are spoken of, the author seizes every opportunity to tell of the musicians and doorkeepers, their duties at the celebration of the great festivals, and their classification. He speaks of the musicians, 1Ch 6:16., 1Ch 9:14-16, 1Ch 9:33; 1Ch 15:16-22, 1Ch 15:27., 16:4-42; 1Ch 23:5, 1Ch 23:25; 2Ch 5:12., 2Ch 7:6; 2Ch 8:14., 2Ch 20:19, 2Ch 20:21; 2Ch 23:13, 2Ch 23:18; 2Ch 29:25-28, 2Ch 29:30; 2Ch 30:21., 2Ch 31:2, 2Ch 31:11-18; 2Ch 34:12; 2Ch 35:15; Ezr 3:10.; Neh 11:17; Neh 12:8, Neh 12:24, Neh 12:27-29, Neh 12:45-47; Neh 13:5. The doorkeepers are mentioned nearly as often, and not seldom in company with the singers: 1Ch 9:17-29; 1Ch 15:18, 1Ch 15:23-24; 1Ch 16:38; 1Ch 23:5; 1Ch 26:1, 1Ch 26:12-19; 2Ch 8:14; 2Ch 23:4, 2Ch 23:19; 2Ch 31:14; 2Ch 34:13; 2Ch 35:15; Ezr 2:42, Ezr 2:70; Ezr 7:7; Ezr 10:24; Neh 7:1, Neh 7:45; Neh 10:29; Neh 11:19; Neh 12:25, Neh 12:45, Neh 12:47; Neh 13:5. Now if these passages be compared, not only are the same expressions met with (e.g., מצלתּים only in Chron., Ezra, and Neh.; המּשׁרר ;.heN and המּשׁררים likewise only in these books, but here very frequently, some twenty-eight times), and also very often in different places the same names (cf. 1Ch 9:17 with Neh 12:25); but everywhere also we can easily trace the same view as to the importance of the musicians and doorkeepers for the public worship, and see that all information respecting them rests upon a very well-defined view of their duties and their position.” But does it follow from this “well-defined view” of the business of the musicians and doorkeepers, that the Chronicle, Ezra, and Nehemiah form a single book? Is this view an idea peculiar to the author of this book? In all the historical books of the Old Testament, from Exodus and Leviticus to Nehemiah, we find the idea that the laying of the sacrifice upon the altar is the business of the priest; but does it follow from that, that all those books were written by one man? But besides this, the representation given by Bertheau is very one-sided. The fact is, that in the Chronicle, and in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, mention is made of the priests just as often as of the Levitical musicians, and oftener than the doorkeepers are spoken of, as will be seen from the proofs brought forward in the following remarks; nor can any trace be discovered of a “fondness” on the part of the chronicler for the musicians and porters. They are mentioned only when the subject demanded that they should be mentioned.
3. As to the language.
- Bertheau himself admits, after the enumeration of a long list of linguistic peculiarities of the Chronicle and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, that all these
