the description son of Xore,eto. The pedigree is, tho.t they should scrupulously number here_ given enables us to identify the per- them. son mtended as Shelemiah or Meshelemiah. Vers. 29, 80.-The vessels o.nd other (oomp. eh. vi. 23, 27; xxvi. I, 14). Keepers thin~s required for the daily ao.orificinl of the gates of the tabernacle . . , of the service A.re !,ere spoken of; the verses entry. These are descriptions of "service," receive abundant illustmtion from various not synonymous with those of vers. 17 and Old Testament passages (Exod. xxv. 6; 18, where the words o•-:,~•:O;:il and "1)11!'::) xxx. 23-38; Lev. ii. 1-7, etc.). arc found, iu place of those ·used here, viz: Ver. 31.-Mattithiah. The ubiquitous ~\1~~ o•~p::, 'JPi:i and i-:i::ip::, •J~i!i. They Shallum, that designates the family, not designate the care of the inner entrances of the individual, is probably here quoted, the sacred building. Their fathers were llfattithiah being at the time in question keepers of the entrance t-0 the tabernacle, the representative son. The things that as these to the inner doors (margin, were made ill the pane. The word here " thresholds ") of the temple. So the follow- employed (C'l;l?~fl) is not found elsewhere, ing ,erse points the times of" the fathers." but other derivatives of the same root are Yer. 21.-Zecharie.h (see eh. xxvi. 1, 2, often found (Lev. ii. 5; vi. 21; vii. 9; eh. 11, 14). xxiii. 29; Ezek. iv. 3). Ver. 22.-The seer. It is to be noticed Ver. 32.-The ahewbread (n:rn1~); literally, that the compiler of Chronicles uses else- a pile, and hence applied to the cakes, which where, as here, the "aforetime" name of were piled in two rows (Lev. xxiv. 5-8) the prophet, according to 1 Sam. ix. 9. Note "on the pure table before the Lord." iu t1iis verse the Jin.king together of the Ver. 33.-Tmnslate, And these singers, names of David and Samuel, to the ignoring ohief of the fathers of the Levites, ill the oham- of that of Saul. In their set office. Keil bers were free. The word " free " is surely wonld translate, "Upon their fidelity, i.e. sufficiently explained by the following sen- because they had been found faithful." tence, in connection with Ezra vii. 24; Neh. But our margin translates happily, "in xi. 23. It is more doubtful whether the their txust," which will include, in po.rt, expression, "these singers," refers to names, the thought of Keil, and will suit our which now should have been inserted but ver. 26. a.re lost, or possibly to ver. 16, ante; the Vers. 23-26.-{See above 1tnd eh. xxvi. idiom would prefer the former. They were 12-19.) For the chief porters, Bertheau employed ill that work day and night; suggests, o.e an analogous expression, literally, for by day and by night on them, in uTpaT71yo"i Toii i,poii (Luke xxii. 52). The the work. If we were to suppose the chetl, chambers. We have the account of Solo- before the " work" an error for he, the trans- mon's building of these in 1 Kings vi. 5- lation would be easy and free from all doubt, 10, I 6, 19 ; it is scarcely likely that the for by day and by n;ght, the work devolved "chamber of mattresses " of 2 Kings xi. 2 upon them. .AJiyway, the substance of the was one of these, thongh the language of sense is obvious. the following verse looks that way (comp. Ver. 34.-This verse con scarcely be other also Ezek. xlvi 5-11). ·And treasuries. than a closing general co=ent respecting These were store-houses (ni"1J!iN~) for gold, all the ohief fathers of the Levites, who have silver, as pertaining to the temple, though been spoken of (cb. viii. 28); o.nd it purports of corn, etc., in other connections (1 Kings to say that the same order o.nd principlo vii. 51; 2 Kings xii. 18; 2 Chron. v. 1; eh. obtained in the offices referred· to from gene- ration to generation of families. ix.ii. 25). Vera. 35-H.-{See lo.et chapter, vera. 2!1 Ver. 28.-That they should bring them ill by tale &lLd by tale carry them out. That -40.)
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS, Ver. 11.-" The ruler of the house of God." Whether this Azariah was the high priest or the" second priest" does not seem certain. But the office here ascribed to him is evidently one of great importance, and is suggestive of memorable truths with regard to God's spiritual temple and kingdom. I. THE TRUE "nousE OF GoD" IS SPIIlITUAL. The temple at Jerusalem was the emblem of the spiritual house which no man has built-the Church of tho Divino Redeemer and Lord. This is composed of faithful and holy natures, as of "lively stones." II. 'l'ms "HOUSE OF GoD" 18 ORDERED AND GOVERNED ACCORDING TO DIVINE c!l. IX. 1-44.] 'l'HE FIR~T BOOK OF 'fHE CllRONICLES. 115