1 Chronicles 8
DOYLYChap. IX. ver. 1. So all Israel &c.] Thus has been given a brief genealogy of the whole Israelite nation, as it stood in the ancient records of the two monarchies of Israel and Judah.
1 Chronicles 8:2
- Now the first inhabitants that dwelt] Here follows an account of those who returned into their own land with Zerubbabel, upon the decree of Cyrus, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 22, 23. They were divided, as is here expressed, into four descriptions of persons. The first are Israelites, that is, some of the ten tribes who were carried into Assyria and Media, and now chose to come back with their brethren of Judah. The second and third sort were priests and Levites, whose ancestors formerly officiated in the temple at Jerusalem. And the fourth were Nethinim, that is, such under servants as David had appointed to assist the Levites in waiting on the house of God. The word Nethinim signifies “persons given or appointed.” Pyle.
— Nethinims.] The Nethinim were originally the Gibeonites, who, having obtained by artifice a league of peace with the Israelites soon after they came into Canaan, were condemned by Joshua to the lowest and most laborious offices belonging to the service of the tabernacle, as drawing water, fetching wood for the service of the altar, &c. Josh. ix. 23. We never find them called Nethinim before David’s time; but afterwards,
Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah,
1 Chronicles 8:3
- — children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;] We have here a plain proof that many out of those tribes returned from Babylon, together with the tribe of Judah. Dr. Wall.
1 Chronicles 8:10
- And of the priests; &c.] The second description of persons who returned were priests, several of the heads of whose families are here named. These were persons of great skill in the services and sacrifices of the Mosaical law, and of great courage to defend it (ver. 13.) against such enemies as were likely to oppose it on their first return from captivity. One of these, Ahitub, was “the ruler of the house of God,” ver. 11; that is, though he was not high priest, he was a man of eminent authority in that order. It appears from Ezra iii. 9, Haggai i. 1, that Jeshua or Joshua was high priest at the time. Pyle.
1 Chronicles 8:12
- — built Ono, and Lod.] These two cities are joined together in other places, being neighbouring cities; see Ezra ii. 33; Nehem. vii. 37; xi. 35. Lod is probably the same as Lydda. Dr. Lightfoot.
1 Chronicles 8:40
- — archers.] The expression in the original here means, “those that tread the bow,” because the steel bows which were then in use were so strong as not to admit of being drawn by the hands, but it was the cus-
The Israelites, priests, and Levites, which before CHRIST 1909, &c. had many sons, and sons’ sons, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin. # CHAP. IX.