The Priests: 1 Chronicles 24

1 Chronicles 24  •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 12
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1 Chronicles 24
In this chapter we find the divisions of the priests. First, there is that which cannot be wanting in Chronicles: the flesh has been completely put aside and judged in the person of Nadab and Abihu. Then come Eleazar and Ithamar. On account of the unfaithfulness of Eli and his sons, Ithamar loses his preeminence under the reign of David and Solomon, and then under Christ's millennial reign, although the priesthood is not taken away from him (1 Chron. 24:33And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service. (1 Chronicles 24:3)). Eleazar, through Zadok who is descended from him, occupies the first place on account of Phinehas' zeal. He becomes the founder of the faithful priesthood which will walk forever before the true Solomon in His kingdom (1 Sam. 2:2525If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them. (1 Samuel 2:25); Ezek. 48:1111It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray. (Ezekiel 48:11)). David here distributes the priests into classes according to their chiefs: Zadok descending from Eleazar, and Ahimelech, from Ithamar. Abiathar, descending from Ithamar, was, as we know, driven from the priesthood by Solomon (1 Kings 2:2626And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted. (1 Kings 2:26)): but this fact is not mentioned in Chronicles, where we find the priesthood as well as the kingship established according to the counsels of God.
As we were saying, Eleazar occupies a place of special blessing: "And there were more head-men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar" (1 Chron. 24:44And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; 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. (1 Chronicles 24:4)). There were sixteen heads of fathers' houses in the family of the former, eight in that of the latter. "And were they divided by lot" (1 Chron. 24:55Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. (1 Chronicles 24:5)). It was the will of God, and not that of man, that set them in courses, for before the gift of the Holy Spirit the lot was the sign of God's direct intervention without the will of man (Acts 1:2626And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:26); Luke 1:99According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. (Luke 1:9)). "The princes of the sanctuary and the princes of God were from out of the sons of Eleazar and from among the sons of Ithamar" (1 Chron. 24:55Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. (1 Chronicles 24:5)), it is said, thus emphasizing the difference between these two families.1 "One father's house was drawn for Eleazar, and one drawn for Ithamar" (1 Chron. 24:66And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar. (1 Chronicles 24:6)), so that the sons of Eleazar had a double portion. Thus there were twenty-four classes of priests according to God's thought. We see this order reproduced in the twenty-four elders—kings and priests—of Rev. 5.
In 1 Chron. 24:20-3120And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah. 21Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah. 22Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath. 23And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 24Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir. 25The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah. 26The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno. 27The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. 28Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons. 29Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel. 30The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers. 31These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren. (1 Chronicles 24:20‑31) we find the numbering of the sons of Levi who still remained to be divided by lot. First (1 Chron. 24:20-2520And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah. 21Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah. 22Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath. 23And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 24Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir. 25The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah. (1 Chronicles 24:20‑25)), the sons of Kohath (see Amram, 1 Chron. 24:2020And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah. (1 Chronicles 24:20) and 1 Chron. 23:1212The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. (1 Chronicles 23:12)), then, in 1 Chron. 24:26-3126The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno. 27The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. 28Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons. 29Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel. 30The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers. 31These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren. (1 Chronicles 24:26‑31), the sons of Merari, Gershon having been counted as a single course on account of its fewness in number (1 Chron. 23:1111And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house. (1 Chronicles 23:11)). Note that the least among the Levites had the same portion as the chief fathers in the division by lot according to the Lord's free choice (1 Chron. 24:3131These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren. (1 Chronicles 24:31)).
 
1. This sentence is based on the French J. N. Darby translation where different words are used for “’of’ the sons of Eleazar” and “’of’ the sons of Ithamar.” [Translator]