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Created 5928± 06 26 2024 [2008-9-27]
Updated 5940(?) 05 22 2026 [2010-08-03]
24 Courses of Priests and Levites
Facts and Considerations re the Timing of Each of
their
Abstract:
As referenced below there are some things that are
known to me re the timing of the 24 courses of priests and Levites servicing
the temple throughout the year, but at this point I find that I do not have the
conclusive answers to some important details of timing that are of importance
before a firm dating can be ascertained re the course of Abijah and the
birth of John the Baptist referenced in Luke 1:5, 23 and re the plucking of
grain by Yeshua and his disciples on the Second-First Shabbat referenced in
Luke 6:1. For instance, I have not found a firm date for the beginning of the 1st
course and I have not found any firm statements re how the three annual Feasts
were being handled.
Nevertheless, based upon the facts of the matter
available, perhaps my attempt to reconstruct the timing of the temple services
of each of the 24 courses may still be more or less accurate?...
. . . . . . .
Notwithstanding any of the above or below said, after
long time consideration, I believe the simple and straightforward answer to
each and all questions re the within matter, is as follows:
The month given the name “the First Moon,” i.e. Aviv,
as in the Hebrew word ‘rishon,’ meaning ‘foremost,’ is the month being used for
tuning each and every year to the seasons, and without fail. It stands to
reason that “the First Course” is the one beginning in the month with the same
name.
The focal point of Month #1 is the aviv, and the focal
point of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is the Seventh-day Sabbath upon which, in
the very middle of the 24 hours, that is, in the early morning of the Sabbath,
the sacrifice of the Omer is being brought. This Sabbath is the foundation of
the entire calendar, it is the base upon which all of the remainder of the Count
of Omer rests. It is the accession day before the subsequent seven weeks where
the Seventh Shabbat constitutes the Feast of Sabbaths, that is, the Day of
Pentecost. In the count of fifty it is itself both the first and the fiftieth
day.
It is only self-evident that the first-first Course of
Priests begin their service at the beginning of the Sabbath of the Omer and
continue until and including the next Sabbath. I don’t find any mention in the
Scriptures for any complicated splitting of services over two weeks due to
whichever Feast Days when priests from other courses join in as needed, and I
don’t believe there is any reason for thus complicating the schedule or the
reckoning of courses. Thusly numbering the courses of priests, there will be
full harmony between the numbers assigned to the weeks of Omer and the numbered
Courses of Priests. No reason for confusion!... Thus, the 1st Course
of Priests do their duty through the end of the 1st Sabbath cycle,
the 2nd Course of Priests do their duty through the end of the 2nd
Sabbath cycle, etc., even through the end of the 24th Sabbath cycle.
When the 24th Course of Priests have completed their course, they
are replaced by the 1st Course. What could be more natural? When this
happens to coincide with the last week before the First-First or the
Second-First Course, then so be it! Isn’t their time cut short anyhow by an
intermediary seven days of either the Feast of Unleavened Bread or of the Feast
of Tabernacles?! No need for feeling robbed of a blessing or for having to
serve double duty, is there? Some will be more blessed than others perhaps,
that is, when there is an extra leap month added to the year. But then, isn’t
it only good that some are getting extra training for matters of special
importance?!!!
The Second-First course would naturally begin their
service at the beginning of the Seventh-day Sabbath within the Feast of
Tabernacles, thus mirroring the procedure during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
. . . . . . .
Naturally, these last considerations above resolves
any and all matters re dating, e.g. the 8th course of Abijah, and
the Second-First Sabbath, etc…
Considerations:
Luke 1:5 (KJV) "There
was in the days of Herod, the king of
Luke 1:23 (TLT)
AndG2532 it came to pass,G1096 that, in that mannerG5613 were concludedG4130 theG3588 daysG2250 of hisG846 ministrationG3009 and he
departedG565 toG1519 his ownG848 house.G3624
Luke 1:23 (KJV)
AndG2532 it came to pass,G1096 that,
as soon asG5613 theG3588 daysG2250 of hisG846
ministrationG3009 were accomplished,G4130 he
departedG565 toG1519 his ownG848 house.G3624
Luk 6:1(KJV) “And it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the first,
that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of
corn, and did eat…”
The priests followed an annual service calendar
established since the days of king David and Samuel, the prophet. Each family
of priests was on duty at the temple one certain eight day period every
semi-year, from Sabbath to Sabbath [i.e. from sunset one Friday until darkness
eight days later:]
“David… divided them also into courses: and
when he had separated the priests from them, he found of these priests
twenty-four courses, sixteen of the house of Eleazar, and eight of that of
Ithamar; and he ordained that one course should minister to God eight days,
from sabbath to sabbath. And thus were the courses distributed by lot, in
the presence of David, and Zadok and Abiathar the high priests, and of all the
rulers; and that course which came up first was written down as the first, and
accordingly the second, and so on to the twenty-fourth; and this partition
hath remained to this day. He also made twenty-four parts of the tribe of
Levi; and when they cast lots, they came up in the same manner for their
courses of eight days.” (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 7,
Chapter 14:7. Cf. Josephus, The life of Flavius Josephus, paragraph #1.
Cf. also Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: 2 Kings 11:4-12; 1 Chr
24:1-19.)
The priests
were divided into twenty-four courses, and a full and accurate record was made
regarding this division. Each course was thoroughly organized under its chief,
and each was to come to
The
Levites, whose duty it was to assist in the sanctuary service, were organized
and allotted their part with similar precision (RH Oct. 5, 1905). {3BC 1128.5}
Considering the fact that the exact beginning of the
biblical year is uncertain until aviv [a stage of ripening of the barley] is ascertained
before the observation of the new moon crescent it cannot be that the first
course begins until, at the very earliest, the beginning of the first Shabbat within,
and following the beginning of, the First Moon [Abib / Nisan] each year. [I.e.
apparently contrary to the statement of Earnest L. Martin that the first course
began within the last Shabbat of the preceding month (cf. Earnest
L. Martin, “The Star that Astonished the World,” chapter 5, Part 1 & 2.) However, notice below how that the first course
does very likely begin with the Shabbat immediately preceding the partial week
prior to the Feast of Unleavened bread and end with the partial week following
the Feast of Unleavened Bread and that by so doing the first course does very
likely span the beginning of the half year corresponding to the beginning on
the Eighth Day, i.e. the half year beginning with Aviv 22.]
In fact, I find it reasonable to conclude that the
first course was delayed until the second Shabbat of Aviv in order to give the
priests of the 1st course at least a seven days advance notice lest
otherwise some years they may end up having absolutely no advance notice of the
exact time at all, i.e. before the beginning of their appointment. I believe
that a second Shabbat start – or possibly even the first Shabbat following the
Shabbat of the Omer sacrifice and after the end of the Feast of Unleavened
Bread - is also suggested by the Torah instructions for Aviv 10 as well as also
by the date given in Ezekiel 40:1 in conjunction with Ezekiel 43:18-27 &
45:18-23. That the first course of the first cycle of the twenty-four courses
began in Aviv and not at the time of the biblical new year beginning with the
Eight Day following the Feast of Tabernacles should be clear from Exodus 40:2,
13-16, though apparently this arrangement of twenty-four courses was
established by Samuel and king David (1 Chr 9:22) and then reestablished by
Ezra (Ezra 2:36-39. Cf. also 1 Chr. 27:1-2.)
It seems likely to me that Earnest L. Martin’s statements re skipping
course counts during the Feast days and extra Shabbats have a basis in fact and
that all the priest families cooperated in the services during those special
times of the year (cf. 2 Chr. 5:11:
“for all the priests that were present
were sanctified, and did not then wait by course”
and Acts 13:42:
“The nextG3342 Sabbath” being better translated “the betwixt
Sabbath;”
Strong’s G3342:
“From G3326 and a
form of G4862; betwixt (of place or person); (of time) as
adjective intervening, or (by implication) adjoining.”)
It stands to reason that the family of priests
responsible for the partial week beginning prior to the Feast of Unleavened
Bread would complete their service by serving also the partial week following
the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It remains to be determined
for certain whether those days of service before and after said feast were
accomplished by the 1st course or by the course currently serving at
the tail end of the second cycle of courses.
Re the subsequent feasts and extra Shabbats of the
year: If the entire 7th week (1st through 7th
Day) of the 49/50 day Count of Omer and the first three weeks of the 7th
moon, i.e. beginning with the Day of Trumpets and including also the Day of
At-One-Meant and the First through Seventh Days of Tabernacles, are also
considered Betwixt Shabbats, then I find that there would be exactly five weeks
of temple service covered by all the families of priests jointly, thus leaving
24 complete weeks of temple service into the hands of the twenty-four families
of priests and Levites [7 moons x 29.5 days = 29.5 weeks] until the 1st
course would begin their second cycle of service in the Eighth Moon. I find it
likely that each of the 24 courses would be completed in the first cycle before
the beginning of the second cycle lest otherwise the first course of priests
would always be faced with that same uncertainty and minimal advance notice,
and also lest the 24th course, and perhaps even the 23rd
course, might otherwise in some years have no service at all either in the
first or second cycle of courses. Accordingly and until I find further info re
this matter I see the following as a likely arrangement (the 2nd
most likely arrangement being also indicated within the first three items in
the list below:)
One
cycle (the 1st?) of 24 courses – Aviv thru Tishri:
1st
course (or, alternatively, the course currently serving at the tail end of the
second cycle?:) From the beginning of
the 2nd Shabbat of Aviv (First-First Shabbat?) through the end of
the 4th Shabbat of Aviv (1st Shabbat of Omer) and
skipping the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
2nd
course (or, alternatively, the 1st course?:) From the beginning of the 4th Shabbat
(First-Second Shabbat?) of the sacred year (Aviv through Adar) through the end
of the 5th Shabbat of the sacred year (2nd Shabbat of
Omer).
3rd
course (…2nd course etc.?:)
From the beginning of the 5th Shabbat (First-Third Shabbat?) of the
sacred year through the end of the 6th Shabbat of the sacred year (3rd
Shabbat of Omer).
4th
course: From the beginning of the 6th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 7th Shabbat of the
sacred year (4th Shabbat of Omer).
5th
course: From the beginning of the 7th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 8th Shabbat of the
sacred year (5th Shabbat of Omer).
6th
course: From the beginning of the 8th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 9th Shabbat of the
sacred year (6th Shabbat of Omer).
7th
course: From the beginning of the 9th
Shabbat of the sacred year, skipping the 7th week of Omer, then
continuing through the end of the 11th Shabbat of the sacred year (1st
Shabbat after Pentecost).
8th
course (or, alternatively, the 7th course?:) From the beginning of the 11th Shabbat of
the sacred year through the end of the 12th Shabbat of the sacred
year.
9th
course (or, alternatively, the 8th course?:): From the beginning of the 12th Shabbat of the
sacred year through the end of the 13th Shabbat of the sacred year.
10th
course: From the beginning of the 13th Shabbat of
the sacred year through the end of the 14th Shabbat of the sacred
year.
11th
course: From the beginning of the 14th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 15th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
12th
course: From the beginning of the 15th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 16th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
13th
course: From the beginning of the 16th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 17th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
14th
course: From the beginning of the 17th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 18th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
15th
course: From the beginning of the 18th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 19th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
16th
course: From the beginning of the 19th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 20th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
17th
course: From the beginning of the 20th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 21st Shabbat of
the sacred year.
18th
course: From the beginning of the 21st
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 22nd Shabbat of
the sacred year.
19th
course: From the beginning of the 22nd
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 23rd Shabbat of
the sacred year.
20th
course: From the beginning of the 23rd
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 24th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
21st
course: From the beginning of the 24th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 25th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
22nd
course: From the beginning of the 25th
Shabbat of the sacred year until the 1st day of the Seventh Moon
(when the 26th Shabbat falls in the Seventh Moon) and then, skipping
the first three weeks of the Seventh Moon, continuing with (or after?) the 8th
Day and through the end of the subsequent Shabbat, i.e. through the 29th
Shabbat of the sacred year aka. the 1st Shabbat of the biblical
year, or else (when the 26th Shabbat falls in the Sixth Moon)
through the end of the 26th Shabbat of the sacred year.
23rd
course: If not within the Seventh Moon, from the beginning of
the 26th Shabbat of the sacred year until the 1st day of
the Seventh Moon and then, skipping the first three weeks of the Seventh Moon,
continuing with (or after?) the 8th Day and through the end of the
subsequent Shabbat, i.e. through the 30th Shabbat of the sacred year
aka. the 1st Shabbat of the biblical year, or else (when the 26th
Shabbat falls in the Seventh Moon) from the 29th Shabbat of the
sacred year through the end of the 30th Shabbat of the sacred year.
24th
course: From the beginning of the 30th
Shabbat (First-Twenty-fourth Shabbat?) of the sacred year through the end of
the 31st Shabbat of the sacred year.
The other (2nd?) cycle of 24 courses: End
of Tishri or early Chesron thru Adar:
As stated above I believe it is most
likely that this cycle of courses did not begin until the completion of the 24th
course of the preceding cycle regardless of the beginning of the biblical year.
But which cycle of courses was reckoned as the first cycle and which one was
the second? Cf. Luke 6:1: “σαββατωG4521 N-DSN δευτεροπρωτωG1207 A-DSN.” Can we be certain? [Doubtful
alternate: 1st course: From the beginning
of the 1st Shabbat after the end of the Feast of Tabernacles and the
Eight Day.]
1st
course (or, alternatively, the 24th course of the 1st
cycle?:): From the beginning of the 31st
Shabbat (Second-First Shabbat?) of the sacred year through the end of the 32nd
Shabbat of the sacred year.
2nd
course (or, alternatively, the 1st course?:): From the beginning of the 32nd Shabbat of
the sacred year through the end of the 33rd Shabbat of the sacred
year.
3rd
course: From the beginning of the 33rd
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 34th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
4th
course: From the beginning of the 34th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 35th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
5th
course: From the beginning of the 35th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 36th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
6th
course: From the beginning of the 36th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 37th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
7th
course: From the beginning of the 37th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 38th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
8th
course: From the beginning of the 38th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 39th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
9th
course: From the beginning of the 39th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 40th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
10th
course: From the beginning of the 40th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 41st Shabbat of
the sacred year.
11th
course: From the beginning of the 41st
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 42nd Shabbat of
the sacred year.
12th
course: From the beginning of the 42nd
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 43rd Shabbat of
the sacred year.
13th
course: From the beginning of the 43rd
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 44th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
14th
course: From the beginning of the 44th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 45th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
15th
course: From the beginning of the 45th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 46th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
16th
course: From the beginning of the 46th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 47th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
17th
course: From the beginning of the 47th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 48th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
18th
course: From the beginning of the 48th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 49th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
19th
course: From the beginning of the 49th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 50th Shabbat of
the sacred year.
20th
course: From the beginning of the 50th
Shabbat of the sacred year through the end of the 51st Shabbat of
the sacred year.
21st
course: From the beginning of the 51st
Shabbat of the sacred year through the
end of the 2nd Shabbat of Aviv or else through the end of the
52nd Shabbat of the sacred year, whichever one comes first.
22nd
course: From the beginning of the 52nd
Shabbat of the sacred year through the
end of the 2nd Shabbat of Aviv or else through the end of the
53rd Shabbat of the sacred year, whichever one comes first.
23rd
course: From the beginning of the 53rd
Shabbat of the sacred year through the
end of the 2nd Shabbat of Aviv or else through the end of the
54th Shabbat of the sacred year, whichever one comes first.
24th course: From the beginning of the 54th Shabbat of
the sacred year through the end of the
2nd Shabbat of Aviv.
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