📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 24:2
What does 1 Chronicles 24:2 mean?
"But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office."
— 1 Chronicles 24:2 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office.
David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their ordering in their service.
There were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and they were divided like this: of the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen, heads of fathers’ houses; and of the sons of Ithamar, according to their fathers’ houses, eight.
Thus were they divided impartially by drawing lots; for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
Explanation
This verse gives a brief historical footnote within a longer genealogical record: Aaron had four sons—Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar—but only two of them, Eleazar and Ithamar, actually carried on the priestly line and served in that office. Nadab and Abihu died before their father Aaron did, and since they left no sons behind, the priesthood could not continue through them. The task of organizing and performing priestly duties therefore fell to their younger brothers and, through them, to all their descendants.
The book of 1 Chronicles was written, according to Jewish and Christian tradition, by
Compare translations
Go deeper with ScriptureCompanion AI
Ask questions about any verse, follow reading plans, write personal prayers, and track your daily habit — all grounded in verified scripture text.