1.
The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Levi. This care to give these genealogies after the captivities was to show that God's promises to preserve the nation would be faithfully kept. Compare Jeremiah 23:5 , Jeremiah 23:6 .
Gershon. Compare Exodus 6:16 . The Western Massorite spelling; the eastern spelling being "Gershom".
Kohath. The second son placed first because Aaron descended from him.
2.
And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.
3.
And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
children = sons.
Aaron, and Moses. One of the six passages where Aaron precedes Moses (1 Chronicles 23:13 .Exodus 6:20 , Exodus 6:26 . Numbers 3:1 ; Numbers 26:59 ).
Nadab, and Abihu. Perished at Sinai for offering "strange fire". See note on Leviticus 10:1 . Compare Numbers 3:4 .Numbers 24:2 .
Eleazar. His line given without a break up to the Captivity. Compare 1 Chronicles 6:15 . In Ezra 7:1-5 an abbreviated genealogy is given. Moses not enumerated here, though a priest (Psalms 99:6 ), because separated for civil government before the appointment of the Levitic priesthood.
4.
Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua,
Phinehas. Compare Exodus 6:25 .Psalms 106:30 . Numbers 25:11 .
5.
And Abishua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi,
6.
And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begat Meraioth,
7.
Meraioth begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,
8.
And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahimaaz,
Zadok. Compare 2 Samuel 8:17 ; 2 Samuel 15:27 . 2Sa 24:3 , 2 Samuel 24:6 , 2Sa 24:31 .
Ahimaaz. Compare 1 Chronicles 6:53 . 2Sa 15:27 , 2 Samuel 15:36 ; 2 Samuel 18:19 , 2 Samuel 18:22 , 2 Samuel 18:27 .
9.
And Ahimaaz begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Johanan,
10.
And Johanan begat Azariah, (he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:)
temple = house.
11.
And Azariah begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,
12.
And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Shallum,
13.
And Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begat Azariah,
Shallum. In Nehemiah 11:11 called Meshullam.
Hilkiah. The high priest in reign of Josiah (2 Kings 22:4 . 2 Chronicles 34:9 ).
14.
And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak,
Seraiah. Carried away by Nebuchadnezzar, and put to death at Riblah (2 Kings 25:18 , 2 Kings 25:21 ).
15.
And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
Jehozadak. The Jozadak was the father of Joshua the high priest, who returned from the Captivity (Ezra 3:2 ; Ezra 5:2 .Nehemiah 12:26 . Haggai 1:1 , Haggai 1:12 .Zechariah 6:11; Zechariah 6:11 ).
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
16.
The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
sons of Levi. These were not high priests.
17.
And these be the names of the sons of Gershom; Libni, and Shimei.
18.
And the sons of Kohath were, Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.
19.
The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers.
20.
Of Gershom; Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,
21.
Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his son.
22.
The sons of Kohath; Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,
Amminadab. His other name was Izhar, verses: 1 Chronicles 6:2 and 1 Chronicles 6:38 .
23.
Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son,
Elkanah. A common Levitical name. Compare verses: 1Ch 6:25 , 1 Chronicles 6:27 .
Assir. Compare Exodus 6:24 .
24.
Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.
25.
And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth.
26.
As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and Nahath his son,
the sons of Elkanah. Some codices, with Septuagint and one early printed edition, omit this second "Elkanah"; the Hebrew reads "his son".
27.
Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.
28.
And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah.
the firstborn Vashni. Compare 1 Samuel 8:2 , where the firstborn's name "came to be" Joel. From 1 Chronicles 6:28 it seems to have been originally Vashni. From 1 Chronicles 6:33 he seems to have had two names.
29.
The sons of Merari; Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzza his son,
30.
Shimea 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.
service = the hands: hands being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for the work done by them.
ark had rest. See 1 Chronicles 16:1 , notes on 1 Chronicles 13:3 , and Exodus 25:22 .
32.
And 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.
dwelling place = tabernacle. Hebrew. mishkan. App-40 .
tabernacle = tent of meeting. Hebrew. 'ohel-moed. App-40 .
33.
And 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,
waited-stood. children = sons.
Heman, &c. = Heman the singer, Samuel's grandson. See 1Ch 15:17-19 ; 1 Chronicles 25:1-6 . Compare 1 Kings 4:31 , and see his name in the Psalm titles ( App-63 .)
Joel. See note on 1 Chronicles 6:28 .
Shemuel = Samuel. Twenty-one generations given.
34.
The son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
35.
The son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
36.
The son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
37.
The son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
38.
The son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
Israel. Traced back to fountain head.
39.
And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea,
his brother Asaph: i.e. his brother in service. Fifteen generations.
40.
The son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchiah,
Baaseiah. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "Maaseiah".
41.
The son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
42.
The son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,
Ethan. The same as Jeduthun (1 Chronicles 9:16 ; 1Ch 16:41 ; 1 Chronicles 25:1 . 2 Chronicles 35:15 ). Fourteen generations.
43.
The son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.
44.
And their brethren the sons of Merari stood on the left hand: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,
their brethren. Heman, from Kohath (Levi's second son); Asaph, from Gershom (Levi's eldest son); Ethan, from Merari (Levi's youngest son).
Merari. The youngest son of Levi (Exodus 6:16 ).
45.
The son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
46.
The son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shamer,
47.
The son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.
48.
Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.
all manner of service. Compare 1 Chronicles 23 .
God. Hebrew. ha-'Elohim ( App-4 ), the [Triune] God
49.
But 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.
Aaron and his sons. Compare Numbers 18:1-7 . Leviticus 8:2 . This refutes the assertions of some that the kings of Judah were allowed to offer sacrifices or burn incense. Compare 1 Kings 8:64 .
offered = burnt incense. Hebrew. katar. App-43 . Compare Leviticus 1:9 .
altar of incense. Compare Exodus 30:7 .
most holy = holy of holies. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
Moses the servant of God. This expression occurs only four times: here, 2 Chronicles 24:9 . Nehemiah 10:29 , and Daniel 9:11 . For other titles descriptive of Moses, as a servant, see notes on Exodus 14:31 .Numbers 12:7 . Deuteronomy 34:5 .Deuteronomy 34:1 K i ngs 1Ch 8:63 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
50.
And these are the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,
these. Restating by way of summary.
51.
Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
52.
Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,
53.
Zadok 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.
their dwelling places. Compare Joshua 21:4-42 . This was the basis of their claim for reinstatement after their return from Babylon. Probably many of these places had changed their names in spelling or otherwise since those days. This accounts for all the variations.
castles = districts.
coasts = borders.
was the lot. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ): "was the [first] lot".
55.
And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it.
suburbs = pasture land (as distinguished from "field" or arable land). So throughout the rest of this chapter. See 1 Chronicles 6:56 .
56.
But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
57.
And 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,
58.
And Hilen with her suburbs, Debir with her suburbs,
Hilen = Holon of Joshua 21:15 . Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "Helez".
59.
And Ashan with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs:
60.
And 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.
61.
And 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.
62.
And 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.
63.
Unto 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.
64.
And the children of Israel gave to the Levites these cities with their suburbs.
65.
And 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.
66.
And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim.
And the residue. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ) thus: "[as for some] of the families", &c.
cities of their coasts = the cities of their lot. Compare Joshua 21:20 .
67.
And they gave unto them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs,
mount = hill country of.
Qezer. See note on 1 Kings 9:15-17 .
68.
And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs,
69.
And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs:
70.
And 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.
71.
Unto 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:
72.
And out of the tribe of Issachar; Kedesh with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs,
73.
And Ramoth with her suburbs, and Anem with her suburbs:
74.
And out of the tribe of Asher; Mashal with her suburbs, and Abdon with her suburbs,
75.
And Hukok with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs:
76.
And out of the tribe of Naphtali; Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon with her suburbs, and Kirjathaim with her suburbs.
77.
Unto the rest of the children of Merari were given out of the tribe of Zebulun. Rimmon with her suburbs, Tabor with her suburbs:
the rest of = those remaining from.
78.
And 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,
79.
Kedemoth also with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs:
80.
And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
81.
And Heshbon with her suburbs, and Jazer with her suburbs.