And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;
Ver. 28. That had separated themselves] In St Paul's sense, 2 Corinthians 6:17, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate," &c., from such stand off; stand up from the dead; save yourselves from this untoward generation, shun their sins, lest ye share in their plagues. These holy separates, or proselytes, sealed the covenant, and became free denizens of the commonwealth of Israel; having right to all God's ordinances, Exodus 12:48. Such were Araunah, the Jebusite, 2 Samuel 24:18,25; Jether, the Ishmaelite, 1 Chronicles 7:17, with 2 Samuel 17:25; those, Acts 2:10; the Jews called them Advenas Iustitiae. Newcomers of justice. Diodati interpreteth this text of such Jews as were come again out of Babylon, to serve the Lord, according to his law. Others of such as had separated themselves from their heathen wives and children.
Their wives, their sons, and their daughters] These also were then, and still may be, covenanters, as partakers of the benefit, 1Ti 6:2 and heirs together of the grace of life, 1 Peter 3:7 .
Every one having knowledge] Of their own misery by sin, and of the great mystery of godliness.