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Selected Verse: 1 Chronicles 23:6 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
1Ch 23:6	Strong Concordance	And David [01732] divided [02505] them into courses [04256] among the sons [01121] of Levi [03878], namely, Gershon [01648], Kohath [06955], and Merari [04847].
	King James	And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi--These are enumerated according to their fathers' houses, but no more of these are mentioned here than the twenty-four thousand who were engaged in the work connected with the Lord's house. The fathers' houses of those Levites corresponded with the classes into which they [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities] as well as the priests were divided (see on Ch1 24:20-31; Ch1 26:20-28).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi--These are enumerated according to their fathers' houses, but no more of these are mentioned here than the twenty-four thousand who were engaged in the work connected with the Lord's house. The fathers' houses of those Levites corresponded with the classes into which they [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities] as well as the priests were divided (see on Ch1 24:20-31; Ch1 26:20-28).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The fathers'-houses of the Levites. - Ch1 23:6. "And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari;" see on Ch1 6:1. The form ויּחלקם which recurs in Ch1 24:3 with the same pointing, is in more accurate MSS in that place pointed ויּחלקם. There are also found in MSS and editions ויחלּקם, and the rare form of the Kal ויּחלקם (for ויּחלקם); cf. J. H. Mich. Notae crit. This last pronunciation is attested for, Ch1 24:3, by D. Kimchi, who expressly remarks that the regular form ויּחלקם corresponds to it; cf. Norzi on this passage. Gesen. (in Thes. p. 483) and Ew. (83, c) regard ויּחלקם as a variety of the Piel (ויחלּקם), to which, however, Berth. rightly remarks that it would be worth a thought only if the punctuation ויחלקם were confirmed by good MSS, which is not the case, though we find the Piel in the Chronicle in Ch1 15:3, and then with the signification to distribute. Berth. therefore holds - and certainly this is the more correct opinion - that the form ויּחלקם, attested by Kimchi for Ch1 24:3, was the original reading in our verse also, and considers it a rare form of the impf. Kal derived from ויּחלקם (cf. Ch1 24:4-5), by Kamets coming into the pretonic syllable, after the analogy of יּשׁחטוּם for ישׁחטוּם, Kg2 10:14, and by the passing of an ă (Pathach) into ĕ (Seghol) before the Kamets, according to well-known euphonic rules. מחלקות is a second accusative: "in divisions." The tribe of Levi had been divided from ancient times into the three great families of Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites, corresponding to the three sons of Levi; cf. 1 Chron 6:1-53; 28:32. - From Ch1 23:7 onwards we have an enumeration of the fathers'-houses into which these three families were divided: Ch1 23:7-11, the fathers'-houses of the Gershonites; Ch1 23:12-20, those of the Kohathites; and Ch1 23:21-23, those of the Merarites. Berth., on the other hand, thinks that in these verses only the fathers'-houses of those Levites who performed the service of the house of Jahve, i.e., the 24,000 in Ch1 23:4, and not the divisions of all the Levites, are enumerated. But this opinion is incorrect, and certainly is not proved to be true by the circumstance that the singers, porters, and the scribes and judges, are only spoken of afterwards; nor by the remark that, in great part, the names here enumerated appear again in the sections Ch1 24:20-31 and Ch1 26:20-28, while in the enumeration of the twenty-four classes of musicians (1 Chron 25), of the doorkeepers (26:1-19), and of the scribes and judges (Ch1 26:29-32), quite other names are met with. The recurrence of many of the names here enumerated in the sections Ch1 24:20-31 and Ch1 26:20-28 is easily explained by the fact that these sections treat of the divisions of the Levites, according to the service they performed, and of course many heads of fathers'-houses must again be named. The occurrence of quite other names in the lists of musicians and doorkeepers, again, is simply the result of the fact that only single branches of fathers'-houses, not whole fathers'-houses, were appointed musicians and doorkeepers. Finally, Bertheau's statement, that in the catalogue of the scribes and judges quite other names occur than those in our verses, is based upon an oversight; cf. Ch1 26:31 with Ch1 23:19. Ch1 23:7-11 The fathers'-houses of the Gershonites. - According to the natural development of the people of Israel, the twelve sons of Jacob founded the twelve tribes of Israel; his grandsons, or the sons of the twelve patriarchs, founded the families (משׁפּחות); and their sons, i.e., the great-grandsons of Jacob, founded the fathers'-houses (בּית־אבות). But this natural division or ramification of the people into tribes, families, and fathers'-houses (groups of related households), was not consistently carried out. Even the formation of the tribes suffered a modification, when the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born before Jacob's arrival in Egypt, were adopted by him as his sons, and so made founders of tribes (Gen 48:5). The formation of the families and fathers'-houses was also interfered with, partly by the descendants of many grandsons or great-grandsons of Jacob not being numerous enough to form independent families and fathers'-houses, and partly by individual fathers'-houses (or groups of related households) having so much decreased that they could no longer form independent groups, and so were attached to other fathers'-houses, or by families which had originally formed a בּית־אב becoming so numerous as to be divided into several fathers'-houses. In the tribe of Levi there came into operation this special cause, that Aaron and his sons were chosen to be priests, and so his family was raised above the other Levites. From these causes, in the use of the words משׁפּחה and בּית־אב many fluctuations occur; cf. my bibl. Archol. ii. 140. Among the Levites, the fathers'-houses were founded not by the grandsons, but by the great-grandsons of the patriarch. Ch1 23:7-8 "Of the Gershonites, Laadan and Shimei," i.e., these were heads of groups of related families, since, according to Ch1 23:9, their sons and descendants formed six fathers'-houses. The sons of Gershon, from whom all branches of the family of Gershon come, are called in Ch1 6:2, as in Exo 6:17 and Num 13:18, Libni and Shimei; while in our verse, on the contrary, we find only the second name Shimei, whose sons are enumerated in Ch1 23:10, Ch1 23:11; and instead of Libni we have the name Laadan, which recurs in Ch1 26:21. Laadan seemingly cannot be regarded as a surname of Libni; for not only are the sons of Shimei named along with the sons of Laadan in Ch1 23:8 and Ch1 23:9 as heads of the fathers'-houses of Laadan, without any hint being given of the genealogical connection of this Shimei with Laadan, but mainly because of לגּרשׁנּי in Ch1 23:7. In the case of Kohath and Merari, the enumeration of the fathers'-houses descended from them is introduced by the mention of their sons, קהת בני and מררי בני (Ch1 23:12, Ch1 23:21), while in the case of Gershon it is not so; - in his case, instead of גרשׁון בני, we find the Gentilic designation גּרשׁנּי, to point out that Laadan and Shimei are not named as being sons of Gershon, but as founders of the two chief lines of Gershonites, of which only the second was named after Gershon's son Shimei, while the second derived their name from Laadan, whose family was divided in David's time into two branches, the sons of Laadan and the sons of Shimei, the latter a descendant of Libni, not elsewhere mentioned. That the Shimei of Ch1 23:9 is not the same person as Shimei the son of Gershon mentioned in Ch1 23:7, is manifest from the fact that the sons of the latter are enumerated only in Ch1 23:10. Each of these two lines numbered at that time three fathers'-houses, the heads of which are named in Ch1 23:8 and Ch1 23:9. הראשׁ in Ch1 23:8 belongs to יחיאל: "the sons of Laadan were: the head (also the first; cf. Ch1 23:11, Ch1 23:16) Jehiel, Zetham, and Joel, three." Ch1 23:9-11 The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth or Shelomith (both forms are found in 26:35 of another Shelomith), Haziel, and Haran, three. These (three and three) are the heads of the fathers'-houses of Laadan. - In Ch1 23:10 and Ch1 23:11 there follow the fathers'-houses of the Shimei mentioned in Ch1 23:7 along with Laadan: they are likewise three, derived from the four sons of Shimei, Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah; for the last two, as they had not many sons, were included in one father's-house, one פּקדּה, i.e., one official class (Ch1 24:3; Ch2 17:14). The Gershonites at that time, therefore, numbered nine father's-houses-six named after Laadan, and three after Shimei. Ch1 23:12-13 The fathers'-houses of the Kohathites. - The four sons of Kohath who are named in Ch1 23:12, as in Ch1 6:2; Ch1 6:18, and Exo 6:18, founded the four families of Kohath, Num 3:27. From Amram came Aaron and Moses; see on Exo 6:20. Of these, Aaron with his sons was set apart "to sanctify him to be a most holy one; he and his sons for ever to offer incense before Jahve, to serve Him, and to bless in His name for ever." קדשׁ ק להקדּישׁו signifies neither, ut ministraret in sancto sanctorum (Vulg., Syr.), nor, ut res sanctissimas, sacrificia, vasa sacra etc. consecrarent (Cler.). Against this interpretation we adduce not only the objection advanced by Hgstb. Christol. iii. p. 119, trans., that the office assigned by it to the Levites is far too subordinate to be mentioned here in the first place, but also the circumstance that the suffix in הקדּישׁו, after the analogy of שׁרתו, must denote the object of the sanctifying; and this view is confirmed by the subject, who offers incense and blesses, not being expressed with להקטיר and לברך. The Vulgate translation cannot be accepted, for קדשׁים קדשׁ cannot be the ablative, and the most holy place in the temple is always called הקּדשׁים קדשׁ with the article. קדשׁים קדשׁ, without the article, is only used of the most holy things, e.g., of the vessels connected with the worship, the sacrificial gifts, and other things which no lay person might touch or appropriate. See on Exo 30:10; Lev 2:3, and Dan 9:24. Here it is committed to Aaron, who, by being chosen for the priest's service and anointed to the office, was made a most holy person, to discharge along with his sons all the priestly functions in the sanctuary. Specimens of such functions are then adduced: יי לפני הקטיר, the offering of the sacrifice of incense upon the altar of the inner sanctuary, as in Ch2 2:3, Ch2 2:5; Exo 30:7.; לשׁרתו, "to serve Him," Jahve, - a general expression, including all the other services in the sanctuary, which were reserved for the priests; and בּשׁמו לברך, to bless in His name, i.e., to pronounce the blessing in the name of the Lord over the people, according to the command in Num 6:23, cf. Ch1 16:2; Deu 21:5; not "to bless His name" (Ges., Berth.). To call upon or praise the name of God is שׁמו בּרך, Psa 96:2; Psa 100:4; and the assertion that בשׁם בּרך is a somewhat later phrase formed on the model of בשׁם קרא, for "to call upon God" (Ges. in Lex. sub voce בלך), is quite groundless. Our phrase occurs as early as in Deu 10:8 and Deu 21:5; and the latter passage in connection with לשׁרתו of the priests; in the former, of the tribe of Levi, but so used that it can refer only to the priests, not to the Levites also. Ch1 23:14 "But as to Moses the man of God" (cf. Deu 33:1), "his sons were called after the tribe of Levi," i.e., were reckoned in the ranks of the Levites, not of the priests. On על נקרא, cf. Gen 48:6; Ezr 2:61; Neh 7:63. Ch1 23:15-17 Each of his two sons Gershon and Eliezer (see Exo 2:22 and Exo 18:3.) founded a father's-house; Gershon through his son Shebuel (שׁבוּאל, in Ch1 24:20 שׁוּבאל), Eliezer through Rehabiah. The plurals בני ג, בני א are used, although in both cases only one son, he who was head (הראשׁ) of the father's-house, is mentioned, either because they had other sons, or those named had in their turn sons, who together formed a father's-house. From the remark in Ch1 23:17, that Eliezer had no other sons than Rehabiah, while Rehabiah had very many, we may conclude that Gershon had other sons besides Shebuel, who are not mentioned because their descendants were numbered with Shebuel's father's-house. Ch1 23:18 Only one son of Jizhar, the brother of Amram, is mentioned, Shelomith as head, after whom the Jizharite father's-house is named. Ch1 23:19-20 Amram's next brother Hebron had four sons, and the youngest brother Uzziel two, who founded fathers'-houses; so that, besides the priests, nine Levitical fathers'-houses are descended from Kohath, and their chiefs who served in the sanctuary are enumerated in Ch1 24:20-25. Ch1 23:21-22 The fathers'-houses of the Merarites. - Ch1 23:21. As in Ch1 6:19; Exo 6:19, and Num 3:33, two sons of Merari are mentioned-Mahli and Mushi-who founded the two families of Merari which existed in the time of Moses. Mahli had two sons, Eleazar and Kish; the first of whom, however, left behind him at his death only daughters, who were married to the sons of Kish (אחיהם, i.e., their cousins), according to the law as to daughters who were heiresses (Num 26:6-9). The descendants of Mahli, therefore, were comprehended in the one father's-house of Kish, whose head at that time (Ch1 24:29) was Jerahmeel. Ch1 23:23 Of the sons of Mushi, three founded fathers'-houses, so that the Merarites formed only four fathers'-houses in all. If we compare the enumeration of the Merarites in Ch1 24:26-30, we find there in Ch1 24:30 Eleazar and Kish called sons of Mahli, with the remark that Eleazar had no sons. In Ch1 24:26, however, of the same passage we read, "sons of Merari (were) Mahli and Mushi, sons of Jaaziah his son;" and Ch1 24:27, "sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son; and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri." From this Bertheau concludes that Merari had really three sons, and that the name of the third has been dropped out of 1 Chron 23; but in this he is incorrect, for Ch1 23:26 and Ch1 23:27 of the 24th chapter are at once, from their whole character, recognisable as arbitrary interpolations. Not only is it strange that בּנו יעזיּהוּ בּני should follow the before-mentioned sons of Merari in this unconnected way (Vav being omitted before בּני), but the form of the expression also is peculiar. If יעזיּהוּ be a third son of Merari, or the founder of a third family of Merarites, coordinate with the families of Mahli and Mushi, as we must conclude from the additional word בּנו, we should expect, after the preceding, simply the name with the conjunction, i.e., ויעזיּהוּ. The יעזיּהוּ בּני is all the more surprising that the names of the sons of Jaaziah follow in Ch1 24:27, and there the name of the first son שׁהם is introduced by the Vav copulative. This misled the older commentators, so that they took בּנו for a proper name. The repetition of מררי בּני, too, at the beginning of the second verse is strange, and without parallel in the preceding enumeration of the fathers'-houses founded by Amram's sons (Ch1 24:20-25). We must, then, as the result of all this, since the Pentateuch knows only two descendants of Merari who founded families of fathers'-houses, (Note: Bertheau, on the contrary, proceeding on the hypothesis that we may presume the list of Merari's descendants which is given in our verses to have been originally in perfect agreement with that in Ch1 24:26-31, would emend our text according to Ch1 23:21, for it cannot be doubted that in our passage also Jaaziah and his three sons were named. But since elsewhere only the two sons Mahli and Mushi occur, one can easily see why the third son Jaaziah came to be omitted from our passage, while we cannot conceive any motive which would account for the later and arbitrary interpolation of the names in Ch1 24:26. This argumentation is weak to a degree, since it quite overlooks the main difficulty connected with this hypothesis. Had we no further accounts of the descendants of Merari than those in the two passages of the Chronicle (Ch1 23:11. and Ch1 24:26-29), it would be natural to suppose that in Ch1 23:21. the additional names which we find in 1 Chron 24 had been dropped out. But in the genealogical lists in the Pentateuch also (Exo 6:19 and Num 3:33), only two sons of Merari are named; and according to them, the Merarites, when Moses' census of the Levites was taken, formed only two families. Had Merari had yet a third son besides the two - Mahli and Mushi, who alone were known in the time of Moses - who left descendants, forming three fathers'-houses in David's time, the omission of this third son in the family register in the Pentateuch would be quite incomprehensible. Or are we to suppose that in Exo 6:19 also the name Jaaziah had been dropped out, and that in consequence of that the family descended from him has been omitted from Num 3:33? Supported by the Pentateuch, the text of our verses is presumably entire, and this presumption of its integrity is confirmed by the character of the additions in 24:26, 27, as above exhibited.) regard the additions in Ch1 24:26-27 as later glosses, although we are not in a position to explain the origin or the meaning of the interpolation. This inability arises from the fact that, of the names Jaaziah, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri, only Zaccur again occurs among the Asaphites (Ch1 25:2), and elsewhere of other persons, while the others are nowhere else to be met with. The three families of Levi numbered therefore 9 + 9 + 4 = 22 fathers'-houses, exclusive of the priests.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The fathers'-houses of the Levites. - Ch1 23:6. "And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari;" see on Ch1 6:1. The form ויּחלקם which recurs in Ch1 24:3 with the same pointing, is in more accurate MSS in that place pointed ויּחלקם. There are also found in MSS and editions ויחלּקם, and the rare form of the Kal ויּחלקם (for ויּחלקם); cf. J. H. Mich. Notae crit. This last pronunciation is attested for, Ch1 24:3, by D. Kimchi, who expressly remarks that the regular form ויּחלקם corresponds to it; cf. Norzi on this passage. Gesen. (in Thes. p. 483) and Ew. (83, c) regard ויּחלקם as a variety of the Piel (ויחלּקם), to which, however, Berth. rightly remarks that it would be worth a thought only if the punctuation ויחלקם were confirmed by good MSS, which is not the case, though we find the Piel in the Chronicle in Ch1 15:3, and then with the signification to distribute. Berth. therefore holds - and certainly this is the more correct opinion - that the form ויּחלקם, attested by Kimchi for Ch1 24:3, was the original reading in our verse also, and considers it a rare form of the impf. Kal derived from ויּחלקם (cf. Ch1 24:4-5), by Kamets coming into the pretonic syllable, after the analogy of יּשׁחטוּם for ישׁחטוּם, Kg2 10:14, and by the passing of an ă (Pathach) into ĕ (Seghol) before the Kamets, according to well-known euphonic rules. מחלקות is a second accusative: "in divisions." The tribe of Levi had been divided from ancient times into the three great families of Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites, corresponding to the three sons of Levi; cf. 1 Chron 6:1-53; 28:32. - From Ch1 23:7 onwards we have an enumeration of the fathers'-houses into which these three families were divided: Ch1 23:7-11, the fathers'-houses of the Gershonites; Ch1 23:12-20, those of the Kohathites; and Ch1 23:21-23, those of the Merarites. Berth., on the other hand, thinks that in these verses only the fathers'-houses of those Levites who performed the service of the house of Jahve, i.e., the 24,000 in Ch1 23:4, and not the divisions of all the Levites, are enumerated. But this opinion is incorrect, and certainly is not proved to be true by the circumstance that the singers, porters, and the scribes and judges, are only spoken of afterwards; nor by the remark that, in great part, the names here enumerated appear again in the sections Ch1 24:20-31 and Ch1 26:20-28, while in the enumeration of the twenty-four classes of musicians (1 Chron 25), of the doorkeepers (26:1-19), and of the scribes and judges (Ch1 26:29-32), quite other names are met with. The recurrence of many of the names here enumerated in the sections Ch1 24:20-31 and Ch1 26:20-28 is easily explained by the fact that these sections treat of the divisions of the Levites, according to the service they performed, and of course many heads of fathers'-houses must again be named. The occurrence of quite other names in the lists of musicians and doorkeepers, again, is simply the result of the fact that only single branches of fathers'-houses, not whole fathers'-houses, were appointed musicians and doorkeepers. Finally, Bertheau's statement, that in the catalogue of the scribes and judges quite other names occur than those in our verses, is based upon an oversight; cf. Ch1 26:31 with Ch1 23:19.

Ch1 23:7-11

The fathers'-houses of the Gershonites. - According to the natural development of the people of Israel, the twelve sons of Jacob founded the twelve tribes of Israel; his grandsons, or the sons of the twelve patriarchs, founded the families (משׁפּחות); and their sons, i.e., the great-grandsons of Jacob, founded the fathers'-houses (בּית־אבות). But this natural division or ramification of the people into tribes, families, and fathers'-houses (groups of related households), was not consistently carried out. Even the formation of the tribes suffered a modification, when the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born before Jacob's arrival in Egypt, were adopted by him as his sons, and so made founders of tribes (Gen 48:5). The formation of the families and fathers'-houses was also interfered with, partly by the descendants of many grandsons or great-grandsons of Jacob not being numerous enough to form independent families and fathers'-houses, and partly by individual fathers'-houses (or groups of related households) having so much decreased that they could no longer form independent groups, and so were attached to other fathers'-houses, or by families which had originally formed a בּית־אב becoming so numerous as to be divided into several fathers'-houses. In the tribe of Levi there came into operation this special cause, that Aaron and his sons were chosen to be priests, and so his family was raised above the other Levites. From these causes, in the use of the words משׁפּחה and בּית־אב many fluctuations occur; cf. my bibl. Archol. ii. 140. Among the Levites, the fathers'-houses were founded not by the grandsons, but by the great-grandsons of the patriarch.

Ch1 23:7-8

"Of the Gershonites, Laadan and Shimei," i.e., these were heads of groups of related families, since, according to Ch1 23:9, their sons and descendants formed six fathers'-houses. The sons of Gershon, from whom all branches of the family of Gershon come, are called in Ch1 6:2, as in Exo 6:17 and Num 13:18, Libni and Shimei; while in our verse, on the contrary, we find only the second name Shimei, whose sons are enumerated in Ch1 23:10, Ch1 23:11; and instead of Libni we have the name Laadan, which recurs in Ch1 26:21. Laadan seemingly cannot be regarded as a surname of Libni; for not only are the sons of Shimei named along with the sons of Laadan in Ch1 23:8 and Ch1 23:9 as heads of the fathers'-houses of Laadan, without any hint being given of the genealogical connection of this Shimei with Laadan, but mainly because of לגּרשׁנּי in Ch1 23:7. In the case of Kohath and Merari, the enumeration of the fathers'-houses descended from them is introduced by the mention of their sons, קהת בני and מררי בני (Ch1 23:12, Ch1 23:21), while in the case of Gershon it is not so; - in his case, instead of גרשׁון בני, we find the Gentilic designation גּרשׁנּי, to point out that Laadan and Shimei are not named as being sons of Gershon, but as founders of the two chief lines of Gershonites, of which only the second was named after Gershon's son Shimei, while the second derived their name from Laadan, whose family was divided in David's time into two branches, the sons of Laadan and the sons of Shimei, the latter a descendant of Libni, not elsewhere mentioned. That the Shimei of Ch1 23:9 is not the same person as Shimei the son of Gershon mentioned in Ch1 23:7, is manifest from the fact that the sons of the latter are enumerated only in Ch1 23:10. Each of these two lines numbered at that time three fathers'-houses, the heads of which are named in Ch1 23:8 and Ch1 23:9. הראשׁ in Ch1 23:8 belongs to יחיאל: "the sons of Laadan were: the head (also the first; cf. Ch1 23:11, Ch1 23:16) Jehiel, Zetham, and Joel, three."

Ch1 23:9-11

The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth or Shelomith (both forms are found in 26:35 of another Shelomith), Haziel, and Haran, three. These (three and three) are the heads of the fathers'-houses of Laadan. - In Ch1 23:10 and Ch1 23:11 there follow the fathers'-houses of the Shimei mentioned in Ch1 23:7 along with Laadan: they are likewise three, derived from the four sons of Shimei, Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah; for the last two, as they had not many sons, were included in one father's-house, one פּקדּה, i.e., one official class (Ch1 24:3; Ch2 17:14). The Gershonites at that time, therefore, numbered nine father's-houses-six named after Laadan, and three after Shimei.

Ch1 23:12-13

The fathers'-houses of the Kohathites. - The four sons of Kohath who are named in Ch1 23:12, as in Ch1 6:2; Ch1 6:18, and Exo 6:18, founded the four families of Kohath, Num 3:27. From Amram came Aaron and Moses; see on Exo 6:20. Of these, Aaron with his sons was set apart "to sanctify him to be a most holy one; he and his sons for ever to offer incense before Jahve, to serve Him, and to bless in His name for ever." קדשׁ ק להקדּישׁו signifies neither, ut ministraret in sancto sanctorum (Vulg., Syr.), nor, ut res sanctissimas, sacrificia, vasa sacra etc. consecrarent (Cler.). Against this interpretation we adduce not only the objection advanced by Hgstb. Christol. iii. p. 119, trans., that the office assigned by it to the Levites is far too subordinate to be mentioned here in the first place, but also the circumstance that the suffix in הקדּישׁו, after the analogy of שׁרתו, must denote the object of the sanctifying; and this view is confirmed by the subject, who offers incense and blesses, not being expressed with להקטיר and לברך. The Vulgate translation cannot be accepted, for קדשׁים קדשׁ cannot be the ablative, and the most holy place in the temple is always called הקּדשׁים קדשׁ with the article. קדשׁים קדשׁ, without the article, is only used of the most holy things, e.g., of the vessels connected with the worship, the sacrificial gifts, and other things which no lay person might touch or appropriate. See on Exo 30:10; Lev 2:3, and Dan 9:24. Here it is committed to Aaron, who, by being chosen for the priest's service and anointed to the office, was made a most holy person, to discharge along with his sons all the priestly functions in the sanctuary. Specimens of such functions are then adduced: יי לפני הקטיר, the offering of the sacrifice of incense upon the altar of the inner sanctuary, as in Ch2 2:3, Ch2 2:5; Exo 30:7.; לשׁרתו, "to serve Him," Jahve, - a general expression, including all the other services in the sanctuary, which were reserved for the priests; and בּשׁמו לברך, to bless in His name, i.e., to pronounce the blessing in the name of the Lord over the people, according to the command in Num 6:23, cf. Ch1 16:2; Deu 21:5; not "to bless His name" (Ges., Berth.). To call upon or praise the name of God is שׁמו בּרך, Psa 96:2; Psa 100:4; and the assertion that בשׁם בּרך is a somewhat later phrase formed on the model of בשׁם קרא, for "to call upon God" (Ges. in Lex. sub voce בלך), is quite groundless. Our phrase occurs as early as in Deu 10:8 and Deu 21:5; and the latter passage in connection with לשׁרתו of the priests; in the former, of the tribe of Levi, but so used that it can refer only to the priests, not to the Levites also.

Ch1 23:14

"But as to Moses the man of God" (cf. Deu 33:1), "his sons were called after the tribe of Levi," i.e., were reckoned in the ranks of the Levites, not of the priests. On על נקרא, cf. Gen 48:6; Ezr 2:61; Neh 7:63.

Ch1 23:15-17

Each of his two sons Gershon and Eliezer (see Exo 2:22 and Exo 18:3.) founded a father's-house; Gershon through his son Shebuel (שׁבוּאל, in Ch1 24:20 שׁוּבאל), Eliezer through Rehabiah. The plurals בני ג, בני א are used, although in both cases only one son, he who was head (הראשׁ) of the father's-house, is mentioned, either because they had other sons, or those named had in their turn sons, who together formed a father's-house. From the remark in Ch1 23:17, that Eliezer had no other sons than Rehabiah, while Rehabiah had very many, we may conclude that Gershon had other sons besides Shebuel, who are not mentioned because their descendants were numbered with Shebuel's father's-house.

Ch1 23:18

Only one son of Jizhar, the brother of Amram, is mentioned, Shelomith as head, after whom the Jizharite father's-house is named.

Ch1 23:19-20

Amram's next brother Hebron had four sons, and the youngest brother Uzziel two, who founded fathers'-houses; so that, besides the priests, nine Levitical fathers'-houses are descended from Kohath, and their chiefs who served in the sanctuary are enumerated in Ch1 24:20-25.

Ch1 23:21-22

The fathers'-houses of the Merarites. - Ch1 23:21. As in Ch1 6:19; Exo 6:19, and Num 3:33, two sons of Merari are mentioned-Mahli and Mushi-who founded the two families of Merari which existed in the time of Moses. Mahli had two sons, Eleazar and Kish; the first of whom, however, left behind him at his death only daughters, who were married to the sons of Kish (אחיהם, i.e., their cousins), according to the law as to daughters who were heiresses (Num 26:6-9). The descendants of Mahli, therefore, were comprehended in the one father's-house of Kish, whose head at that time (Ch1 24:29) was Jerahmeel.

Ch1 23:23

Of the sons of Mushi, three founded fathers'-houses, so that the Merarites formed only four fathers'-houses in all. If we compare the enumeration of the Merarites in Ch1 24:26-30, we find there in Ch1 24:30 Eleazar and Kish called sons of Mahli, with the remark that Eleazar had no sons. In Ch1 24:26, however, of the same passage we read, "sons of Merari (were) Mahli and Mushi, sons of Jaaziah his son;" and Ch1 24:27, "sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son; and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri." From this Bertheau concludes that Merari had really three sons, and that the name of the third has been dropped out of 1 Chron 23; but in this he is incorrect, for Ch1 23:26 and Ch1 23:27 of the 24th chapter are at once, from their whole character, recognisable as arbitrary interpolations. Not only is it strange that בּנו יעזיּהוּ בּני should follow the before-mentioned sons of Merari in this unconnected way (Vav being omitted before בּני), but the form of the expression also is peculiar. If יעזיּהוּ be a third son of Merari, or the founder of a third family of Merarites, coordinate with the families of Mahli and Mushi, as we must conclude from the additional word בּנו, we should expect, after the preceding, simply the name with the conjunction, i.e., ויעזיּהוּ. The יעזיּהוּ בּני is all the more surprising that the names of the sons of Jaaziah follow in Ch1 24:27, and there the name of the first son שׁהם is introduced by the Vav copulative. This misled the older commentators, so that they took בּנו for a proper name. The repetition of מררי בּני, too, at the beginning of the second verse is strange, and without parallel in the preceding enumeration of the fathers'-houses founded by Amram's sons (Ch1 24:20-25). We must, then, as the result of all this, since the Pentateuch knows only two descendants of Merari who founded families of fathers'-houses,

(Note: Bertheau, on the contrary, proceeding on the hypothesis that we may presume the list of Merari's descendants which is given in our verses to have been originally in perfect agreement with that in Ch1 24:26-31, would emend our text according to Ch1 23:21, for it cannot be doubted that in our passage also Jaaziah and his three sons were named. But since elsewhere only the two sons Mahli and Mushi occur, one can easily see why the third son Jaaziah came to be omitted from our passage, while we cannot conceive any motive which would account for the later and arbitrary interpolation of the names in Ch1 24:26. This argumentation is weak to a degree, since it quite overlooks the main difficulty connected with this hypothesis. Had we no further accounts of the descendants of Merari than those in the two passages of the Chronicle (Ch1 23:11. and Ch1 24:26-29), it would be natural to suppose that in Ch1 23:21. the additional names which we find in 1 Chron 24 had been dropped out. But in the genealogical lists in the Pentateuch also (Exo 6:19 and Num 3:33), only two sons of Merari are named; and according to them, the Merarites, when Moses' census of the Levites was taken, formed only two families. Had Merari had yet a third son besides the two - Mahli and Mushi, who alone were known in the time of Moses - who left descendants, forming three fathers'-houses in David's time, the omission of this third son in the family register in the Pentateuch would be quite incomprehensible. Or are we to suppose that in Exo 6:19 also the name Jaaziah had been dropped out, and that in consequence of that the family descended from him has been omitted from Num 3:33? Supported by the Pentateuch, the text of our verses is presumably entire, and this presumption of its integrity is confirmed by the character of the additions in 24:26, 27, as above exhibited.)

regard the additions in Ch1 24:26-27 as later glosses, although we are not in a position to explain the origin or the meaning of the interpolation. This inability arises from the fact that, of the names Jaaziah, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri, only Zaccur again occurs among the Asaphites (Ch1 25:2), and elsewhere of other persons, while the others are nowhere else to be met with. The three families of Levi numbered therefore 9 + 9 + 4 = 22 fathers'-houses, exclusive of the priests.

Top

²⁰ And of the Levites [03881], Ahijah [0281] was over the treasures [0214] of the house [01004] of God [0430], and over the treasures [0214] of the dedicated things [06944].
²¹ As concerning the sons [01121] of Laadan [03936]; the sons [01121] of the Gershonite [01649] Laadan [03936], chief [07218] fathers [01], even of Laadan [03936] the Gershonite [01649], were Jehieli [03172].
²² The sons [01121] of Jehieli [03172]; Zetham [02241], and Joel [03100] his brother [0251], which were over the treasures [0214] of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068].
²³ Of the Amramites [06020], and the Izharites [03325], the Hebronites [02276], and the Uzzielites [05817]:
²⁴ And Shebuel [07619] the son [01121] of Gershom [01647], the son [01121] of Moses [04872], was ruler [05057] of the treasures [0214].
²⁵ And his brethren [0251] by Eliezer [0461]; Rehabiah [07345] his son [01121], and Jeshaiah [03470] his son [01121], and Joram [03141] his son [01121], and Zichri [02147] his son [01121], and Shelomith [08019] [08013] his son [01121].
²⁶ Which Shelomith [08013] and his brethren [0251] were over all the treasures [0214] of the dedicated things [06944], which David [01732] the king [04428], and the chief [07218] fathers [01], the captains [08269] over thousands [0505] and hundreds [03967], and the captains [08269] of the host [06635], had dedicated [06942].
²⁷ Out of the spoils [07998] won in battles [04421] did they dedicate [06942] to maintain [02388] the house [01004] of the LORD [03068].
²⁸ And all that Samuel [08050] the seer [07200], and Saul [07586] the son [01121] of Kish [07027], and Abner [074] the son [01121] of Ner [05369], and Joab [03097] the son [01121] of Zeruiah [06870], had dedicated [06942]; and whosoever had dedicated [06942] any thing, it was under the hand [03027] of Shelomith [08019], and of his brethren [0251].

²⁰ And the rest [03498] of the sons [01121] of Levi [03878] were these: Of the sons [01121] of Amram [06019]; Shubael [07619]: of the sons [01121] of Shubael [07619]; Jehdeiah [03165].
²¹ Concerning Rehabiah [07345]: of the sons [01121] of Rehabiah [07345], the first [07218] was Isshiah [03449].
²² Of the Izharites [03325]; Shelomoth [08013]: of the sons [01121] of Shelomoth [08013]; Jahath [03189].
²³ And the sons [01121] of Hebron; Jeriah [03404] the first, Amariah [0568] the second [08145], Jahaziel [03166] the third [07992], Jekameam [03360] the fourth [07243].
²⁴ Of the sons [01121] of Uzziel [05816]; Michah [04318]: of the sons [01121] of Michah [04318]; Shamir [08053].
²⁵ The brother [0251] of Michah [04318] was Isshiah [03449]: of the sons [01121] of Isshiah [03449]; Zechariah [02148].
²⁶ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847] were Mahli [04249] and Mushi [04187]: the sons [01121] of Jaaziah [03269]; Beno [01121].
²⁷ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847] by Jaaziah [03269]; Beno [01121], and Shoham [07719], and Zaccur [02139], and Ibri [05681].
²⁸ Of Mahli [04249] came Eleazar [0499], who had no sons [01121].
²⁹ Concerning Kish [07027]: the son [01121] of Kish [07027] was Jerahmeel [03396].
³⁰ The sons [01121] also of Mushi [04187]; Mahli [04249], and Eder [05740], and Jerimoth [03406]. These were the sons [01121] of the Levites [03881] after the house [01004] of their fathers [01].
³¹ These likewise cast [05307] lots [01486] over against [05980] their brethren [0251] the sons [01121] of Aaron [0175] in the presence [06440] of David [01732] the king [04428], and Zadok [06659], and Ahimelech [0288], and the chief [07218] of the fathers [01] of the priests [03548] and Levites [03881], even the principal [07218] fathers [01] over against [05980] their younger [06996] brethren [0251].

² Of the sons [01121] of Asaph [0623]; Zaccur [02139], and Joseph [03130], and Nethaniah [05418], and Asarelah [0841], the sons [01121] of Asaph [0623] under the hands [03027] of Asaph [0623], which prophesied [05012] according to the order [03027] of the king [04428].

³³ Of Merari [04847] was the family [04940] of the Mahlites [04250], and the family [04940] of the Mushites [04188]: these are the families [04940] of Merari [04847].

¹⁹ And the sons [01121] of Merari [04847]; Mahali [04249] and Mushi [04187]: these are the families [04940] of Levi [03878] according to their generations [08435].

³³ Of Merari [04847] was the family [04940] of the Mahlites [04250], and the family [04940] of the Mushites [04188]: these are the families [04940] of Merari [04847].

¹⁹ And the sons [01121] of Merari [04847]; Mahali [04249] and Mushi [04187]: these are the families [04940] of Levi [03878] according to their generations [08435].

²¹ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847]; Mahli [04249], and Mushi [04187]. The sons [01121] of Mahli [04249]; Eleazar [0499], and Kish [07027].

¹¹ And Jahath [03189] was the chief [07218], and Zizah [02125] the second [08145]: but Jeush [03266] and Beriah [01283] had not many [07235] sons [01121]; therefore they were in one [0259] reckoning [06486], according to their father's [01] house [01004].

²⁶ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847] were Mahli [04249] and Mushi [04187]: the sons [01121] of Jaaziah [03269]; Beno [01121].

²¹ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847]; Mahli [04249], and Mushi [04187]. The sons [01121] of Mahli [04249]; Eleazar [0499], and Kish [07027].

²⁶ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847] were Mahli [04249] and Mushi [04187]: the sons [01121] of Jaaziah [03269]; Beno [01121].
²⁷ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847] by Jaaziah [03269]; Beno [01121], and Shoham [07719], and Zaccur [02139], and Ibri [05681].
²⁸ Of Mahli [04249] came Eleazar [0499], who had no sons [01121].
²⁹ Concerning Kish [07027]: the son [01121] of Kish [07027] was Jerahmeel [03396].
³⁰ The sons [01121] also of Mushi [04187]; Mahli [04249], and Eder [05740], and Jerimoth [03406]. These were the sons [01121] of the Levites [03881] after the house [01004] of their fathers [01].
³¹ These likewise cast [05307] lots [01486] over against [05980] their brethren [0251] the sons [01121] of Aaron [0175] in the presence [06440] of David [01732] the king [04428], and Zadok [06659], and Ahimelech [0288], and the chief [07218] of the fathers [01] of the priests [03548] and Levites [03881], even the principal [07218] fathers [01] over against [05980] their younger [06996] brethren [0251].

²⁷ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847] by Jaaziah [03269]; Beno [01121], and Shoham [07719], and Zaccur [02139], and Ibri [05681].

²⁷ For by the last [0314] words [01697] of David [01732] the Levites [03881] were numbered [04557] from twenty [06242] years [08141] old [01121] and above [04605]:

²⁶ And also unto the Levites [03881]; they shall no more carry [05375] the tabernacle [04908], nor any vessels [03627] of it for the service [05656] thereof.

²⁷ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847] by Jaaziah [03269]; Beno [01121], and Shoham [07719], and Zaccur [02139], and Ibri [05681].

²⁶ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847] were Mahli [04249] and Mushi [04187]: the sons [01121] of Jaaziah [03269]; Beno [01121].

³⁰ The sons [01121] also of Mushi [04187]; Mahli [04249], and Eder [05740], and Jerimoth [03406]. These were the sons [01121] of the Levites [03881] after the house [01004] of their fathers [01].

²³ The sons [01121] of Mushi [04187]; Mahli [04249], and Eder [05740], and Jeremoth [03406], three [07969].

²⁹ Concerning Kish [07027]: the son [01121] of Kish [07027] was Jerahmeel [03396].

⁶ Of Hezron [02696], the family [04940] of the Hezronites [02697]: of Carmi [03756], the family [04940] of the Carmites [03757].
⁷ These are the families [04940] of the Reubenites [07206]: and they that were numbered [06485] of them were forty [0705] and three [07969] thousand [0505] and seven [07651] hundred [03967] and thirty [07970].
⁸ And the sons [01121] of Pallu [06396]; Eliab [0446].
⁹ And the sons [01121] of Eliab [0446]; Nemuel [05241], and Dathan [01885], and Abiram [048]. This is that Dathan [01885] and Abiram [048], which were famous [07148] [07121] in the congregation [05712], who strove [05327] against Moses [04872] and against Aaron [0175] in the company [05712] of Korah [07141], when they strove [05327] against the LORD [03068]:

³³ Of Merari [04847] was the family [04940] of the Mahlites [04250], and the family [04940] of the Mushites [04188]: these are the families [04940] of Merari [04847].

¹⁹ And the sons [01121] of Merari [04847]; Mahali [04249] and Mushi [04187]: these are the families [04940] of Levi [03878] according to their generations [08435].

¹⁹ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847]; Mahli [04249], and Mushi [04187]. And these are the families [04940] of the Levites [03881] according to their fathers [01].

²¹ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847]; Mahli [04249], and Mushi [04187]. The sons [01121] of Mahli [04249]; Eleazar [0499], and Kish [07027].

²¹ The sons [01121] of Merari [04847]; Mahli [04249], and Mushi [04187]. The sons [01121] of Mahli [04249]; Eleazar [0499], and Kish [07027].
²² And Eleazar [0499] died [04191], and had no sons [01121], but daughters [01323]: and their brethren [0251] the sons [01121] of Kish [07027] took [05375] them.

¹⁹ Of the sons [01121] of Hebron [02275]; Jeriah [03404] the first [07218], Amariah [0568] the second [08145], Jahaziel [03166] the third [07992], and Jekameam [03360] the fourth [07243].
²⁰ Of the sons [01121] of Uzziel [05816]; Michah [04318] the first [07218], and Jesiah [03449] the second [08145].

¹⁸ Of the sons [01121] of Izhar [03324]; Shelomith [08019] the chief [07218].

¹⁷ And the sons [01121] of Eliezer [0461] were, Rehabiah [07345] the chief [07218]. And Eliezer [0461] had none other [0312] sons [01121]; but the sons [01121] of Rehabiah [07345] were very [04605] many [07235].

²⁰ And the rest [03498] of the sons [01121] of Levi [03878] were these: Of the sons [01121] of Amram [06019]; Shubael [07619]: of the sons [01121] of Shubael [07619]; Jehdeiah [03165].

³ And her two [08147] sons [01121]; of which the name [08034] of the one [0259] was Gershom [01647]; for he said [0559], I have been an alien [01616] in a strange [05237] land [0776]:

²² And she bare [03205] him a son [01121], and he called [07121] his name [08034] Gershom [01647]: for he said [0559], I have been a stranger [01616] in a strange [05237] land [0776].

¹⁵ The sons [01121] of Moses [04872] were, Gershom [01647], and Eliezer [0461].
¹⁶ Of the sons [01121] of Gershom [01647], Shebuel [07619] was the chief [07218].
¹⁷ And the sons [01121] of Eliezer [0461] were, Rehabiah [07345] the chief [07218]. And Eliezer [0461] had none other [0312] sons [01121]; but the sons [01121] of Rehabiah [07345] were very [04605] many [07235].

⁶³ And of the priests [03548]: the children [01121] of Habaiah [02252], the children [01121] of Koz [06976], the children [01121] of Barzillai [01271], which took [03947] one of the daughters [01323] of Barzillai [01271] the Gileadite [01569] to wife [0802], and was called [07121] after their name [08034].

⁶¹ And of the children [01121] of the priests [03548]: the children [01121] of Habaiah [02252], the children [01121] of Koz [06976], the children [01121] of Barzillai [01271]; which took [03947] a wife [0802] of the daughters [01323] of Barzillai [01271] the Gileadite [01569], and was called [07121] after their name [08034]:

⁶ And thy issue [04138], which thou begettest [03205] after [0310] them, shall be thine, and shall be called [07121] after [05921] the name [08034] of their brethren [0251] in their inheritance [05159].

¹ And this is the blessing [01293], wherewith Moses [04872] the man [0376] of God [0430] blessed [01288] the children [01121] of Israel [03478] before [06440] his death [04194].

¹⁴ Now concerning Moses [04872] the man [0376] of God [0430], his sons [01121] were named [07121] of the tribe [07626] of Levi [03878].

⁵ And the priests [03548] the sons [01121] of Levi [03878] shall come near [05066]; for them the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] hath chosen [0977] to minister [08334] unto him, and to bless [01288] in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068]; and by their word [06310] shall every controversy [07379] and every stroke [05061] be tried:

⁸ At that time [06256] the LORD [03068] separated [0914] the tribe [07626] of Levi [03878], to bear [05375] the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of the LORD [03068], to stand [05975] before [06440] the LORD [03068] to minister [08334] unto him, and to bless [01288] in his name [08034], unto this day [03117].

⁴ Enter [0935] into his gates [08179] with thanksgiving [08426], and into his courts [02691] with praise [08416]: be thankful [03034] unto him, and bless [01288] his name [08034].

² Sing [07891] unto the LORD [03068], bless [01288] his name [08034]; shew forth [01319] his salvation [03444] from day [03117] to day [03117].

² And when David [01732] had made an end [03615] of offering [05927] the burnt offerings [05930] and the peace offerings [08002], he blessed [01288] the people [05971] in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068].

²³ Speak [01696] unto Aaron [0175] and unto his sons [01121], saying [0559], On this wise [03541] ye shall bless [01288] the children [01121] of Israel [03478], saying [0559] unto them,

⁷ And Aaron [0175] shall burn [06999] thereon sweet [05561] incense [07004] every morning [01242]: when he dresseth [03190] the lamps [05216], he shall burn incense [06999] upon it.

⁵ And the house [01004] which I build [01129] is great [01419]: for great [01419] is our God [0430] above all gods [0430].

³ And Solomon [08010] sent [07971] to Huram [02361] the king [04428] of Tyre [06865], saying [0559], As thou didst deal [06213] with David [01732] my father [01], and didst send [07971] him cedars [0730] to build [01129] him an house [01004] to dwell [03427] therein, even so deal with me.

²⁴ Seventy [07657] weeks [07620] are determined [02852] upon thy people [05971] and upon thy holy [06944] city [05892], to finish [03607] the transgression [06588], and to make an end [08552] [02856] of sins [02403], and to make reconciliation [03722] for iniquity [05771], and to bring in [0935] everlasting [05769] righteousness [06664], and to seal up [02856] the vision [02377] and prophecy [05030], and to anoint [04886] the most [06944] Holy [06944].

³ And the remnant [03498] of the meat offering [04503] shall be Aaron's [0175] and his sons [01121]': it is a thing most [06944] holy [06944] of the offerings [0801] of the LORD [03068] made by fire [0801].

¹⁰ And Aaron [0175] shall make an atonement [03722] upon the horns [07161] of it once [0259] in a year [08141] with the blood [01818] of the sin offering [02403] of atonements [03725]: once [0259] in the year [08141] shall he make atonement [03722] upon it throughout your generations [01755]: it is most [06944] holy [06944] unto the LORD [03068].

²⁰ And Amram [06019] took [03947] him Jochebed [03115] his father's sister [01733] to wife [0802]; and she bare [03205] him Aaron [0175] and Moses [04872]: and the years [08141] of the life [02416] of Amram [06019] were an hundred [03967] and thirty [07970] and seven [07651] years [08141].

²⁷ And of Kohath [06955] was the family [04940] of the Amramites [06020], and the family [04940] of the Izeharites [03325], and the family [04940] of the Hebronites [02276], and the family [04940] of the Uzzielites [05817]: these are the families [04940] of the Kohathites [06956].

¹⁸ And the sons [01121] of Kohath [06955]; Amram [06019], and Izhar [03324], and Hebron [02275], and Uzziel [05816]: and the years [08141] of the life [02416] of Kohath [06955] were an hundred [03967] thirty [07970] and three [07969] years [08141].

¹⁸ And the sons [01121] of Kohath [06955] were, Amram [06019], and Izhar [03324], and Hebron [02275], and Uzziel [05816].

² And the sons [01121] of Kohath [06955]; Amram [06019], Izhar [03324], and Hebron [02275], and Uzziel [05816].

¹² The sons [01121] of Kohath [06955]; Amram [06019], Izhar [03324], Hebron [02275], and Uzziel [05816], four [0702].

¹⁴ And these are the numbers [06486] of them according to the house [01004] of their fathers [01]: Of Judah [03063], the captains [08269] of thousands [0505]; Adnah [05734] the chief [08269], and with him mighty men [01368] of valour [02428] three [07969] hundred [03967] thousand [0505].

³ And David [01732] distributed [02505] them, both Zadok [06659] of the sons [01121] of Eleazar [0499], and Ahimelech [0288] of the sons [01121] of Ithamar [0385], according to their offices [06486] in their service [05656].

⁷ Of the Gershonites [01649] were, Laadan [03936], and Shimei [08096].

¹⁰ And the sons [01121] of Shimei [08096] were, Jahath [03189], Zina [02126], and Jeush [03266], and Beriah [01283]. These four [0702] were the sons [01121] of Shimei [08096].

⁹ The sons [01121] of Shimei [08096]; Shelomith [08019] [08013], and Haziel [02381], and Haran [02039], three [07969]. These were the chief [07218] of the fathers [01] of Laadan [03936].
¹⁰ And the sons [01121] of Shimei [08096] were, Jahath [03189], Zina [02126], and Jeush [03266], and Beriah [01283]. These four [0702] were the sons [01121] of Shimei [08096].
¹¹ And Jahath [03189] was the chief [07218], and Zizah [02125] the second [08145]: but Jeush [03266] and Beriah [01283] had not many [07235] sons [01121]; therefore they were in one [0259] reckoning [06486], according to their father's [01] house [01004].

¹⁶ Of the sons [01121] of Gershom [01647], Shebuel [07619] was the chief [07218].

⁸ The sons [01121] of Laadan [03936]; the chief [07218] was Jehiel [03171], and Zetham [02241], and Joel [03100], three [07969].

⁹ The sons [01121] of Shimei [08096]; Shelomith [08019] [08013], and Haziel [02381], and Haran [02039], three [07969]. These were the chief [07218] of the fathers [01] of Laadan [03936].