And the chief of the Levites
Here the thread of the history of Nehemiah, interrupted by the insertion of the two preceding verses, is carried from the priests to the Levites in the times of the third high priest:
Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel;
these were singers, since it follows:
with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks,
according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward
over against ward;
which office of theirs they performed by turns in courses, as David under a divine direction ordered, see ( 1 Chronicles 23:5 1 Chronicles 23:6 ) .