'Class' in the Bible
These men were the ones called from the congregation, the leaders of their fathers’ (ancestors’) tribes; they were the heads of thousands [the highest ranking officers] in Israel.”
Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and set up priests from every class of people who were not Levites.
After all this Jeroboam did not repent of his evil way but again set up priests for the high places from every class of people. He ordained whoever so desired it, and they became priests of the high places.
When Jehu came out to the servants of his master, one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this madman come to you?” And he said to them, “You know [very well] the man and his talk.”
and with them their relatives of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
Jahath was the first and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they became a father’s household, one class.
He who robs his father or his motherAnd says, “This is no sin,”Is [not only a thief but also] the companion of a man who destroys.
There is a generation (class of people) that curses its fatherAnd does not bless its mother.
There is a generation (class of people) that is pure in its own eyes,Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
There is a generation (class of people)—oh, how lofty are their eyes!And their eyelids are raised in arrogance.
There is a generation (class of people) whose teeth are like swordsAnd whose jaw teeth are like knives,To devour the afflicted from the earthAnd the needy from among men.
Then Nebuzaradan the [chief executioner and] captain of the bodyguard took the rest of the people who remained in the city, along with those who had deserted and surrendered to him, and the rest of the [so-called better class of] people who were left and carried them into exile in Babylon.
Then all the army officers, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah and all the people of every class, went to the prophet Jeremiah.
So Jeremiah summoned Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him and all the people of every class.
I will see to it that all the Judean remnant that was determined to go and live in the land of Egypt will be destroyed. Here in the land of Egypt they will fall in battle or perish from starvation. People of every class will die in war or from starvation. They will become an object of horror and ridicule, an example of those who have been cursed and that people use in pronouncing a curse.
Woe to those who live in ease in Zion, to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria. They think of themselves as the elite class of the best nation. The family of Israel looks to them for leadership.
There was in the time of Herod, the king of Judaea, a priest of the name of Zechariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife who was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,
We would not dare put ourselves in the same class with, or compare ourselves to, those who recommend themselves. Whenever they measure themselves by their own standards or compare themselves among themselves, they show how foolish they are.