1 Chronicles 23:21

The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi.—See Exodus 6:19, and Numbers 3:33, and 1Chronicles 6:19.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:1-23 David, having given charge concerning the building of the temple, settles the method of the temple service, and orders the officers of it. When those of the same family were employed together, it would engage them to love and assist one another.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the marginal references and notes. 1 Chronicles 23:28-32 give the most complete account in Scripture of the nature of the Levitical office.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

1Ch 23:21-23. Of Merari.

21-23. The sons of Merari—They comprised six fathers' houses. Summing them together, Gershon founded nine fathers houses, Kohath nine, and Merari six: total, twenty-four.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Of the sons of Hebron,.... A third son of Kohath, 1 Chronicles 23:12,

Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth: of the sons of Uzziel; another son of Kohath, 1 Chronicles 23:12,

Micah the first, Jesiah the second: the sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi, Exodus 6:19,

the sons of Mahli, Eleazar and Kish: of whom see 1 Chronicles 24:28.

Geneva Study Bible

The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. The sons of Merari] Cp. 1 Chronicles 24:26.

The sons of Mahli] Cp. 1 Chronicles 24:28-29.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - This and the following two verses give the houses of Merari, contributing four houses, and, with the nine Gershonite and eleven Kohathite, adding up to twenty-four. Merari is the third son of Levi (Genesis 46:11). The Mahli and Mushi of this verse were possibly grandson and son of Merari, if we follow the guidance of 1 Chronicles 6:47. Yet it would seem far more natural to explain this last-quoted passage by our ver. 23, which would then parallel it. Otherwise we must account for the name of Mahli habitually standing first, as here, as in 1 Chronicles 6:19 also, and 1 Chronicles 24:26, as also in Exodus 6:19; Numbers 3:20, 33, etc.; in all of which places the statement is as distinct as in this verse, that Mahli and Mushi were sons. This and the following verse must be compared particularly with 1 Chronicles 24:26-29; the Jaaziah of which passage was evidently no son of Merari, on a par with Mahli and Mushi, but a later descendant. His descendants were three - Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri (Beno being no proper name, but signifying "his son"). 1 Chronicles 23:21

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The fathers'-houses of the Merarites. - 1 Chronicles 23:21. As in 1 Chronicles 6:19; Exodus 6:19, and Numbers 3:33, two sons of Merari are mentioned-Mahli and Mushi-who founded the two families of Merari which existed in the time of Moses. Mahli had two sons, Eleazar and Kish; the first of whom, however, left behind him at his death only daughters, who were married to the sons of Kish (אחיהם, i.e., their cousins), according to the law as to daughters who were heiresses (Numbers 26:6-9). The descendants of Mahli, therefore, were comprehended in the one father's-house of Kish, whose head at that time (1 Chronicles 24:29) was Jerahmeel.