1 Chronicles 9:20

20 Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, [and] Yahweh was with him.

1 Chronicles 9:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 9:20

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in
time past
Over the host, over the Levites, and the chief of them; which is to be understood of Phinehas the son of Eleazar, in the time of Moses, who succeeded his father in that post, see ( Numbers 3:32 ) though some think, as Kimchi observes, that this was not Phinehas the priest, but a certain Levite of this name in this post; but since he is said to be in time past, it may very well be understood of him: and it also is observed,

and the Lord was with him;
inspiring him with zeal for his honour and glory, assisting and strengthening him to do his will and work, as particularly in the affair of Zimri, ( Numbers 25:7 Numbers 25:8 ) , the Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord was for his help;''

this may be said for the encouragement of him that was in the same office now.

1 Chronicles 9:20 In-Context

18 who hitherto [waited] in the king's gate eastward: they were the porters for the camp of the children of Levi.

19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father's house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent: and their fathers had been over the camp of Yahweh, keepers of the entry.

20 Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, [and] Yahweh was with him.

21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tent of meeting.

22 All these who were chosen to be porters in the thresholds were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their office of trust.