Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 24:3
And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.
3. David distributed them, both Zadok and Ahimelech ] R.V. David with Zadok and Ahimelech divided them.
Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar ] The colleague of Zadok in the priesthood is variously named in different passages:
1Ch 24:3.
Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar.
1Ch 24:6.
Ahimelech the son of Abiathar.
1Ch 18:16.
Abimelech the son of Abiathar.
Probably the same person is meant throughout, the confusion springing from a false reading in 1Sa 8:17, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar for Abiathar the son of Ahimelech; see Kirkpatrick, in loco.
according to their offices ] R.V. according to their ordering, i.e. according to the arrangement which follows; cp. 1Ch 24:19.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Zadok and Ahimelech (rather Abiathar, see 1Ch 24:6) assisted David in drawing up the priestly courses, as the captains of the host assisted him in making the divisions of the singers 1Ch 25:1.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. And Ahimelech] Ahimelech is put here for Abiathar, who was high priest in the days of David. Abiathar had also the name of Ahimelech, as well as his father. See Calmet.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
According to their offices, or courses, or prefectures, i.e. allotting to each of them several times wherein they or theirs should by turns have the government of holy ministrations in the temple service.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. Zadok . . . and Ahimelech of thesons of IthamarThis statement, taken in connection with 1Ch24:6, is not a little perplexing, since (2Sa 15:24;2Sa 15:35; 2Sa 20:25)Abiathar is mentioned as the person conjoined in David’s time withZadok, in the collegiate exercise of the high priesthood. Some thinkthat the words have been transposed, reading Abiathar, the son ofAhimelech. But there is no ground for regarding the text as faulty.The high priests of the line of Ithamar were the following: Ahiah orAhimelech, his son Abiathar, his son Ahimelech. We frequently findthe grandfather and grandson called by the same name (see list ofhigh priests of the line of Eleazar, 1Ch6:30-41). Hence the author of the Chronicles was acquainted withAhimelech, son of Abiathar, who, for some reason, discharged theduties of high priest in David’s reign, and during the lifetime ofhis father (for Abiathar was living in the time of Solomon, 1Ki2:27) [KEIL].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And David distributed them,…. The posterities of Eleazar and Ithamar into certain classes or courses:
both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar; these were the two principal men of the respective families, the one was high priest, and the other “sagan” or deputy; or they both officiated as high priests alternately, until the one was removed in Solomon’s time, and the other established alone. And now their brethren the priests, who were under each of these, are the persons David divided into classes:
according to their offices in their service: to perform their office as priests in the service of the temple in their turns.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) And David distributed them.The same phrase as at 1Ch. 13:3. (See Note there.)
Both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar.This expression forms part of the subject of the Hebrew sentence. The construction is like that in 1Ch. 24:2, And Nadab died, and Abihu. Thus, And David divided them, and Zadok and Ahimelech, i.e., And David, with Zadok and Ahimelech, divided them. The meaning is that Zadok and Ahimelech, the heads of the houses of Eleazar and Ithamar, assisted David in the classification of the priests.
According to their offices.Rather, According to their official class (1Ch. 23:11).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1Ch 24:3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.
Ver. 3. And Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar. ] Ahimelech is thought by some to be the son of Abiathar, the high priest; and that Zadok and he were great deputies to Abiathar. How the high priesthood came from Eleazar’s lineage to Ithamar’s is nowhere in Scripture expressed. The Hebrews say it was because the priests of that family carried not the matter well at that time, when that wickedness was committed upon the Levite’s concubine.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
distributed = divided into courses, as in 1Ch 23:6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Zadok: 1Ch 24:6, 1Ch 24:31, 1Ch 6:4-8, 1Ch 6:50-53, 1Ch 12:27, 1Ch 12:28, 1Ch 15:11, 1Ch 16:39, 2Sa 20:25, 1Ki 2:35
Ahimelech: This was Abiathar, who appears to have had the name of Ahimelech, as well as his father. 1Sa 21:1, 1Sa 22:9-23, 2Sa 8:17
Reciprocal: 2Ki 11:5 – that enter 1Ch 6:3 – Eleazar 1Ch 6:53 – Zadok 1Ch 16:4 – he appointed 2Ch 23:4 – entering
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ch 24:3. And David distributed them, &c. To avoid all confusion, now that they were much increased, he distributed the priests, as he had done the Levites, into several courses, allotting to each of them the times wherein they should by turns have the government of holy ministrations.