149 lines
11 KiB
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149 lines
11 KiB
XML
<div2 id="iCh.xxv" n="xxv" next="iCh.xxvi" prev="iCh.xxiv" progress="78.07%" title="Chapter XXIV">
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<h2 id="iCh.xxv-p0.1">F I R S T C H R O N I C L E
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S</h2>
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<h3 id="iCh.xxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIV.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="iCh.xxv-p1">This chapter gives us a more particular account of
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the distribution of the priests and Levites into their respective
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classes, for the more regular discharge of the duties of their
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offices, according to their families. I. Of the priests, <scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.1-1Chr.24.19" parsed="|1Chr|24|1|24|19" passage="1Ch 24:1-19">ver. 1-19</scripRef>. II. Of the Levites,
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<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.20-1Chr.24.31" parsed="|1Chr|24|20|24|31" passage="1Ch 24:20-31">ver. 20-31</scripRef>.</p>
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<scripCom id="iCh.xxv-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24" parsed="|1Chr|24|0|0|0" passage="1Ch 24" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="iCh.xxv-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.1-1Chr.24.19" parsed="|1Chr|24|1|24|19" passage="1Ch 24:1-19" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.24.1-1Chr.24.19">
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<h4 id="iCh.xxv-p1.5">The Courses of the Priests. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxv-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1015.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="iCh.xxv-p2">1 Now <i>these are</i> the divisions of the sons
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of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and
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Ithamar. 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and
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had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the
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priest's office. 3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of
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the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar,
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according to their offices in their service. 4 And there
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were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons
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of Ithamar; and <i>thus</i> were they divided. Among the sons of
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Eleazar <i>there were</i> sixteen chief men of the house of
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<i>their</i> fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according
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to the house of their fathers. 5 Thus were they divided by
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lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and
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governors <i>of the house</i> of God, were of the sons of Eleazar,
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and of the sons of Ithamar. 6 And Shemaiah the son of
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Nethaneel the scribe, <i>one</i> of the Levites, wrote them before
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the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the
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son of Abiathar, and <i>before</i> the chief of the fathers of the
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priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for
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Eleazar, and <i>one</i> taken for Ithamar. 7 Now the first
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lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8 The
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third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9 The fifth to
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Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10 The seventh to Hakkoz,
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the eighth to Abijah, 11 The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to
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Shecaniah, 12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to
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Jakim, 13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to
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Jeshebeab, 14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to
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Immer, 15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to
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Aphses, 16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to
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Jehezekel, 17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and
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twentieth to Gamul, 18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah,
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the four and twentieth to Maaziah. 19 These <i>were</i> the
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orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the
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<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxv-p2.1">Lord</span>, according to their manner,
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under Aaron their father, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxv-p2.2">Lord</span> God of Israel had commanded him.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxv-p3">The particular account of these
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establishments is of little use to us now; but, when Ezra published
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it, it was of great use to direct their church affairs after their
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return from captivity into the old channel again. The title of this
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record we have <scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.1" parsed="|1Chr|24|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 24:1"><i>v.</i>
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1</scripRef>—<i>These are the divisions of the sons of Aaron,</i>
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not by which they divided one from another, or were at variance one
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with another (it is a pity there should ever be any such divisions
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among the sons of Israel, but especially among the sons of Aaron),
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but the distribution of them in order to the dividing of their work
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among themselves; it was a division which God made, and was made
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for him. 1. This distribution was made for the more regular
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discharge of the duties of their office. God was, and still is, the
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God of order, and not of confusion, particularly in the things of
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his worship. Number without order is but a clog and an occasion of
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tumult; but when every one has, and knows, and keeps, his place and
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work, the more the better. In the mystical body, every member has
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its use, for the good of the whole, <scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.4-Rom.12.5 Bible:1Cor.12.12" parsed="|Rom|12|4|12|5;|1Cor|12|12|0|0" passage="Ro 12:4,5,1Co 12:12">Rom. xii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. xii. 12</scripRef>. 2.
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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
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wrong done them. As God is the God or order, so he is the God of
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peace. Solomon says of the lot that it <i>causeth contention to
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cease.</i> 3. The lot was cast publicly, and with great solemnity,
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in the presence of the king, princes, and priests, that there might
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be no room for any fraudulent practices or the suspicion of them.
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The lot is an appeal to God, and ought to be managed with
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corresponding reverence and sincerity. Matthias was chosen to the
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apostleship by lot, with prayer (<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.1.24 Bible:Acts.1.26" parsed="|Acts|1|24|0|0;|Acts|1|26|0|0" passage="Ac 1:24,26">Acts i. 24, 26</scripRef>), and I know not but it
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might be still used in faith in parallel cases, as an instituted
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ordinance. We have here the name of the public notary that was
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employed in writing the names, and drawing the lots, (<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.6" parsed="|1Chr|24|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 24:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>Shemaiah, one of the
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Levites.</i> 4. What those priests were chosen to was to preside in
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the affairs of the sanctuary (<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.5" parsed="|1Chr|24|5|0|0" passage="1Ch 24:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), in their several courses and
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turns. That which was to be determined by the lot was only the
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precedency, not who should serve (for they chose all the chief
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men), but who should serve first, and who next, that every one
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might know his course, and attend in it. Of the twenty-four chief
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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 (<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.6" parsed="|1Chr|24|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 24:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), one chief household
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being taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar. The sixteen chief
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names of Eleazar were put in one urn, the eight for Ithamar in
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another, and they drew out of them alternately, as long as those
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for Ithamar lasted, and then out of those only for Eleazar, or two
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for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar, throughout. 5. Among these
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twenty-four courses the eighth is that of Abijah or Abia (<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.10" parsed="|1Chr|24|10|0|0" passage="1Ch 24:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), which is mentioned
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(<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.5" parsed="|Luke|1|5|0|0" passage="Lu 1:5">Luke i. 5</scripRef>) as the course
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which Zechariah was of, the father of John the Baptist, by which it
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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
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of him in whom it was first founded, as the high priest is here
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called <i>Aaron</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p3.9" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.19" parsed="|1Chr|24|19|0|0" passage="1Ch 24:19"><i>v.</i>
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19</scripRef>), because succeeding in his dignity and power, though
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we read not of any of them that bore that name. Whoever was high
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priest must be reverenced and observed by the inferior priests as
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their father, as Aaron their father. Christ is high priest over the
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house of God, to whom all believers, being made priests, are to be
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in subjection.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="iCh.xxv-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.24.20-1Chr.24.31" parsed="|1Chr|24|20|24|31" passage="1Ch 24:20-31" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.24.20-1Chr.24.31">
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<p class="passage" id="iCh.xxv-p4">20 And the rest of the sons of Levi <i>were
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these:</i> Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael;
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Jehdeiah. 21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah,
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the first <i>was</i> Isshiah. 22 Of the Izharites;
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Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath. 23 And the sons
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<i>of Hebron;</i> Jeriah <i>the first,</i> Amariah the second,
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Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 24 <i>Of</i> the
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sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir. 25
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The brother of Michah <i>was</i> Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah;
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<scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Zech.26" parsed="|Zech|26|0|0|0" passage="Zechariah. 26">Zechariah. 26</scripRef> The sons of Merari <i>were</i> Mahli and
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Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno. 27 The sons of Merari by
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Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. 28 Of Mahli
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<i>came</i> Eleazar, who had no sons. 29 Concerning Kish:
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the son of Kish <i>was</i> Jerahmeel. 30 The sons also of
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Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These <i>were</i> the sons of
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the Levites after the house of their fathers. 31 These
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likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in
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the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the
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chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal
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fathers over against their younger brethren.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxv-p5">Most of the Levites here named were
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mentioned before, <scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.23.16-1Chr.23.23" parsed="|1Chr|23|16|23|23" passage="1Ch 23:16-23"><i>ch.</i>
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xxiii. 16</scripRef>, &c. They were of those who were to attend
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the priests in the service of the house of God. But they are here
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mentioned again as heads of the twenty-four courses of Levites (and
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about so many are here named), who were to attend the twenty-four
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courses of the priests: they are therefore said to <i>cast lots
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over against their brethren</i> (so they are called, not their
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<i>lords</i>), <i>the sons of Aaron,</i> who were not to lord it
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over God's <i>clergy,</i> as the original word is, <scripRef id="iCh.xxv-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.5.3" parsed="|1Pet|5|3|0|0" passage="1Pe 5:3">1 Pet. v. 3</scripRef>. And, that the whole
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disposal of the affair might be of the Lord, the principal fathers
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cast lots over against their younger brethren; that is, those that
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were of the elder house came upon he level with those of the
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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
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between bond and free, elder and younger. The younger brethren, if
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they be faithful and sincere, shall be no less acceptable to Christ
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than the principal fathers.</p>
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</div></div2> |