1 Chronicles 23:4

Of which twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord,.... To prepare for the work of the priests by slaying the sacrifices, flaying them, cutting them in pieces,

Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges: Twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.

To set forward the work of the house of the Lord, i.e. to take care that all the work of the temple about sacrifices and other parts or means of God’ s service should be punctually and diligently performed, either by themselves or others; which they were not to do all at once, but by courses, a thousand at a time, as we shall shortly see. Officers and judges; whose work it seems to have been to judge of and determine all difficult causes or differences which might arise, either among the inferior priests or Levites about their sacred administrations, or among the people, which being governed in all their concerns only by the laws of Moses, it was fit and necessary that the priests and Levites should be consulted and concerned in their matters.

1 Chronicles 23:4 Of which, twenty and four thousand [were] to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand [were] officers and judges:Ver. 4. Of which, twenty and four thousand were, &c.] That is, They performed their different offices in their various courses, Hinc sequitur, Hence it followeth, saith an expositor, that each priest and Levite ministered in the temple not much oftener than twice a year; for there were of them twenty-four classes, each whereof served a week together, and no more. Gospel ministers have a far harder task.

(4) Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward.—It is clear from 1 Chronicles 23:5 that David himself is supposed to utter both verses, thus personally assigning their commission to the Levites. The Hebrew here is peculiar. We may render: “Of these let there be for superintending the work of the house of Jehovah twenty-four thousand, and scribes and judges six thousand.” To set forward.—An infinitive, as at 1 Chronicles 22:12. The verb is that of which the participle often occurs in the titles of the Psalms. (Authorised “Version, “chief musician.”) It means “to lead,” or “superintend.” The Levites had a share in prisoners of war, according to Numbers 31:30. These they could employ in the more menial work of the sanctuary. The Gibeonites were spared on condition of becoming “hewers of wood and drawers of water,” i.e., Levitical bondsmen; and other whole cities may have received the same terms (Joshua 9:23; Joshua 9:27). We have details of the functions of these superintending Levites in 1 Chronicles 23:28-32, below. And six thousand were officers and judges.—See above. “Officers” (shôtĕ ?rîm) are first mentioned in Exodus 5:6 (see Note there; and comp. Deuteronomy 16:18). The word means writers (comp. Assyrian sadhâru, to write). The progress of the entire people in power and civilisation elevated the Levites also; and from a warlike troop of defenders of the sanctuary, they became peaceful guardians of the great Temple at Jerusalem and its treasures, musicians and artists in its service, instructors and judges scattered throughout the whole country (Ewald).

4. twenty and four thousand] These were divided into courses (1 Chronicles 23:6), serving by turn, apparently twenty-four in number, consisting each of a thousand men. The priests also were divided into a corresponding number of courses (1 Chronicles 24:4; 1 Chronicles 24:18). to set forward the work] R.V. to oversee the work. This phrase assumes that the work itself was done by others, e.g. by Nethinim (see 1 Chronicles 9:2, note). In 1 Chronicles 23:24 (cp. 1 Chronicles 23:28), however, the Levites are described as doing the work. officers and judges] Cp. 2 Chronicles 19:8; 2 Chronicles 19:11. In Deuteronomy 17:9 (cp. ib. Deuteronomy 16:18) the harder causes are reserved for “the priests the Levites,” ordinary causes being decided by judges who were not Levites.

4. To set forward the work of the house — Rather, to preside over the work; to attend to the various kinds of service specified in 1 Chronicles 23:28-32. Officers and judges — Hebrew, Shoterim and Shophetim.