Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, September 28th, 2023
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
Bible Commentaries
Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible Barnes' Notes
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
These files are public domain.
Bibliographical Information
Barnes, Albert. "Commentary on 1 Chronicles 6". "Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bnb/1-chronicles-6.html. 1870.
Barnes, Albert. "Commentary on 1 Chronicles 6". "Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible". https://studylight.org/
Whole Bible (31)Old Testament (1)Individual Books (1)
Verse 1
The genealogy of the high priestly stem to the captivity.
Verse 9
Ahimaaz begat Azariah - It must, apparently, be this Azariah, and not the son of Johanan 1 Chronicles 6:10, who was high priest at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple. For Zadok, who lived into the reign of Solomon 1 Kings 4:4 cannot have been succeeded by a great-great-grandson. The notice in 1 Chronicles 6:10, which is attached to the second Azariah, must, beyond a doubt, belong properly to the first.
Verse 11
Ahitub - Between Amariah and Hilkiah 1 Chronicles 6:13 this genealogy is most certainly defective, as it gives three generations only for a period for which nine generations are furnished by the list of the kings of Judah, and which cannot be estimated as much short of 200 years. Further, no one of the names in this part of the list occurs among the High priests of the period, several of whom are mentioned both in the Second Book of Chronicles and in Kings; the explanation of which seems to be that the present is not a list of high priests, but the genealogy of Jozadak or Jehozadak, whose line of descent partly coincided with the list of High priests, partly differed from it. Where it coincided, all the names are given; where it differed, some are omitted, in order (probably) to render the entire list from Phinehas a multiple of seven. See the note at 1 Chronicles 6:20.
Verse 15
Jehozadak - The meaning of the name is “Jehovah is righteous.” It has been noted as remarkable that the heads of both the priestly and the royal stock carried to Babylon should have had names (Zedekiah and Jehozadak) composed of the same elements, and assertive of the “justice of God,” which their sufferings showed forth so signally.
Verse 16
A general account of the several branches of the tribe of Levi.
Verse 20
Of Gershom - The names in this list are curiously different from those in 1 Chronicles 6:41-43, which yet appear to represent the same line reversed. Probably both lists are more or less corrupted, and, as in many genealogies, omission is made, to reduce the number of the names to seven. Compare e. g. 1 Chronicles 6:22-28 with 1 Chronicles 6:33-38. Compare the other genealogy ties of this chapter; and see also Matthew 1:1-17.
Verse 28
Vashni - The true name of Samuel’s first-born, which was “Joel” (see the margin and references), has here dropped out; and the word properly meaning “and his second (son)” has been taken as the name of the first.
Verses 31-48
Ethan - Or Jeduthun (see the margin). Corruption will scarcely account for the two forms of the name, since Ethan is used persistently up to a certain point 1 Chronicles 15:19, after which we have uniformly “Jeduthun.” The case seems to be rather one in which a new name was taken after a while, which thenceforth superseded the old. Compare Abraham, Sarah, Joshua, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, etc.
Verse 50
The sons of Aaron - This list, a mere repetition of that in 1 Chronicles 6:3-8, came, probably, from a different source - a source belonging to the time of David, with whom Ahimaaz (the last name on the list) was contemporary. The other list 1 Chronicles 6:4-15 came, no doubt, from a document belonging to the time of the captivity (see 1 Chronicles 6:15).
Verse 54
Their’s was the lot - i. e. “the first lot.” The Kohathites had the first lot among the Levitical families, as being the family whereto the high priesthood was attached (compare Joshua 21:10).
Verses 56-81
Unto the rest of the children of Merari - Rather, “Unto the rest the children of Merari” - that is to say, “unto the remainder of the Levites, who were descendants of Merari”: - the two other branches, the Kohathites and the Gershomites, having been treated of previously.