_to oversee the work_] It is true that there were some Temple servants subordinate to the Levites――see note on the _Nethinim_, ix. 2. But the duty of the Levites was to perform the work of the Temple (as is said e.g. in verses 24, 28), not to act as overseers of the work of others. It is therefore to be inferred that the “work” spoken of here and in verse 5 is not the routine duties of the Temple but the work of its construction. Adding the Levites of verse 4 to the officers, doorkeepers, and musicians of verse 5, we have a total of 38,000 overseers: that the number is incredibly large is no objection in Chronicles. _officers and judges_] Compare 2 Chronicles xix. 8, 11. According to Deuteronomy xvii. 9 (compare Deuteronomy xvi. 18) the _harder_ causes were reserved for “the priests the Levites,” ordinary causes being decided by judges who were not Levites. ⁵and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, _said David_, to praise therewith. =5.= _doorkeepers_] The courses and duties of these are given in xxvi. 1‒19. _four thousand praised the LORD_] Compare xxv. 1‒31, which tells of a picked choir consisting of 288 persons, divided into twenty-four courses, whose special duty was psalmody. _the instruments which I made_] Compare 2 Chronicles xxix. 26. =6‒23.= It is natural to expect that twenty-four heads of fathers’ houses will appear in this list (compare note on verse 4), in harmony with the twenty-four courses of priests, of musicians, and of doorkeepers referred to in the chapters following. The present text, however, appears to yield but twenty-two, and the various emendations suggested in order to obtain twenty-four are all precarious. The best suggestion is that of Curtis, for which see note on verse 22. ⁶And David divided them into courses¹ according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹ Hebrew _divisions_. =6.= _the sons of Levi_] Compare vi. 1, 16. ⁷Of the Gershonites; Ladan¹ and Shimei. ⁸The sons of Ladan; Jehiel the chief, and Zetham, and Joel, three. ¹ In chapter vi. 17, _Libni_. =7.= _Ladan and Shimei_] For “Ladan” here and in xxvi. 21 we have in vi. 17 and Exodus vi. 17 “Libni.” ⁹The sons of Shimei; Shelomoth, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ _houses_ of Ladan. =9.= _The sons of Shimei_] This Shimei in distinction from the Shimei of verses 7, 10 might conceivably be a descendant of Ladan, although the relationship is not indicated; but it is more probable that some confusion has come into the text of verses 8, 9, 10――as e.g. that verse 9b “These were ... of Ladan” is a gloss, and that for _Shimei_ in verse 10 we should read _Shelomoth_.