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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [First Chronicles, Chapter XXIV].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T C H R O N I C L E S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXIV.</FONT>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This chapter gives us a more particular account of the distribution of
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the priests and Levites into their respective classes, for the more
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regular discharge of the duties of their offices, according to their
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families.
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I. Of the priests,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+24:1-19">ver. 1-19</A>.
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II. Of the Levites,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+24:20-31">ver. 20-31</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Courses of the Priests.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1015.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now <I>these are</I> the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons
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of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
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2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no
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children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's
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office.
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3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of
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Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their
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offices in their service.
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4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar
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than of the sons of Ithamar; and <I>thus</I> were they divided. Among
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the sons of Eleazar <I>there were</I> sixteen chief men of the house
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of <I>their</I> fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according
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to the house of their fathers.
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5 Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the
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governors of the sanctuary, and governors <I>of the house</I> of God,
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were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
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6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, <I>one</I> of the
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Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok
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the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and <I>before</I> the
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chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal
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household being taken for Eleazar, and <I>one</I> taken for Ithamar.
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7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to
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Jedaiah,
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8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
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9 The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
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10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
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11 The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
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12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
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13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
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14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
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15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,
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16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,
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17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to
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Gamul,
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18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth
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to Maaziah.
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19 These <I>were</I> the orderings of them in their service to come
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into the house of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, according to their manner, under
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Aaron their father, as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of Israel had commanded him.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The particular account of these establishments is of little use to us
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now; but, when Ezra published it, it was of great use to direct their
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church affairs after their return from captivity into the old channel
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again. The title of this record we have
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+24:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>--
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<I>These are the
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divisions of the sons of Aaron,</I> not by which they divided one from
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another, or were at variance one with another (it is a pity there
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should ever be any such divisions among the sons of Israel, but
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especially among the sons of Aaron), but the distribution of them in
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order to the dividing of their work among themselves; it was a division
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which God made, and was made for him.
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1. This distribution was made for the more regular discharge of the
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duties of their office. God was, and still is, the God of order, and
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not of confusion, particularly in the things of his worship. Number
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without order is but a clog and an occasion of tumult; but when every
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one has, and knows, and keeps, his place and work, the more the better.
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In the mystical body, every member has its use, for the good of the
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whole,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+12:4,5,1Co+12:12">Rom. xii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. xii. 12</A>.
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2. It was made by lot, that the disposal thereof might be of the Lord,
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and so all quarrels and contentions might be prevented, and no man
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could be charged with partiality, nor could any say that they had wrong
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done them. As God is the God or order, so he is the God of peace.
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Solomon says of the lot that it <I>causeth contention to cease.</I>
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3. The lot was cast publicly, and with great solemnity, in the
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presence of the king, princes, and priests, that there might be no room
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for any fraudulent practices or the suspicion of them. The lot is an
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appeal to God, and ought to be managed with corresponding reverence and
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sincerity. Matthias was chosen to the apostleship by lot, with prayer
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+1:24,26">Acts i. 24, 26</A>),
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and I know not but it might be still used in faith in parallel cases,
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as an instituted ordinance. We have here the name of the public notary
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that was employed in writing the names, and drawing the lots,
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+24:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
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<I>Shemaiah, one of the Levites.</I>
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4. What those priests were chosen to was to preside in the affairs of
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the sanctuary
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+24:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>),
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in their several courses and turns. That which was to be determined by
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the lot was only the precedency, not who should serve (for they chose
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all the chief men), but who should serve first, and who next, that
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every one might know his course, and attend in it. Of the twenty-four
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chief men of the priests sixteen were of the house of Eleazar and eight
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of Ithamar; for the house of Ithamar may well be supposed to have
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dwindled since the sentence passed on the family of Eli, who was of
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that house. The method of drawing the lots is intimated
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+24:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
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one chief household being taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar. The
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sixteen chief names of Eleazar were put in one urn, the eight for
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Ithamar in another, and they drew out of them alternately, as long as
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those for Ithamar lasted, and then out of those only for Eleazar, or
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two for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar, throughout.
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5. Among these twenty-four courses the eighth is that of Abijah or
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Abia
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+24:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>),
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which is mentioned
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+1:5">Luke i. 5</A>)
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as the course which Zechariah was of, the father of John the Baptist,
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by which it appears that these courses which David now settled, though
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interrupted perhaps in the bad reigns and long broken off by the
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captivity, yet continued in succession till the destruction of the
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second temple by the Romans. And each course was called by the name of
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him in whom it was first founded, as the high priest is here called
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<I>Aaron</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+24:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>),
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because succeeding in his dignity and power, though we read not of any
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of them that bore that name. Whoever was high priest must be reverenced
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and observed by the inferior priests as their father, as Aaron their
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father. Christ is high priest over the house of God, to whom all
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believers, being made priests, are to be in subjection.</P>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_23"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_24"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_25"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_26"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_27"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_28"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_29"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_30"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch24_31"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>20 And the rest of the sons of Levi <I>were these:</I> Of the sons
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of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.
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21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first
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<I>was</I> Isshiah.
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22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth;
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Jahath.
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23 And the sons <I>of Hebron;</I> Jeriah <I>the first,</I> Amariah the
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second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.
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24 <I>Of</I> the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah;
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Shamir.
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25 The brother of Michah <I>was</I> Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah;
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Zechariah.
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26 The sons of Merari <I>were</I> Mahli and Mushi: the sons of
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Jaaziah; Beno.
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27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur,
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and Ibri.
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28 Of Mahli <I>came</I> Eleazar, who had no sons.
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29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish <I>was</I> Jerahmeel.
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30 The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These
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<I>were</I> the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.
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31 These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the
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sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and
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Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and
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Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger
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brethren.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Most of the Levites here named were mentioned before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+23:16-23"><I>ch.</I> xxiii. 16</A>,
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&c.
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They were of those who were to attend the priests in the service of the
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house of God. But they are here mentioned again as heads of the
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twenty-four courses of Levites (and about so many are here named), who
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were to attend the twenty-four courses of the priests: they are
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therefore said to <I>cast lots over against their brethren</I> (so they
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are called, not their <I>lords</I>), <I>the sons of Aaron,</I> who were
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not to lord it over God's <I>clergy,</I> as the original word is,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Pe+5:3">1 Pet. v. 3</A>.
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And, that the whole disposal of the affair might be of the Lord, the
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principal fathers cast lots over against their younger brethren; that
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is, those that were of the elder house came upon he level with those of
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the younger families, and took their place, not by seniority, but as
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God by the lot directed. Note, In Christ no difference is made between
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bond and free, elder and younger. The younger brethren, if they be
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faithful and sincere, shall be no less acceptable to Christ than the
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principal fathers.</P>
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