Chronicles I 24:4

4 And there were found the sons of Eleazar more chiefs of the mighty ones, than of the sons of Ithamar: and he divided them, sixteen heads of families to the sons of Eleazar, eight according to families to the sons of Ithamar.

Chronicles I 24:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 24:4

And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than
of the sons of Ithamar
Or heads of men, heads of their fathers' houses and families:

and thus were they divided; among the sons of Eleazar there were
sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the
sons of Ithamar, according to the house of their fathers;
in all twenty four, and into so many classes or courses did David divide them; Jarchi says at first when the tabernacle was at Shiloh, there were but sixteen courses, eight from Eleazar, and eight from Ithamar, as is explained in the treatise of fasting ^F14; but when David saw that there were more heads of men, or chief men of Eleazar's, he divided the courses of Eleazar into two parts, and fixed sixteen courses; and the courses of Ithamar he established as at first, eight courses; left them as they were, which he thinks appears from ( 1 Chronicles 24:6 ) but of the former number of courses, and when and by whom fixed, the Jews are divided ^F15; (See Gill on Luke 1:5). Perhaps there were none before David's time.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1.
F15 T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1.

Chronicles I 24:4 In-Context

2 And Nadab and Abiud died before their father, and they had no sons: so Eleazar and Ithamar the sons of Aaron ministered as priests.

3 And David distributed them, even Sadoc of the sons of Eleazar, and Achimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their numbering, according to their service, according to the houses of their fathers.

4 And there were found the sons of Eleazar more chiefs of the mighty ones, than of the sons of Ithamar: and he divided them, sixteen heads of families to the sons of Eleazar, eight according to families to the sons of Ithamar.

5 And he divided them according to their lots, one with the other; for there were those who had charge of the holy things, and those who had charge of the of the Lord among the sons of Eleazar, and among the sons of Ithamar.

6 And Samaias the son of Nathanael, the scribe, of Levi, wrote them down before the king, and the princes, and Sadoc the priest, and Achimelech the son of Abiathar ; and the heads of the families of the priests and the Levites, each of a household one to Eleazar, and one to Ithamar.