Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

B-Hebrew haburim:

This phrase, ובני דוד כהנים היו has always puzzled me. At first blush, it
looks as if it is saying that David’s sons became priests. The problem is
that in Israel’s religion, only the descendants of Aaron may become priests,
so on the surface that seems to be an unlikely reading.

Possible resolutions:

כהנים had a broader meaning than just priest as we understand it, the
position taken by the LXX which translated it as αυλαρχαι or palace
officials.

Another possibility is copyist error.

Any other ideas?

What do you all think?

Karl W. Randolph.