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英文原文
This chapter gives us a more particular account of the distribution of the priests and Levites into their respective classes, for the more regular discharge of the duties of their offices, according to their families. I. Of the priests, 1Ch 24:1-19. II. Of the Levites, 1Ch 24:20-31.
1-31
The Courses of the Priests (1015 BC)
祭司的班次（主前1015年）
¹ 亚伦子孙的班次记在下面：亚伦的儿子是拿答、亚比户、以利亚撒、以他玛。 ² 拿答、亚比户死在父亲以先，没有留下儿子；所以以利亚撒和以他玛供祭司的职分。 ³ 大卫将他们分派，撒督出于以利亚撒家，亚希米勒出于以他玛家，按着他们事奉的职任。 ⁴ 以利亚撒子孙中作首领的，比以他玛子孙中多；他们就这样分派：以利亚撒子孙按着父家有十六个首领，以他玛子孙按着父家有八个。 ⁵ 他们这样掣签分班，彼此轮替；因为在圣所作官长、在神家作官长的，有出于以利亚撒的，也有出于以他玛的。 ⁶ 利未人拿坦业的书记示玛雅，在王、首领、祭司撒督、亚比亚他的儿子亚希米勒，并祭司利未人的族长面前，把他们记下来；为以利亚撒取一家，为以他玛取一家。 ⁷ 第一签拈出来的是耶何雅立；第二是耶大雅； ⁸ 第三是哈琳；第四是梭琳； ⁹ 第五是玛基雅；第六是米雅民； ¹⁰ 第七是哈歌斯；第八是亚比雅； ¹¹ 第九是耶书亚；第十是示迦尼； ¹² 第十一是以利亚实；第十二是雅金； ¹³ 第十三是户巴；第十四是耶是比押； ¹⁴ 第十五是璧迦；第十六是音麦； ¹⁵ 第十七是希悉；第十八是哈辟悉； ¹⁶ 第十九是毗他希雅；第二十是以西结； ¹⁷ 第二十一是雅斤；第二十二是迦末； ¹⁸ 第二十三是第莱雅；第二十四是玛西亚。 ¹⁹ 这就是他们事奉的次序：照着他们父亲亚伦所定的规矩，进耶和华的殿；正如耶和华以色列的神所吩咐他的。
这些设立的详细记载，对我们今日用处不大；但以斯拉公布之时，对于引导他们归回后把教会事务重新纳入旧日的轨道，却大有帮助。这份记录的标题记在代上24:1——亚伦子孙的班次——并非使他们彼此分开、或彼此相争的班次（在以色列的众子中若发生这样的分党实在可惜，亚伦的众子中更是如此），而是为在他们中间分派工作而有的分配；这是神所作的班次，是为他而作的。一、这一分配是为更规规矩矩地履行他们职任的本分。神是、仍是秩序的神，不是混乱的神，尤其在他敬拜的事上。有数目而无秩序，反而是重担和扰乱的机会；但人人都拥有、知道、并守住自己的位置和工作，人越多越好。在奥秘的身体中，每一个肢体都有它的用处，为着全体的益处（罗12:4-5、林前12:12）。二、这是借掣签而作的，好叫这处置出于耶和华，如此也可避免一切争端，无人可被指控为偏心，也无人可说自己受了亏待。神既是秩序的神，也是平安的神。所罗门论到掣签，说它能止息纷争。 三、掣签是公开而庄严地进行的，在王、首领、和祭司面前，免得有欺诈的余地，也免得有欺诈的嫌疑。掣签是向神呼吁，当以相当的敬畏和诚实行之。马提亚被选入使徒的位分，是借祷告掣签（徒1:24、26）；我不知在平行的情况下，它是否仍可作为设立的条例，凭信心使用。我们在此看到，那位被雇来写名字和掣签的公证人，名叫示玛雅，是利未人之一（代上24:6）。四、这些祭司被选，是要在圣所的事务上主持（代上24:5），按着各自的班次和轮替。要由掣签决定的，只是先后次序——并非谁来事奉（因为他们挑选的都是各家的首领），而是谁先事奉，谁随后，使人人知道自己的班次，并在其中伺候。二十四位祭司的首领中，十六位属以利亚撒家，八位属以他玛家；因为以他玛家自从以利——他属这家——的家族被定罪以来，可推想已经式微。掣签之法记在代上24:6——为以利亚撒取一家，为以他玛取一家。以利亚撒的十六位首领的名字放在一个瓮里，以他玛的八位放在另一个瓮里；他们从两瓮交替地抽出，直到以他玛的抽完，然后再单从以利亚撒的瓮里抽；或以利亚撒二家、然后以他玛一家，如此类推。五、在这二十四个班次中，第八是亚比雅或亚比亚（代上24:10），这正是路1:5所记撒迦利亚——施洗约翰之父——所属的班次；由此可见，大卫现在所定的这些班次，虽然在恶王之年或许中断过，又被掳长期打断，却仍延续到第二圣殿被罗马人毁灭之时。每个班次都以其创立者的名字为名；正如大祭司在此被称为亚伦（代上24:19）——因为他继承亚伦的尊荣和权柄——虽然我们未曾读到他们中有人用这名字。无论谁作大祭司，下级祭司都当尊敬他、顺服他，如同他们的父亲亚伦。基督是神家之上的大祭司，凡信者既作了祭司，都当顺服他。
²⁰ 利未其余的子孙记在下面：暗兰的子孙中，有书巴业；书巴业的子孙中，有耶希底雅。 ²¹ 至于利哈比雅：利哈比雅的子孙中，长子里示雅。 ²² 以斯哈的子孙中，有示罗摩；示罗摩的子孙中，有雅哈。 ²³ 希伯仑的子孙中，长子里耶利雅，次子亚玛利雅，三子雅哈悉，四子耶加米。 ²⁴ 乌薛的子孙中，有米迦；米迦的子孙中，有沙密。 ²⁵ 米迦的兄弟是伊示雅；伊示雅的子孙中，有撒迦利雅。 ²⁶ 米拉利的儿子是抹利、母示；雅西雅的儿子是比诺。 ²⁷ 米拉利的子孙从雅西雅而出：比诺、所含、撒刻、伊比利。 ²⁸ 抹利生以利亚撒；以利亚撒没有儿子。 ²⁹ 至于基士：基士的儿子是耶拉篾。 ³⁰ 母示的儿子是抹利、以得、耶利摩。这些是利未人按着父家的子孙。 ³¹ 这些人也在大卫王、撒督、亚希米勒、祭司和利未人的族长面前，与他们的弟兄亚伦的子孙对掣签——就是大的与小的对掣签。
此处所记的利未人，大多数在前面代上23:16-23等处已被提到。他们就是那些要在神殿的事奉中辅助祭司的人。但他们在此又被提到，作为二十四个利未人班次的首领（此处所记大约就是这么多），他们要与二十四个祭司班次相配；所以经上说他们与他们的弟兄——亚伦的子孙——对掣签（如此称呼，并非他们的主），亚伦的子孙不可在神的产业上作威作福——原文如此（彼前5:3）。又为使全事的处置都出于耶和华，主要族长与年幼的弟兄对掣签；这就是说，年长家族的人与年幼家族的人同等，所站的位置不按长幼，而是按神借签所指引。当知：在基督里并不分自主的、为奴的、年长的、年幼的。年幼的弟兄若忠心诚实，必与主要的族长同样蒙基督悦纳。
英文原文
The Courses of the Priests (1015 BC)
¹ Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
² But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.
³ And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.
⁴ And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.
⁵ Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
⁶ And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.
⁷ Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
⁸ The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
⁹ The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
¹⁰ The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
¹¹ The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
¹² The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
¹³ The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
¹⁴ The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
¹⁵ The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,
¹⁶ The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,
¹⁷ The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,
¹⁸ The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.
¹⁹ These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.
The particular account of these establishments is of little use to us now; but, when Ezra published it, it was of great use to direct their church affairs after their return from captivity into the old channel again. The title of this record we have 1Ch 24:1—These are the divisions of the sons of Aaron, not by which they divided one from another, or were at variance one with another (it is a pity there should ever be any such divisions among the sons of Israel, but especially among the sons of Aaron), but the distribution of them in order to the dividing of their work among themselves; it was a division which God made, and was made for him. 1. This distribution was made for the more regular discharge of the duties of their office. God was, and still is, the God of order, and not of confusion, particularly in the things of his worship. Number without order is but a clog and an occasion of tumult; but when every one has, and knows, and keeps, his place and work, the more the better. In the mystical body, every member has its use, for the good of the whole, Ro 12:4,5, 1Co 12:12. 2. It was made by lot, that the disposal thereof might be of the Lord, and so all quarrels and contentions might be prevented, and no man could be charged with partiality, nor could any say that they had wrong done them. As God is the God or order, so he is the God of peace. Solomon says of the lot that it causeth contention to cease. 3. The lot was cast publicly, and with great solemnity, in the presence of the king, princes, and priests, that there might be no room for any fraudulent practices or the suspicion of them. The lot is an appeal to God, and ought to be managed with corresponding reverence and sincerity. Matthias was chosen to the apostleship by lot, with prayer (Ac 1:24,26), and I know not but it might be still used in faith in parallel cases, as an instituted ordinance. We have here the name of the public notary that was employed in writing the names, and drawing the lots, (1Ch 24:6): Shemaiah, one of the Levites. 4. What those priests were chosen to was to preside in the affairs of the sanctuary (1Ch 24:5), in their several courses and turns. That which was to be determined by the lot was only the precedency, not who should serve (for they chose all the chief men), but who should serve first, and who next, that every one might know his course, and attend in it. Of the twenty-four chief men of the priests sixteen were of the house of Eleazar and eight of Ithamar; for the house of Ithamar may well be supposed to have dwindled since the sentence passed on the family of Eli, who was of that house. The method of drawing the lots is intimated (1Ch 24:6), one chief household being taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar. The sixteen chief names of Eleazar were put in one urn, the eight for Ithamar in another, and they drew out of them alternately, as long as those for Ithamar lasted, and then out of those only for Eleazar, or two for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar, throughout. 5. Among these twenty-four courses the eighth is that of Abijah or Abia (1Ch 24:10), which is mentioned (Lu 1:5) as the course which Zechariah was of, the father of John the Baptist, by which it appears that these courses which David now settled, though interrupted perhaps in the bad reigns and long broken off by the captivity, yet continued in succession till the destruction of the second temple by the Romans. And each course was called by the name of him in whom it was first founded, as the high priest is here called Aaron (1Ch 24:19), because succeeding in his dignity and power, though we read not of any of them that bore that name. Whoever was high priest must be reverenced and observed by the inferior priests as their father, as Aaron their father. Christ is high priest over the house of God, to whom all believers, being made priests, are to be in subjection.
²⁰ And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.
²¹ Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.
²² Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.
²³ And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.
²⁴ Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.
²⁵ The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.
²⁶ The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno.
²⁷ The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.
²⁸ Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.
²⁹ Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.
³⁰ The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.
³¹ These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren.
Most of the Levites here named were mentioned before, 1Ch 23:16-23, etc. They were of those who were to attend the priests in the service of the house of God. But they are here mentioned again as heads of the twenty-four courses of Levites (and about so many are here named), who were to attend the twenty-four courses of the priests: they are therefore said to cast lots over against their brethren (so they are called, not their lords), the sons of Aaron, who were not to lord it over God's clergy, as the original word is, 1Pe 5:3. And, that the whole disposal of the affair might be of the Lord, the principal fathers cast lots over against their younger brethren; that is, those that were of the elder house came upon he level with those of the younger families, and took their place, not by seniority, but as God by the lot directed. Note, In Christ no difference is made between bond and free, elder and younger. The younger brethren, if they be faithful and sincere, shall be no less acceptable to Christ than the principal fathers.
本章更为具体地记载了祭司和利未人按其家族被分派到各自的班次，以便更有条理地履行职务。I. 关于祭司，代上24:1-19。II. 关于利未人，代上24:20-31。