1 Chronicles 24 Explained

1 Chronicles 24 is the twenty-fourth chapter of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BCE. This chapter records the organization and departments of priests (verses 1–19) and a list of non-priestly Levites (verses 20–31). The whole chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingship of David (1 Chronicles 9:35 to 29:30), which from chapter 22 to the end does not have any parallel in 2 Samuel.

Text

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 31 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).

Extant manuscripts of a Koine Greek translation known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE, include Codex Vaticanus (B;

ak{G} ^B; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ak{G} ^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ak{G} ^Q; 6th century).

David organizes the priests (24:1–19)

This section details the organization of the priests, the highest branch of the Levites, in a more advanced and systematic manner than anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible and was adhered rigidly until the Roman period (cf.). Lists of the priestly families also found partially in –9:13 9; 10:2–8 9; 12:1–7 9; 12:12–21 9.^[1]

Verse 1

Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.^[2] Among the four sons of Aaron (6:23 9), Nadab and Abihu died without children (verse 2); and the other two had to supply the "chief men of the house", of which Eleazar had sixteen, and Ithamar eight (verse 4).^[3]

Verse 3

And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.^[4] Of the two priestly families (; 9; 9; cf. 8:16–18 9), Zadok represented the family of Eleazar, and Ahimelech represented the family of Ithamar, to help David organizing the priests. The Chronicler emphasizes the equal treatment of the two groups in the passage (cf 24:31; 26:13) using a procedure of drawing lots (verse 5), also in 1 Chronicles (24:31; 25:8; 26:13) and elsewhere (for examples. Nehemiah 10:35), to indicate God's hand in the distribution of the personnel.

List of the priestly divisions

See main article: Priestly divisions.

Verse	Division !	English name	Hebrew name	Greek name	Note
24:7 9	1st	Jehoiarib	Hebrew: יה֣וֹיָרִ֔יב	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἰωαρίμ	. In Talmud Arakhin 11b Rabbi Yosei ben Halafta states that when Solomon's Temple was burnt on the ninth of Ab [586 BCE] the 'priestly guard' was of Jehoiarib division, and they were singing Psalm 94, but only to the first half of 94:23 9 (until "their own wickedness") before 'the enemies came and overwhelmed them'. Mattathias ben Johanan was a descendant of Jehoiarib according to 2:1 9.
	2nd	Jedaiah	Hebrew: ידַעְיָ֖ה	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἰεδίᾳ	one fragment of Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q325; "Mishmarot D") mentions: The beginning of the se[cond] month is [on the si]xth [day] of the course of Jedaiah. On the second of the month is the Sabbath of the course of Harim....
24:8 9	3rd		Hebrew: חָרִם֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Χαρὶβ	, possibly "Rehum" in ; one fragment of Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q325; "Mishmarot D") mentions: The beginning of the se[cond] month is [on the si]xth [day] of the course of Jedaiah. On the second of the month is the Sabbath of the course of Harim....
	4th		Hebrew: שְׂעֹרִ֖ים	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Σεωρὶμ	Meaning "barley" or "bearded"; Latin: Barbatus. Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.^[5]
24:9 9	5th		Hebrew: מַלְכִּיָּה֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Μελχίᾳ	, ; other mentions: 1 Chronicles 9:12, Nehemiah 11:12; ; . Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence. Another Malchijah, an Israelitish layman, was in Nehemiah 3:11 and Ezra 10:25.
	6th	Mijamin	Hebrew: מִיָּמִ֖ן	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Μεϊαμὶν	; "Minjamin" in Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
24:10 9	7th	Hakkoz	Hebrew: הַקּוֹץ֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Κὼς	, 21. Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
	8th	Abijah	Hebrew: אֲבִיָּ֖ה	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἀβίᾳ	, 17. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was of the course of Abijah (; also spelled as "Abia"). Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
24:11 9	9th	Jeshua	Hebrew: יֵשׁ֙וּעַ֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἰησοῦ	Ezra 5:2.This Hebrew name is rendered as Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἰησοῦς in Greek, and as "Jesus" in English. Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
	10th		Hebrew: שְׁכַנְיָ֖הוּ	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Σεχενίᾳ	possibly "Shebaniah" in Nehemiah 10:4, Nehemiah 12:14. also in 1 Chronicles 3:21^[6] Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
24:12 9	11th	Eliashib	Hebrew: אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἐλιαβὶ	Nehemiah 13 4-7; also 1 Chronicles 3:24. Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
	12th		Hebrew: יָקִ֖ים	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἰακὶμ	Equivalent to Eliakim and Jecamiah (1 Chronicles 8:19). Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
24:13 9	13th		Hebrew: חֻפָּה֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ὀπφᾷ	Another use as "covering, canopy" in Isaiah 4:5; probably the same as "Huppim" in 1 Chronicles 7:12. Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
	14th		Hebrew: יֶֽשֶׁבְאָ֖ב	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἰεσβαὰλ	Spelled in LXX as Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ιεσβααλ or Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ισβααλ, Eshbaal, "man of Baal"; Vulgate has "Isbaab." Listed in the Yemeni inscription with the division number and place of residence.
24:14 9	15th		Hebrew: בִלְגָּה֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Βελγᾷ	"Bilgai" in
	16th	Immer	Hebrew: אִמֵּ֖ר	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἐμμὴρ	1 Chronicles 9:12; Ezra 2:37; Jeremiah 20:1.
24:15 9	17th		Hebrew: חֵזִיר֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Χηζὶν	Listed in the Caesarea inscription with the division number and place of residence. Mentioned as a name of a layman in Nehemiah 10:20.
	18th	Happizzez	Hebrew: הַפִּצֵּ֖ץ	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἀφεσὴ	Listed in the Caesarea inscription with the division number and place of residence. Spelled in LXX as Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Αφεσση, in Vulgate as "Aphses;" in Syriac and Arabic as "Phasin."
24:16 9	19th	Pethahiah	Hebrew: פְתַחְיָה֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Φεταίᾳ	Ezra 10:23; Nehemiah 9:5 Listed in the Caesarea inscription with the division number and place of residence.
	20th	Jehezkel	Hebrew: יחֶזְקֵ֖אל	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἐζεκὴλ	Listed in the Caesarea inscription with the division number and place of residence.
24:17 9	21st	Jachin	Hebrew: יָכִין֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἀχὶμ	Nehemiah 11:10 Other mentions: Genesis 46:10; . The same name as Jehoiachin. probably "Achim" in
	22nd	Gamul	Hebrew: גָמ֖וּל	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Γαμοὺλ	Another use as "weaned" in Isaiah 11:8.
24:18 9	23rd	Delaiah	Hebrew: דְלָיָ֙הוּ֙	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἀδαλλαὶ	1 Chronicles 3:24; Nehemiah 6:10; Nehemiah 7:62; Ezra 2:60.; spelled with the addition of a shurek (Hebrew: וּ) in Jeremiah 36:12, 25.
	24th	Maaziah	Hebrew: מַֽעַזְיָ֖הוּ	Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Μαασαὶ	probably "Maadiah" in .

Remaining Levite assignments (24:20–31)

This section contains the list of Levites which overlaps with the one in 23:7–23 9. The Levites had similar rotation schedule as the priests (verse 31), and used the same system of drawing lots as the priests with almost the same witnesses, indicating that the Levites are considered as important as the priests.

Document witnesses for priestly divisions

• Josephus wrote that David divided the Levites into twenty-four courses, sixteen of the house of Eleazar and eight of the house of Ithamar and he ordained each course to minister eight days, from Sabbath to Sabbath (Antiquities).^[7]
• Babylonian Talmud has a statement by Rabbi Hama ben Guria that "Moses instituted for Israel eight Mishmaroth ("priestly divisions")—four from [the family of] Eleazar and four from [the family of] Ithamar; Samuel increased them to sixteen; David increased them to twenty four" (Taanith 27a).^[8]
• After the Temple destruction in 70 CE, there was a custom of publicly recalling the courses of the priests every Sabbath, a practice that reinforced the prestige of the priests' lineage.^[9] A manuscript discovered in the Cairo Geniza, dated 1034 CE, records a customary formula recited weekly in the synagogues, during the Sabbath day:

"Today is the holy Sabbath, the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; this day, which is the course? [Appropriate name] is the course. May the Merciful One return the course to its place soon, in our days. Amen."^[10]

After which, they would recount the number of years that have passed since the destruction of Jerusalem, and conclude with the words:

"May the Merciful One build his house and sanctuary, and let them say Amen."

• Three stone inscriptions were discovered bearing the names of the priestly wards, their order and the name of the locality to which they had moved after the destruction of the Second Temple:

1. In 1920, a marble stone inscription was found in Ashkelon showing a partial list of the priestly wards, attesting to the existence of such plaques, perhaps mounted to the walls of synagogues.

2. In 1962 three small fragments of one Hebrew stone inscription, dated to the 3rd/4th centuries, were found in Caesarea Maritima, bearing the partial names of places associated with the priestly courses (the rest of which had been reconstructed) as follows:^[11]

--	-	English Translation	Original Hebrew -->
The 17th course Hezir Ma]mliah	Hebrew: -->
The 18th course Hapizzez Nazareth	Hebrew: -->
The 19th course Pethahia Akhlah Arab	Hebrew: -->
The 20th course Ezekiel Mi]gdal Nunaiya	Hebrew: -->

This is the oldest inscription mentioning Nazareth as a location, outside the Bible and pilgrim notes.

3. In 1970 the stone inscription DJE 23 was discovered on a partially buried column in a mosque, in the Yemeni village of Bayt Ḥaḍir, showing ten names of the priestly wards and their respective towns and villages. The Yemeni inscription is the longest roster of names of this sort ever discovered, unto this day. The names legible on the stone column discovered by Walter W. Müller read as follows:^[12]

English Translation	Original Hebrew
[Se'orim [[Ilut|'Ayṯoh-lo]]], fourth ward	Hebrew: שְׂעוֹרִים עיתהלו משמר הרביעי
[Malkiah, [[Bethlehem of Galilee|Beṯ]-Lehem]], the fif[th] ward	Hebrew: מַלְכִּיָּה בית לחם משמר החמשי
Miyamin, Yudfaṯ (Jotapata), the sixth ward	Hebrew: מִיָמִין יודפת משמר הששי
[Haqo]ṣ, 'Ailebu, the seventh ward	Hebrew: הַקּוֹץ עילבו משמר השביעי
Aviah 'Iddo, Kefar 'Uzziel, the (eighth) ward	Hebrew: אֲבִיָּה עדו כפר עוזיאל משמר
	Hebrew: השמיני יֵשׁוּעַ נשדפארבל
the ninth ward	Hebrew: משמר התשיעי
Šekhaniyahu, 'Avurah Cabūl, the t[enth] ward	Hebrew: שְׁכַנְיָה עבורה כבול משמר העשירי
Eliašīv, Cohen Qanah, the elev[enth] ward	Hebrew: אֶלְיָשִׁיב כהן קנה משמר אחד עשר
Yaqīm Pašḥūr, Ṣefaṯ (Safed), the [th] ward	Hebrew: יָקִים פַּשְׁחוּר צפת משמר שנים עשר
[Ḥū]ppah, Beṯ-Ma'on, the (thirteenth) ward	Hebrew: חוּפָּה בית מעון משמר שלשה
	Hebrew: עשר יֶשֶׁבְאָב חוצפית שוחין
the fourteenth wa[rd]	Hebrew: משמר ארבע עשר

• A seventh-century poet, Eleazar ben Killir, wrote a liturgical poem detailing the 24-priestly wards and their places of residence.^[13] Historian and geographer, Samuel Klein (1886–1940), thinks that Killir's poem proves the prevalence of this custom of commemorating the courses in the synagogues of the Land of Israel.^[14]

See also

• Related Bible parts: Exodus 6, Deuteronomy 12, Numbers 3, Numbers 4, Numbers 8, 1 Chronicles 6, Ezra 3, Luke 1

Sources

• Book: Ackroyd, Peter R . Chronicles, Books of. Metzger . Bruce M. Bruce M. Metzger. Coogan . Michael D . The Oxford Companion to the Bible. Oxford University Press . 1993 . 978-0-19-504645-8 . 113–116.
• Avi-Yonah . Michael . A List of Priestly Courses from Caesarea. Israel Exploration Journal. 12 . 2 . 137–139 . 27924896 . 1962.
• Book: Bennett, William. The Expositor's Bible: The Books of Chronicles. Litres. 2018 . 978-5-04-082519-6 .
• Book: Coogan, Michael David. Michael D. Coogan . The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 . Coogan . Michael David . Marc Zvi . Brettler . Carol Ann . Newsom . Pheme . Perkins . Augmented 3rd . Oxford University Press . 2007 . 978-0-19-528881-0 .
• Book: Endres, John C. . First and Second Chronicles . Liturgical Press . 2012 . 978-0-8146-2844-7.
• Book: Hill, Andrew E. . First and Second Chronicles . Zondervan . 2003 . 978-0-310-20610-1 .
• Book: Mabie, Frederick . I. The Chronicler's Genealogical Survey of All Israel . 1 and 2 Chronicles . The Expositor's Bible Commentary . Tremper . Longman III . David E . Garland . Zondervan . 2017 . 267–308 . 978-0-310-53181-4 . December 6, 2019.
• Book: Mathys, H. P.<!--translator: Benjamin Liebelt --> . 14. 1 and 2 Chronicles . The Oxford Bible Commentary . John . Barton . John Barton (theologian) . John. Muddiman . John Muddiman . Oxford University Press . first (paperback) . 2007 . 267–308 . 978-0-19-927718-6 . February 6, 2019.
• Book: Tuell, Steven S. . First and Second Chronicles . Westminster John Knox Press . 2012 . 978-0-664-23865-0 . December 30, 2020.
• Book: Wise . Michael . Martin Jr. . Abegg . Edward . Cook . The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation . Harper . San Francisco . 1996 . 0-06-069201-4 . 296–323.
• Book: Würthwein, Ernst . Ernst Würthwein . The Text of the Old Testament . . Grand Rapids, MI . 1995 . Erroll F.. Rhodes . 0-8028-0788-7 . January 26, 2019.

External links

• Jewish translations:
  • Divrei Hayamim I - I Chronicles - Chapter 24 (Judaica Press) translation [with [[Rashi]]'s commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
  • First Book of Chronicles Chapter 24. Bible Gateway

Notes and References

1. [Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges]
2. 24:1 KJV KJV
3. Exell, Joseph S.; Spence-Jones, Henry Donald Maurice (Editors). On "1 Chronicles 24". In: The Pulpit Commentary. 23 volumes. First publication: 1890. Accessed 24 April 2019.
4. 24:3 KJV KJV
5. Urbach 1973, pp. 304–327
6. [Charles Ellicott|Ellicott, C. J.]
7. Whiston, William. "The Work of Josephus", p. 208; apud "The 24 Priestly Courses" at Torahcalendar.com.
8. Rabbi Dr. I. Epstein, translator. "The Babylonian Talmud". The Soncino Press. New York, 1990; apud Torahcalendar.com.
9. Robert Bonfil, Jews in Byzantium: Dialectics of Minority and Majority Cultures, Brill: Leiden 2012, p. 42
10. [Bodleian Library]
11. Avi-Yonah . Michael . The Caesarea Inscription of the Twenty-Four Priestly Courses . Eretz-Israel: Archaeological, Historical and Geographical Studies . L.A. Mayer Memorial Volume (1895-1959) . 24–28 . 23614642 . 1964. (Hebrew)
12. [Ephraim Urbach|Urbach, Ephraim E.]
13. Poem entitled, Lamentation for the 9th of Ab, composed in twenty-four stanzas, and the last line of each stanza contains the name of the village where each priestly family lived.
14. [Samuel Klein (scholar)|Samuel Klein]