1 Chronicles 23:1 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
Before David died, he directed that Solomon be crowned as king (see
1 Kings 1:33-39). The record here does not go into the interesting details that prompted David to place Solomon on the throne (see 1 Kings 1).
1 Chronicles 23:2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
This probably was done shortly before David’s death, in connection with the arrangements being put through for the transference of the kingdom from David to Solomon
“in the fortieth year of the reign of David” (see
ch. 26:31).
Chapters 23-26 discuss the organization of the priests and Levites. The present chapter presents a summary of the number and duties of the Levites.
1 Chronicles 23:3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.
The Levites were not numbered at the time of David’s census of men of military age (
ch. 21:6). But for the purpose of making arrangements for the conduct of all phases of the work of the realm a census of the Levites would be necessary.
Levites from the ages of 30 to 50 were to be employed in the
“service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation” (
Num. 4:47). According to
Num. 8:23-25 the Lord specifically prescribed that those who should
“go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle” should be from 25 to 50 years of age. Perhaps this latter group included those engaged in the manual services connected with the sanctuary. The former group probably consisted of those who engaged in the more sacred priestly services.
1 Chronicles 23:4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord; and six thousand were officers and judges:
1 Chronicles 23:5 Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.
That is, doorkeepers. They did not all serve at one time, but took their turns.
Not only did David sing and play upon musical instruments, but he seems also to have been an inventor of such instruments. Later in the history of Israel mention is made of those who invented
“to themselves instruments of musick, like David” (
Amos 6:5). After the Exile such instruments invented by David were apparently still in use (
Neh. 12:36).
1 Chronicles 23:6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
1 Chronicles 23:7 Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.
1 Chronicles 23:8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
There were two groups of the sons of Laadan, one group of three sons mentioned in this verse, and another group of three sons in
v. 9 who are called
“sons of Shimei.” The Shimei of
v. 9 is believed to be a different Shimei from the one in
v. 7, for the sons listed in
v. 10 seem to be the latter’s.
1 Chronicles 23:10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
Probably the Shimei of
v. 7, who was the brother of Laadan (see on
v. 8).
1 Chronicles 23:11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father’s house.
Since these had few descendants, they were listed as one clan.
Thus there were altogether 9 clans of Gershon, 6 of Laadan, and 3 of Shimei.
1 Chronicles 23:12 The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
1 Chronicles 23:13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.
The sons of Aaron, the priests in Israel, are not included in the present list, but are enumerated separately in
ch. 24:1-19.
The sons of Aaron were engaged in the most sacred work of the sanctuary, namely, the burning of incense and other ministrations before Jehovah.
1 Chronicles 23:14 Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.
The sons of Moses were listed as ordinary Levites and not with the priests, the sons of Aaron.
1 Chronicles 23:21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.
1 Chronicles 23:22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.
His daughters married into the family of Kish, and thus his house was merged with that of Kish.
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.
This is the subscription to the foregoing list of Levitical names.
According to
Num. 4:3, 23, 30, 35, 43, 47, certain Levites began to serve at the age of 30, and according to
Num. 8:24, 25, presumably another class of Levites began their service at the age of 25. Here, and again in
1 Chron. 23:27 and
2 Chron. 31:17, the age of 20 is mentioned. Men were enrolled for military service at the age of 20 (
Num. 1:3). But in what way the Levites began their service at that age is not disclosed. Some think that some form of apprenticeship is involved. Others think that David lowered from 30 to 20 the age at which a Levite would begin his service.
1 Chronicles 23:25 For David said, The Lord God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:
That is, rest from war (
ch. 22:9). The early part of David’s reign had been characterized by war, but during his latter years, after his enemies had been subdued, he had peace, and comparative peace continued during the reign of Solomon.
1 Chronicles 23:26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.
After the building of the Temple it would no longer be necessary to move the tabernacle or its sacred furniture.
1 Chronicles 23:27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:
Some suppose “the last words of David” to constitute an historical work drawn up in the latter years of David’s reign. This cannot be proved.
1 Chronicles 23:28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;
Since the Temple furniture would no longer need to be carried about, the Levites would not be needed for that type of service, but they would henceforth minister in the permanent sanctuary, with the priests, but in subordinate positions.
1 Chronicles 23:29 Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;
1 Chronicles 23:30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even:
This no doubt refers to the special function of the 4,000 Levites set apart for this service (
v. 5; cf.
ch. 16:4).
1 Chronicles 23:32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the Lord.
Charge of the tabernacle.
Moses had previously prescribed the functions of the priests and Levites (
Num. 18:1-7). The law respecting the tabernacle was to be applied to the future Temple, which was constructed on a grander scale.