For an understanding of the subsequent
development this is very important, in so far as it shows how the
position of the Levites outside of Jerusalem was threatened by
the centralisation of the worship. In point of fact, the good
intention of the Deuteronomist proved impossible of realisation;
with the high places fell also the priests of the high places.
In so far as they continued to have any part at all in the sacred
service, they had to accept a position of subordination under
the sons of Zadok (2Kings xxiii. 9). Perhaps Graf was correct
in referring to this the prophecy of 1Samuel ii. 36 according
to which the descendants of the fallen house of Eli are to come
to the firmly established regius priest, to beg for an alms,
or to say, "Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices,
that I may eat a piece of bread:" that historically the deposed
Levites had no very intimate connection with those ancient
companions in misfortune is no serious objection to such an
interpretation in the case of a post-Deuteronomic writer.
In this way arose as an illegal consequence of Josiah's
reformation, the distinction between priests and Levites.
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