1 Chronicles 26:5

Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) For God blessed him.—Comp. 1Chronicles 13:14, where it is said, “God blessed the house of Obed-edom.” His sons’ names are all testimonies to his thankful recognition of the Divine favour. The firstborn is Shemaiah, Jah hath heard (viz.) the prayer for offspring; Jehozabad, Jah hath bestowed, is the second; Joah, Jah is a kinsman, the third; Sacar, reward (Genesis 15:1), is the fourth; Nethaneel, or Nathanael (Dositheus, Dorotheus, Deusdedit) God hath given, the fifth; Ammiel, a kinsman is God, the sixth; the seventh, Issachar, there is a reward; the eighth, Peulthai (Heb., Pĕullĕthai), work or recompense of Jah.

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 26:5. For God blessed him — With a numerous posterity, and other blessings, for his respect and affection to the ark. The increase and building up of families are owing to the divine blessing. And a great blessing it is to have many children when they are like these, eminent in the service of God.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

26:1-32 The offices of the Levites. - The porters and treasurers of the temple, had occasion for strength and valour to oppose those who wrongly attempted to enter the sanctuary, and to guard the sacred treasures. Much was expended daily upon the altar; flour, wine, oil, salt, fuel, beside the lamps; quantities of these were kept beforehand, besides the sacred vestments and utensils. These were the treasures of the house of God. These treasures typified the plenty there is in our heavenly Father's house, enough and to spare. From those sacred treasuries, the unsearchable riches of Christ, all our wants are supplied; and receiving from his fulness, we must give him the glory, and endeavour to dispose of our abilities and substance according to his will. We have an account of those employed as officers and judges. The magistracy is an ordinance of God for the good of the church, as truly as the ministry, and must not be neglected. None of the Levites who were employed in the service of the sanctuary, none of the singers or porters, were concerned in this outward business; one duty was enough to engage the whole man. Wisdom, courage, strength of faith, holy affections, and constancy of mind in doing our duty, are requisite or useful for every station.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Obed-edom and Hosah 1 Chronicles 26:10 had been "porters," or door - keepers, from the time of the bringing up of the ark into Jerusalem 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:38.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. God blessed him—that is, Obed-edom. The occasion of the blessing was his faithful custody of the ark (2Sa 6:11, 12). The nature of the blessing (Ps 127:5) consisted in the great increase of progeny by which his house was distinguished; seventy-two descendants are reckoned.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To wit, with a numerous posterity and other blessings, for his respect and affection to the ark. See 2 Samuel 6:11.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Moreover, the sons of Obededom,.... The same at whose house the ark was, before it was brought by David to Zion; his sons were porters also, as himself, 1 Chronicles 15:24, mention is made of eight sons of his, according to their birth:

Shemaiah, Jehozabad, Joah, Sacar, Nethaneel, Ammiel, Issachar, Peulthai; for God blessed him; as with wealth and riches, so with a numerous offspring, and that because of his entertainment of the ark at his house; the great increase of his family is aggravated by the Jews (q) beyond all credit, that all in his family brought eight at a birth; the Targum here makes them eighty two in all.

(q) Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2. Reg. fol. 77. M.

Geneva Study Bible

Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God {b} blessed him.

(b) In giving him many children.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. for God blessed him] “Him” refers to “Obed-edom” (1 Chronicles 26:4), who was blessed with eight sons. He himself acknowledged the blessing by naming the seventh son “Issachar” (“Reward”), and the eighth Peullethai (“Recompence”).

1 Chronicles 26:5

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Obed-edom's family. Obed-edom has been already mentioned in 1 Chronicles 16:38 and 1 Chronicles 15:24 as doorkeeper; see the commentary on the passage. From our passage we learn that Obed-edom belonged to the Kohathite family of the Korahites. According to 1 Chronicles 26:19, the doorkeepers were Korahites and Merarites. The Merarites, however, are only treated of from 1 Chronicles 26:10 and onwards. אדם וּלעבד (1 Chronicles 26:4) corresponds to ולמשׁלמיהוּ (1 Chronicles 26:2), and is consequently thereby brought under לקּרהים (1 Chronicles 26:1). Here, 1 Chronicles 26:4, 1 Chronicles 26:5, eight sons with whom God had blessed him (cf. 1 Chronicles 13:14), and in 1 Chronicles 26:6 and 1 Chronicles 26:7 his grandchildren, are enumerated. The verb נולד is used in the singular, with a subject following in the plural, as frequently (cf. Ew. 316, a). The grandchildren of Obed-edom by his first-born son Shemaiah are characterized as המּמשׁלים, the dominions, i.e., the lords (rulers) of the house of their fathers (ממשׁל, the abstract dominion, for the concrete משׁל; cf. Ew. 160, b), because they were חיל גּבּורי, valiant heroes, and so qualified for the office of doorkeepers. In the enumeration in 1 Chronicles 26:7, the omission of the ו cop. with אחיו אלזבד is strange; probably we must supply ו before both words, and take them thus: And Elzabad and his brethren, valiant men, (viz.) Elihu and Semachiah. For the conjecture that the names of the אחיו are not given (Berth.) is not a very probable one.