1 Chronicles 24:5

5 They divided them by lot {all alike}, for they were commanders of the sanctuary and commanders of God from among the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar.

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, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their appointments for their service.

4 And more sons of Eleazar were found as heads of the men than the sons of Ithamar, so they divided them to the sons of Eleazar [to be] sixteen heads over the house of the fathers, and to the sons of Ithamar over the house of the fathers [were] eight [heads].

5 They divided them by lot {all alike}, for they were commanders of the sanctuary and commanders of God from among the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar.

6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethanel, the scribe, from the Levites, recorded them before the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the {families} of the priests and Levites, one father's house drawn by Lot for Eleazar and one drawn by lot for Ithamar.

7 And the first lot went out to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "these with those"