1 Chronicles 23:1 - Meaning and Application

Here we see the crown passing on, just as God had arranged, in 1 Chronicles 23:1. David made Solomon king, not to rule with him or under him, but to rule after him. He did this when he was old and full of years. He was only seventy when he died, yet he was satisfied with life in this world.

As he saw his own time drawing to a close, he worked for the good of the kingdom after his death. That gave him peace, because he could look ahead to a settled future for both church and state. He also did this in a public assembly, before all the princes of Israel. That made Adonijah’s attempt to seize the throne, and to push aside Solomon’s claim, all the more shameless, sinful, and foolish. It is a great blessing for the people when the throne is secured in a way that supports the temple, and it brings real comfort to those who are leaving this world.

The Levites were then counted according to the rule given in Moses’ time, from thirty to fifty years old, as in Numbers 4:2-3. In Moses’ day, that number was 8,580 (Numbers 4:47-48), but now it had grown more than four times over. The tribe of Levi had increased much more than the other tribes, at least among those fit for service. Joab had not counted the Levites (1 Chronicles 21:6), but David now did so for a good purpose, not out of pride. Since his aim was right, he did not need to fear judgment for it.

The Levites were then assigned to their proper duties, so that every person could be useful and every part of the work could be done well (1 Chronicles 23:4-5). An idle Levite was a poor sight, and many workers were needed to serve God’s house with care. It was a mark of honor for God that so many servants attended his house and its work. A great man’s greatness often shows in the size of his household, and when God kept house in Israel, he had a large household, all properly fed and taught. Yet even that was only a shadow of the countless angels who attend his throne in heaven.

This was also a blessing for Israel, because they had a large body of men whose duty was to support and keep up religion among them. If worship declined in Israel, no one could honestly say it was because God had made no provision for it. The real fault would lie with those who should have served faithfully but failed in their duty. The Levites had four main kinds of work.

First, the greater number, 24,000, were appointed to help with the work of the house of the Lord. They assisted the priests with the sacrifices, preparing and handling the offerings, and keeping the temple clean and orderly. Their work included killing the sacrifices, skinning them, washing them, cutting them up, burning them, and readying the grain and drink offerings. They also carried away waste and kept the vessels and tools in their proper places, so the service could be done quickly and accurately. These men served in weekly groups, so that the courses went around in order. It may even be that some of them, while the temple was being built, helped support that work too, by assisting the builders and keeping good order there.

Second, some were officers and judges. They did not serve in temple disputes, where we may suppose the priests had the lead, but in the countryside. They acted as civil magistrates, teaching God’s law, clearing up hard questions, and deciding disputes that came before them. There were 6,000 of these men in the different parts of the kingdom, helping the princes and elders of each tribe with justice.

Third, some were gatekeepers. They guarded the entrances of God’s house, examined those who wanted to come in, and stopped those who tried to enter by force. They were like the temple’s bodyguards, and likely carried arms for that duty.

Fourth, some were singers and players on instruments. Their task was to keep that part of the worship going, and this was a newly established office.

The Levites were also arranged by families and clans, so that a record could be kept more carefully and any neglect of duty could be found out more easily. Each family could answer for itself when its name was called. When people from the same family worked together, it also helped them love and support one another. When Christ sent out his disciples two by two, he put brethren together.

Two families were joined into one in verse 11 because they did not have many sons. Those who are small and weak on their own may be joined together and then appear significant. One striking thing in this list is that the descendants of Moses, that great man, stood on the same level as ordinary Levites and had no special rank or privilege. But Aaron’s descendants were raised to the priesthood, to make holy the most holy things (1 Chronicles 23:13).

Moses’ grandson Rehabiah is said to have had many sons, greatly multiplying his family (1 Chronicles 23:17, margin). When God offered Moses the chance to let go of his prayer for Israel and become a great nation himself, Moses generously refused. As a result, his family is now greatly increased, making up in number what it lacked in rank among the Levites.

The equal standing of Moses’ family with the rest shows his self-denial. He had such influence with God and with people that, if he had wanted to promote his own house, he could easily have done so. But he was not a self-seeking man. He left his children no special marks of honor, which shows he had the spirit of God, not the spirit of the world. Aaron’s family being raised above the rest was God’s reward for Aaron’s own self-denial. When Moses, his younger brother, was made like a god to Pharaoh, while Aaron only served as his prophet and spokesman, Aaron did not argue or insist on his right as the older brother. He gladly took the lower place God gave him and even called Moses his lord when needed. Because he submitted himself to his younger brother in obedience to God, God greatly lifted up his family, even above Moses’ own. Those who are willing to humble themselves are in the best way to be raised up, for before honor comes humility.