Introduction
Gill, in his commentary, gives us a useful summary of this chapter.
‘The genealogies of the several tribes being given, according to as they were written in the books of the kings of Israel, 1 Chronicles 9:1, an account follows of those who first settled in Jerusalem after their return from the Babylonish captivity; of the Israelites, 1 Chronicles 9:2, of the priests, 1 Chronicles 9:10 of the Levites, and of the charge and offices of several of the priests and Levites, 1 Chronicles 9:14, and the chapter is concluded with a repetition of the genealogy of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel, 1 Chronicles 9:35.’
The People In Jerusalem
‘All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. They were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants. Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were: Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah. Of the Shelanites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. Of the Zerahites: Jeuel. The people from Judah numbered 690. Of the Benjamites: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Mikri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah. The people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956. All these men were heads of their families.’ 1 Chronicles 9:1-9
This chapter tells us about the genealogies of the twelve tribes of Israel. Once again, there are some differences between the names listed here and the list of names given in Nehemiah 11:1-19.
Gill, in his commentary, gives us a useful introduction to this chapter.
‘The genealogies of the several tribes being given, according as they were written in the books of the kings of Israel, 1 Chronicles 9:1, an account follows of those who first settled in Jerusalem after their return from the Babylonish captivity, of the Israelites, 1 Chronicles 9:2, of the priests, 1 Chronicles 9:10, of the Levites, and of the charge and offices of several of the priests and Levites, 1 Chronicles 9:14, and the chapter is concluded with a repetition of the genealogy of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel, 1 Chronicles 9:35.’
It was the priests, Levites and temple servants, Nethinim, KJV, who returned to the land first. The writer focuses on the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh.
Poole, in his commentary, says the following.
‘No longer was there a kingdom of Judah and another kingdom of Israel; now they were all Israelites. Called here by the general name of Israelites, which was given to them before that unhappy division of the two kingdoms, and now is restored to them when the Israelites are united with the Jews in one and the same commonwealth, so that all the names and signs of their former division might be blotted out.’
‘Of the priests: Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin; Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer. The priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God. Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite; Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zikri, the son of Asaph; Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.’ 1 Chronicles 9:10-16
The ‘official in charge of the house of God’ is usually a reference to the high priest, 2 Chronicles 31:10 / 2 Chronicles 31:13, but we must note this isn’t the case in 2 Chronicles 35:8.
The Netophathites were those who lived in the city of Netophah, or it could be a group of villages located near Bethlehem, Nehemiah 7:26.
‘The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their fellow Levites, Shallum their chief being stationed at the King’s Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites. Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family (the Korahites) were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the tent just as their ancestors had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of the LORD. In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was the official in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him. Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the LORD—the house called the tent of meeting. The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. Their fellow Levites in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning. Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out. Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the special flour and wine, and the olive oil, incense and spices. But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. Some of the Kohathites, their fellow Levites, were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table. Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night. All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.’ 1 Chronicles 9:17-34
Here we read about the Levite gatekeepers, 1 Chronicles 26:1-19, or the Nethinim, KJV, Numbers 3:9 / Numbers 8:19. The name Nethinim was also applied to the Midianites and Gibeonites who helped the Levites in the temple service, Numbers 31:47 / Joshua 9:27.
Because the Gibeonites worked helping out in the temple, their genealogy is also recorded in Ezra 2:43-58 / Ezra 4:43-58 / Nehemiah 10:28. The Gibeonites were also considered a part of the covenant relationship that Israel had with God, Deuteronomy 29:11 / Nehemiah 10:28.
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, is mentioned because of his faithful work during the days of Moses, Numbers 25:7-13, and his faithfulness to God continued as a gatekeeper in the days of Ezra.
Notice there is a lot said concerning how David organised the different ministries for temple worship, but not much is said concerning Samuel organising the tabernacle.
Both Meshelemiah and Zechariah are mentioned as serving David, 1 Chronicles 26:8-11, in the tent of meeting, this would be the tabernacle.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning Mattithiah.
‘He was the first-born of Shallum the Korahite, this Shallum would seem to be the person mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:19, whose actual first-born was Zechariah, 1 Chronicles 26:2. Mattithiah may have been his eldest lineal descendant at the time here spoken of.’
The Genealogy Of Saul
‘Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maakah, and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah and Mikloth. Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem. Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal. The son of Jonathan: Merib-Baal, who was the father of Micah. The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melek, Tahrea and Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Jadah, Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. Moza was the father of Binea; Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son. Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.’ 1 Chronicles 9:35-44
The genealogy mentioned in these verses is an introduction to the reign of David that begins in 1 Chronicles 10.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘1 Chronicles 9:35-44 is a duplicate of 1 Chronicles 8:29-38. Twelve generations of King Saul are listed here, and the reason for their being repeated would appear to be that they are an appropriate background for the record of the death of Saul, related in the very next chapter.’
Selman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Since the genealogy continues for twelve generations after Saul, the fact that his dynasty crashed and his kingship was transferred to David did not remove his family’s place in Israelite history. They too had lived in Jerusalem, 1 Chronicles 9:38, and though we do not know whether this continued after the exile, even for them there were signs of hope.’
Gill, in his commentary, says the following concerning Gibeon.
‘Whose name is here mentioned, which is not in 1 Chronicles 8:29. Jehiel, whose wife’s name was Maakah, as there, but here called his sister, as a wife sometimes is, Genesis 20:2. From hence to the end of the chapter is a repetition of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel; which is made to lead on to and connect the following history of the kings of Judah, begun in this book, and carried on in the next unto the Babylonish captivity, 1 Chronicles 8:29.’
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This brings us to the end of these amazing genealogies. These genealogies are the skeletal framework of the entire Old Testament. They bind the whole book together and afford the most convincing demonstration that the Old Testament is genuine history as contrasted with myth or legend.’