(20) Of Gershom.—Literally, to—i.e., belonging to Gershom.
Libni his son.—See Numbers 3:21, “To Gershon, the clan of the Libnite, and the clan of the Shimeite; these are the clans of the Gershonite.”
The names Jahath, Zimmah, and Zerah recur in the line of Asaph, 1 Chronicles 6:41-43 below (see the Note there). Jeaterai, in whom the present series culminates, is wholly unknown. At the time when the list was first drawn up, the name may have represented a famous chieftain or family. It has the ending of a patronymic or gentilic term, and perhaps should be read with different vowels, we ‘Ithrai, or ‘Ithri, “and the Ithrite” (comp. ‘Ishai for Yishai), a clan of which came two of David’s heroes (1 Chronicles 11:40).

(24) In the corresponding verse of the genealogy of Heman below (1 Chronicles 6:38) the names are Tahath, Zephaniah, Azariah, and Joel. It is easy to suppose that as the two series diverge after Tahath, Uriel and Zephaniah are two different sons of Tahath. But we notice (1) that Uzziah (1 Chronicles 6:24) may = Azariah, 1 Chronicles 6:36 (comp. King Uzziah—Azariah, 2 Kings 15:1; 2 Chronicles 26:1); (2) that although there is an apparent break between 1 Chronicles 6:24-25, so that a new list begins with the sons of Elkanah (1 Chronicles 6:25), yet 1 Chronicles 6:35-36 speak of an “Amasai, son of Elkanah,” in exact agreement with 1 Chronicles 6:25; and (3) that the correspondence between the two lists (1 Chronicles 6:22-30; 1 Chronicles 6:33-38) is so close, that it is difficult not to assume their substantial identity. Uriel may have been also known as Zephaniah, and Shaul as Joel.

(25) And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai.—See last Note. It is natural to identify the Elkanah of 1 Chronicles 6:36 with this one. The posterity of both are so nearly the same; otherwise we might have taken the present Elkanah for the person mentioned in 1 Chronicles 6:23.

(26) The Hebrew text reads: “Elkanah his son—Elkanah—Zophai his son,” &c. Zophai might mean the Zophite. The LXX. has (1 Chronicles 6:25) “And sons of Elkanah, Amessi and Ahimoth;” (1 Chronicles 6:26) “Elkanah his son, Souphi his son,” &c. So the Syriac. That this is correct appears from comparison of Heman’s pedigree (1 Chronicles 6:35). The second Elkanah in 1 Chronicles 6:26 is therefore an intrusion, due perhaps to some scribe who remembered 1 Samuel 1:1, where Zophim occurs just before Elkanah. In 1 Chronicles 6:35 Elkanah is son of Mahath, son of Amasai. Perhaps Mahath is identical with the Ahimoth of 1 Chronicles 6:25; if so, the true reading of 1 Chronicles 6:25-26 would be: “And sons of Elkanah: Amasai his son, Ahimoth (Mahath) his son, Elkanah his son, Zophai his son,” &c. Zophai is to Zuph (1 Chronicles 6:35) as Chelubai (1 Chronicles 2:9) to Chelub (1 Chronicles 4:11). Nahath looks like a transformation of Toah (1 Chronicles 6:34), and Eliab (1 Chronicles 6:27)—“El is father”—may be a by-form of Eliel (ibid.) “El is el.” Jeroham and Elkanah go back to Eliel in 1 Chronicles 6:34, just as they spring from Eliab here. The two series again coincide.

(28) And the sons of Samuel.—Heb., Shemuel The third break in the Kohathite list.
We see from 1 Chronicles 6:33-34 that Samuel (Shemuel, name of God) is son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham; hence we might suppose that the clause “Samuel his son” has been accidentally omitted at the end of 1 Chronicles 6:27. But it is quite possible that the writer assumed the connection to be too well known to require specification, or that he has here thrown together three independent genealogical fragments. Comp. with 1 Chronicles 6:27-28 the pedigree of Elkanah, 1 Samuel 1:1 : “Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph.” Here again the names vary, yet not so as to obliterate their identity. Elihu (“El is He”) = Eliab, Eliel; Tohu, a fuller form of Toah = Nahath.
The firstborn Vashni, and Abiah.—Vashni is not a proper name, but a corrupt form of the Hebrew phrase “and the second” (shçnî, secundus). The sons of the prophet Samuel were Joel, the firstborn, and Abiah, 1 Samuel 8:2 (see also 1 Chronicles 6:33 below). Joel has fallen out of the text here; it should run, “Joel the firstborn, and the second Abiah.”
Reviewing the Kohathite list (22-28) we conclude that it represents three statistical fragments which have been put in juxtaposition by the chronicler or the author whom he has followed, and that in accordance with the real connection between the members, as appears on comparison with the continuous list which immediately follows in 1 Chronicles 6:33-38. The fact that “Samuel his son” is the missing link between 1 Chronicles 6:27-28, makes it likely that “Elkanah his son” is the true connection between 1 Chronicles 6:24-25.
From Levi to the sons of Samuel about twenty generations are reckoned. Usher’s chronology dates the descent of Jacob and his sons into Egypt at 1706 B.C. Twenty generations are six hundred years. The sons of Samuel would, according to this, be living about 1106 B.C. and later. Ruth 4:18-22 reckons only ten generations from Judah to Jesse, the father of David. This again shows that in their genealogical tables the Hebrews did not uniformly supply every link, but were often content with a statement of the principal names.

(31) Set over the service of song.—Literally, made stand by the sides (hands) of song, as if to minister to the sacred music. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 25:2-3, where the same peculiar phrase recurs, and Psalms 123:2, “as the eyes of slaves are unto the hand of their Lord.” Comp. also the common heading of the Psalms, “to the conductor or precentor;” Authorised Version, “chief musician.”)
In the house of the Lord.—In David’s time, a tent, as next verse declares.
After that the ark had rest.—Perhaps locative: at the restin-place of the Ark (comp. Genesis 8:9). From the time of its capture by the Philistines (2 Samuel 6:17), the Ark had no certain dwelling till it was lodged in the tent which David spread for it on Mount Zion.

(32) And they ministered.—“And they continued ministering, before the dwelling of the Tent of Meeting, with the music.”
The dwelling place of the tabernacle.—A defining genitive, like River of Jordan, or City of Jerusalem. In the court before this sacred dwelling wherein the Lord met His people, the services of sacrifice and song were carried on. The tent of the Ark in the city of David (see 1 Chronicles 16:1) is here called by the old name of the Mosaic Tabernacle, ‘ôhel mô’çd, “tent of tryst, or meeting,” i.e., of God with man. The ancient tent appears to have stood at Shiloh, and at Bethel (Judges 20:26-28) in the days of the Judges, at Nob in the reign of Saul, and later at Gibeon. (See 1 Chronicles 21:29, and 2 Chronicles 1:3.)
Until Solomon had built the house.—The Ark, and the worship of which it was the centre, were then transferred to the more august abode of Solomon’s Temple.
And then they waited.—Omit then and read “and they stood at their service according to their privilege.” The place and precedence of the choirs and their leaders were fixed by David (1 Chronicles 16:37). Standing was the normal posture for singing.

(33) And these are they that waited (stood) with their children.—The main sentence which began at 1 Chronicles 6:31, and was suspended by the parenthetic 1 Chronicles 6:32, is now resumed. The persons meant are the three chiefs of the Levitical guilds of musicians, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan; their “children” are the members of those guilds. (Comp. the phrase, “sons of the prophets,” i.e., members of prophetic guilds, 2 Kings 9:1; Amos 7:14.) 1 Chronicles 25:1-7 supplies the names of the principal “sons” of the three masters. Their Levitical descent is shown in the genealogies here traced up from themselves to Levi. First we have the pedigree of Heman (1 Chronicles 6:33-38) the Kohathite.
Heman a singer.—Rather, the singer or minstrel. Heman, as representing the chief branch of the Levites, is primus inter pares as regards the other master singers. His choir occupied the centre, having on its right that of the Gershonite Asaph, on its left that of the Merarite Ethan (1 Chronicles 6:39; 1 Chronicles 6:44), so that Heman would conduct the whole body of musicians, when the three choirs chanted in concert. The word “minstrel” is more appropriate than “singer” because the original term (ham’shôrçr) implies singing which the singer himself accompanies with an instrument of music. (See 1 Chronicles 25:6; LXX., ὁ ψαλτῳδὸς.)
Son of Joel, the son of Shemuel.—It is interesting to learn that Heman, the great minstrel, was a grandson of Samuel the great prophet. (For the connection between music and prophecy, see 2 Kings 3:15; 1 Samuel 10:5-6; and below, 1 Chronicles 25:1, Note.) Considering that some have denied that Samuel was a Levite, the point of contact here noted looks like an undesigned coincidence.

(38) Son of Israel.—Asaph and Ethan are traced to Levi. It was not needful to repeat “son of Israel” in each case. For further remarks on the names in 1 Chronicles 6:34-38 see above Notes on 22-28, the lines being identical. The numerous variants, however, seem to imply that the author drew from different documents.

(39) His brother Asaph.—Asaph was Heman’s brother (1) as a Levite; (2) as a choir-master.
The striking agreement of the line of Heman with that of the Kohathites, detailed in 1 Chronicles 6:22-28 above, has led critics to look for a like coincidence between the line of Asaph as given here, and that of the Gershonites in 1 Chronicles 6:20-21. There, however, we have only seven names, here there are thirteen. Still we observe that in the former passage the three names, Jahath, Zimmah, and Zerah appear in the same order of lineal descent from Gershon as in the present list; while the Adaiah of 1 Chronicles 6:41 obviously answers to the Iddo of 1 Chronicles 6:21, and Ethni (1 Chronicles 6:41) is in Hebrew writing not unlike Jeaterai; and we are already familiar with the fact that genealogies sometimes recur in abbreviated forms. (Comp. Ezra 7:1-5, with the line of Aaron in the present chapter.) Upon the whole, therefore, if the suggested identifications be correct, it appears that Asaph’s pedigree has really been partially anticipated in 1 Chronicles 6:20-21.

(48) Their brethren also the Levites.—That is, the Levites who were not musicians—the remaining Levites.
Appointed.—Literally, given—that is, to Aaron and his sons as their assistants; Numbers 3:9 (Heb.), “And thou shalt give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons, given are they to him from amongst the sons of Israel.” The word is nethûnîm. (Comp. nethînim, an identical form, as the name of a well-known class of Temple-servants.)
Tabernacle.—Rather, dwelling-place (mishkan).

(49) But Aaron and his sons offered.—Literally, And Aaron and his sons were offering. The participle denotes unintermitted action. “Aaron and his sons” is a technical name for the priests, to whom, according to this passage, three functions pertained: (1) sacrifice on the altars of burnt-offering and inconse; (2) the work of the most holy place (Holy of holies); (3) atonement for Israel by special rites of sacrifice and purification.
According to all that Moses . . . commanded.—This refers to the entire ministry of the priests. The time in question is the Davidic age.
The servant of God.—Comp. Deuteronomy 34:5; Joshua 1:1; Joshua 1:13. After his death, Moses is thrice called “servant of Jehovah,” in whose earthly household he had been faithful as a servant (Hebrews 3:5). He fore-figures in grand if imperfect outline that other servant of Jehovah, of whom the second half of Isaiah has so much discourse. “Servant of God” (Elohîm) the chronicler writes, because in his day the NAME was held in ever-increasing awe.

(54) Render, “And these were their seats according to their encampments within their border.” This, as the heading to all that follows, should be stopped off therefrom. It does not occur in Joshua 21, and may indicate an intermediate source used by the chronicler. The variant spellings of proper names, many of which are not mere copyists’ blunders, point in the same direction.
Of the sons of Aaron.—Rather, “to the sons of Aaron, of the clan of the Kohathites—for to them had fallen the lot—they gave to them Hebron,” &c. Joshua 21:10 has, “for to them the lot had fallen first.”

(55) Hebron.—Josh., “the city of Arba, the father of the Anak, that is, Hebron.”
In the land of Judah.—Josh., “hill-country” (har for ha’areç).
Suburbs.—The Hebrew migrashîm, pastures or commons, as opposed to arable land (Authorised version, “fields;” Heb., sadeh). Numbers 35:3-5 defines the extent of the Levitical domain round the cities where they dwelt.

(56) To Caleb the son of Jephunneh.—Josh. adds “as his possession.”

(57) They gave the cities of Judah.—Heb. text, the cities of refuge, Hebron and Libnah, and her pastures. Of the cities mentioned only Hebron was an asylum for the manslayer. The other cities of refuge were Kedesh-Naphtali, Shechem, Bezer, Ramoth-Gilead, and Golan. (See Joshua 20:7-8.). Here our translators have adopted the Hebrew marginal correction of the text. (Comp. Joshua 21:13, which reads. “The manslayer’s city of refuge, Hebron.”) The same inaccuracy recurs in 1 Chronicles 6:67, below.
With her suburbs.—With her pastures. The phrase has been omitted after Jattir (Joshua 21:13).

(58) Hilen.—Holon, which twice occurs in Joshua 15:51; Joshua 21:15, is a more natural form.
Debir.—Oracle, the inmost sanctuary; anciently, Kirjath-sepher (Book Town).

(59) Ashan (smoke); in Joshua, Ain (fountain). The place may have had both names, from a fountain rising like a column of smoke. “Juttah and her pastures” has fallen out here (Joshua 21:16). At the end of the verse Joshua adds, “Nine cities out of these two tribes,” viz., Judah and Simeon.

(60) “Gibeon and her pastures” is omitted; probably an oversight, due to the similarity of sound and form between Gibeon and Geba. Alemeth and Almôn are each valid formations, and perhaps represent an older and younger name of the place.
Thirteen cities.—The list in its present shape contains eleven. This proves that Juttah and Gibeon should be restored to the text.

(61) And unto the sons of Kohath, which were left of the family of that tribe.—A comparison with Joshua 21:5 shows that the text is again mutilated. That passage reads (Heb.), “And unto the sons of Kohath which were left, out of the families [clans] of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, by the lot, ten cities.” The curious redundancy of the present text of 1 Chronicles 6:61, “Out of the half of the tribe of the half of Manasseh”—a phrase which occurs nowhere else—suggests bad emendation of a corrupt reading. The passage from Joshua undoubtedly gives the meaning here. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 6:66-67, below.)

(62) Gershom (Josh., Gershon) throughout their families.—Heb., to [i.e., with regard to, after] their clans (so 1 Chronicles 6:63). In 1 Chronicles 6:60, “throughout their families” represents Heb. in their clans.
Tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.—Joshua, “half- tribe.”

(63) This verse is word for word the same as Joshua 21:7, omitting the one term “by lot.”

(66) And the residue of the families.—The Hebrew text can hardly mean this; and Joshua 21:20 shows that it is incorrect. The original text must have been, “And to the families of the sons of Kohath:—and the cities of their border were of the tribe of Ephraim.” The construction breaks off, and a new start is made by the words “and the cities,” &c. The verse is abridged as compared with Joshua, 50100

(67) And they gave unto them, of the cities of refuge . . .—The correct version of the Hebrew text is, “And they gave unto them the cities of refuge, Shechem and her pastures, in the hill-country of Ephraim; and Gezer and her pastures.” Perhaps both here and in 1 Chronicles 6:57 above “city” (‘iyr), and not “cities” (‘arey), is the original reading. We have already noticed many indications of textual corruption in this and the former section. Gezer was not a city of refuge. (See Note on 1 Chronicles 6:57.) Joshua 21:21 has the singular.

(68) Jokmeam.—Joshua has Kibzaim, a name omitted by the LXX. Vatic. Jokmeam is probably right. The other might easily be a misreading of it, owing to confusion of similar letters. The site is unknown. The four cities of 1 Chronicles 6:67-68 lay in Ephraim. Beth-horon, Gibeon, and Aijalon, the scenes of the great and providentially determined overthrow of the five kings of the Amorites, were appropriately assigned to the sacred tribe of Levi.

(69) Aijalon with her suburbs . . .—Joshua 21:23-24, “And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and her pastures, Gibbethon and her pastures, Aijalon and her pastures, Gath-rimmon and her pastures; four cities.” Clearly there is a lacuna in our text between 1 Chronicles 6:68-69. It has been supposed that the chronicler omits mention of the tribe of Dan, here and elsewhere, owing to a religious prejudice, because of the illicit form of worship of which the city Dan was the centre. It is more likely that such omissions are not chargeable to the chronicler, but either to the imperfection of his sources, or to the carelessness, and perhaps malpractice, of his copyists and editors. (See further Note on 1 Chronicles 7:12.)

(70) Aner . . . Bileam.—Joshua 21:25 reads, “Taa-nach [see Joshua 17:11] and Gath-rimmon.” The latter is a mere repetition from the preceding verse. Bileam is a man’s name, being the Hebrew spelling of Balaam. It should be Ibleam (Joshua 17:11). So the LXX. Aner (Genesis 14:13) is also a man, one of Abraham’s allies. Taanach is probably right, the last three letters of the Hebrew word closely resembling those of Aner.
For the family.—Better, unto the family of the sons of Kohath who were left. This depends on the idea of giving (1 Chronicles 6:67). The phrase is a sort of subscription to the whole list of 1 Chronicles 6:67-70. For “family” the plural should be read, as in Joshua 21:26.