the ruler of the house of God] This title could perhaps be borne by the high-priest (2 Chronicles xxxi. 10, 13), but in any case it was not confined to him (2 Chronicles xxxv. 8, where several such “rulers” are mentioned; compare also Jeremiah xx. 1; Acts iv. 1).
¹²and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;
12. Malchijah] The name of the fifth course; xxiv. 9.
Maasai] The reading of Nehemiah xi. 13 Amashsai is corrupt. The form given in Chronicles is open to suspicion. Probably the true reading is lost.
Adiel] In Nehemiah Azareel.
Immer] The name of the sixteenth course; xxiv. 14.
¹³and their brethren, heads of their fathers’ houses, a thousand and seven hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
13. a thousand and seven hundred and threescore] Only the five “courses” of priests mentioned above (viz. Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin, verse 10, and Malchijah and Immer, verse 12) seem to be included in this reckoning. Some commentators, however, regard Azariah (= Seraiah) in verse 11 as the name of a new course, which took the place of one of the courses reckoned in xxiv. 7–18. If this be right we have here the sum of six courses.
In Nehemiah xi. 12–14 the number of the priests is given on a different plan; eight hundred and twenty-two “did the work of the house”; two hundred and forty-two were “chiefs of fathers’ houses”; an hundred and twenty-eight were “mighty men of valour.” The total falls far short of the thousand and seven hundred and threescore of Chronicles We have not sufficient data on which to base any explanation of the different totals.
very able men] The Hebrew is the same as in Nehemiah xi. 14 and is usually rendered mighty men of valour. The sense, however, is no doubt correctly given by Revised Version very able, or efficient. Compare 2 Chronicles xxvi. 17.