1 Chronicles
Chapter 24
Organization of the Priests
These are the groups to which the descendants of Aaron belong. Sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, Ithamar.
Nadab and Abihu died in their father’s lifetime, leaving no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar became priests.
David divided them into groups with the help of Zadok, one of Eleazar’s sons, and Ahimelech, one of the sons of Ithamar, and made a register of them according to their duties.
The sons of Eleazar were found to have more leading men than the sons of Ithamar. Accordingly, from the heads of families of the sons of Eleazar, they made sixteen groups, and from those of the sons of Ithamar, eight.
They divided them, both parties, by lot: there were temple officials and spiritual leaders among the sons of Eleazar, as well as among the sons of Ithamar.
One of the Levites, the scribe Shemaiah, son of Nethanel, recorded them in the presence of the king, his officers, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, and the heads of the priestly and Levitical families. They took turns drawing lots for each family of Eleazar’s sons and Ithamar’s sons.
The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, to Jedaiah the second,
Harim the third, Seorim the fourth,
Malchijah the fifth, Mijamin the sixth,
Hakkoz the seventh, Abijah the eighth,
Jeshua the ninth, Shecaniah the tenth,
Eliashib the eleventh, Jakim the twelfth,
Huppah the thirteenth, Ishbaal the fourteenth,
Bilgah the fifteenth, Immer the sixteenth,
Hezir the seventeenth, Happizzez the eighteenth,
Pethahiah the nineteenth, Jehezkel the twentieth,
Jachin the twenty-first, Gamul the twenty-second,
Delaiah the twenty-third, Maaziah the twenty-fourth.
These men were registered according to their various duties, to enter the temple of Yahweh according to the regulations that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given through Aaron, their ancestor.
Regarding the rest of the sons of Levi: Sons of Aaron: Shubael. Sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.
For Rehabiah, for the sons of Rehabiah: the eldest, Isshiah.
Izharites: Shelomoth: Jahath.
Sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.
Sons of Uzziel: Micah; sons of Micah: Shamir;
the brother of Micah: Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.
Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. Sons of Jaaziah: Beno;
sons of Merari: for Jaaziah, his son: Shoham, Zaccur, Ibri:
for Mahli: Eleazar who had no sons;
for Kish: the sons of Kish: Jerahmeel.
Sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, Jerimoth.
These were the sons of Levi by their families. The head of each family and one of his younger brothers drew lots for their assignments, just as their relatives, the priests descended from Aaron, had done. King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites were witnesses.
Commentaries
Construction of the Temple and Organization of the Kingdom.
These chapters focus on the organization of worship and the priesthood. The account of the census is based on 2 Samuel 24, while chapters 22-29 are the Chronicler’s own additions. It is generally believed that chapters 22-27 were added later because they interrupt the narrative flow at 21:30, which then resumes in 28:1.
Organization of the Priests.
Verses 1-19 focus on the priests, while verses 20-31 list a different group of Levites that conflicts with 23:6-24. This section about the priests explains the division of the clergy into 24 classes, which the Chronicler attributes to David. However, this system developed after the exile, and the Chronicler seeks to justify the separate classes of priests—those of Abiathar and those of Zadok—by referencing David.