Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. IX.

Vers. 2. NOw the first inhabitants, &c.] In the former chapters we had the gene∣alogies of those that were before the Babylonian captivity; but here now we are told who they were that returned out of Babylon, Now the first inha∣bitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were the Israelites; that is, those who first returned from Babylon, and were again settled in their severall possessions were the children of Israel (for not onely those of Judah and Benjamin, but some also of the other tribes returned thence, vers. 3. to wit, such as sled to Judah when the ten tribes were first carried away by Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser; and such as did at first leave the land of Israel, when Jeroboam did first set up his golden calves there: the priests also, the Levites and the Nethinims, that is, (as the word signifieth) men given, to wit, to God and to the service of the Temple, and it is meant of the Gibeonites; see the note Josh. 9.21.

Vers. 3. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, &c.] To wit, every tenth man amongst them chosen by lot, and such as did besides voluntarily offer themselves to dwell there, Nehem. 11.1, 2. And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities. And the people blessed the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

Vers. 5. And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the first born, &c.] That is, the sonnes of Shiloni, Neh. 11.5. and he that is here called Asaiah, is in likelyhood the same that is there called Maaseiah.

Vers. 7. Sallu the sonne of Meshullam, the sonne of Hodaviah, the sonne of Hasenuah, &c.] Nehem. 11.7. Meshullam is said to be the sonne of Joed, the sonne of Pedaiah; either therefore Meshullams father was called both Joed and Hodaviah, and his grandfather both Pedaiah and Hasenuah; or else these here mentioned were his father and grandfather, and those mentioned in Nehemiah were his progenitours farther off.

Vers. 9. And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty and six.] Nehem. 11.8. they are said to have been nine hundred twenty and

eight; but there (it may seem) onely those are numbred that were chosen by lot to dwell in Jerusalem, here those also that did voluntarily proffer themselves to dwell there. Nehem. 11.2. And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered them∣selves to dwell at Jerusalem.

Vers. 11. And Azariah the sonne of Hilkiah, &c.] Called also Seraiah, Neh. 11.11. and it is said here that this Azariah or Seraiah was the ruler of the house of God, to wit, at the return of the people from Babylon: whereby is not meant that he was high priest, (for Joshua was then high priest, Hagg. 1.1.) but that he was the chief, or one of the chief of the inferiour priests, who were called the second priests, Numb. 3.32. And of his brethren there were when they returned from Ba∣bylon, eight hundred twenty and two, Nehem. 11.12.

Vers. 12. And Adaiah the sonne of Jeroham, the sonne of Pashur, &c.] Neh. 11.12. it is evident that there were three descents between Pashur and Jeroham; and there also, vers. 13. it is expressed, that of his brethren there were two hundred fourty and two.

And Maasiai the sonne of Adiel, the sonne of Jahzerah, &c.] Nehem. 11.13. he is called Amashai, the sonne of Azareel, the sonne of Ahasiai, the sonne of Me∣shilemoh, the sonne of Immer: and of this family it is said that there were, vers. 14. an hundred twenty and eight.

Vers. 14. And of the Levites, Shemaiah, &c.] Having formerly set down the chief of the priests that returned from Babylon, here he also addes who were the chief of the Levites that returned; of whom there were at Jerusalem (besides those that were seated elsewhere, and the porters, and others afterwards mentioned) two hundred fourescore and foure, as is noted Nehem. 11.18.

Vers. 15. Mattaniah the sonne of Micah, the sonne of Zichri.] Called also Zabdi. Nehem. 11.17.

Vers. 16. And Obadiah the sonne of Shemaiah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites.] Who were of the tribe of Judah, amongst whom the Levites were seated at first, till their cites could be assigned them.

Vers. 17. And the porters were Shallum and Akkub, &c.] That is, these were the chief; for of them in all there were an hundred seventy and two, Nehem. 11.19. besides those that were porters in the inner entries, vers. 21, 22.

Vers. 18. Who hitherto waited in the kings gate eastward.] That is, Shallum the chief of them, and those of his course or family, unto the time of the writing of this book, waited in the east gate, which was called the kings gate, because formerly the kings of Judah used to go into the Temple at that gate.

Vers. 19. And Shallum the sonne of Kore and his brethren: (of the house of his father) the Korahites were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the Tabernacle.] That is, he and the rest of the Korahites, were keepers of all the outer gates of the tabernacle or Temple; for even the Temple is sometimes called the tabernacle.

And their fathers being over the host of the Lord, were keepers of the entry.] That is, and the fathers of them, the heads and chief of them kept the entry, that is, the entry by which they passed from the outer court into the court of the priests, the inward gate: or else it may be meant of the fathers of these Levites, who wai∣ted

upon the tabernacle before the Temple was built, and so is added onely to shew, that these Levites were now keepers of the gates of the temple, as their fathers in former times had waited at the entry of the Tabernacle; and were over the host of the Lord, that is, over the Levites, when after the manner of an host or army they pitched about the Tabernacle, when the Israelites went through the wildernesse. And indeed this exposition seems the more probable, because of that which follows in the next verse.

Vers. 20. And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past.] That is, Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron, had the chief command over the Levites in time past.

Vers. 21. And Zechariah the sonne of Meshelemiah, was porter of the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation.] That is, he (and perhaps his brethren) was porter of the doore that led out of the priests court into the Temple, so that his was of all the chief place; see chap. 26.1, 2.

Vers. 22. All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates, were two hun∣dred and twelve.] See the note above, vers. 17. and Nehem. 11. and chap. 23.5.

These were reckoned by their genealogies in their villages: whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.] That is, whereas before the dayes of Samuel, the Levites did all promiscuously intend the whole service of the Taber∣nacle, when Samuel judged Israel, 1. Sam. 7.6. he it seems began to divide the work amongst them, and to appoint them their severall charges and imployments, which David afterward did much perfect, appointing so many severall courses for the severall services of the Temple, and so by their turnes they attended, in their se∣verall places, the work of Gods house.

Vers. 23. So they and their children had the over sight of the gates of the house of the Lord, namely, the house of the Tabernacle, by wards.] Some at one gate, and some at an other.

Vers. 25. And their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come after seven dayes from time to time with them.] That is, the brethren of the foure chief porters mentioned, vers. 17. served by turns; and every week one company went out, and another company came in.

Vers. 31. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites (who was the first born of Shal∣lum the Korahite,) had the set office over the things that were made in the pans.] That is, to look to the provision of flowre and such things as were kept in the trea∣suries and store-chambers requisite for these uses, and to deliver them at times con∣venient to the priests, by whom they were made ready, and offered to the Lord.

Vers. 33. And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers, were free.] That is, the Levites; they were also the singers in the Temple, who were freed from all other imployments, because they were continually imployed in that work.

Vers. 35. And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, &c.] The stock of Saul is here again repeated, to make way to the story of the kings, which is begun with the death of Saul in the following chapter.

Vers. 37. And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah.] Called Zacher, chap. 8.31.

Vers. 39. And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, &c.] See the note, chap. 8.33.