49. But Aaron and his sons] As it was the prerogative of Aaron's family to be appointed to the higher office of offering up incense and sacrifices upon God's altar, the priests in the great court, and the high priest in the most holy place, as appointed by the law of Moses; so from Aaron, the first anointed high priest for the tabernacle, to the time of David, (whose succession is the principal subject of this history,) there were twelve high priests in the line of Eleazar, as is here named. Pyle. Chap. VII. ver. 6. The sons of Benjamin; — three.] In the next chapter, ver. 1, 2, five sons of Benjamin are mentioned. They were ten in all, as we read at Gen. xlvi. 21. Thus either five of them died without issue, or their families were extinct, or their genealogies lost. Bp. Patrick. 12. — and Hushim, the sons of Aher.] The word Aher signifies "another" in Hebrew; whence these words their father's house, to wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; b whose number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six hundred. 14. — whom she bare:] That is, whom his wife bare, for his concubine is opposed to her in the next words. Asriel was the great grandson of Manasseh; see Numb. xxvi. 29, &c. 23. — because it went evil &c.] For the name Beriah signifies, "In an evil condition." Bp. Patrick. 28. — unto Gaza and the towns] Rather, as the margin gives, unto "Adasa" and her towns; for the border of Ephraim could not reach to Gaza. Dr. Wall. Chap. VIII. ver. 1. Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn,] As the tribe of Benjamin was that from which Chap. IX. ver. 1. So all Israel &c.] Thus has been given a brief genealogy of the whole Israelite nation, as it stood in the ancient records of the two monarchies of Israel and Judah. 2. Now the first inhabitants that dwelt] Here follows an account of those who returned into their own land with Zerubbabel, upon the decree of Cyrus, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 22, 23. They were divided, as is here expressed, into four descriptions of persons. The first are Israelites, that is, some of the ten tribes who were carried into Assyria and Media, and now chose to come back with their brethren of Judah. The second and third sort were priests and Levites, whose ancestors formerly officiated in the temple at Jerusalem. And the fourth were Nethinim, that is, such under servants as David had appointed to assist the Levites in waiting on the house of God. The word Nethinim signifies "persons given or appointed." Pyle. — Nethinims.] The Nethinim were originally the Gibeonites, who, having obtained by artifice a league of peace with the Israelites soon after they came into Canaan, were condemned by Joshua to the lowest and most laborious offices belonging to the service of the tabernacle, as drawing water, fetching wood for the service of the altar, &c. Josh. ix. 23. We never find them called Nethinim before David's time; but afterwards, Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah, 3. — children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;] We have here a plain proof that many out of those tribes returned from Babylon, together with the tribe of Judah. Dr. Wall. 10. And of the priests; &c.] The second description of persons who returned were priests, several of the heads of whose families are here named. These were persons of great skill in the services and sacrifices of the Mosaical law, and of great courage to defend it (ver. 13.) against such enemies as were likely to oppose it on their first return from captivity. One of these, Ahitub, was "the ruler of the house of God," ver. 11; that is, though he was not high priest, he was a man of eminent authority in that order. It appears from Ezra iii. 9, Haggai i. 1, that Jeshua or Joshua was high priest at the time. Pyle. 12. — built Ono, and Lod.] These two cities are joined together in other places, being neighbouring cities; see Ezra ii. 33; Nehem. vii. 37; xi. 35. Lod is probably the same as Lydda. Dr. Lightfoot. 40. — archers.] The expression in the original here means, "those that tread the bow," because the steel bows which were then in use were so strong as not to admit of being drawn by the hands, but it was the cus- The Israelites, priests, and Levites, which before CHRIST 1909, &c. had many sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin. # CHAP. IX. 17. And the porters] Rather the guards, as the Hebrew word more properly signifies. The next verse tells us, that they waited "in the king's gate eastward," that is, where the king's gate formerly was. This shews that the tabernacle which they erected since their return from the captivity was not on mount Moriah, but in Zion. It is probable that they erected this tabernacle immediately after their return, till the temple could be built, being unwilling to remain for any time without a place of public worship. Bp. Patrick. 20. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar &c.] He "was the ruler over them in time past," that is, when they marched through the wilderness, &c. before he was high priest; and "the Lord was with him," so that even then he was held in great esteem. This seems to be here no- seven days from time to time with them. 22. All these which were chosen &c.] Thus, in the temporary tabernacle erected after the return from captivity, all these Levites had their poets and offices assigned to them, exactly in the same manner as they had been arranged by David, with the advice of the famous Prophet Samuel. They had all, by a certain number at a time, their several charges, and were constantly relieved by others that came out of the villages to supply their places "after seven days from time to time," ver. 25. Pyle. 25. And in Gibeon dwelt &c.] The account now returns to the genealogy of Saul; and a repetition here takes place of what had before been given at chap. viii. Chap. XI. ver. 1. Then all Israel gathered themselves] Between the death of Saul and the settlement of David on the throne, many transactions took place which are recorded in 2 Sam. i, ii, iii, and iv. At length, David received the addresses of the whole nation, desiring that he would take the crown upon him in just reward of his many eminent services, and agreeably to the predictions of the prophet Samuel. Pyle. Chap. XII. ver. 1.—they that came to David to Ziklag.] The sacred writer, having now mentioned the 10. These—are the chief of the mighty men] The sacred writer, having touched upon David's promotion to the and Joab † repaired the rest of the city. 11.—lifted up his spear against three hundred] At 2 Sam. xxiii. 8, it is stated that "he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time." Some have supposed that an error in the number has crept into one of the passages; or perhaps it may be plainer to interpret, that he slew 300 with his own hand, and thereby routed the enemy, in which flight 500 more were slain during the pursuit. Bp. Patrick. A catalogue of David's mighty men. that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,