[1]that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, for ever. 14But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. 15The sons of Moses; Gershom and Eliezer. 16The sons of Gershom; [2]Shebuel the chief. 17And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. 18The sons of Izhar; [3]Shelomith the chief. 19The sons of Hebron; Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 20The sons of Uzziel; Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second. 21The sons of Merari; Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar and Kish. 22And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brethren the sons of Kish took
the most holy things] Such for instance as the altar of incense (Ex. xxx. 1—10), or again the shewbread (Lev. xxiv. 5—9).
to bless] Cp. Num. vi. 23—27.
14. among the tribe of Levi] The descendants of Moses as distinguished from those of Aaron had the standing, not of priests but of Levites.
15. Gershom and Eliezer] Cp. Ex. xviii. 3, 4.
16. The sons] Cp. the following verse; also ii. 31, where the plural, The sons, is thrice followed by a single name only.
Shebuel] rather, as in xxiv. 20, Shubael; so LXX. here.
17. Rehabiah] Cp. xxiv. 21.
18. Shelomith] In xxiv. 22, Shelomoth.
19. The sons of Hebron] Cp. xxiv. 23.
20. The sons of Uzziel] Cp. xxiv. 24. Nine Kohathite families seem to be here reckoned.
21. The sons of Merari] Cp. xxiv. 26.
The sons of Mahli] Cp. xxiv. 28, 29.
22. their brethren] Their kinsmen.
took them to wife] i.e. in accordance with the law stated in Num. xxvii. 4, cp. Num. xxxvi. 6, whereby daughters had a right of inheritance in hope of perpetuating the name of him who died without male heirs. Thus Eleazar, by his family through the female line, may be reckoned one of the heads of fathers' houses. If this view be correct, the list contains not twenty-two but twenty-three "heads"; and it may be conjectured that the one name more required to make up the desired total of twenty-four has been lost n the transmission of the text.
