Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
1 Chronicles 6:16

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The Levites (6:1-81)

Levi had three sons, Gershon, Kohath and Merari. The priesthood in Israel began with Aaron, who was descended from Levi through Kohath. From that time on, all Aaron’s descendants, and no others, were priests. This means that the Levites may be divided into four groups - the priestly Kohathites, the non-priestly Kohathites, the Gershonites and the Merarites.

The Chronicler begins with the priestly line descended from Aaron through his son Eleazar, and traces the line to the time of the captivity (6:1-15). He follows this with genealogies of the Gershonites, the remaining Kohathites and the Merarites (16-30). Next he gives the genealogies of the three who were put in charge of the temple singers - Heman the Kohathite (31-38), Asaph the Gershonite (39-43) and Ethan the Merarite (44-48). (Songs from these three men, and others from a group of Levitical musicians known as the sons of Korah, have been collected in the book of Psalms; e.g. Psalms 42:0; 44-50; 73-85; 87-89.)

Forty-eight cities had been given to the Levites after Joshua’s conquest of Canaan (Joshua 21:41), and these also were divided into four groups. The cities for the priestly Kohathites were all in the region around Jerusalem and therefore within easy reach of the temple (49-60). Cities for the other three Levitical groups were more distant from Jerusalem (61-65). The writer then lists the cities for these three groups: first for the non-priestly Kohathites (66-70), then for the Gershonites (71-76) and finally for the Merarites (77-81).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. And these are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni, and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath were Antram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari: Mahli, and Mushi. And these are the familes of the Levites according to their fathers' houses. Of Gerhom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son, Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. And the sons of Elkanah: Amasai, and Ahimoth. As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son, and Nahath his son, Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. And the sons of Samuel: the first-born, Joel, and the second Abijah. The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libna his son, Shimei his son, Samuel his son, Uzzah his son, Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son."

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

A general account of the several branches of the tribe of Levi.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 6

Now in chapter six, we now get to the tribe of Levi from which was the priestly tribe.

[And the three sons which made the major families within the tribe of] Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And of Kohath was born Amram. And from Amram was born Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam, [their sister] ( 1 Chronicles 6:1-3 ).

And so Moses and Aaron both came from the family of Kohath in the tribe of Levi. And then you follow the high priest line from Aaron, his son Eleazar and so forth. You follow that line on down to the captivity of Nebuchadnezzar when he took them away. Babylon from verse four to fifteen. You have a direct line, a bunch of unpronounceable names. And then he brings up Gershom in verse seventeen and tells you some of his sons. And then again Kohath and some of his sons. And then Merari and some of his sons. Your basic families.

Now as we get down into verse thirty-one, it is interesting in verse twenty-eight, Samuel the prophet is listed in his line, the son of Elkanah. In verse thirty-one.

And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after the ark had rest. 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. And these are they that waited with the children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: and Heman the singer ( 1 Chronicles 6:31-33 ).

And so forth. Now David actually appointed these men, and their job was just to stay in the tabernacle and just sing unto the Lord.

You know, sometimes we have some of the ladies that come and practice the organ here in the church. And I love for there to be music here in the church. In fact, one time we sought to set up a tape that we could just play music in the church all the. I like it. I like it whenever you come in to just have music of praise unto God. I think that's great. I just, I think it's great when God gives people the talent to sing. And if you want to rehearse or anything, come on down to the church and do your singing here. It's great. I love it. And you're welcome. Anytime you want to just worship the Lord or sing unto Him, just come on down. You're free at any time to just come on in and just to worship the Lord with singing.

They had hired musicians. David appointed certain ones, and they were just to be there singing all the time. It would be great. Now I'm not much of one for choirs on Sunday morning to sing their little ditty and then that's it, you know. But I would be all for a choir that would, you know, be here all day long or evening just singing praises and worshipping God. I think that would be outstanding. And so David had appointed from the tribe those that were to just spend their time worshipping the Lord in music.

Now another portion of the tribe, the descendants of Merari, their brothers were appointed to all of the manner of the service of the tabernacle of the house of God. So they were the janitors and those that kept the physical aspects of the thing in repair.

But Aaron and his sons [they were the ones that made the offerings unto the Lord there at the altar, the burnt offerings, and offered the incense, and made the atonements and they were the ones that did that portion of the service unto God] ( 1 Chronicles 6:49 ).

And of course, during the time of Moses problems arose, because they said, "Hey, Moses, you take too much on yourself. You've appointed your brother, the other priest, the other descendants of Levi." They said you've appointed your brother, you know, to the task of going in before the Lord and we have as much right. Korah and his little crew. "We have as much right as Aaron." And so that's when Moses said, "Well, let's see if this thing be of God. You guys bring in your walking canes and Aaron will bring his rod, we'll set it before the Lord tonight and see what happens." So they set them in the tabernacle before the Lord, and in the morning, Aaron's rod had budded and blossomed. It had ripe almonds on it. And so he says, "Well, looks like God's trying to tell us something. But let's make sure. Korah, you and your buddies stand out there in the field. Now this thing be of God, then let God do a new thing. Let the earth open up and swallow you guys alive." And the earth opened up and Korah and his whole rebellious crew went down into the pit and the earth closed behind them. And they said, "Well, I guess it was of God." No, it said, "And a great fear came on all Israel." I'll bet it did.

Now it goes on now and tells the cities that were given to the priest. The cities that were given to them in Judah and the cities that were given to them in the tribe of Manasseh and in the tribe of Issachar and Reuben and Gad and Zebulun and Ephraim and all. And it names the cities that were given to the priest. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

4. The family of Levi ch. 6

This list clearly defines the priests and Levites’ line of descent. Its purpose seems to be to legitimate and clarify their role and service in the temple. [Note: Idem, "1 Chronicles," in The Old . . ., p. 301.] Only the descendants of Aaron, the priests, could serve in the temple by offering sacrifices on the incense altar (1 Chronicles 6:49; cf. Numbers 3:5-38). Nehemiah correctly barred priests who could not demonstrate that they were descendants of Aaron from serving in the rebuilt (second) temple (Nehemiah 7:63-65).

The priests could only function when Israel dwelt in the Promised Land and as long as the tabernacle or temple God had blessed with His presence stood. With the return from exile the ritual of covenant worship was again possible. Consequently the priesthood was very important to the restoration community (the company of Israelites restored to the land from Babylonian exile).

God had given the special privilege of being priests to Aaron and his sons as a gracious blessing. Normally the first-born son acted as priest of the family in the ancient Near East. This was one of the privileges of the birthright. Reuben had forfeited this, too, by his sin.

1 Chronicles 6:1-15 trace Aaron’s descendants, the high priests, to the Babylonian exile.

"Some writers have wanted to portray the high priest in postexilic times in an exalted position. But it is striking how little attention the Chronicler gives to the role of high priest. . . .

". . . in a number of passages he put considerable emphasis on faith in God as the way to blessing but rarely on ritual perfection." [Note: Thompson, p. 36. See Braun, 1 Chronicles, p. 84, for a chart of Israel’s high priests as they appear in Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 Chronicles.]

1 Chronicles 6:16-53 give a more general list of the descendants of Levi whom God allowed to assist the priests in certain aspects of Israel’s worship. They received this privilege as a result of God’s grace as well (Numbers 3:12-13; Numbers 3:45; Numbers 8:14). God’s physical provision for the Levites concludes the chapter (1 Chronicles 6:54-81).

The writer placed Levi’s genealogy at the heart of the chiastic structure that he used to set forth these genealogies. In this way he drew attention to Levi’s central importance in Israel. [Note: See Leslie C. Allen, "Kerygmatic Units in 1 & 2 Chronicles," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 41 (June 1988):22. This article contains many helpful insights into the structure of Chronicles.]

A    The lineage of David (chs. 1-3)

B    Judah and Simeon in the South (1 Chronicles 4:1-43)

C    The Transjordanian tribes to the north (ch. 5)

D    Levi (ch. 6)

C’    The other northern tribes (ch. 7)

B’    Benjamin in the South (ch. 8)

A’    The lineage of Saul (ch. 9)

"The emphasis on Judah and Levi in the genealogies marks the center of the Chronicler’s hope and faith. Two things marked the true Israel: the king and the priest." [Note: Thompson, p. 56.]

As we compare parallel genealogies in various parts of Scripture, we observe that some lists contain omissions and additions. This shows that genealogical lists are not always complete.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

The sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Which is repeated from 1 Chronicles 6:1 for the sake of their posterity, whose names are given in the three following verses, in the same manner as in Exodus 6:17.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.   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.   4 Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua,   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,   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:)   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,   14 And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak,   15 And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.   16 The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.   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,   23 Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son,   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,   27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.   28 And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah.   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.

      The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites to preserve their pedigree clear and to be able to prove it, because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. And we read of those who, though perhaps they really were children of the priests, yet, because they could not find the register of their genealogies, nor make out their descent by any authentic record, were, as polluted, put from the priesthood, and forbidden to eat of the holy things, Ezra 2:62; Ezra 2:63. It is but very little that is here recorded of the genealogies of this sacred tribe. I. The first fathers of it are here named twice, 1 Chronicles 6:1; 1 Chronicles 6:16. Gershom, Kohath, and Merari, are three names which we were very conversant with in the book of Numbers, when the families of the Levites were marshalled and had their work assigned to them. Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam, we have known much more of than their names, and cannot pass them over here without remembering that this was that Moses and Aaron whom God honoured in making them instruments of Israel's deliverance and settlement and figures of him that was to come, Moses as a prophet and Aaron as a priest. And the mention of Nadab and Abihu (though, having no children, there was no occasion to bring them into the genealogy) cannot but remind us of the terrors of that divine justice which they were made monuments of for offering strange fire, that we may always fear before him. 2. The line of Eleazar, the successor of Aaron, is here drawn down to the time of the captivity, 1 Chronicles 6:4-15; 1 Chronicles 6:4-15. It begins with Eleazar, who came out of the house of bondage in Egypt, and ends with Jehozadak, who went into the house of bondage in Babylon. Thus, for their sins, they were left as they were found, which might also intimate that the Levitical priesthood did not make anything perfect, but this was to be done by the bringing in of a better hope. All these here named were not high priests; for, in the time of the judges, that dignity was, upon some occasion or other, brought into the family of Ithamar, of which Eli was; but in Zadok it returned again to the right line. Of Azariah it is here said (1 Chronicles 6:10; 1 Chronicles 6:10), He it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built. It is supposed that this was that Azariah who bravely opposed the presumption of king Uzziah when he invaded the priest's office (2 Chronicles 26:17; 2 Chronicles 26:18), though he ventured his neck by so doing. This was done like a priest, like one that was truly zealous for his God. He that thus boldly maintained and defended the priest's office, and made good its barriers against such a daring insult, might well be said to execute it; and this honour is put upon him for it; while Urijah, one of his successors, for a base compliance with King Ahaz, in building him an idolatrous altar, has the disgrace put upon him of being left out of this genealogy, as perhaps some others are. But some think that this remark upon this Azariah should have been added to his grandfather of the same name (1 Chronicles 6:9; 1 Chronicles 6:9), who was the son of Ahimaaz, and that he was the priest who first officiated in Solomon's temple. 3. Some other of the families of the Levites are here accounted for. One of the families of Gershom (that of Libni) is here drawn down as far as Samuel, who had the honour of a prophet added to that of a Levite. One of the families of Merari (that of Mahli) is likewise drawn down for several descents, 1 Chronicles 6:29; 1 Chronicles 6:30.