1Ch 9:34, 24:31, 26:32, 2Ch 26:12, Ezr 1:5, Neh 7:70-71 | TSK | STEP | chief fathers. Jerusalem.We have already seen the situation and extent of this ancient city, (Note on 8:28;) but the Jerusalem of sacred history is no more. After having been successively destroyed by the Babylonians and Romans, and taken by the Saracens, Crusaders, and Turks, in the possession of the latter of whom it still continues, not a vestige remains of the capital of David and Solomon, not a monument of Jewish times is standing. The very course of the walls is changed, and the boundaries of the ancient city are become doubtful. The monks pretend to shew the sites of the sacred places; but they have not the slightest pretensions to even a probable identity with the real places. The Jerusalem that now is, however, called by the Arabs {El Kouds,} or "the holy city," is still a respectable, good-looking town, of an irregular shape: it is surrounded by high embattled walls, enclosing an area not exceeding two miles and a half, and occupying two small hills, having the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east, the valley of Siloam and Gehinnom on the south, and the valley of Rephaim on the west; and containing a population variously estimated at from 20,000 to 30,000 souls.

1 Chronicles 9:34

chief fathers.

Jerusalem.We have already seen the situation and extent of this ancient city, (Note on 8:28;) but the Jerusalem of sacred history is no more. After having been successively destroyed by the Babylonians and Romans, and taken by the Saracens, Crusaders, and Turks, in the possession of the latter of whom it still continues, not a vestige remains of the capital of David and Solomon, not a monument of Jewish times is standing. The very course of the walls is changed, and the boundaries of the ancient city are become doubtful. The monks pretend to shew the sites of the sacred places; but they have not the slightest pretensions to even a probable identity with the real places. The Jerusalem that now is, however, called by the Arabs {El Kouds,} or "the holy city," is still a respectable, good-looking town, of an irregular shape: it is surrounded by high embattled walls, enclosing an area not exceeding two miles and a half, and occupying two small hills, having the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east, the valley of Siloam and Gehinnom on the south, and the valley of Rephaim on the west; and containing a population variously estimated at from 20,000 to 30,000 souls.

1 Chronicles 24:31

lots.

5,6; Nu 26:56

even the principal.The whole company being ranged according to their families, with the proper number of divisions, the order of their courses was assigned them by lot, without respect to rank or seniority.

25:8; 26:13

1 Chronicles 26:32

men of valour.

6-9

chief fathers.

15:12; 23:24; 24:31

Reubenites.

12:37

and affairs. Heb. and thing.

2Ch 19:11There were more Levites employed as judges with the two tribes and half on the other side of Jordan, than with all the rest of the tribes; there were two thousand seven hundred, whereas on the west side of Jordan there were only one thousand seven hundred. Either those remote tribes were not so well furnished as the rest with judges of their own, or because they lay farthest from Jerusalem, on the borders of the neighbouring nations, and were thus much in danger of being infected with idolatry, they most needed the help of Levites to prevent their running into the abominations of the idolaters.

2 Chronicles 26:12

Ezra 1:5

whose spirit.

1; 2Ch 36:22; Ne 2:12; Pr 16:1; 2Co 8:16; Php 2:13; Jas 1:16,17

3Jo 1:11

Nehemiah 7:70-71

some. Heb. part.

Ezr 2:68-70

the chief.

Nu 7:2-86; 1Ch 29:3-9

The Tirshatha.

8:9; 10:1

drams.Darkemonim, or darics; a Persian gold coin, worth about 1£. 5s.

basons.

Ex 12:22; 24:6; 1Ki 7:45; 1Ch 28:17; 2Ch 4:8,11; Jer 52:19

chief.

Job 34:19; Lu 21:1-4; 2Co 8:12

pound. Manim, manehs or minas.As a weight, the maneh was equal to 100 shekels; but as a coin, equal to 60 shekels, or about 9£.