8 31. The Allotment of the Courses<\/p>\n
8<\/strong>. ward against<\/em> ward] R.V. (guessing the sense rightly) for their charges<\/strong> (i.e. duties), all alike<\/strong>. The Hebrew text however is faulty.<\/p>\n the teacher as the scholar<\/em> ] LXX. (i.e. the initiated and the learners<\/em>). For “the teacher” we should perhaps render “the skilful” as in 1Ch 25:7<\/span>, R.V.; the Heb. word is the same. It is to be noted that we have here twenty-four courses of singers corresponding with the twenty-four courses of the priests.<\/p>\n As well the small as the great – <\/B>Compare 1Ch 24:31<\/span>. The lot was not applied indiscriminately to all the 24 courses, but was only used to settle which course of Asaph, which of Jeduthun, and which of Heman, should on each occasion be taken. Asaph was given the precedence over his brethren, and his four courses were assigned the first, and then each alternate place. Jeduthun took rank next, and received alternate places, first with Asaph, and then with Heman, until his courses were exhausted. After this, all the later places fell necessarily to Heman, whose courses continue without interruption from the 15th.<\/P> <\/p>\n Ward against ward, <\/B>i.e. a ward, or rank, or course of Levites answerable to one of the priests, upon whom the Levites were to wait in their holy ministrations, 1Ch 23:28<\/span>. As well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar, without any respect to their different ages or abilities. <\/P> <\/p>\n 8. they cast lots, ward againstward<\/B>“Ward” is an old English word for “division”or “company.” The lot was cast to determine the precedenceof the classes or divisions over which the musical leaders presided;and, in order to secure an impartial arrangement of their order, themaster and his assistants, the teacher and his scholars, in eachclass or company took part in this solemn casting of lots. In thefirst catalogue given in this chapter the courses are classedaccording to their employment as musicians. In the second, they arearranged in the order of their service.<\/P><\/p>\n And they cast lots, ward against ward<\/strong>,…. That is, which ward or course of the singers should answer to and attend on the first ward or course of the priests in their weekly service, and which the second, and so on:<\/p>\n as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar<\/strong>; no regard was had to the age of a person, his being the firstborn or a younger brother, or to his office and station, whether as a teacher or a learner in the science of singing; he was made the head of a course, as the lot came up; and it may easily be observed, by comparing the lots in the following verses with the sons of the chief singers, according to the order of them in 1Ch 25:2<\/span> that the younger are often preferred in the courses by lot to the elder, of which even the first lot is an instance.<\/p>\n They cast lots, , (lxx), by which the , the waiting upon the service, was fixed, that is, the order of their succession in the official service. is variously translated. As no name follows, R. Shel. and Kimchi would repeat the preceding : one class as the other; and this is supported by 1Ch 26:16<\/span> and Neh 12:24<\/span>, and by the fact that in 1Ch 17:5<\/span>, after , the words have been dropped out. But according to the accentuation belongs to , and so the proposed completion is at once disposed of. Besides this, however, the thought “class like class” does not appear quite suitable, as the classes were only formed by the lots, and so were not in existence so as to be able to cast lots. We therefore, with Ewald, 360, a<\/em>, and Berth., hold the clause to be the genitive belonging to , since is in Ecc 5:15<\/span> also connected with a clause: “in the manner of, as the small, so the great,” i.e., the small and the great, the older as the younger. This is further defined by “the skilled as the scholars.” From these words it is manifest that not merely the 288 cast lots, for these were (1Ch 25:7<\/span>), but also the other 3712 Levites appointed for the service of the singers; whence it further follows that only the 288 who were divided by lot into twenty-four classes, each numbering twelve persons, were thoroughly skilled in singing and playing, and the scholars were so distributed to them that each class received an equal number of them, whom they had to educate and train. These, then, were probably trained up for and employed in the temple music according to their progress in their education, so that the which had at any time charge of the service consisted not only of the twelve skilled musicians, but also of a number of scholars who assisted in singing and playing under their direction.<\/p>\n 8 And they cast lots, ward against ward,<\/I> as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. 9 Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were<\/I> twelve: 10 The third to Zaccur, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 11 The fourth to Izri, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 12 The fifth to Nethaniah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 13 The sixth to Bukkiah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 14 The seventh to Jesharelah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 15 The eighth to Jeshaiah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 17 The tenth to Shimei, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 18 The eleventh to Azareel, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 23 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 25 The eighteenth to Hanani, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 26 The nineteenth to Mallothi, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 27 The twentieth to Eliathah, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 28 The one and twentieth to Hothir, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 30 The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve: 31 The four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer, he,<\/I> his sons, and his brethren, were<\/I> twelve.<\/P> Twenty-four persons are named in the beginning of this chapter as sons of those three great men, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. Ethan was the third (ch.<\/I><\/span> vi. 44<\/span>), but probably he was dead before the establishment was perfected and Jeduthun came in his room. [Or perhaps Ethan and Jeduthun were two names for the same person.] Of these three Providence so ordered it that Asaph had four sons, Jeduthun six [only five are mentioned v.<\/I><\/span> 3<\/span>; Shimei, mentioned v.<\/I><\/span> 17<\/span>, is supposed to have been the sixth], and Heman fourteen, in all twenty-four (who were named, v.<\/I><\/span> 2-4<\/span>), who were all qualified for the service and called to it. But the question was, In what order must they serve? This was determined by lot, to prevent strife for precedency, a sin which most easily besets many that otherwise are good people.<\/P> I. The lot was thrown impartially. They were placed in twenty-four companies, twelve in a company, in two rows, twelve companies in a row, and so they cast lots, ward against ward,<\/I> putting them all upon a level, small and great, teacher and scholar. They did not go according to their age, or according to their standing, or the degrees they had taken in the music-schools; but it was referred to God, v.<\/I><\/span> 8<\/span>. Small and great, teachers and scholars, stand alike before God, who goes not according to our rules of distinction and precedency. See Matt. xx. 23<\/span>.<\/P> II. God determined it as he pleased, taking account, it is probable, of the respective merits of the persons, which are of much more importance than seniority of age or priority of birth. Let us compare them with the preceding catalogue and we shall find that, 1. Josephus was the second son of Asaph. 2. Gedaliah the eldest son of Jeduthun. 3. Zaccur the eldest of Asaph. 4. Izri the second of Jeduthun. 5. Nethaniah the third of Asaph. 6. Bukkiah the eldest of Heman. 7. Jesharelah the youngest of Asaph. 8. Jeshaiah the third of Jeduthun. 9. Mattaniah the second of Heman. 10. Shimei the youngest of Jeduthun. 11. Azareel the third of Heman. 12. Hashabiah the fourth of Jeduthun. 13. Shubael the fourth of Heman. 14. Mattithiah the fifth of Jeduthun. 15. Jeremoth the fifth of Heman. 16. Hananiah the sixth of Heman. 17. Joshbekashah the eleventh of Heman. 18. Hanani the seventh of Heman. 19. Mallothi the twelfth of Heman. 20. Eliathah the eighth of Heman. 21. Hothir the thirteenth of Heman. 22. Giddalti the ninth of Heman. 23. Mehazioth the fourteenth of Heman. And, lastly,<\/I> Romamti-ezer, the tenth of Heman. See how God increased some and preferred the younger before the elder.<\/P> III. Each of these had in his chorus the number of twelve, called their sons and their brethren,<\/I> because they observed them as sons, and concurred with them as brethren. Probably twelve, some for the voice and others for the instrument, made up the concert. Let us learn with one mind and one mouth to glorify God, and that will be the best concert.<\/P> <\/p>\n Twenty-four Orders, Verses 8-31<\/strong><\/p>\n These verses show how the four sons of Asaph, six <\/em>sons of Jeduthun, and fourteen sons of Heman formed the twenty-four orders of the music department in the temple worship.<\/em><\/p>\n Each of the twenty-four sons was responsible for twelve of his family, including himself, in the two hundred eighty-eight member group.<\/p>\n The American Standard Bible renders verse 8, “And they cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil.”<\/p>\n This clarifies somewhat the reference to “wards” in the King James Version.<\/p>\n Each of the men named <\/em>as sons of the three fathers of the singers and musicians in verses 1-7 cast lots for places of leadership in the service of song and instrument. <\/em>Some were more proficient than others, and some were teachers and others pupils, but each son had his place to serve.<\/em><\/p>\n There is some variation in the names between the first listing and this in verses 8-31. For instance, Zeri becomes lzri (vs. 3, 11); Asarelah becomes Jesharelah (vs. 2, 14); Uzziel is written Azareel (vs. 4, 18); Shebuel is Shubael (Vs. 4, 10).<\/p>\n Shimei (v. 17) is not mentioned earlier, but must be <\/em>the sixth son of Jeduthun, not named with his five brothers (v. 3).<\/em><\/p>\n (8) And they cast lots, ward against ward.<\/strong>Rather, And they cast lots of charge,<\/em> that is, for determining the order in which each of the twenty-four guilds, or classes, should take charge of the services. (Comp, the LXX., ,<\/em> lots of courses; and see Luk. 1:6<\/span>.) Some Hebrew MSS. and the Targum repeat the word ward (mishmreth, <\/em>charge), whence the reading of the Authorised Version. The ancient versions omit the word altogether.<\/p>\n As well the small as the great.<\/strong>Heb., exactly as the small<\/em> (or, the younger<\/em>), so the great<\/em> (or, the elder<\/em>).<\/em> (Comp. the Vulg., ex aequo tam major quam minor.) But perhaps leummath<\/em> is here used absolutely: They cast lots in like manner (1Ch. 24:31<\/span>). The senior houses, or guilds, had no advantage over the juniors, the order of rotation being decided by lot. (Comp. 1Ch. 24:31<\/span>.)<\/p>\n The teacher as the scholar.<\/strong>Literally, cunning<\/em> (1Ch. 25:7<\/span>) with learner.<\/em> According to 1Ch. 23:5<\/span>, the whole number of Levites appointed for the service of song was 4,000. These were all included in the twenty-four classes, 288 of them being cunning men, that is, masters in their art, and the remaining 3,712 forming the rank and file of the choirs under the training of the proficients. The Aramaic word talmid<\/em> (scholar) occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament. It is the term used of the disciples<\/em> of the Rabbis in the Talmud, and is the exact equivalent of the New Testament word, . 8<\/strong>. <\/strong> They cast lots, ward against ward <\/strong> The word rendered ward <\/em> means a charge, <\/em> a guardianship or superintendency. They cast lots to determine the order in which these different classes of singers should serve in the holy service, one class having charge <\/em> until succeeded in the regular order by another. Our translators have repeated the word ward, <\/em> but the Hebrew text reads literally: They cast lots for the charge, in the same manner as the small so the great, the skilled with the scholar. <\/em> Of the four thousand Levites appointed for the service of song, (1Ch 23:5<\/span>,) the two hundred and eighty eight represented in 1Ch 25:9-31<\/span> were the skilled ones, <\/em> (“all that were cunning,” 1Ch 25:7<\/span>.) And these were so arranged and distributed by lot that the rest of the four thousand (3,712) were amply supplied with teachers, there being one teacher for about thirteen scholars. So both the small and great, (that is, the older and the younger, comp. 1Ch 24:31<\/span>,) the teachers and the scholars, were divided into classes, and distributed by lot.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/strong> Divisions of the Singers into Orders<\/p>\n v. 8. And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. <\/strong> The lot was cast over the divisions or companies to determine their arrangement according to master and assistants, so that nothing was left to capricious choice. <\/p>\n v. 9. Now, the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons,<\/strong> his companions in the art of music and singing, were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 10. the third to Saccur; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 11. the fourth to Izri; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 12. the fifth to Nethaniah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 13. the sixth to Bukkiah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 14. the seventh to Jesharelah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 15. the eighth to Jeshaiah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 16. the ninth to Mattaniah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 17. the tenth to Shimei; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 18. the eleventh to Azareel; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 19. the twelfth to Hashabiah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 20. the thirteenth to Shubael; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 21. the fourteenth to Mattithiah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 22. the fifteenth to Jeremoth; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 23. the sixteenth to Hananiah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 24. the seventeenth to Joshbekashah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 25. the eighteenth to Hanani; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 26. the nineteenth to Mallothi; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 27. the twentieth to Eliathah; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 28. the one and twentieth to Hothir; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 29. the two and twentieth to Giddalti; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 30. the three and twentieth to Mahazioth; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve; <\/p>\n v. 31. the four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer; he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve. <\/strong> This was the way in which the musicians were arranged in the order of their service, all in agreement with the principle that God is a God of order, and that all disturbing elements should be kept from church services, in order not to interfere with the devotion of the worshipers. <\/p>\n 1Ch 25:8<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>They cast lots ward against ward<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> They cast lots, according to each of their classes. <\/em>Houbigant. <\/p>\n 1Ch 25:8 And they cast lots, ward against [ward], as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.<\/p>\n Ver. 8. As well the small as the great.<\/strong> ] Heb., Sicut parvus sicut magnus; doctor cum discipulo:<\/em> there was no privilege of precedency.<\/p>\n cast lots. See notes on the Urim and Thummim (Exo 28:30. Num 26:55). <\/p>\n ward = charge. A word belonging to usage of Pentateuch. Compare 1Ch 23:32. <\/p>\n cast lots: 1Ch 24:5, Lev 16:8, 1Sa 14:41, 1Sa 14:42, Pro 16:33, Act 1:26 <\/p>\n ward against ward: 1Ch 24:31, 1Ch 26:13, 1Ch 26:16, Neh 12:24 <\/p>\n the teacher: Even among the twenty-four leaders, some were more expert than others; some were teachers, and others were scholars; but every one was taken by the solemn casting of lots, without any regard to these distinctions. Thus all things were disposed for the preserving of order, and avoiding all disputes about precedence: there being no respect had, in this divine distribution, to birth, but the younger in course preceded the elder. 1Ch 15:22, 2Ch 23:13 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: 1Ch 26:12 – wards 2Ch 31:15 – as well Neh 10:34 – cast Mal 2:12 – the master and the scholar<\/p>\n 1Ch 25:8. Ward against ward A course of Levites answerable to one of the priests, upon whom the Levites were to wait in their holy ministrations, 1Ch 23:28. As well the teacher as the scholar Without any respect to their different ages or abilities.<\/p>\n 25:8 And they cast lots, {d} ward against [ward], as well the {e} small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.<\/p>\n (d) Who should be in every company and course.<\/p>\n (e) Without respect to age or cunning.<\/p>\n And they cast lots, ward against [ward], as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. 8 31. The Allotment of the Courses 8. ward against ward] R.V. (guessing the sense rightly) for their charges (i.e. duties), all alike. The Hebrew text however is faulty. the teacher as the scholar ] LXX. … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 25:8”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11066"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11066\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
<\/em><\/p>\nFuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"