1 Chronicles 26:29-32

19. THE OFFICERS AND THE JUDGES (1 Chronicles 26:29-32)

TEXT

1 Chronicles 26:29. Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges. 30. Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valor, a thousand and seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the business of Jehovah, and for the service of the king. 31. Of the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers-' houses. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valor at Jazer of Gilead. 32. And his brethren, men of valor, were two thousand and seven hundred, heads of fathers-' houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king.

PARAPHRASE

1 Chronicles 26:29. Chenaniah and his sons (from the subclan of Izhar) were appointed public administrators and judges. 30. Hashabiah and 1,700 of his clansmen from Hebron, all outstanding men, were placed in charge of the territory of Israel west of the Jordan River; they were responsible for the religious affairs and public administration of that area. 31, 32. Twenty-seven hundred outstanding men of the clan of the Hebronites, under the supervision of Jerijah, were appointed to control the religious and public affairs of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. These men, all of whom had excellent qualifications, were appointed on the basis of their ancestry and ability at Jazer in Gilead in the fortieth year of King David's reign.

COMMENTARY

Certain Levites were assigned to attend to civil matters, the outward business, which had no direct relationship to the Temple. The terms officers and judges are used to detail the kind of secular service to be done. These men were chosen from the Izharites and the Hebronites, the direct descendants of Kohath, the son of Levi. Hashabiah, the Hebronite, was assigned 1700 assistants and was charged with all of the territory west of the Jordan River. Jerijah, the head of the Hebronite family, lived in the village of Jazer in Gilead, east of the Jordan River. The business of Jehovah and the service of the king were the principal considerations of these men.