1 Chronicles 6

The sons of Levi, ver.1.&c. The posterity of the high, Priests from Aaron unto the transportation to Babylon. 3. The posterity of Gerson, Merari and Hakath, 16. The singers, according to Davids order, 31. The functions of Aaron, and his posterity unto Ahimaaz, 49. The habitations of Aarons posterity, 54. The cities of the Kahathites, 66. And of the Gersonites, 71. And of the Merrarites, 77.

1. The children of Levi were Gerson [Verse 16. And elsewhere he is called Gersom] Kahath, and Merari.

2. Now the children of Kahath were, Amram, Hizbar, [Below v.23. he is called Amminadab] and Hebron, and Uzziel.

3. And the children of Amram were, Aaron, and Moseh, and Mirjam: And the children of Aaron were, Nadab, and Abihu, [These two were slain of God, because they used strange fire in their censers, Lev.10.1.] Eleazar, [who succeeded his father Aaron in the high Priests office] and Itharmar.

4. And Eleaser begat Pinehas begat Abisua.

5. And Abisua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi.

6. And Uzzi begat Zerahja, and Zerahja begat Merajoth.

7. Merojoth begat Amarja, and Amarja begat Ahituh.

8. And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahimaaz.

9. And Ahimaaz begat Azarja, and Azrja begat Johanan.

10. And Johanan, [Some conceive that he was the same man, who 2 Kings 11:4. is called Jojada the high Priests. Of this mans great zeal, see 2 Kings 11:17.] begat Azarja: [some hold this man to have been the same that resisted king Uzzia, 2 Chron.26.17.] It is he, [some understand this of Johanan; others of Azarja, to his honor and praise, because he opposed king Uzzia] that executed the Priests office in the house which Salommon had built at Jerusalem. [to wit, in the house of the LORD, that is, in the temple.]

11. And Azarja begat Amarja: and Amarja begat Ahitub.

12. And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Sallum. [Otherwise called Messullam, 1 Chron.9. 11.]

13. And Sallum begat Hilkia, [See 2 Kings 22,4.] and Hilkia begat Azarja.

14. And Asarja begat Seraja, [Seraja was high Priest, when Nebuchadnezer took Jerusalem, whence he was carried away captive to Ribla, where Nebuchadnezer caused him to be put to death, 2 Kings 25.v.16,21. Jerem.52.24,27. Ezra the Scribe (who is conceived to have written these books) was his son. See Ezra 7:1.] and Zerajah begat Jozadak.

15. And Jozadak went (along) with (them) when the LORD carried away captive Juda and Jerusalem [i.e. the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem] by the hand of Nebuchadnezer.

16. (So then) the children of levi (are) Gersom, Kahath, and Merari.

17. And these are the names of the children of Levi, Libna, and Simei. [See Exod.6.17.]

18. And the children of Kehat were, Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

19. The children of Merari were, Maheli, and Musi: And these are the families of the Levites, according to their fathers.

20. Of Gesom: [Oth. Concerning Gersom] Libni was his son, Jahath his son, Zimma his son. [Zimma was Jahaths sons, grand-child, for Simei was the Father of Zimma.]

21. Joah [He is called Ethan, v.42.] his son, Iddo [v.41.he is called Adaia] his son, Kerah his son, Jeathrai [below v.41. he is called Ethni] his son. [that is, cousin: He was, to speak properly, the son of Simei, v.42.]

22. The children of Kahat were, Amminadad his son, Korah [This was that Korah, who with Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Moseh] his son, Assir his son.

23. Elkana his son, and Eliasaph his son, and Assir his son.

24. Tahath his son, Uriel [Below v.36. he is called Zephanja, or, Zophunja] his son , Uzziel [otherwise called Azarja, v.36.] his son, and Saul [Otherwise called Joel, below v.36.] his son.

25. Now the children of Elkana [To wit, the son of Saul] were Amasai, and Ahimoth.

26. Elkana; [understand withal, who was the son of Amasia] this mans son was Elkana, Zophai [otherwise called Zuph, vers.35. and 1 Sam.1.1.] was his son, and Nahath, [called Toah, vers.34. and Tohu, 1 Sam.1.1.]

27. Eliah [Called Eliel, v.34.] his son, Jerobam his son, Elkana, [Understand withal, his son was Samuel, of whom is spoken in the following verse.]

28. Now the sons of Samuel were (these): his first-born was Vasni, [Called Joel, ver.33. and 1 Sam.8.2.] then Abija.

29. The children of Merari were, Maheli: Libni his son, Simei his son, Uzza his son.

30. Simea his son, Haggija his son, Asaja his son.

31. Now these are they whom David appointed for the office of the song in the house of the LORD, [Heb. To the hand of song of the house of the LORD] after that the ark was (come to) rest. [Heb. after the rest of the ark; i.e. after that the ark was brought into the house of David, 2 Sam.6.17. for before that time it was carried from one place to another.]

32. And they minister before the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation with songs, until Salomon built the house of the LORD at Jerusalem: And they stood in their office according to their manner. [That is, according to the order that was appointed them.]

33. Now these are they that stood, [To wit, Heman, Asaph, and Jeduthun, who as chief singers or singing masters were set over the rest of the singers, who were divided by David, into four and twenty orders or courses, below chap.25.9.&c.] with their sons: of the sons [i.e. posterity] of the Kahathites, Heman the singer; [i.e. chief Musician, chief singing-master] the son of Joel, the son of Samuel.

34. The son of Elkana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah.

35. The son of Zuph, the son of Elkana, the son of Mahath, the son of Amazai.

36. The son of Elkana, the son of Joel, the son of Azarja, the son of Zephanja.

37. The son of Tahath, the son of Asser, the son of Ebjasaph, [Exod.6.29. he is called Abiasaph] the son of Korah.

38. The son of Azhar, the son of Kahath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.

39. And his brother Asaph stood at his right (side:) [Understand this thus, that this Asaph was the brother, that is, the kinsman of Heman, of whom was spoken v.33. and whose Ancestors were hitherto related. Now this Heman stood with those that pertained to him, when he executed his office in the midst, Asaph stood at Hemans right hand in the execution of his office, and the Posterity of Merari stood at his left hand, ver.44.] Asaph was the son of Berechia, [Hebr. Berechijahu] the son of Simei.

40. The son of Michael, the son of Baeseja, the son of Malchija.

41. The son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaja.

42. The son of Ethan: the son of Zimma, the son of Simei.

43. The son of Jahath, the son of Gersom, the son of Levi.

44. Now their brethren, [i.e. Kinsmen or Cousins] the children of Merari (stood) at the left (side), (namely) Ethan [he is called Jeduthun, 1 Chron.9.16. & 25.6. and 2 Chron.35.15. Psal.62.1. & 77.1.] the son of Resi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch.

45. The son of Hasabja, the son of Amazia, the son of Hilkijah.

46. The son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Zemer.

47. The son of Maheli, the son of Musi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.

48. Now their brethren, [i.e. Cousins, Kinsmen; as above v.44, &c.] the Levites, [to wit, the rest of the Levites that were no singers] were given [i.e. appointed or ordained] unto all manner of service of the Tabernacle of the house of God.

49. Now Aaron and his sons [As also those that of Aarons house succeeded them in the priestly Office: And therefore in the following verses are recorded the High-Priests, from Aaron unto Zadok, who was High-Priest in Davids and Salmons time, 1 Chron.29.22.] burnt incense upon the altar of burnt-offering, and upon the altar of incense, being (appointed) for all the work of the holy of Holies: [i.e. that was to be done in the Holy of Holies, which was the inner part of the Tabernacle, into which no man might enter, save onely the High-Priest. Here stood the Ark of the Covenant] and to make an atonement for Israel, [i.e. the people of Israel: see Lev.16.] according to all that Moseh the servant of God had commanded.

50. Now these are the children of Aaron, Eleazar was his son, Pinehas his son, [To wit, the son of Eleazar, who immediately goeth before: and understand this likewise of those that follow, until Davids time] Abisua his son:

51. Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Serahja his son:

52. Merajoth his son, Amarja his son, Achitub his son:

53. Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.

54. And these were their dwelling places, [See Jos.21. 13. Where the cities are named, which were given them for dwelling places, although the names be somewhat changed, as often happeneth through length of time] according to their castles, in their border: (namely) of the sons of Aaron, of the family of the Kahathites, for that lot [that is, the dwelling place fallen to them by lot was there. Oth. Those lots, to wit, which are described in the following verses] was for them. [Hebr. was to them.]

55. And they [To wit, the Israelites] gave them Hebron [Oth. Hebron was given them] in the land of Juda, and the suburb thereof round about it. [understand by this, not the fields and pastures lying there close round about, to accommodate them and their beasts: and so in the sequel.]

56. But the field of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunne. [See Jos.21.12.]

57. And to the children of Aaron they gave the cities of Juda, Hebron [Oth. Called Kiriath-Arba, Jos.21.11.] the free city of refuge; and Libna, and her Suburbs: and Jattir, and Estemoa, [oth. Called Estemo, Jos.15.50.] and her suburbs.

58. And Hilen, [Oth. Called Helon, Jos.21.15.] and her suburbs, and Debir, and her suburbs.

59. And Asan, [Oth. Called Ajin, Jos.21.16.] and her suburbs, and Beth-Semes, and her suburbs.

60. Now out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba, and her suburbs, and Allemeth, [Oth. Called Almon, Jos.21.18.] and her suburbs, and Anathoth, and her suburbs: All their cities, in their families, were thirteen cities. [Here are but eleven named, there be two wanting, namely, Jutta, and Gibeon, which are named, Jos.21.vers.16, 17.]

61. But the children of Kahath, which had of the family of the tribe, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot ten cities.

62. And the children of Gersom, according to their families, had of the tribe of Issaschar, and of the tribe of Aser, and of the tribe of Naphtali, and of the tribe of Manasseh in Basan, thirteen cities.

63. The children of Marari, according to their families, had of the tribe of Reuben, and of the tribe of Gad, and of the tribe of Zebulon, by lot twelve cities.

64. So the children of Israel gave to the Levites these cities, and their suburbs.

65. And they gave them by lot, of the tribe of the children of Juda, and of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which they called by (their) names.

66. Now to the rest of the families of the children of Kahath, to them were (allotted) cities of their border [i.e. Which belonged to their border] of the tribe of Ephraim.

67. For they [To wit, the Ephraimites] gave them [to wit, the rest of the Families of the children of Kahath] the free cities, Sichem, and her suburbs on mount Ephraim, and Gezer and her suburbs.

68. And Jokmeam, [Some conceive that Jos.21.22. it is called Ribzaim] and her suburbs, and Beth-Acron and her suburbs.

69. And Ajalon [Ajalon belonged to the tribe of Dan] ad her suburbs, and Gath-Rimmon and her suburbs. [besides the two cities named in this verse, there were yet two cities more given them of the tribe of Dan, to wit, Elteke, and Gibelon, Jos.21.23.]

70. And of the half tribe of Manasseh, Amer, [Some are of opinion, that this was the same city which Jos.21.25. is called Taenam] and her suburbs, and Bileam, [oth.called Gath-Rimmon. Joshua 21:25. and Ibleam, Jos.17.11.] and her suburbs: The families of the rest of the children of kahat had (these cities).

71. The children of Gersom had of the Families of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golban in Basun, and her suburbs: and Astharoth, [oth. Called Beestera, Jos.21.27.] and her suburbs.

72. And of the tribe of Issaschar, Kedes, [Otherwise called Kisjon, Jos.21.28.] and her suburbs: Dobrath and her suburbs:

73. And Ramoth [Oth. Called Remeth, Jos.19.21. and Jarmath, Jos.21.29.] and her suburbs, and Anem, [some conceive that this is the same city which is called En-Gannim, Jos. Chap.21. verse 29.] and her suburbs.

74. And of the tribe of Aser, Masal, [Otherwise called Miseal, Jos.21.30.] and her suburbs; and Abdon, and her suburbs.

75. And Hukok, [Oth. Called Helkath, Jos.21.31.] and her suburbs, and Rebob and her suburbs.

76. And of the tribe of Naphtali, Kades in Galilee, and her suburbs, and Hammon, [Oth. Called Hammoth-Dor, Jos.21.32.] and her suburbs, and Kirjathaim, [Otherwise called Kartan, Jos. Chap.21.32. as some conceive] and her suburbs.

77. The rest of the children of Merari had of the tribe of Zebulon, Rimmono, and her suburbs, Thabor and her suburbs. [And two othr cities were of the tribe of Zebulon, as appeareth, Jos.21.34,35.]

78. And on the other side of Jordan toward Jericho, Eastward by the Jordan, of the tribe of Rueben, Bezer, in the wilderness, and her suburbs: and Jaha, and her suburbs.

79. And Kedemoth, and her suburbs, and Mephaath, and her suburbs.

80. And of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead, and her suburbs: and Mehanaim and her suburbs.

81. And Hesbon, and her suburbs, and Jaezer, and her suburbs.