1 Crônicas 24
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Crônicas 24
NJB (LXX versing) Divisions of Levites The Divisions of the Priests David Organizes the Priests The Work Assigned to the Priests The Classification of Priests 24:1-19 24:1-19 24:1-6 24:1-6 24:1-6 24:7-19 24:7-18 24:7-18 24:19 24:19 Other Levites The List of the Levites 24:20-31 24:20-31 24:20-31 24:20a 24:20-30a 24:20b 24:21 24:22 24:23 24:24 24:25 24:26-30a 24:30b 24:30b-31 24:31 Etc. CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS It is obvious that the Chronicler had a special interest in the temple and the Levites (the biblical books of 1 and 2 Kings de-emphasize them). Why do the lists of Levites in the Chronicler's writings (i.e., 1, 2, Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah) not agree? he is using different lists which included different descendants had different names for the same person the list includes individual names and family names (i.e., differing connotations of "house" and "son") some manuscript errors have occurred often Jewish scribes felt free to add updated information (i.e., latest family members) to their texts (see John H. Walton and D. Brent Sandy, The Lost World of Scripture) These lists helped document family lines, especially those who could serve in the temple the Levites encouraged to serve because not many returned from exile the 24 divisions of the priests are paralleled in the 24 divisions of the Levites; Chronicles attributes this to David For an attempt to list the changes of the original 24 divisions of 1 Chronicles 24 through the lists of Ezra and Nehemiah, see the chart on p. 422 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 4.
1 Crônicas 24:1-19
24:1-2 "divisions" Aaron's family became the priests and Levites who served the temple. Aaron had four sons. The oldest two were killed by God for disobedience concerning sacrificial procedures (cf. Leviticus 10). The remaining two became leading priestly families (i.e., Eleazer and Ithamar). "Divisions" indicates when they would serve at the temple. ANE peoples also had their priests divided into shifts. SPECIAL TOPIC: LEVITICAL PRIESTS 24:3 "Zadok" Zadok and Abiathar were both high priests during David's reign (i.e., 2 Samuel 8 ‒ 1 Kings 4). Zadok became the main priest of Solomon's day because Abiathar supported one of Solomon's brothers for the throne (cf. 1 Kings 1) and was exiled (cf. 1 Kgs. 2:27,35). Zadok was loyal to David and Solomon. His ancestry is in the line of Eleazar (1 Chr. 2:3). For the problems connected to Zadok's lineage see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 372-376 or NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1300-1302. ▣ "Ahimelech" There are several persons by this name in this priestly line, which causes confusion. father of one of David's High Priests, Abiathar (Ahimelech I) he was one of the priests in the line of Eli who served at Nob and was killed by Saul (1 Samuel 21-22) a son of Abiathar (Ahimelech, cf. 1 Chr. 18:16) or the genealogy is reversed in 2 Sam. 8:17 and 1 Chr. 24:6 Abiathar's support of one of David's older sons, Adonijah, for the kingship resulted in Solomon exiling him and his family from the temple service to live in their hometown of Anathoth. This fulfilled the earlier prophecy of Eli, the High Priest's, rejection (cf. 1 Sam. 3:12-14). The prophet Jeremiah was of this line of priests. He could not have served in the temple. 24:4 The family of Eleazar was larger than the family of Ithamar, so it got twice as many divisions for ministry times. ▣ "heads of father's households" Throughout the lists, especially in Nehemiah, a name stands for a family, not an individual. This makes it difficult to compare the lists of priests and Levites, so common in the Chronicler's writings (i.e., 1 and 2 Chronicles and Ezra, Nehemiah). 24:5 "by lot" This would have been done by use of the Urim and Thummin (cf. 1 Chr. 24:31). However, one wonders if this post-exilic community had those items. Whatever the means, casting lots was a way to determine the will of God (cf. Pro. 16:33, i.e., casting lots for the tribal allocations in Num. 26:55-56; Joshua 14-19 the two goats in Leviticus 16 (i.e., Day of Atonement) who would live in the rebuilt Jerusalem in Neh. 11:1 replacing Judas Iscariot with Matthias in Acts 1:26) SPECIAL TOPIC: URIM AND THUMMIM ▣ "officers of the sanctuary (holy) and officers of God (Elohim)" These titles are parallel. They do not represent different offices. 24:6 "the scribes" This would refer to a court or temple recorder (cf. 2 Chr. 34:13), not a teacher like Ezra and later Judaism's rabbis. SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBES ▣ "in the presence of the king" The monarchy of Israel was completely committed to the cultus of Israel. The king was only an earthly representative of YHWH's Kingship. ▣ "Ahimelech the son of Abiathar" These two names seem to be switched or we have a later descendant by the same name. 24:7 "Jehoiarib" This was the father of the priest of Modein, Mattathias, who later instigated the Maccabean/ Hasmonean revolt against the Syrian rulers (i.e., Antiochus IV Epiphanes) of Judah in 167 B.C. 24:10 "Abijah" In Luke 1:5 we learn that John the Baptist's father was of this division.
1 Crônicas 24:20-31
24:20-31 This list may supplement the list of Levi's family found in 1 Chr. 23:6-23. 24:20 "Shubael" In 1 Chr. 23:16; 26:24, he is called "Shebuel." 24:22 "Shelmoth" In 1 Chr. 23:18 he is called "Shelomith." 24:31 This verse implies that the head of families cast the lots themselves before the king and High Priest.