1 Chronicles 9:27

1Ch_9:27

And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them

The dominence of duty

I.

As to recognising the imperativeness of duty. The charge was upon them. Duty was the absolute and dominant thing to these gate-keepers. So should it be with us. Duty grows out of the relations in which we are placed.

1. Some of these relations are toward God. God puts us where we are.

2. Some of these relations, as with the Levite gate-keepers, are towards Gods house. The charge is upon us as Church-members to attend upon, give to, and work for the advancement of the Church to which we belong.

3. Some of these relations are toward our fellow-men. Israel depended on these Levites for certain service. Our family, Church, city, State, nation--all have claims upon us for duty.

II. Concerning the importance of adjusting ones life so as to be able to do duty. These Levites lodged round about the house of God. That is, they so adjusted their arrangements of living that they could do the duty that devolved upon them. They planned for it, provided for its certain accomplishment.

III. As to some of the ways in which duty is presented to us.

1. In ways of permanent obligation. In the case of these Levites we are told that the work pertained to them. It was a permanent thing, of unchanging obligation. One of the best ways for us to recognise the dominance of duty is by faithfulness in connection with those possibly prosaic, but unchanging and permanent, duties that pertain to us.

2. Others come in the way of regular recurrence. The opening thereof every morning pertained to them. Most of our duties are of this everyday, regular, recurring kind.

3. Duty is presented to us oftentimes in things apparently trivial Theirs was the opening and shutting of the gates: Not apparently a great thing; but it had as close and vital a relation to character as if it had seen great, As they did their work, lowly though it seemed, well or ill, they were morally well or ill. To most of us the work God gives does not seem great. But little things can be greatly done. By doing little things faithfully many a life has been made great. (G. B. F. Halleck, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. because … to them] R.V. because the charge thereof was upon them, and to them pertained the opening thereof morning by morning. The reference is to the four “chief porters” (1Ch_9:26).

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 some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. For though the Levites had the care of the spices, they might not make the ointment with them, only the priests, see Exo 30:23.

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1 Chronicles 9:31

ch1 9:31

ch1 9:31

ch1 9:31And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite,.... Of whom see Ch1 9:19,

had the set office over the things that were made in the pans; the meat offerings that were made in pans; and so had the care of the fine flour, oil, and frankincense used in them, which he delivered to the priests when necessary, see Lev 2:5, the Septuagint version is,"over the works of the sacrifice of the pan of the high priest;''as if it respected peculiarly his meat offering, Lev 6:20, we read in the Misnah (y) of the offerings of the high priest, as expressed by this word, which it signifies, and not pans, but what was fried in them (z); and Ben Melech on the place says, this man was an high priest who offered every day the tenth part of an ephah in a pan, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening, according to Lev 6:20, but that cannot be, for certain it is he was a Levite, as the text expresses it.

(y) Menachot, c. 11. sect. 3. & Tamid, c. 1. sect. 3. (z) Vid. Sheringham. in Misn. Yoma, c. 2. sect. 3. p. 16.

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

They lodged round about the house of God; therefore they were obliged to constant residence in the place; and were not permitted to dwell in the villages, as their brethren were.

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

And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. For though the Levites had the care of the spices, they might not make the ointment with them, only the priests, see Exo 30:23.

.

1 Chronicles 9:31

ch1 9:31

ch1 9:31

ch1 9:31And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite,.... Of whom see Ch1 9:19,

had the set office over the things that were made in the pans; the meat offerings that were made in pans; and so had the care of the fine flour, oil, and frankincense used in them, which he delivered to the priests when necessary, see Lev 2:5, the Septuagint version is,"over the works of the sacrifice of the pan of the high priest;''as if it respected peculiarly his meat offering, Lev 6:20, we read in the Misnah (y) of the offerings of the high priest, as expressed by this word, which it signifies, and not pans, but what was fried in them (z); and Ben Melech on the place says, this man was an high priest who offered every day the tenth part of an ephah in a pan, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening, according to Lev 6:20, but that cannot be, for certain it is he was a Levite, as the text expresses it.

(y) Menachot, c. 11. sect. 3. & Tamid, c. 1. sect. 3. (z) Vid. Sheringham. in Misn. Yoma, c. 2. sect. 3. p. 16.

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.)

The Charge of the Levites

v. 27. And they, the Levites in general, lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them, the large gates had to be opened every morning at a specified time.

v. 28. And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, they were responsible for the precious vessels used for the sacrifices, that they should bring them in and out by tale, for of everything in the Temple treasuries a careful count was kept.

v. 29. Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the Sanctuary, all those used in the ordinary daily offerings, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices, all the materials used for incense, for meat and drink-offerings.

v. 30. And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices, a precious and singular oil, used exclusively for sacred purposes.

v. 31. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the first-born of Shallum the Korahite, had the set office over the things that were made in the pans, literally, "was in trust over the baking in pans," Lev 2:5; Lev 6:14.

v. 32. And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the showbread, to prepare it every Sabbath, Lev 24:6-8. So the entire worship was once more organized in line with the institution of the Lord.

v. 33. And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who, remaining in the chambers, were free, they were exclusively engaged in the liturgical part of the services and were therefore excused from other work; for they were employed in that work day and night; when not actually engaged in public worship, they were busy practising the difficult liturgical melodies.

v. 34. These chief fathers of the Levites, heads of the father-houses among the Levites, were chief throughout their generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem. The genealogy of Saul is here repeated, as an introduction to the historical section of the book, which opens with an account of the fall of Saul’s house.

v. 35. And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife’s name was Maachah;

v. 36. and his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab,

v. 37. and Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth.

v. 38. And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem, over against their brethren.

v. 39. And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

v. 40. And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Merib-baal begat Micah.

v. 41. And the sons of Micah were Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and Ahaz.

v. 42. And Ahaz begat Jarah; and Jarah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza;

v. 43. and Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah, his son, Eleasah, his son, Azel, his son.

v. 44. And Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan; these were the sons of Azel. Cf 1Ch 8:28-38.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

and they were [appointed] over the key[s] over the key[s] of the forecourt.

and every morning to open.

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.