1 Chronicles 9:18

1Ch 9:18 Who hitherto [waited] in the king’s gate eastward: they [were] porters in the companies of the children of Levi.

Ver. 18. Who hitherto.] Even till the time that this book was gathered out of the ancient chronicles. {1Ch 9:1}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 9:18. King’s gate — In the east gate of the temple; which was so called, because the kings of Judah used to go to the temple through that gate. Under this gate he comprehends all the rest, which also were guarded by these porters. In the companies — Or, according to the courses. They kept the gates successively, according to that method into which the Levites were distributed, for the more convenient management of their several offices, among which this of the porters was one.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So called because the king came into the Temple thereby, and not the common people.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

the king's gate--The king had a gate from his palace into the temple (Kg2 16:18), which doubtless was kept constantly closed except for the monarch's use; and although there was no king in Israel on the return from the captivity, yet the old ceremonial was kept up, probably in the hope that the scepter would, ere long, be restored to the house of David. It is an honor by which Eastern kings are distinguished, to have a gate exclusively devoted to their own special use, and which is kept constantly closed, except when he goes out or returns (Eze 44:2). There being no king then in Israel, this gate would be always shut.

Next: 1 Chronicles Chapter 10

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. The king's gate] That by which the kings of Judah went to the temple; see on 2Kg 16:18.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(18) They were porters in the companies of the children of Levi.—Rather, They are warders for the camps of the sons of Levi. (Comp. Num_3:23 et seq. where it is prescribed that the Levites encamp on the four sides of the tabernacle.) The primitive terminology is used in order to convey the idea that the Levitical wardership of the Temple went back historically to that of the Mosaic sanctuary.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. who] i.e. Shallum (1Ch_9:17), called Shelemiah in 1Ch_26:14 (= Meshelemiah, 1Ch_26:1). A family rather than an individual is meant.

the king’s gate eastward] That the king had an entrance into the Temple named after him appears from 2Ki_16:18, and that this gate was on the East from Eze_46:1-2.

in the companies] R.V. for the camp. This expression is borrowed from Num_2:17, where it refers to the circumstances of the Wandering in the Wilderness.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past,.... Over the host, over the Levites, and the chief of them; which is to be understood of Phinehas the son of Eleazar, in the time of Moses, who succeeded his father in that post, see Num 3:32 though some think, as Kimchi observes, that this was not Phinehas the priest, but a certain Levite of this name in this post; but since he is said to be in time past, it may very well be understood of him: and it also is observed:

and the Lord was with him; inspiring him with zeal for his honour and glory, assisting and strengthening him to do his will and work, as particularly in the affair of Zimri, Num 25:7, the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord was for his help;''

this may be said for the encouragement of him that was in the same office now.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Who hitherto waited - Translate, “Who to this day waits. These were the porters in the stations of the sons of Levi.” The words of the first clause refer to Shallum, and imply that, whereas Shallum (or his house) had originally the general superintendence of the temple gates, a change had been made when the author wrote, and Shallum’s charge had become the east gate only. The second clause means; “these were the porters in those fixed stations at the outer gates of the Temple, which corresponded to the camp stations of the Levites who guarded the tabernacle in the early times.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Time. Hebrew, "and hitherto." This custom has been observed at the king’s gate, who entered his tribune by the eastern gate of the temple, 4 Kings xvi. 18. So far the ancient records reach. Some would infer from this passage, that a guard was still kept at the king’s gate, even though there was none sitting upon the throne after the captivity. (Calmet) --- Protestants, ("who hitherto waited in the king’s gate eastward.) They were porters in the companies of the children of Levi." (Haydock) --- These different bands attended by turns. (Menochius) --- But the captains were on duty every day, ver. 25, and 26, and 34.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

In the king’s gate eastward; in the east gate of the temple, which was so called, either because it was the chief and most magnificent of all the gates, or because the kings of Judah used to go to the temple through that gate, 2Ki 16:18 compare Eze 44:1,2. Under this gate he comprehends all the rest, which also were guarded by these porters.

In the companies, or, according to the companies, or orders, or courses, i.e. they kept the gates successively, according to that method into which themselves and the rest of their brethren the Levites were distributed, for the more convenient management of their several offices; among which this of the porters was one.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. Porters — Gate or doorkeepers, whose work it was to open, close, and guard the entrances to the sanctuary. Theirs was a responsible office, and none but Levites were intrusted with its duties. The honour attaching to this position is enhanced by the statements of the following verses. Their fathers in the ancient time were intrusted with this noble service, “being over the host of the Lord,” that is, the encampment of his people in the wilderness, and even the distinguished “Phinehas the son of Eleazar” was their ruler in that ancient time.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hitherto. (so Joh_5:17) The reference must be to Shallum, for see vers. 24-26 and Eze_46:1-3. The meaning of the remaining sentence of this verse is, "These were the gate-keepers for the Levite encampments side," or what, in later temple times, answered to it.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

King's gate - In the east-gate of the temple, which was so called, because the kings of Judah used to go to the temple through that gate. Under this gate he comprehends all the rest, which also were guarded by these porters. Companies - Or, according to the courses. They kept the gates successively, according to that method into which the Levites were distributed, for the more convenient management of their several offices; among which this of the porters was one.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past,.... Over the host, over the Levites, and the chief of them; which is to be understood of Phinehas the son of Eleazar, in the time of Moses, who succeeded his father in that post, see Num 3:32 though some think, as Kimchi observes, that this was not Phinehas the priest, but a certain Levite of this name in this post; but since he is said to be in time past, it may very well be understood of him: and it also is observed:

and the Lord was with him; inspiring him with zeal for his honour and glory, assisting and strengthening him to do his will and work, as particularly in the affair of Zimri, Num 25:7, the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord was for his help;''

this may be said for the encouragement of him that was in the same office now.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

And from here until the king’s gate to the east The meaning of עַד is: from here until a gate named the King’s Gate to the east.

they are the gate sentries Shallum and his brethren of the camps of the sons of Levi.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.