(30) And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah.—Rather, As to the Hebronites, Hashabiah, and his kinsmen, sons of valour (1Chronicles 26:7), a thousand and seven hundred, were charged with (Heb., over) the supervision of Israel on yonder side of the Jordan, westward, for all the work of Iahweh and for the service of the king.

Officers.—Pĕquddah (oversight, superintendence). Vulg., praeërant Israeli: LXX., ἐπὶ τῆς ἐπισκέψεως τοῦ Ισραηλ. (See 1Chronicles 23:11; 1Chronicles 24:19 for another meaning of the word.)

Hashabiah.—A Kohathite of this name is not mentioned elsewhere.

On this side Jordan.—Rather, on the other side (‘ēber): the western side of the river is so called in Joshua 5:1; Joshua 22:7. The use of this expression here seems to imply that the source upon which the chronicle is here dependent, was written in some locality east of the Jordan, perhaps at Babylon.

1 Chronicles 26:30. In all business of the Lord — In all things which concerned the house or worship of God; to take care that such moneys as were given toward building the temple, or toward the sacrifices and other holy ministrations, should be gathered and received, and faithfully sent up to Jerusalem; and to see the execution of all the laws of God among the people. In the service of the king, &c. — They served the king in the execution of his decrees, by which the several rights of the king and people were established. And as the king was the principal person intrusted with the execution of God’s laws, so these Levites chiefly were his eyes, by which he saw his people’s transgressions, and his hands, by which he inflicted due censures upon them for their miscarriages.

26:1-32 The offices of the Levites. - The porters and treasurers of the temple, had occasion for strength and valour to oppose those who wrongly attempted to enter the sanctuary, and to guard the sacred treasures. Much was expended daily upon the altar; flour, wine, oil, salt, fuel, beside the lamps; quantities of these were kept beforehand, besides the sacred vestments and utensils. These were the treasures of the house of God. These treasures typified the plenty there is in our heavenly Father's house, enough and to spare. From those sacred treasuries, the unsearchable riches of Christ, all our wants are supplied; and receiving from his fulness, we must give him the glory, and endeavour to dispose of our abilities and substance according to his will. We have an account of those employed as officers and judges. The magistracy is an ordinance of God for the good of the church, as truly as the ministry, and must not be neglected. None of the Levites who were employed in the service of the sanctuary, none of the singers or porters, were concerned in this outward business; one duty was enough to engage the whole man. Wisdom, courage, strength of faith, holy affections, and constancy of mind in doing our duty, are requisite or useful for every station.The "business of the Lord" in the provinces would consist especially in the collection of the tithes, the redemption-money, and the free-will offerings of the people. It may perhaps have included some religious teaching. Compare 2 Chronicles 17:7-9. 1Ch 26:29-32. Officers and Judges.

29. officers and judges—The word rendered "officers" is the term which signifies scribes or secretaries, so that the Levitical class here described were magistrates, who, attended by their clerks, exercised judicial functions; there were six thousand of them (1Ch 23:4), who probably acted like their brethren on the principle of rotation, and these were divided into three classes—one (1Ch 26:29) for the outward business over Israel; one (1Ch 26:30), consisting of seventeen hundred, for the west of Jordan "in all business of the Lord, and in the service of the king"; and the third (1Ch 26:31, 32), consisting of twenty-seven hundred, "rulers for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king."

On this side Jordan westward; in those parts of the land of Canaan which border upon Jordan, or are not very remote from it.

In all the business of the Lord, i.e. in all things which did or should concern the house or worship of God; partly to take care that such monies as were either imposed by a tax, or freely given by the people, towards the building or repairing of the temple, or towards the sacrifices and other holy ministrations, should be gathered and received, and faithfully sent up to Jerusalem to be employed in that work; partly to see to the execution of all the laws of God among the people, and to restrain or punish wilful offenders against it.

In the service of the king; not that all the king’s businesses were managed by them; for it is apparent, both from the nature of the thing, and from Scripture, that the king’s military affairs were managed by his captains, and his political or civil affairs were managed by the princes, and judges, and officers of other tribes; but because they served the king in the execution of his decrees, made pursuantly to the laws of God, by which the several rights of king and people were established, and all things both in church and commonwealth were to be ordered. Now as the king was the principal person intrusted with the execution of God’s laws, so these Levites chiefly were his eyes by which he saw his people’s transgressions, and his hands by which he inflicted due and deserved censures upon them for their miscarriages. And the doing of this was very much for the service of the king, whose throne was established and secured by such righteous administrations. Besides, they were to take care by their counsel and authority to keep the people in obedience to their king; which the Levites were most obliged and best obliged to do.

And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred,.... And supposing the Izharites in the preceding verse to be 1600, these, with those on the other side Jordan, 2700, 1 Chronicles 26:32 make up just the 6000 officers and judges, 1 Chronicles 23:4 these

were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward: in those parts of the land which were on this side Jordan, to the west of it, yet nearer to it than those meant by Israel in the preceding verse; it may respect those that dwelt more remote from Jordan, though on this side also, towards the Mediterranean sea:

in all business of the Lord, and in the service of the king; in things divine and civil, what appertained to the worship of God, and the support of civil government, and to take care that all the laws were observed, moral, ceremonial, and judicial, and that both the Lord was feared, and the king honoured, and both had what was due unto them.

And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the LORD, and in the service of {o} the king.

(o) That is, for the king's house.