(7) These were the chief.--Genealogically, but not according to the courses, which are in none of the lists complete.

Verse 7. - These were the chief, etc. It may be suspected that this is properly the heading of another list, parallel to that in vers. 12-21, which gave the names of the actual heads of the courses in Jeshua's time.

12:1-26 It is a debt we owe to faithful ministers, to remember our guides, who have spoken to us the word of God. It is good to know what our godly predecessors were, that we may learn what we should be.Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,.... Whose names are among the sealers of the covenant, Nehemiah 10:3. Malluch is afterwards called Melicu, Nehemiah 12:14,

Shechaniah, called Shebaniah, Nehemiah 12:14 and so in Nehemiah 10:4

Rehum, who, by transposition of letters, is Harim, Nehemiah 12:15, and so in Nehemiah 10:5.

Meremoth, called Meraioth, Nehemiah 12:15,

Iddo, Ginnetho, read Ginnethon, Nehemiah 12:16 so in Nehemiah 10:6.

Abijah; there was a course of a priest of this name, of which Zechariah the father of John the Baptist was, Luke 1:5.

Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah; the first two are called Miniamin and Moadiah, Nehemiah 12:17.

Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu; called Sallai, Nehemiah 12:20.

Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah these were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren, in the days of Jeshua; heads of courses; or, however, priests of the greatest note in the times of Jeshua the high priest.