1 Chronicles 6
Expanded Bible
Levi’s Children
6 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
2 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
3 Amram’s children were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar [Ex. 6:23; Lev. 10:1]. 4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas [Num. 25:7, 11; 31:6; Ps. 106:30]. Phinehas was the father of Abishua. 5 Abishua was the father of Bukki. Bukki was the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah. Azariah was the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan was the father of Azariah. (Azariah was a priest in the ·Temple [L house] Solomon built in Jerusalem.) 11 Azariah was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak.
15 Jehozadak ·was forced to leave his home [went into exile] when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into ·captivity [exile] under Nebu-chadnezzar [2 Kin. 25:1–21; 2 Chr. 36:17–21].
16 Levi’s sons were ·Gershon [or Gershom; v. 1], Kohath, and Merari.
17 The names of ·Gershon’s [or Gershom’s] sons were Libni and Shimei.
18 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
19 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi.
This is a list of the ·family groups [clans] of Levi, ·listed by the name of the father of each group [L by their fathers].
20 ·Gershon’s [or Gershom’s; v. 16] son was Libni. Libni’s son was Jehath. Jehath’s son was Zimmah. 21 Zimmah’s son was Joah. Joah’s son was Iddo. Iddo’s son was Zerah. And Zerah’s son was Jeatherai.
22 Kohath’s ·son [descendant; C the list differs from v. 18] was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Korah. Korah’s son was Assir. 23 Assir’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph’s son was Assir. 24 Assir’s son was Tahath. Tahath’s son was Uriel. Uriel’s son was Uzziah, and Uzziah’s son was Shaul.
25 Elkanah’s sons were Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 Ahimoth’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Zophai. Zophai’s son was Nahath. 27 Nahath’s son was Eliab. Eliab’s son was Jeroham. Jeroham’s son was Elkanah, and Elkanah’s son was Samuel.
28 Samuel’s sons were Joel, the ·first son [firstborn], and Abijah, the second son [1 Sam. 8:1–3].
29 Merari’s son was Mahli. Mahli’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Shimei. Shimei’s son was Uzzah. 30 Uzzah’s son was Shimea. Shimea’s son was Haggiah, and Haggiah’s son was Asaiah.
The Temple Musicians
31 David ·chose [appointed; assigned] some people to be in charge of the music in the house of the Lord. They began their work after the ·Ark of the Agreement [L Ark] was put there. 32 They ·served by making music [ministered with song] at the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] (also called the Meeting Tent), and they served until Solomon built the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord in Jerusalem. They ·followed the rules for their work [served according to the regulations].
33 These are ·the musicians [L those who served] and their sons:
From ·Kohath’s family [L the sons of the Kohathites] there was Heman the ·singer [musician]. Heman was Joel’s son. Joel was Samuel’s son. 34 Samuel was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Jeroham’s son. Jeroham was Eliel’s son. Eliel was Toah’s son. 35 Toah was Zuph’s son. Zuph was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Mahath’s son. Mahath was Amasai’s son. 36 Amasai was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Joel’s son. Joel was Azariah’s son. Azariah was Zephaniah’s son. 37 Zephaniah was Tahath’s son. Tahath was Assir’s son. Assir was Ebiasaph’s son. Ebiasaph was Korah’s son. 38 Korah was Izhar’s son. Izhar was Kohath’s son. Kohath was Levi’s son. Levi was Israel’s son.
39 There was Heman’s ·helper [assistant; or kinsman; L brother] Asaph, whose group stood by Heman’s right side. Asaph was Berekiah’s son. Berekiah was Shimea’s son. 40 Shimea was Michael’s son. Michael was ·Baaseiah’s[a] son. Baaseiah was Malkijah’s son. 41 Malkijah was Ethni’s son. Ethni was Zerah’s son. Zerah was Adaiah’s son. 42 Adaiah was Ethan’s son. Ethan was Zimmah’s son. Zimmah was Shimei’s son. 43 Shimei was Jahath’s son. Jahath was ·Gershon’s [Gershom’s; v. 16] son, and Gershon was Levi’s son.
44 Merari’s ·family [clan] were the ·helpers [assistants; or kinsmen; L brothers;] of Heman and Asaph, and they stood by Heman’s left side. In this group was Ethan son of Kishi. Kishi was Abdi’s son. Abdi was Malluch’s son. 45 Malluch was Hashabiah’s son. Hashabiah was Amaziah’s son. Amaziah was Hilkiah’s son. 46 Hilkiah was Amzi’s son. Amzi was Bani’s son. Bani was Shemer’s son. 47 Shemer was Mahli’s son. Mahli was Mushi’s son. Mushi was Merari’s son, and Merari was Levi’s son.
48 ·The other [L Their brothers/kinsmen the] Levites ·served by doing their own special work [were appointed/assigned to other tasks/duties/service] in the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle], the house of God. 49 Aaron and his descendants offered the sacrifices on the altar of burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] and burned the incense on the altar of incense [Ex. 30:1–6]. They offered the sacrifices that ·removed [made atonement for] the Israelites’ sins. They did all the work in the Most Holy Place ·and followed all the laws [according to all] that Moses, God’s servant, had commanded.
50 These were Aaron’s sons: Eleazar was Aaron’s son. Phinehas was Eleazar’s son. Abishua was Phinehas’ son. 51 Bukki was Abishua’s son. Uzzi was Bukki’s son. Zerahiah was Uzzi’s son. 52 Meraioth was Zerahiah’s son. Amariah was Meraioth’s son. Ahitub was Amariah’s son. 53 Zadok was Ahitub’s son, and Ahimaaz was Zadok’s son.
Land for the Levites
54 These are the ·places [settlements; areas] where Aaron’s descendants lived. His descendants from the Kohath ·family group [clan] received the first ·share of the land [or territory by means of sacred lots].
55 They were given the city of Hebron in Judah and the pastures around it, 56 but the fields farther from the city and the villages near Hebron were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. 57 So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron, one of the cities of ·safety [refuge]. They also received the towns and pastures of Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 ·Hilen [or Hilez; Josh. 21:15], Debir, 59 ·Ashan [or Ain; Josh. 21:16], Juttah, and Beth Shemesh. 60 They also received these towns and pastures from the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth.
The Kohath ·family groups [clans; C Aaron’s descendants] received a total of thirteen towns.
61 The rest of the ·Kohath family group [L sons of Kohath] was given ten towns from the ·family groups of West [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. The towns were chosen by ·throwing [sacred] lots.
62 The Gershon ·family group [clan] received thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the part of Manasseh living in Bashan.
63 The ·Merari family group [L sons/descendants of Merari] received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. Those towns were chosen by ·throwing [sacred] lots.
64 So the Israelites gave these towns and their pastures to the Levites. 65 The towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, ·which were named [previously mentioned], were chosen by ·throwing [sacred] lots.
66 Some of the Kohath ·family groups [clans] received ·towns and pastures [territory] from the tribe of Ephraim. 67 They received Shechem, one of the cities of ·safety [refuge; C someone who accidentally killed another person could receive protection from those seeking revenge; Num. 35:9–34; Josh. 20:1–9], with its pastures in the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim. They also received the towns and pastures of Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth Horon, 69 Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon.
70 The rest of the people in the Kohath ·family group [clan] received the towns of Aner and Bileam and their pastures from ·West [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh.
71 From ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh, the ·Gershon [or Gershom; v. 16] ·family [clan] received the towns and pastures of Golan in Bashan and Ashtaroth.
76 From the tribe of Naphtali, the ·Gershon [or Gershom] ·family [clan] received the towns and pastures of Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim.
77 The rest of the Levites, the people from the Merari ·family [clan], received from the tribe of Zebulun the towns and pastures of Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono, and Tabor.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 6:40 Baaseiah’s Some Hebrew, Greek and Syriac copies read “Masseiah.”
1 Chronicles 6
The Message
The Family of Levi
6 1-14 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Eleazar had Phinehas, Phinehas had Abishua, Abishua had Bukki, Bukki had Uzzi, Uzzi had Zerahiah, Zerahiah had Meraioth, Meraioth had Amariah, Amariah had Ahitub, Ahitub had Zadok, Zadok had Ahimaaz, Ahimaaz had Azariah, Azariah had Johanan, and Johanan had Azariah (who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem). Azariah had Amariah, Amariah had Ahitub, Ahitub had Zadok, Zadok had Shallum, Shallum had Hilkiah, Hilkiah had Azariah, Azariah had Seraiah, and Seraiah had Jehozadak.
15 Jehozadak went off to exile when God used Nebuchadnezzar to take Judah and Jerusalem into exile.
* * *
16-30 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei. The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the Levitical clans according to families: the sons of Gershon were Libni his son, Jehath his son, Zimmah his son, Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and Jeatherai his son. The sons of Kohath were Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. The sons of Elkanah were Amasai and Ahimoth, Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, and Elkanah his son. The sons of Samuel were Joel his firstborn son and Abijah his second. The sons of Merari were Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, and Asaiah his son.
David’s Worship Leaders
31-32 These are the persons David appointed to lead the singing in the house of God after the Chest was placed there. They were the ministers of music in the place of worship, which was the Tent of Meeting until Solomon built The Temple of God in Jerusalem. As they carried out their work, they followed the instructions given to them.
33-38 These are the persons, together with their sons, who served by preparing for and directing worship: from the family of the Kohathites was Heman the choirmaster, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
39-43 Heman’s associate Asaph stood at his right hand. Asaph was the son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea, the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malkijah, the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, the son of Jahath, the son of Gershon, the son of Levi.
44-47 Of the sons of Merari, the associates who stood at his left hand, was Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.
48 The rest of the Levites were assigned to all the other work in the place of worship, the house of God.
* * *
49 Aaron and his sons offered the sacrifices on the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Altar of Incense; they were in charge of all the work surrounding the Holy of Holies. They made atonement for Israel following the instructions commanded by Moses, servant of God.
50-53 These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.
The Priestly Cities
54-81 And these are the places where the priestly families were assigned to live. The first assignment went by lot to the sons of Aaron of the Kohathite family; they were given Hebron in the land of Judah and all the neighboring pastures. Caleb the son of Jephunneh got the fields and villages around the city. The family of Aaron was also given the cities of refuge, with pastures included: Hebron, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, and Beth Shemesh. They were also given Geba from the tribe of Benjamin, Alemeth, and Anathoth, all with pastures included. In all, thirteen cities were distributed among the Kohathite families. The rest of the Kohathites were given another ten cities, distributed by lot from the half-tribe of Manasseh. The sons of Gershon were given, family by family, thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan. The sons of Merari, family by family, were assigned by lot twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. The sons of Israel gave the Levites both the cities and their pastures. They also distributed by lot cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. Some of the Kohath families were given their cities from the tribe of Ephraim, cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer, Jokmeam, Beth Horon, Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon—all with their pastures. The rest of the sons of Kohath were given Aner and Bileam with their pastures from the half-tribe of Manasseh. The sons of Gershon were given, family by family, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan and Ashtaroth; from the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh, Daberath, Ramoth, and Anem; from the tribe of Asher, Mashal, Abdon, Hukok, and Rehob; from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim. The rest of the sons of Merari got Rimmono and Tabor from the tribe of Zebulun; Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, Kedemoth, and Mephaath from the tribe of Reuben to the east of the Jordan; and Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Jazer from the tribe of Gad. Pastures were included in all these towns.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson