2 Chronicles 8:14

And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) And he appointed.—Caused to stand. (1Chronicles 6:16; 1Chronicles 15:16.)

According to the order of David his father.—Order, i.e., ordinance or institution.

The courses of the priests.—See 1 Chronicles 24.

Charges.—Watches, wards, stations.

To praise.—See 1Chronicles 25:3.

And minister before the priests.—1Chronicles 23:28.

As the duty of every day required.—For a day’s matter (i.e., prescribed work) on its day. (Comp. 2Chronicles 8:13.)

The porters also.—See 1Chronicles 26:1-19. The construction is, and he appointed, or stationed, the warders.

For so had David . . .—See margin. A similar phrase occurs in Nehemiah 12:24.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:1 - 18 Solomon's buildings and trade. - It sometimes requires more wisdom and resolution to govern a family in the fear of God, than to govern a kingdom with reputation. The difficulty is increased, when a man has a hinderance instead of a help meet in the wife of his bosom. Solomon kept up the holy sacrifices, according to the law of Moses. In vain had the altar been built, in vain had fire come down from heaven, if sacrifices had not been constantly brought. Spiritual sacrifices are required of us, which we are to bring daily and weekly; it is good to be in a settled method of devotion. When the service of the temple was put into good order, it is said, The house of the Lord was perfected. The work was the main matter, not the place; the temple was unfinished till all this was done. Canaan was a rich country, and yet must send to Ophir for gold The Israelites were a wise people, but must be beholden to the king of Tyre for men that had knowledge of the seas. Grace, and not gold, is the best riches, and acquaintance with God and his law, the best knowledge. Leaving the children of this world to scramble for the toys of this world, may we, as the children of God, lay up our treasure in heaven, that where our treasure is, our hearts also may be.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The man of God - This phrase, so common in Kings (see the introduction to Kings, 4th note), is rare in Chronicles, and is applied only to Moses 1 Chronicles 23:14, David, and one other prophet 2 Chronicles 25:7, 2 Chronicles 25:9.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her—On his marriage with the Egyptian princess at the beginning of his reign, he assigned her a temporary abode in the city of David, that is, Jerusalem, until a suitable palace for his wife had been erected. While that palace was in progress, he himself lodged in the palace of David, but he did not allow her to occupy it, because he felt that she being a heathen proselyte, and having brought from her own country an establishment of heathen maid-servants, there would have been an impropriety in her being domiciled in a mansion which was or had been hallowed by the reception of the ark. It seems she was received on her arrival into his mother's abode (So 3:4; 8:2).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The man of God, i.e. a prophet inspired by God in these matters, whose commands therefore are the commands of God.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service,.... The twenty four courses which served weekly in their turns, 1 Chronicles 24:1.

and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as duty of every day required; who also had their courses by lot, to sing the praises of God, when the priests sacrificed, or blew the trumpets, 1 Chronicles 25:1,

the porters also by their courses at every gate; from hence Dr. Lightfoot concludes that these were divided into twenty four classes, as the priests and Levite singers were:

for so had David the man of God commanded, 1 Chronicles 26:1, who in all these affairs acted as a prophet, under the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit of God.

Geneva Study Bible

And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. according to the order] R.V. according to the ordinance.

of David] Cp. 1 Chronicles 24-26.

to praise and minister before the priests] R.V. to praise, and to minister before the priests; cp. 1 Chronicles 23:28.

the porters] R.V. the door-keepers.

David the man of God] Targ. David the prophet of the Lord (a correct paraphrase). Cp. Nehemiah 12:36.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - The courses of the priests... the Levites to their charges... the porters also by their courses at every gate. (For the particulars of this verse, see, with the exposition to them, 1 Chronicles 24:1-35; 1 Chronicles 25:1-7; 26; 9:17-28.) David the man of God. This title occurs only once in 1 Chronicles, viz. 1 Chronicles 23:14, where it is used of Moses; and six times in 2 Chronicles, viz. here to David; 2 Chronicles 11:2, to Shemaiah; three times, 2 Chronicles 25:7, 9, to an unnamed prophet; and once again to Moses, 2 Chronicles 30:16; the expression occurs much more frequently in Kings. 2 Chronicles 8:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

He ordered the temple service, also, entirely according to the arrangement introduced by David as to the service of the priests and Levites. He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, i.e., according to the ordinance established by David, the classes of the priests (see on 1 Chronicles 24) to that service, and the Levites to their stations (משׁמרות as in 2 Chronicles 7:6), to praise (cf. 1 Chronicles 25), and to serve before the priests (1 Chronicles 23:28.), according to that which was appointed for every day, and the doorkeepers according to their courses, etc. (see 1 Chronicles 27:1-19). With the last words cf. Nehemiah 12:24.