1 Chronicles 23:24
descendants ... Levi .............................. old <03878 01121> [the sons of Levi.]
families ..................... temple <01004> [after the house.]
individually <01538> [by their polls.]
descendants ................................ old <01121> [from the age.]
At first David appointed the Levites to serve from thirty years old and upwards; but considering, probably, that the temple which was about to be built, with its courts, chambers, etc., would require a more numerous ministry, he fixed this period, by this subsequent regulation, at twenty years and upwards. In the time of Moses, the age was from thirty years to fifty: here this latter period is not mentioned, probably because the service was not so laborious now; for the ark being fixed, they had no longer any burdens to carry; and therefore even an old man might continue to serve. See the Note on Nu 8:24.
twenty <06242> [twenty.]
1 Chronicles 26:32
relatives .... respected <01121 02428> [men of valour.]
family leaders <07218 01> [chief fathers.]
Reubenites <07206> [Reubenites.]
matters pertaining <01697> [and affairs. Heb. and thing.]
There were more Levites employed as judges with the two tribes and half on the other side of Jordan, than with all the rest of the tribes; there were two thousand seven hundred, whereas on the west side of Jordan there were only one thousand seven hundred. Either those remote tribes were not so well furnished as the rest with judges of their own, or because they lay farthest from Jerusalem, on the borders of the neighbouring nations, and were thus much in danger of being infected with idolatry, they most needed the help of Levites to prevent their running into the abominations of the idolaters.
