Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 23

So when David was old and full of days. —Literally, Now David had become old and satisfied with days. (Job 42:17; where both terms, which are verbs here, appear as adjectives.) Perhaps our pointing is wrong. The expression “satisfied with days” reminds us of Horace, who describes the philosopher as departing this life like a satisfied guest (ut conviva satur, etc.).

He made Solomon his son king. —Hebrew, and he made, etc. This short statement is all that the chronicler has chosen to repeat from 1 Kings 1, a narrative intimately connected with David’s family affairs, with which he is not concerned to deal. (Compare to the introductory remarks for 1 Chronicles 20.)

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel. —The form of the verb (the imperfect with waw conversive) implies that this was done in connection with the transfer of the kingdom to Solomon. The following chapters, therefore, relate to arrangements made by David towards the close of his life. (Compare to 1 Chronicles 26:30, the fortieth year of the reign of David.)

The princes of Israel. —Compare to 1 Chronicles 13:1; 1 Chronicles 15:25; 1 Chronicles 22:17. The princes and the priests and the Levites together constituted, in the conception of the chronicler, the three estates of the realm: the representatives of all spiritual and temporal authority. David consults with the national assembly in a matter of national concern.

The numbering of the Levites and their appointments.

Now ... and — that is, after the council had agreed upon it.

The Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward. —A census like that which Moses instituted (Numbers 4:3, Numbers 4:23, Numbers 4:30, and so on), of all Levites from thirty years old and upward unto fifty years, for the work of the Tabernacle.

By their polls, man by man. —Literally, As to their skulls, as to men. The second phrase defines the first, and excludes women and children.

Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward. — It is clear from 1 Chronicles 23:5 that David himself is supposed to utter both verses, thus personally assigning their commission to the Levites. The Hebrew here is peculiar. We may render: “Of these let there be for superintending the work of the house of Jehovah twenty-four thousand, and scribes and judges six thousand.”

To set forward. — An infinitive, as at 1 Chronicles 22:12. The verb is the one whose participle often occurs in the titles of the Psalms (Authorised Version, “chief musician.”). It means “to lead,” or “superintend.” The Levites had a share in prisoners of war, according to Numbers 31:30. These they could employ in the more menial work of the sanctuary. The Gibeonites were spared on condition of becoming “hewers of wood and drawers of water”, i.e., Levitical bondsmen; and other whole cities may have received the same terms (Joshua 9:23; Joshua 9:27). We have details of the functions of these superintending Levites in 1 Chronicles 23:28–32, below.

And six thousand were officers and judges. — See above. “Officers” (shôtĕrîm) are first mentioned in Exodus 5:6 (see Note there; and compare to Deuteronomy 16:18). The word means writers (compare to Assyrian sadhâru, to write). The progress of the entire people in power and civilisation also elevated the Levites; and from a warlike troop of defenders of the sanctuary, they became peaceful guardians of the great Temple at Jerusalem and its treasures, musicians and artists in its service, instructors and judges scattered throughout the whole country (Ewald).