For by the last words of David ,.... Or therefore by the last orders he gave before his death: the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above ; as able and sufficient to do the work of their office. read more
Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron ,.... The priests: for the service of the house of the Lord ; to assist them therein, and not to bear burdens as in times past; the Targum is,"wherefore the place of their habitations was by the side of the sons of Aaron, for the worship of the sanctuary of the Lord:" in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God ; to keep the house, and all the... read more
Both for the shewbread ,.... Also to make and get that ready every week for the priests to set on the shewbread table, when they took off the other that had stood a week, see 1 Chronicles 9:32 . and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried ; to deliver out the flour of which these several things were made, see 1 Chronicles 9:31 , and Leviticus 2:1 , and for all manner of measures and... read more
And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord ,.... The office of others of them was to sing the praises of God, both vocally and with instruments of music, at the time of the morning sacrifice: and likewise at even ; at the time of the evening sacrifice, by way of thankfulness for the mercies of the night and of the day. read more
And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord ,.... This was the work of the priests to offer such sacrifices, and not the Levites; but the meaning is, according to the Targum, and so Kimchi, that these not only sung the praises of God morning and evening, but at all times when burnt offerings were offered to the Lord; besides, some of them helped the priests at such times in slaying the sacrifices, and bringing them to the altar: and especially their service was requisite in the... read more
And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation ,.... That no unclean persons entered into it, and that none of the vessels were carried out of it; this was the business of the porters: and the charge of the holy place ; of things that belonged unto it, the vessels in it, and what was requisite for it, and used there: and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren; the priests, whatever they should command them to do: in the service of the house of the... read more
Purifying of all holy things - Keeping all the vessels and utensils belonging to the sacred service clean and neat. read more
Both for the shew-bread - It was the priests' office to place this bread before the Lord, and it was their privilege to feed on the old loaves when they were replaced by the new. Some of the rabbins think that the priests sowed, reaped, ground, kneaded, and baked the grain of which the shew-bread was made. This appears to be a conceit. Jerome, in his comment on Malachi 1:6 , mentions it in these words: " Panes propositionis quos, juxta traditiones Hebraicas, ipsi serere, ipsi... read more
To stand every morning - At the offering of the morning and evening sacrifice, they sounded their musical instruments, and sang praises to God. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 23:24-32
Here is, I. An alteration made in the computation of the effective men of the Levites?that whereas, in Moses's time, they were not enlisted, or taken into service, till they were thirty-years old, nor admitted as probationers till twenty-five (Num. 8:24), David ordered, by direction from God, that they should be numbered for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of twenty years and upwards, 1 Chron. 23:24. This order he confirmed by his last words, 1 Chron. 23:27. When he put his... read more