KJV
1 Chronicles 6
1¶ The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
2And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.
3And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
4Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua,
5And Abishua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi,
6And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begat Meraioth,
7Meraioth begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,
8And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahimaaz,
9And Ahimaaz begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Johanan,
10And Johanan begat Azariah, (he [it is] that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:)
11And Azariah begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,
12And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Shallum,
13And Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begat Azariah,
14And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak,
15And Jehozadak went [into captivity], when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
16The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
17And these [be] the names of the sons of Gershom; Libni, and Shimei.
18And the sons of Kohath [were], Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.
19The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And these [are] the families of the Levites according to their fathers.
20Of Gershom; Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,
21Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his son.
22The sons of Kohath; Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,
23Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son,
24Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.
25And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth.
26[As for] Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and Nahath his son,
27Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.
28And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah.
29The sons of Merari; Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzza his son,
30Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.
31¶ And these [are they] whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.
32And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and [then] they waited on their office according to their order.
33And these [are] they that waited with their children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son of Shemuel,
34The son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
35The son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
36The son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
37The son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
38The son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
39And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, [even] Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea,
40The son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchiah,
41The son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
42The son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,
43The son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.
44And their brethren the sons of Merari [stood] on the left hand: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,
45The son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
46The son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shamer,
47The son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.
48Their brethren also the Levites [were] appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.
49But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, [and were appointed] for all the work of the [place] most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.
50And these [are] the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,
51Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
52Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,
53Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.
54¶ Now these [are] their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot.
55And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it.
56But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
57And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah, [namely], Hebron, [the city] of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs,
58And Hilen with her suburbs, Debir with her suburbs,
59And Ashan with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs:
60And out of the tribe of Benjamin; Geba with her suburbs, and Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth with her suburbs. All their cities throughout their families [were] thirteen cities.
61And unto the sons of Kohath, [which were] left of the family of that tribe, [were cities given] out of the half tribe, [namely, out of] the half [tribe] of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities.
62And to the sons of Gershom throughout their families out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.
63Unto the sons of Merari [were given] by lot, throughout their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
64And the children of Israel gave to the Levites [these] cities with their suburbs.
65And they gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which are called by [their] names.
66And [the residue] of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim.
67And they gave unto them, [of] the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; [they gave] also Gezer with her suburbs,
68And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs,
69And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs:
70And out of the half tribe of Manasseh; Aner with her suburbs, and Bileam with her suburbs, for the family of the remnant of the sons of Kohath.
71Unto the sons of Gershom [were given] out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs:
72And out of the tribe of Issachar; Kedesh with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs,
73And Ramoth with her suburbs, and Anem with her suburbs:
74And out of the tribe of Asher; Mashal with her suburbs, and Abdon with her suburbs,
75And Hukok with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs:
76And out of the tribe of Naphtali; Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon with her suburbs, and Kirjathaim with her suburbs.
77Unto the rest of the children of Merari [were given] out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmon with her suburbs, Tabor with her suburbs:
78And on the other side Jordan by Jericho, on the east side of Jordan, [were given them] out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with her suburbs, and Jahzah with her suburbs,
79Kedemoth also with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs:
80And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
81And Heshbon with her suburbs, and Jazer with her suburbs.
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Aaron: Children of 1 Chronicles 6:3
The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Aaron: Descendants of 1 Chronicles 6:3–15, 50–53
The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. / Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas was the father of Abishua, / Abishua was the father of Bukki, Bukki was the father of Uzzi,
Aaron: Lineage of 1 Chronicles 6:2, 3
The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. / The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Abdon: A Levitical City 1 Chronicles 6:74
From the tribe of Asher they were given Mashal, Abdon,
Abia: Son of Samuel 1 Chronicles 6:28
The sons of Samuel: Joel his firstborn and Abijah his second son.
Abishua: A High Priest 1 Chronicles 6:4
Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas was the father of Abishua,
Adaiah: A Musician 1 Chronicles 6:41
the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
Ahimaaz: Son of Zadok, the High Priest--Loyal to David 1 Chronicles 6:8, 9, 53
Ahitub was the father of Zadok, Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz, / Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah, Azariah was the father of Johanan, / Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.
Ahimoth: A Levite 1 Chronicles 6:25
The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth,
Ahitub: The Ahitub Mentioned In 1 Chronicles 6:8, 11, 12
Ahitub was the father of Zadok, Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz, / Azariah was the father of Amariah, Amariah was the father of Ahitub, / Ahitub was the father of Zadok, Zadok was the father of Shallum,
Ain: A City of Simeon: Also Called Ashan 1 Chronicles 6:59
Ashan, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh, together with their pasturelands.
Ajalon: A City of Dan: Assigned to the Levites. a City of Refuge 1 Chronicles 6:69
Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon, together with their pasturelands.
Alemeth: A Levitical City 1 Chronicles 6:60
And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families.
Almon: Called Alemeth 1 Chronicles 6:60
And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families.
Amariah: A High Priest, Father of Ahitub 1 Chronicles 6:11
Azariah was the father of Amariah, Amariah was the father of Ahitub,
Amariah: Two Levites 1 Chronicles 6:7, 52
Meraioth was the father of Amariah, Amariah was the father of Ahitub, / Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,
Amasai: A Levite and Ancestor of Samuel 1 Chronicles 6:25, 35
The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth, / the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
Amaziah: A Levite 1 Chronicles 6:45
the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
Amminadab: A Son of Kohath 1 Chronicles 6:22
The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,
Amram: Father of Moses 1 Chronicles 6:3, 18
The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. / The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
Amzi: A Levite 1 Chronicles 6:46
the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer,
Anathoth: City of Refuge in Benjamin 1 Chronicles 6:60
And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families.
Anem: A Levitical City 1 Chronicles 6:73
Ramoth, and Anem, together with their pasturelands.
Aner: A Levitical City of Manasseh 1 Chronicles 6:70
And from the half-tribe of Manasseh the remaining clans of the Kohathites were given Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands.
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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
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1 Chronicles 6:1-999 Chapter 6
Genealogies. --We have an account of Levi in this chapter. The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites, to preserve their descent clear, and to be able to prove it; because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. Now, the Spirit of God calls ministers to their work, without any limit as to the families they came from; and then, as now, though believers and ministers may be very useful to the church, none but our great High Priest can make atonement for sin, nor can any be accepted but through his atonement.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
Historical, contextual, and verse-level study notes for deeper biblical exploration.
1 Chronicles 6:5 Line of the Priests.
Uzzi--It is supposed that, in his days, the high priesthood was, for unrecorded reasons, transferred from Eleazar's family to Ithamar's, in which it continued for several generations.
1 Chronicles 6:10 Line of the Priests.
he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem--It is doubtful whether the person in favor of whom this testimony is borne be Johanan or Azariah. If the former, he is the same as Jehoiada, who rendered important public services (2Ki 11:1-20); if the latter, it refers to the worthy and independent part he acted in resisting the unwarrantable encroachments of Uzziah (2Ch 26:17). in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem--described in this particular manner to distinguish it from the second temple, which was in existence at the time when this history was written.
1 Chronicles 6:14 Line of the Priests.
Azariah begat Seraiah--He filled the supreme pontifical office at the destruction of Jerusalem, and, along with his deputy and others, he was executed by Nebuchadnezzar's orders at Riblah (2Ki 25:18, 21). The line of high priests, under the first temple, which from Zadok amounted to twelve, terminated with him. 16-48. The sons of Levi; Gershom, &c.--This repetition (see 1Ch 6:1) is made, as the historian here begins to trace the genealogy of the Levitical families who were not priests. The list is a long one, comprising the chiefs or heads of their several families until David's reign, who made a new and different classification of them by courses.
1 Chronicles 6:20 Line of the Priests.
Zimmah his son--his grandson (1Ch 6:42).
1 Chronicles 6:24 Line of the Priests.
Uriel--or Zephaniah (1Ch 6:36).
1 Chronicles 6:27 Line of the Priests.
Elkanah--the father of the prophet Samuel (1Sa 1:1).
1 Chronicles 6:28 Line of the Priests.
the sons of Samuel--The sons of Samuel are here named Vashni and Abiah. The first-born is called Joel (1Sa 8:2); and this name is given to him in 1Ch 6:33. It is now generally thought by the best critics that, through an error of the copyists, an omission has been made of the oldest son's name, and that Vashni, which is not the name of a person, merely signifies "and the second." This critical emendation of the text makes all clear, as well as consistent with other passages relating to the family of Samuel.
1 Chronicles 6:32 Line of the Priests.
before the dwelling-place, &c.--that is, in the tent which David had erected for receiving the ark after it was removed from the house of Obed-edom [2Sa 6:17]. This was a considerable time before the temple was built. they waited on their office according to their order--which David, doubtless by the direction of the Holy Spirit, had instituted for the better regulation of divine worship.
1 Chronicles 6:33 Line of the Priests.
Shemuel--that is, Samuel. This is the exact representation of the Hebrew name.
1 Chronicles 6:39 Line of the Priests.
his brother Asaph--They were brothers naturally, both being descended from Levi, as well as officially, both being of the Levitical order.
1 Chronicles 6:42 Line of the Priests.
Ethan--or Jeduthun (1Ch 9:16; 2Ch 35:15).
1 Chronicles 6:48 Line of the Priests.
Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service--Those of them who were endowed with musical tastes and talents were employed in various other departments of the temple service.
1 Chronicles 6:49 Office of Aaron and His Sons.
But Aaron and his sons offered, &c.--The office and duties of the high priests having been already described, the names of those who successively filled that important office are recorded.
1 Chronicles 6:60 Office of Aaron and His Sons.
thirteen cities--No more than eleven are named here; but two additional ones are mentioned (Jos 21:16, 17), which makes up the thirteen.
1 Chronicles 6:61 Office of Aaron and His Sons.
unto the sons of Kohath, which were left--that is, in addition to the priests belonging to the same family and tribe of Levi. by lot, ten cities--(Jos 21:26). The sacred historian gives an explanation (1Ch 6:66). Eight of these are mentioned, but only two of them are taken out of the half tribe of Manasseh (1Ch 6:70). The names of the other two are given (Jos 21:21), where full and detailed notices of these arrangements may be found.
1 Chronicles 6:62 Office of Aaron and His Sons.
to the sons of Gershom--Supply "the children of Israel gave." 67-81. they gave unto them of the cities of refuge--The names of the cities given here are considerably different from those applied to them (Jos 21:13-19). In the lapse of centuries, and from the revolutions of society, changes might have been expected to take place in the form or dialectic pronunciation of the names of those cities; and this will sufficiently account for the variations that are found in the lists as enumerated here and in an earlier book. As to these cities themselves that were assigned to the Levites, they were widely remote and separated--partly in fulfilment of Jacob's prophecy (Ge 49:7), and partly that the various districts of the country might obtain a competent supply of teachers who might instruct the people in the knowledge, and animate them to the observance, of a law which had so important a bearing on the promotion both of their private happiness and their national prosperity.