1 Chronicles 23:13

The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, 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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) And Aaron was separated.—Aaron and his sons, as priests, are thus excluded from present consideration. They form the proper subject of 1Chronicles 25:1-19, and are only mentioned here for the sake of completeness in the reckoning.

That he should sanctify the most holy-things.—Rather, to hallow (or consecrate) him as most holy; literally, holy of holies (qôdesh qŏdāshîm), an expression not applied to Aaron in any other passage of Scripture. The meaning is that the priests represented a higher grade of holiness, a more thorough consecration, than the mere Levites, because they were called to the discharge of a higher and holier ministry.

He and his sons.—All the priests are included with Aaron.

To burn incense.—The Hebrew term means to burn victims as well as incense.

To minister unto him, and to bless in his name—The same words occur (Deuteronomy 10:8) with reference to the purpose for which the tribe of Levi was “separated.” The tribe obviously includes the Aaronite clan. (Comp. also Deuteronomy 21:5.)

And to bless in his name.—This appears right from Numbers 6:23. Others render, and to bless His name.

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 23:13. That he should sanctify the most holy things — That he might keep them from pollution: for these most holy things were polluted when they were touched by any other person. He and his sons for ever — Not only his eldest sons the high-priests successively, but all his posterity, or all the priests: for the works here following were not peculiar to the high- priest, but common to all the priests.

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

13. Aaron was separated—as high priest (see on [401]1Ch 25:1-19).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

That he should sanctify the most holy things; not positively, for so he could not sanctify them, they being already sanctified by God in the highest degree; but negatively, i.e. that he might keep them from pollution; for these most holy things were polluted when they were touched by any other persons.

He and his sons; not only his eldest sons, the high priests successively, but all his posterity, or all the priests; for the works here following were not peculiar to the high priest, but common to all the priests, who might all

burn incense, 2 Chronicles 29:11 Luke 1:9, and to

minister in the temple, and to bless the people in God’s name, Numbers 6:23 Deu 10:8.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses,.... A son of Kohath, 1 Chronicles 23:2.

and Aaron was separated; from the children of Israel, Exodus 28:1,

that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever; by an holy use of them, and keeping them from all unholy and profane uses; and this they were to do as long as the Aaronic priesthood lasted:

to burn incense before the Lord; in the holy place, on the altar of incense; which none but priests descended from Aaron might do:

to minister unto him; both at the altar of burnt offering and of incense; and the high priest in the holy of holies:

and to bless his name for ever, or "in his name"; that is, the people in his name; see Numbers 6:23.

Geneva Study Bible

The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should {a} 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.

(a) That is, to serve in the most holy place, and to consecrate the holy things.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - The sons of Amram. From Amram, the first-mentioned son of Kohath, come the two great names of Aaron and Moses (Exodus 6:20). Aaron was separated,... and his sons for ever. This statement must be read, both with ver. 3 - into the number of Levites mentioned in which Aaron and his sons do not count - and with ver. 14, which implies that Moses and his sons did count into that number. The sons of Aaron are dealt with in 1 Chronicles 24:1-19, infra. That he should sanctify the most holy things. The Hebrew text renders it doubtful whether the rendering here should not rather be, "Aaron was separated to sanctify him as most holy," etc. If it be so, this is the only place where the forcible term, "holy of holies" (most holy), is used of Aaron. The duties of the priest are described as threefold, in this place, viz.: "to burn incense before the Lord," - this will carry the idea of making atonement; "to minister to God," on behalf of man, ? this will be one part of the work of a mediator; and "to bless in the Name of God," - this will fulfil the remaining part. For ever. The proviso may, no doubt, include reference to the "ever-living High Priest." The threefold summary of solemn and beneficent duties receives ample illustration from many passages, and in special connection with the names of Aaron and his sons (Exodus 28:1, 38, 43; Exodus 29:1, 35, 45; Exodus 30:7-10; Numbers 6:22-27). 1 Chronicles 23:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The fathers'-houses of the Kohathites. - The four sons of Kohath who are named in 1 Chronicles 23:12, as in 1 Chronicles 6:2; 1 Chronicles 6:18, and Exodus 6:18, founded the four families of Kohath, Numbers 3:27. From Amram came Aaron and Moses; see on Exodus 6:20. Of these, Aaron with his sons was set apart "to sanctify him to be a most holy one; he and his sons for ever to offer incense before Jahve, to serve Him, and to bless in His name for ever." קדשׁ ק להקדּישׁו signifies neither, ut ministraret in sancto sanctorum (Vulg., Syr.), nor, ut res sanctissimas, sacrificia, vasa sacra etc. consecrarent (Cler.). Against this interpretation we adduce not only the objection advanced by Hgstb. Christol. iii. p. 119, trans., that the office assigned by it to the Levites is far too subordinate to be mentioned here in the first place, but also the circumstance that the suffix in הקדּישׁו, after the analogy of שׁרתו, must denote the object of the sanctifying; and this view is confirmed by the subject, who offers incense and blesses, not being expressed with להקטיר and לברך. The Vulgate translation cannot be accepted, for קדשׁים קדשׁ cannot be the ablative, and the most holy place in the temple is always called הקּדשׁים קדשׁ with the article. קדשׁים קדשׁ, without the article, is only used of the most holy things, e.g., of the vessels connected with the worship, the sacrificial gifts, and other things which no lay person might touch or appropriate. See on Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 2:3, and Daniel 9:24. Here it is committed to Aaron, who, by being chosen for the priest's service and anointed to the office, was made a most holy person, to discharge along with his sons all the priestly functions in the sanctuary. Specimens of such functions are then adduced: יי לפני הקטיר, the offering of the sacrifice of incense upon the altar of the inner sanctuary, as in 2 Chronicles 2:3, 2 Chronicles 2:5; Exodus 30:7.; לשׁרתו, "to serve Him," Jahve, - a general expression, including all the other services in the sanctuary, which were reserved for the priests; and בּשׁמו לברך, to bless in His name, i.e., to pronounce the blessing in the name of the Lord over the people, according to the command in Numbers 6:23, cf. 1 Chronicles 16:2; Deuteronomy 21:5; not "to bless His name" (Ges., Berth.). To call upon or praise the name of God is שׁמו בּרך, Psalm 96:2; Psalm 100:4; and the assertion that בשׁם בּרך is a somewhat later phrase formed on the model of בשׁם קרא, for "to call upon God" (Ges. in Lex. sub voce בלך), is quite groundless. Our phrase occurs as early as in Deuteronomy 10:8 and Deuteronomy 21:5; and the latter passage in connection with לשׁרתו of the priests; in the former, of the tribe of Levi, but so used that it can refer only to the priests, not to the Levites also.