David declares Solomon his successor, ver. 1.
Numbers the Levites and appoints them their several offices,
ver. 2 - 5.
Takes an account of the families of the Levites, ver. 6 - 23.
Reckons them from twenty years old, and appoints them their work,
ver. 24 - 32.
2: Gathered, &c. - To declare God's mind and his own will, that
Solomon should be his successor: and to acquaint them with those
directions which he had received from God by the spirit.
3: Upwards - Not only 'till fifty, as it was appointed,(Nu 4:2-3), but even 'till their death: for that was but a temporary
law grounded upon a special reason, because the Levites were employed
in carrying the tabernacle and sacred vessels from place to place; and
therefore God would have them freed from those burdens when they came to
feel the infirmities of age: which reason wholly ceasing upon the building
of the temple, their work being far easier than it had been, and their
service being more a privilege than a burden, their time of service is
justly prolonged.
4: Officers - To take care that all the work of the temple about
sacrifices should be punctually performed, either by themselves or others:
which they were not to do all at once, but by courses, a thousand at a time.
Judges - Not in the affairs of the temple; there the priests presided;
but in several parts of the kingdom, where they assisted the princes and
elders of every tribe, in the administration of justice.
13: Sanctify - That he might keep them from pollution: for these most
holy things were polluted when they were touched by any other person.
He and his - Not only his eldest sons the high - priests successively, but
all his posterity or all the priests; for the works here following were
not peculiar to the high - priest, but common to all the priests.
14: Levi - They were accounted only as common Levites, and were
not priests: which is mentioned for the honour of Moses, and the
demonstration of his eminent piety and self - denial, who willingly
left the government to Joshua, and the priesthood to Aaron, and was
content to have his posterity reduced to a private and mean condition.
24: Twenty years - As the Levites were anciently numbered from
two several times, from the twenty fifth year of their age, and from the
thirtieth, (Nu 4:3,8:24). In like manner they are here numbered both
from their twentieth year, when they were solemnly prepared for, and
instructed, and by degrees exercised in some parts of their work; and
from their thirtieth year, when they were admitted to the full exercise
of their office. And the reason why they were now sooner admitted to
service than they had been formerly, is given in the next verses because
now their work was more easy, being wholly discharged from that burdensome
work of carrying the tabernacle. Besides the people of Israel were
multiplied: therefore more hands were necessary, that every Israelite
who brought an offering, might find a Levite ready to assist him.
28: Holy things - Holy places, and garments, and vessels, and
sacrifices, which were to be washed and cleansed from any filthiness
that might cleave to them.
29: All measure - All measures used either in sacred or civil things,
the publick standards whereof were kept in the temple; and therefore the
care of keeping them inviolable and producing them upon occasion, musts
needs belong to the priests, and under them to the Levites, who were to
examine other measures and all things by them, as occasion required; that
so the priests might be at leisure for their higher and greater employments.
30: Morning and even - The two solemn times of offering sacrifices:
which work was attended with publick prayer and thanksgiving.
32: Charge - What the priests should commit to their charge,
or command them to do.
