Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Levi. The genealogy of the Levites is given with more exactitude than any of the preceding. Caath formed two branches, 1. the priests, descended from Aaron; 2. all his other children, who were simply Levites. Calmet.—Hence they are placed after the priests. Menochius.
Verse 2. Isaar, or Aminadab, verse 22.
Verse 3. Abiu. These died without children. The genealogy of Eleazar is given, as his family enjoyed the pontificate a long time, while that of Ithamar is neglected, ( Calmet.) as only Heli and a few others were raised to that dignity. Bible.
Verse 4. Eleazar. The nine following generations to Sadoc may be immediate. D.
Verse 5. Abisue. He is mentioned no where else. Josephus (v. ult.) calls him Abiezer. Calmet.—Many of these high priests were very obscure. Menochius.—Ozi, after whom Heli is supposed to have reigned, so that Zaraias and the three following were excluded, ( Calmet.) while Heli, and four of the same family of Ithamar, were acknowledged as high priests. Tirinus.—Abiathar was then forced to give place to Sadoc, (3 Kennicott. 2:26. Bible.) whose family was in power at the captivity, verse 15. Tirinus.—Nicephorus (ii. 4.) and Josephus (x. 11.) mention other high priests besides these. Worthington.
Verse 9. Azarias. Perhaps the same who is called Amarias, (2 Chronicles 19:11) as Johanan is probably the illustrious Joiada, 4 Kennicott. 11:4.
Verse 10. This may refer to either. Calmet.—The Holy Ghost gives an encomium to Joiada, for re-establishing the divine worship, (Junius) or to Azarias, for withstanding the impious attempt of king Osias. E. Tirinus. &chapter 2 Paral. 26:17. Menochius.
Verse 12. Sellum, or Mosollam. Calmet. 9:11. Calmet.
Verse 15. Went out, into captivity, while his father was slain. 4 Kennicott. 25:18. More than 22 priests would be requisite to fill up near 900 years. See Salien.
Verse 16. Gerson. Hebrew here reads Gersom, though it had Gerson before, verse 1.
Verse 18. The, and so forth This verse is repeated from verse 2 as the author is now going to continue the genealogy of the Levites, in their natural order, ( Bible.) to Samuel. D.
Verse 20. Jahath. See verse 42, 43.—Zamma springs from Semei, Jeth, Gerson, and has a son named Ethan, who has Adaia; as Zara begot Athanai, verse 41. Almost all the names are rather different
Verse 22. Asir. While Core perished, his children were preserved. Numbers 16:30 and 26:11. Bible.
Verse 23. Asir. This name seems superfluous (verse 36, Exodus 6:24. Calmet.) perhaps taken from the preceding verse. Bible.—The two former were sons of Core, verse 25, 37. Calmet.
Verse 26. Sophai, Nahath, and Eliab, are called Suph, ( Bible.) Thohu, (verse 34. Calmet.) and Eliel. Bible.—Sophai may be a surname of Elcana. Poole. D.
Verse 27. Elcana, his son. It seems necessary to supply, “Samuel, his son,” ( Bible.) as he descended from the 3d Elcana. D.
Verse 28. Vasseni. Some Latin copies subjoin “Joel,” who was the first-born, (verse 33.) La Haye.—Vasseni means, “and the second;” which can hardly be considered as the name of the eldest son, tough some have take it as such, in like manner as they have explained six. Calmet. 3:22. But then the v ought at least to be omitted, ( Calmet.) as it is in the Vat. and Alex. Septuagint “Sani and Abia.” Bible.—Other editions insert “Joel,” with the Syr. and Arab. Calmet.—This person had therefore either two names, or Joel has been omitted, and we should translate “Joel and the second, Abia.” Menochius.—These brothers acted so ill as judges, that the people took occasion to demand a king. 1 Kennicott. 8:3.
Verse 31. The singing. Hebrew “the hands or places of the canticle,” the two tribunes on each side of the altar. Heman presided over the band in the middle, while Asaph directed those on the right, and Ethan those on the left, verse 33, 39, and 44. Calmet.—Placed. Hebrew “rested,” as before David’s time it had been carried about. He erected a tabernacle for it on Sion, and directed the Levites to attend in order, (Calmet. 25) so that some should be present every day ( Menochius.) to honour God, both by instruments and vocal music, while the priests performed their sacred functions with the utmost decency.
Verse 33. Heman. Some families among the Levites were more distinguished than the rest, having authority to regulate the singers, and to give the tune. Hence many psalms are addressed to these three masters of music. Yet from those titles we cannot surely infer that those psalms were composed by Asaph, and so forth Calmet.
Verse 34. Eliel. Many of the genealogies do not seem to agree in these first 10 chapters, as some more obscure names have been passed over, ( Menochius.) or the people had different names, or, through the fault of transcribers, some alteration has taken place, which could hardly be avoided, without a constant miracle. Bible.
Verse 39. Brother, or relation, though of the family of Gerson. He also followed the same profession as Ethan did, verse 44.
Verse 44. Ethan is also called Idithun (Calmet. 25:1. 8) in the Psalms. Calmet.
Verse 48. Brethren. All the other Levites, who were not Cantors. Menochius.
Verse 49. Offerings, which is here the meaning of incensum; as “incense” was not burnt on this altar, but only victims. Exodus 29:13.
Verse 53. Sadoc. By God’s ordinance Heli had been appointed. But the dignity still subsisted in Aaron’s family. Worthington.—Achimaas, who was pontiff in the days of Solomon. This genealogy had been brought down to the Captivity, (verse 3, and so forth) which shews that the author give extracts from different records.
Verse 55. Suburbs, or 2000 cubits round the city. See Joshua 20 and 21. Calmet.
Verse 57. Of, is not authorized by the Vulg. civitates, but is added, to signify that all these 13 cities were not thus privileged. Bible.—There were only six cites of refuge, of which Hebron was one. See Josue 20:7. Calmet. Menochius.—Prot. “And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Juda, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge.” But “such a licence to insert words at pleasure, cannot be allowed.” Hebrew lit. “they gave cities of Hebrew refuge, Hebron,” and so forth The “sense absolutely disallows the word Judah,” which is omitted, (Joshua 21:13) as well as in some Hebrew MSS. in the Bamberg, and Complut. editions, and in those of Jablonski and Michaelis.—Hari, “cities,” ought to be hir, “a city,” as only one is meant. We should also add with the Arab. and Syriac, and the parallel passage in Josue, “and her suburbs,” after Hebron. Kennicott.—“Juda” is not found in the Septuagint and so forth: and Buxtorf acted with little wisdom, when he thought he had sufficiently answered Capellus, by observing that the Masora declared the word to be authentic. Anticrit. It is a great misfortune that most of the printed Hebrew editions have been given under such influence; and that the Masorets have defaced so many MSS. by their corrections. Bible.—Hence they probably burnt all the first edition of Naples, 1487, except part of a single copy, comprising the Cethubim given to Eton college by Dr. Pellet, which omits the word Juda. Kennicott. Dis. i. p. 520–2.
Verse 59. Asan, perhaps Jethnan, or Ain. Joshua 15:23 and 21:15. Syriac adds Ethra. Calmet.—Bethsames. Septuagint Alex. subjoins, “Baither and its suburbs.” Bible.—All these cities were in the tribes of Juda and of Simeon. Menochius.
Verse 60. Almath. Jos. Almon.—Thirteen; but Geta and Gabaon are not here expressed. Joshua 21:16, 17. Calmet.—Septuagint Alex. inserts, “Lebee,” before, and “Anchos, with its suburbs,” after Anathoth, thus making 14; but these additional cities are not sacerdotal. Bible.
Verse 61. Out of. We may supply, “the tribe of Dan, Ephraim, and so forth” as only two cities belonged to Manasses. Joshua 21:25. Calmet.—Double that number was taken from the two other tribes. Menochius.
Verse 65. Them. The priests, verse 54. D.—Names. Some being styled of the priests, ( Calmet.) other of the Levites, ( Menochius.) whose dominion as thus asserted. Calmet.
Verse 66. The cities, or rather “some cities,” as all were not in the tribe of Ephraim. Bible.
Verse 67. Of the. Lit. “cities to flee to, (or of refuge) Sichem,” ( Bible.) which might induce some to suppose that all these cities were of this description; but, in reality, only Sichem had that privilege. Calmet.—Septuagint is liable to the same ambiguity. See verse 57. ( Bible.) Joshua 20:7 and 21:21.
Verse 68. Jecmaan, or Cibsaim, (Jos.) as Helon is put for Aialon below. And of the tribe of Dan, Eltheco and Gabathon is omitted. See Joshua 21:23.
Verse 70. Aner and Baalam, perhaps the same as Thanach and Gethremmon, which were given to the children of Caath of the inferior degree, (Joshua 21:26. Calmet.) or, who were left out of the rank of priests, ( Menochius.) or before unprovided for, as the partition was made at different times.—Baalam. Hebrew “Balaam.” Septuagint “Iblaam” is the Jeblaam. Joshua 17:11.
Verse 71. Astharoth, or Bosra. Calmet.—Hebrew Hashtaroth. Joshua 21:27. Bible.
Verse 72. Cedes … Ramoth, and Anem, are Cesion, Jaramoth, and Engannim. Joshua 21:28, 29.
Verse 75. Hucac … Hamon, and Cariathaim, are Helcath, Hammoth-Dor, and Carthan.
Verse 77. Remmono and Thabor, or, Jecham and Cartha. Bible.—Damna and Naalol are here omitted. Joshua 21:35. There was formerly a town on Thabor, perhaps called Ceselet Thabor. Joshua 19:12, Judges 4:6. Calmet.