1 Chronicles 24:5

5 They divided them, therefore, by lot, one with another for of the sons of Eleazar and of the sons of Ithamar there were princes of the sanctuary and princes of God.

1 Chronicles 24:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 24:5

Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another
Which course should serve first, and which next, and so on; and who should be the chief to each course; which course was to serve a week, and then go out; and this method was taken to prevent envy, strife, and contention about precedence:

for the governors of the sanctuary;
or of the holy things, or who presided in things ecclesiastical:

and governors of the house of God:
or rather "governors of God", appointed by him judges in civil things:

were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar:
there were, of both families, some employed both in sacred and civil things, and who presided in each.

1 Chronicles 24:5 In-Context

3 And David distributed them, Zadok being of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their turns in their ministry.

4 And there were more men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar, there were sixteen chief men of the houses of their fathers and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the houses of their fathers.

5 They divided them, therefore, by lot, one with another for of the sons of Eleazar and of the sons of Ithamar there were princes of the sanctuary and princes of God.

6 And Shemaiah, the scribe, the son of Nethaneel, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king and the princes and before Zadok, the priest, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers of the priests and Levites; one paternal house being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,