The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 123

men of the temple (Numb. viii. 18, 19; selected some of the names of the whole xxxi. 47; Ezra ii. 40--48; viii. 17, 20). line of genealogy, and another others, Not before the time of the return does the though in each several case according to name Nethinim seem to hu.ve crystallized reasons often unknown by ns. Thus, upon this class of helpers, the explauntion between Jeroham and Pashnr the table of of which may possibly be that their numbers Nehemiah supplies three e.dditional links nod their services then became so much in the no.mes Pelaliah, Amzi, Zechariah ; more necessary. To this classification is while in our very next verse, for the three ad<led in Neh. xi. 3, "And the children of between Maasiai (Amashai) and Meshille- Solomon's servants" (Ezra ii. 55). mith, Nehemiah has only two no.mes, and Ver. 3.-And of the ohildren of Ephraim, neither of those two (Aza.reel, Ahasai) the and Manasseh. These words are not found same as found here. in Neh. xi. 4. Vers. H-16.-The corresponding account Ver. 4.-This verse contains a short list, of these L,vitee (Neh. xi. 15-18) has some with many links wanting, of desoendants of additionol details-as, for instance, that the Judah through Pharez, six in number, and number of "the Levites in the holy city in reverse order. A similar list as regards were two hnndred four score and four; " its extreme terms is that which we find in that two " of the chief of the Levites, Neh. xi.; 4, ;but only three (Uthai, Imri, She.bbethai and Jozabad," not given here, Pharez) of the six names here can be con- " had the oversight of the outward business sideredidentical with a likenu.mber(Athaiah, of the house of God; " that" Mattaniah . . . Amariah, Perez) out of the seven found there. was the principal to begin the thanksgiving Neh. xi. 6 e.dds, "The number of the sons in prayer;" and that Bakbukiah (here of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem four hundred enlled Bakbakka.r) was "the second among three score and eight -valiant men." his brethren." Hashabiah is also stated to Ver. 5.-The Bhilonites. These nre the be "the son of Bunni." The Netophathites. descendants of Shele.h, youngest son of The town Netophah was either locally near Judah. In place of the one name Asaiah Bethleht"ll, or in some way closely related here, Nehemiah (xi. 7) give~ a list of seven, to it (eh. ii. 54; Neh. vii. 26). It is not among which Ma.assie.h is fonnd, answering directly mentioned, though existing long to our Asaiah. before, till the accounts of those who re- Ver. 6.-No corresponding list whatever turned from Bnbylon with Zerubbabel (Ezrll is found in Nehemiah, but in xi. 24 mention ii. 22). Interesting facts respecting its is made of" Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, people are found in eh. xxvii. 13, 15; Neh. of the children of Zerah." Zera was twin xii. 28. Though our Authorized Version brother of Phnrez (Gen. :r:xxviii. 30). has the name here in the plural, it is not so Vere. 7-9.-The corresponding passage in the Hebrew, nor is it there 11ccompanied (Neh. xi. 7, 8) varies much in the names by the article. given, and adds up the number of Benje.mite Ver. 17.-The porters here are those who chief men to nine hundred and twenty- had charge of the entrances to the s11nctu11ry. eight, instead of nine hundred and fifty-six. The word omployed {1:V.ill) is used, however, Ver. 10.-This verse is correct in not generally of gate or door keepers (2 Sam. cnlling (11s does Neh. xi. 10) ledaiah the xvii. 26 ; John x. 3 ; Mark xiii. 3, 4; John son of lehoiarib, or as it is there written xviii. 16). Their number, stated in ver. 22 Joiarib. The origin of the names of these as two hundred and twelve, is probably three priest families is found in eh. xxi v. corrected in Neh. xi. 19 to one hundred and 7, 17. seventy-two, made up of twenty-four for Vere. 11-13.-This list resembles much every week (eh. xxvi. 17, 18), "entering more closely thnt of Neh. xi. 11-14. 'fhe on the sabbath" upon their work (2 Kings one thoUBand and seven hundred and three :xi. 5; 2 Chron. xxiii. 4), in rotation for soore of this passage is not reached by five seven weeks, ond the four "chief warders." hundred and sixty-eight, when the numbers For the five porters here mentioned there of Neh. :xi. 12-H are all added together. are only two mentioned in Neh. :xi. 19, and The name .Azariah (in Nehemioh nppearing, neither of those She.llum, the ohie!. llut probably simply by copyist's error, o.s see also Ezra ii. 42; Neh. vii. 45. Seraiah), here described o.s ruler of the Ver. 18. -Hitherto (~o John v. 17). ho~e of God, probably/oints to the high The reference must be to Shollum, for p_r1est Eliashib, who hel that office in the see vers. 2-1-26 nnd Ezok. :xlvi. 1-3. 'l'ho time of Nehemiah, and was descei1ded from meaning of the remnining sentence of this Seroiah ( eh. vi. H). The ins and outs of verse is, "These wero the gnte-kcopers for t~~ lists of these verses confirm the suppo- the Levite encampments aide," or what, in ~1t1on that the way in which differences later temple times, allSwered to it. 111 the other lists ocour are easily to be Ver. 19.-Sha.llum. Mnrkrd as ll different uccounted for, in one compiler having pcroon rrom the former of tile st>mo name, by I. Clll\ON IOLES. l 114 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [OH. IX, 1-44-.