Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 6

Verses 1-4

The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 5

And Abishua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi,

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.

Verses 6-8

And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begat Meraioth,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 9

And Ahimaaz begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Johanan,

Ahimaaz. Lord A. Hervey ('Genealogies') - 'There is no evidence, beyond the assertion of Josephus, that he ever filled the office of high priest, and Josephus may have concluded that he did, merely because in this genealogy of the high priests he intervenes between Zadok and Azariah. Judging only from 1 Kings 4:2 compared with 1 Chronicles 6:10, we should conclude that Ahimaaz died before his father Zadok, and that Zadok was succeeded by his grandson Azariah.'

Verse 10

And Johanan begat Azariah, (he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:)

He it is that executed the priest's office ... It is doubtful whether the persons in favour of whom this testimony is borne be Azariah the grandfather or Azariah the grandson-most probably the former. If the former, he is the same as Jehoiada, who rendered important public services (2 Kings 11:1-21); if the latter, it refers to the worthy and independent part he acted in resisting the unwarrantable encroachments of Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:17). In the temple that Solomon built - described in this particular manner to distinguish it from the sound temple, which was in existence at the time when this history was written.

Verse 11

And Azariah begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 12

And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Shallum,

Ahitub beget Zadok. This succession of the same names as in 1 Chronicles 6:7-8 is suspicious and as there is no historical record of a second Ahitub and a second Zadok their insertion here is owing to the error of a copyist.

Verse 13

And Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begat Azariah,

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 14

And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak, Azariah begat Seraiah. He filled the supreme pontifical office at the destruction of Jerusalem, and along with his deputy and others was executed by Nebuchadnezzar's orders at Riblah (2 Kings 25:18; 2 Kings 25:21). The line of high priests under the first temple, which from Zadok amounted to twelve, terminated with him.

Verse 15

And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 16

The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

The sons of Levi; Gershom ... This repetition (see 1 Chronicles 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.

Verses 17-19

And these be the names of the sons of Gershom; Libni, and Shimei.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 20

Of Gershom; Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,

Zimmah his son - his grandson (1 Chronicles 6:42).

Verses 21-23

Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his son.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 24

Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.

Uriel - or Zephaniah. (1 Chronicles 6:36).

Shaul his son. Lepsius ('Letters from Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sinai') and Bunsen ('Egypt's Place,' pp. 176, 177) consider this name as that of Saul. The interpretation is preposterous; because this Shaul belongs to a Levite, whereas king Saul was connected with a Benjamite, genealogy (see 'Introduction').

Verse 25

And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth.

The sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth. This verse should stand, 'Elkanah his son, Amasai his son, Ahimoth his son' (cf. 1 Chronicles 6:35-36, in which the genealogy occurs in an inverse order). Ahimoth = Mahath (1 Chronicles 6:35).

Verse 26

As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and Nahath his son,

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 27

Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.

Elkanah - the father of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1). The last clause, Samuel his son, has been omitted.

Verse 28

And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah.

The sons of Samuel - are here named Vashni and Abiah. The first-born is called (1 Samuel 8:2) Joel; and this name is given to him in 1 Chronicles 6:38 of this chapter. It is now generally thought by the best critics-Mede, Kennicott, Jebb, etc.-that, through an error of the copyists, an omission has been made of the oldest son's name, and that [ Washniy (H2059)] 'and the second' has been exalted into the name of a person, Vashni. This critical emendation of the text makes all clear as well as consistent with other passages relating to the family of Samuel.

Verses 29-30

The sons of Merari; Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzza his son,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 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.

These are they whom David set over the service of song. The sons of Korah, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun or Ethan (Psalms 89:1-52), were set over the various departments of the musical services of the sanctuary.

In the house of the Lord - i:e., in the tent which David had erected for receiving the ark after it was removed from the house of Obed-edom. This was a considerable time before the temple was built. This institution, as appears, 1 Chronicles 6:32, was originally intended to continue only until the erection of the temple; but its advantages were found to be so great as to ensure its permanent continuance (2 Chronicles 35:15) and it was revived after the restoration from Babylon (Nehemiah 12:45-46).

Verse 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.

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.

Verse 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,

Shemuel - i:e., Samuel, This is the exact representation of the Hebrew name.

Verses 34-38

The son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 39

And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea,

His brother Asaph. They were brothers naturally, both being descended from Levi, as well as officially, both being of the Levitical order.

Verses 40-41

The son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchiah,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 42

The son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,

Ethan - or Jeduthun (1 Chronicles 9:16; 2 Chronicles 35:15).

Shimei. This name seems to be inserted here by mistake, probably to make good the number 15, when the scribe found that he had left out Libni from 1 Chronicles 6:43 (cf. 1 Chronicles 6:20 and 1 Chronicles 6:30).

Verses 43-47

The son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. The son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 48

Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

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.

Verse 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.

But Aaron and his sons offered ... The office and duties of the high priests having been already described, the names of these who successively filled that important office are recorded.

Verses 50-59

And these are the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 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.

Thirteen cities. No more than eleven are named here; but two additional ones are mentioned, Joshua 21:16-17, which makes up the thirteen.

Verse 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.

Unto the sons of Kohath, which were left - i:e., in addition to the priests belonging to the same family and tribe of Levi.

By lot, ten cities (Joshua 21:26). The sacred historian gives an explanation, 1 Chronicles 6:66. Eight of these are mentioned, but only two of them are taken out of the half tribe of Manasseh (1 Chronicles 6:70). The names of the other two are given, Joshua 21:21, where full and detailed notices of these arrangements may be found.

Verse 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.

To the sons of Gershom - supply 'the children of Israel gave.'

Verses 63-66

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.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 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,

They gave unto them, of the cities of refuge. The names of the cities given here are considerably different from those applied to them, Joshua 21:14. 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 fulfillment of Jacob's prophecy (Genesis 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.