his son, a very prudent and learned man, the northern side fell by lot. 15. And to Obed-edom and his sons, the southern side: at which part of the house was the council of elders. 16. To Shuppim and Hosah, the western side, near the gate that leads to the road of the ascent: watch opposite watch. 17. To the east were six Levites, and to the north four each day: and to the south likewise four each day: and where the council was, two and two. 18. And in the chambers of the gatekeepers to the west, four on the road, and two at each chamber. 19. These were the divisions of the gatekeepers, of the sons of Korah and Merari. 20. And Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the vessels of holy things. 21. The sons of Laadan, sons of the Gershonites: of Laadan, the heads of the families, of Laadan the Gershonite, Jehieli. 22. The sons of Jehieli: Zetham and Joel his brother, were over the treasures of the house of the Lord. 23. Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, and the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: 24. And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was overseer of the treasures. 25. And his brethren: Eliezer, whose son was Rehabiah, and his son Jeshaiah, and his son Joram, and his son Zichri, and his son Shelomith. 26. This Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the holy things, which King David had consecrated, and the heads of the families, and the tribunes, and centurions, and commanders of the army, 27. from the wars and from the spoils of battles, which they had consecrated for the restoration and furnishing of the temple of the Lord. 28. And all these things Samuel the Seer had sanctified, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah: all who had sanctified anything, it was under the hand of Shelomith and his brethren. 29. And of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were set over Israel for outward business, for teaching and judging them. 30. And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, very mighty men, one thousand seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan to the west, in all the works of the Lord and in the service of the king. 31. And the chief of the Hebronites was Jerijah, according to the families and kindreds of them. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought out, and there were found very mighty men among them at Jazer in Gilead. 32. And his brethren of mature age, two thousand seven hundred heads of families. And King David appointed them over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, for every ministry of God and of the king.
Verse 5: Because the Lord Blessed Obed-edom
Verse 5. BECAUSE THE LORD BLESSED HIM (Obededom) — on account of the Ark which he had reverently kept in his house and diligently guarded, 2 Kings chapter 6. For this reason he surpassed the other Levites in the number of his sons, as well as in strength of both body and mind; hence verse 8 says: 'All these were of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and brothers, most valiant for service, 62 of Obededom.'
Verse 10: He Had Not Had a Firstborn
Verse 10. FOR HE HAD NOT HAD A FIRSTBORN — that is to say, Hosa at that time did not have a firstborn, because he had already died; therefore in his place he appointed as chief of his family Semri, who was the second-born.
Verse 12: Divided as Doorkeepers
Verse 12. THESE WERE DIVIDED AS DOORKEEPERS, SO THAT THE CHIEFS OF THE WATCHES, ETC., SHOULD MINISTER IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. — The dignity of these doorkeepers was therefore great. First, because they were 'chiefs of the watches,' as if to say: just as praetorian soldiers are in charge of guarding the king and the royal house, so these doorkeepers presided over the guard and all the guards of the house of God, namely the temple. Second, because the same men presided over the guardianship of the treasury of both the temple and the king, as is clear from verses 20, 26, and 30. Likewise over the repairs of the temple, verse 27. Third, because from them were appointed teachers of the people, prefects, and judges in both sacred and secular cases, as is clear from verses 29, 30, and 32.
Verse 14: Selemia
Verse 14. SELEMIA — This is the one who in verse 1 and following is called 'Meselemias.' For he is called 'Selemias' in abbreviated form for brevity, just as Jechonias is called 'Chonias' by Jeremiah in chapter 22.
Verse 15: The Council of the Elders
Verse 15. IN WHICH PART OF THE HOUSE WAS THE COUNCIL OF THE ELDERS — that is to say, in the southern part of the temple was the place of the supreme council, which was called 'Sanhedrin,' and consisted of 72 chief men, like senators; see the comments on Numbers 11.
Verse 16: The Road of Ascent
Verse 16. WHICH LEADS TO THE ROAD OF ASCENT — by which one ascended to Mount Zion and to the Tabernacle erected there; and afterwards to the temple built on the same site by Solomon.
WATCH CORRESPONDING TO WATCH — Vatablus says: a watch opposite to another watch, that is to say, one station of guards corresponded to another placed opposite it. For this western gate of the temple seems to have had, beyond the others, a double guard, on account of the greater crowding of people there, and therefore the greater danger of tumult. That this is so is clear from verse 18.
Verse 18: The Cells of the Doorkeepers
Verse 18. IN THE CELLS OF THE DOORKEEPERS AT THE WEST, FOUR ON THE ROAD, AND TWO AT EACH CELL — that is to say, at the western gate of the temple, 'in the cells of the doorkeepers,' 'four' Levite chiefs of the doorkeepers kept watch 'on the road' of ascent, about which verse 16 spoke, and in addition 'two other' chiefs 'at the cells' were distributed at fixed guard stations and kept watch with the lesser Levites subject to them. From this you see that there were more and greater watches at the western gate than at the other gates of the temple, as I said.
Verse 29: For Outward Business
Verse 29. FOR OUTWARD BUSINESS — namely for cutting and polishing wood and stone, for cultivating the vineyards, meadows, and fields of the temple, etc.