Commentaria in I Paralipomenon
Chapter 26
The orders and classes of the Levites who were porters of the temple are enumerated; besides these, the keepers of the treasures both of the temple and of the King.
1. And the divisions of the porters: of the Core-ites, Meselemia the son of Core, of the sons of Asaph. 2. The sons of Meselemia: Zacharias the firstborn, Jadihel the second, Zabadias the third, Jathanael the fourth, 3. Elam the fifth, Johanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. 4. And the sons of Obededom: Semeias the firstborn, Jozabad the second, Joaha the third, Sachar the fourth, Nathanael the fifth, 5. Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Phollathi the eighth: because the Lord blessed him. 6. And to Semei his son were born sons, heads of their families: for they were most valiant men. 7. The sons therefore of Semei: Othni, and Raphael, and Obed, Elzabad, his brethren most valiant men: Eliu also and Samachias. 8. All these were of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, most able men for the service, sixty-two of Obededom. 9. And the sons of Meselemia and their brethren, most strong, eighteen. 10. And of Hosa, that is, of the sons of Merari: Semri was chief (for he had not a firstborn, and therefore his father had made him chief), 11. Helcias the second, Tabelias the third, Zacharias the fourth: all these were the sons and brethren of Hosa, thirteen. 12. These were divided to be porters, so that always the chiefs of the watches, as well as their brethren, should minister in the house of the Lord. 13. And lots were cast alike for small and great, by their families, for every gate. 14. And the lot of the east fell to Selemias. And for Zacharias his son, a most prudent and learned man, the north side fell by lot. 15. And to Obededom and his sons the south, on that side of the house where was the council of the ancients. 16. To Sephim and Hosa the west, by the gate which leadeth to the way of the ascent: watch against watch. 17. And to the east were six Levites, and to the north four daily: and to the south in like manner four a day: and where the council was, two and two. 18. And in the cells of the porters toward the west four in the way, and two and two by the cells. 19. These were the divisions of the porters, of the sons of Core and Merari. 20. And Achias was over the treasures of the house of God, and the vessels of the holies. 21. The sons of Ledan, the sons of Gersonni: of Ledan the chiefs of families, Ledan and Gersonni, Jehieli. 22. The sons of Jehieli: Zathan and Joel his brother, over the treasures of the house of the Lord. 23. The Amramites, and Isaarites, and Hebronites, and Ozielites. 24. And Subael the son of Gersom, the son of Moses, was ruler over the treasures. 25. His brethren also Eliezer, whose son was Rahabia, and his son Isaias, and his son Joram, and his son Zechri, and his son Selemith. 26. This Selemith and his brethren were over the treasures of the holy things, which king David sanctified, and the chiefs of families, and the captains of thousands, and of hundreds, and the generals of the army, 27. out of the wars, and the spoils of battles, which they had consecrated for the repair and furniture of the temple of the Lord. 28. All these things Samuel the seer sanctified, and Saul the son of Cis, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Sarvia: all who had sanctified them by the hand of Selemith and his brethren. 29. And of the Isaarites Chonenias and his sons were over the outward works over Israel, to teach and judge them. 30. And of the Hebronites, Hasabias and his brethren, most valiant men, a thousand seven hundred, were over Israel beyond the Jordan westward, in all the works of the Lord, and in the service of the king. 31. And the chief of the Hebronites was Jeria, according to their families and kindreds. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were reviewed, and there were found most valiant men in Jazer of Galaad, 32. and his brethren of stronger age, two thousand seven hundred chiefs of families. And king David set them over the Rubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasses, for all the service of God and of the king.
5. Because the Lord blessed him (Obededom)—on account of the ark which he religiously had in his house and carefully kept, 2 Kings chapter 6. For this reason he surpassed the other Levites in the number of his sons, as also in strength both of body and of mind, whence in verse 8 it is said: “All these were of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, most able men for the service, 62 of Obededom.”
Hosa at that time had no firstborn, because he was already dead; wherefore in his place he appointed as chief of his family Semri, who was the second-born.
12. These were divided to be porters, so that always the chiefs of the watches, etc., should minister in the house of the Lord.—Great, therefore, was the dignity of these porters; first, because they were “chiefs of the watches,” as if to say: As the praetorian soldiers preside over the guard of the king and of the royal house, so these porters presided over the guard and all the guards of the house of God, namely of the temple. Secondly, because the same presided over the guard of the treasure both of the temple and of the king, as is clear from verses 20, 26 and 30. Likewise over the repairs of the temple, verse 27. Thirdly, because from them were appointed the teachers of the people, overseers and judges in causes both sacred and
14. Selemias.—This is he who in verse 1 ff. is called “Meselemias.” For he is called by abbreviation “Selemias,” as Jechonias is called “Chonias” by Jeremias, chapter 22.
15. On that side of the house where was the council of the ancients, —as if to say: On the southern side of the temple was the place of the supreme council, which was called the “Sanhedrim,” and consisted of 72 chief men, as it were senators; see what I said on Numbers 11.
16. Which leadeth to the way of the ascent—by which men went up to mount Sion, and to the tabernacle erected there; and then to the temple built on the same by Solomon.
Watch against watch,—Vatablus, watch over against watch, as if to say: One guard of the watchers answered to another placed opposite. For this west gate of the temple seems to have had a double guard beyond the others, on account of the greater concourse of the people in it, and therefore the greater danger of tumult in it. That this is so is clear from verse 18,
18. And in the cells of the porters toward the west four in the way, and two and two by the cells,—as if to say: At the west gate of the temple, “in the cells of the porters,” “four” Levites, chiefs of the porters, kept watch “in the way” of the ascent, of which it was spoken in verse 16, and besides “two others” chiefs, distributed “by the” fixed “cells” of the watchmen, kept watch with the lesser Levites subject to them. Hence you see that there were more and greater watches at the west gate than at the other gates of the temple, as I said.
stones to be hewn and polished, to cultivate the vineyards, meadows, and fields of the temple, etc.