The Family of Levi(A)

The sons of Levi were (B)Gershon,[a] Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Kohath were Amram, (C)Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. And the sons of Aaron were (D)Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Eleazar begot Phinehas, and Phinehas begot Abishua; Abishua begot Bukki, and Bukki begot Uzzi; Uzzi begot Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begot Meraioth; Meraioth begot Amariah, and Amariah begot Ahitub; (E)Ahitub begot (F)Zadok, and Zadok begot Ahimaaz; Ahimaaz begot Azariah, and Azariah begot Johanan; 10 Johanan begot Azariah (it was he (G)who ministered as priest in the (H)temple[b] that Solomon built in Jerusalem); 11 (I)Azariah begot (J)Amariah, and Amariah begot Ahitub; 12 Ahitub begot Zadok, and Zadok begot [c]Shallum; 13 Shallum begot Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begot Azariah; 14 Azariah begot (K)Seraiah, and Seraiah begot Jehozadak. 15 Jehozadak went into captivity (L)when the Lord carried Judah and Jerusalem into captivity by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

16 The sons of Levi were (M)Gershon,[d] Kohath, and Merari. 17 These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei. 18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. Now these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers: 20 Of Gershon were Libni his son, Jahath his son, (N)Zimmah his son, 21 [e]Joah his son, [f]Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and [g]Jeatherai his son. 22 The sons of Kohath were [h]Amminadab his son, (O)Korah his son, Assir his son, 23 Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, 24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. 25 The sons of Elkanah were (P)Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah were [i]Zophai his son, [j]Nahath his son, 27 [k]Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, and Elkanah his son. 28 The sons of Samuel were [l]Joel the firstborn, and Abijah [m]the second. 29 The sons of Merari were Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, 30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, and Asaiah his son.

Musicians in the House of the Lord

31 Now these are (Q)the men whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the (R)ark came to rest. 32 They were ministering with music before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they served in their office according to their order.

33 And these are the ones who [n]ministered with their sons: Of the sons of the (S)Kohathites were Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, 34 the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of [o]Eliel, the son of [p]Toah, 35 the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 36 the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 37 the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of (T)Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, 38 the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. 39 And his brother (U)Asaph, who stood at his right hand, was Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea, 40 the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, 41 the son of (V)Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, 42 the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, 43 the son of Jahath, the son of Gershon, the son of Levi.

44 Their brethren, the sons of Merari, on the left hand, were [q]Ethan the son of [r]Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, 45 the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, 46 the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shamer, 47 the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.

48 And their brethren, the Levites, were appointed to every (W)kind of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

The Family of Aaron

49 (X)But Aaron and his sons offered sacrifices (Y)on the altar of burnt offering and (Z)on the altar of incense, for all the work of the Most Holy Place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. 50 Now these are the (AA)sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, 51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, 52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, 53 Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.

Dwelling Places of the Levites(AB)

54 (AC)Now these are their dwelling places throughout their settlements in their territory, for they were given by lot to the sons of Aaron, of the family of the Kohathites: 55 (AD)They gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, with its surrounding [s]common-lands. 56 (AE)But the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 57 And (AF)to the sons of Aaron they gave one of the cities of refuge, Hebron; also Libnah with its common-lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its common-lands, 58 [t]Hilen with its common-lands, Debir with its common-lands, 59 [u]Ashan with its common-lands, and Beth Shemesh with its common-lands. 60 And from the tribe of Benjamin: Geba with its common-lands, [v]Alemeth with its common-lands, and Anathoth with its common-lands. All their cities among their families were thirteen.

61 (AG)To the rest of the family of the tribe of the Kohathites they gave (AH)by lot ten cities from half the tribe of Manasseh. 62 And to the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, they gave thirteen cities from the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 63 To the sons of Merari, throughout their families, they gave (AI)twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun. 64 So the children of Israel gave these cities with their [w]common-lands to the Levites. 65 And they gave by lot from the tribe of the children of Judah, from the tribe of the children of Simeon, and from the tribe of the children of Benjamin these cities which are called by their names.

66 Now (AJ)some of the families of the sons of Kohath were given cities as their territory from the tribe of Ephraim. 67 (AK)And they gave them one of the cities of refuge, Shechem with its common-lands, in the mountains of Ephraim, also Gezer with its common-lands, 68 (AL)Jokmeam with its common-lands, Beth Horon with its common-lands, 69 Aijalon with its common-lands, and Gath Rimmon with its common-lands. 70 And from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Aner with its common-lands and Bileam with its common-lands, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.

71 From the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh the sons of Gershon were given Golan in Bashan with its common-lands and [x]Ashtaroth with its common-lands. 72 And from the tribe of Issachar: [y]Kedesh with its common-lands, Daberath with its common-lands, 73 Ramoth with its common-lands, and Anem with its common-lands. 74 And from the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its common-lands, Abdon with its common-lands, 75 Hukok with its common-lands, and Rehob with its common-lands. 76 And from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its common-lands, Hammon with its common-lands, and Kirjathaim with its common-lands.

77 From the tribe of Zebulun the rest of the children of Merari were given [z]Rimmon with its common-lands and Tabor with its common-lands. 78 And on the other side of the Jordan, across from Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, they were given from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the wilderness with its common-lands, Jahzah with its common-lands, 79 Kedemoth with its common-lands, and Mephaath with its common-lands. 80 And from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its common-lands, Mahanaim with its common-lands, 81 Heshbon with its common-lands, and Jazer with its common-lands.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 6:1 Or Gershom, v. 16
  2. 1 Chronicles 6:10 Lit. house
  3. 1 Chronicles 6:12 Meshullam, 1 Chr. 9:11
  4. 1 Chronicles 6:16 Heb. Gershom, an alternate spelling for Gershon, vv. 1, 17, 20, 43, 62, 71
  5. 1 Chronicles 6:21 Ethan, v. 42
  6. 1 Chronicles 6:21 Adaiah, v. 41
  7. 1 Chronicles 6:21 Ethni, v. 41
  8. 1 Chronicles 6:22 Izhar, vv. 2, 18
  9. 1 Chronicles 6:26 Zuph, v. 35; 1 Sam. 1:1
  10. 1 Chronicles 6:26 Toah, v. 34
  11. 1 Chronicles 6:27 Eliel, v. 34
  12. 1 Chronicles 6:28 So with LXX, Syr., Arab.; cf. v. 33 and 1 Sam. 8:2
  13. 1 Chronicles 6:28 Heb. Vasheni
  14. 1 Chronicles 6:33 Lit. stood with
  15. 1 Chronicles 6:34 Elihu, 1 Sam. 1:1
  16. 1 Chronicles 6:34 Tohu, 1 Sam. 1:1
  17. 1 Chronicles 6:44 Jeduthun, 1 Chr. 9:16; 25:1, 3, 6; 2 Chr. 35:15; Ps. 62:title
  18. 1 Chronicles 6:44 Or Kushaiah
  19. 1 Chronicles 6:55 open lands
  20. 1 Chronicles 6:58 Holon, Josh. 21:15
  21. 1 Chronicles 6:59 Ain, Josh. 21:16
  22. 1 Chronicles 6:60 Almon, Josh. 21:18
  23. 1 Chronicles 6:64 open lands
  24. 1 Chronicles 6:71 Beeshterah, Josh. 21:27
  25. 1 Chronicles 6:72 Kishon, Josh. 21:28
  26. 1 Chronicles 6:77 Heb. Rimmono, an alternate spelling of Rimmon, 1 Chr. 4:32

The Levites

Levi’s(A) sons: Gershom,[a] Kohath, and Merari.

Kohath’s sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

Amram’s children: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.

Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Eleazar fathered Phinehas;(B)

Phinehas fathered Abishua;

Abishua fathered Bukki;

Bukki fathered Uzzi;

Uzzi fathered Zerahiah;

Zerahiah fathered Meraioth;

Meraioth fathered Amariah;

Amariah fathered Ahitub;

Ahitub fathered Zadok;

Zadok fathered Ahimaaz;

Ahimaaz fathered Azariah;

Azariah fathered Johanan;

10 Johanan fathered Azariah, who served as priest in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem;

11 Azariah fathered Amariah;

Amariah fathered Ahitub;

12 Ahitub fathered Zadok;

Zadok fathered Shallum;

13 Shallum fathered Hilkiah;

Hilkiah fathered Azariah;

14 Azariah fathered Seraiah;

and Seraiah fathered Jehozadak.

15 Jehozadak went into exile when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.(C)

16 Levi’s(D) sons: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

17 These are the names of Gershom’s sons: Libni and Shimei.

18 Kohath’s sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

19 Merari’s sons: Mahli and Mushi.

These are the Levites’ families according to their fathers:

20 Of Gershom: his son Libni,

his son Jahath, his son Zimmah,

21 his son Joah, his son Iddo,

his son Zerah, and his son Jeatherai.

22 Kohath’s sons: his son Amminadab,

his son Korah, his son Assir,

23 his son Elkanah, his son Ebiasaph,

his son Assir, 24 his son Tahath,

his son Uriel, his son Uzziah,

and his son Shaul.

25 Elkanah’s sons: Amasai and Ahimoth,

26 his son Elkanah, his son Zophai,

his son Nahath, 27 his son Eliab,

his son Jeroham, and his son Elkanah.

28 Samuel’s sons: his firstborn Joel,[b](E)

and his second son Abijah.

29 Merari’s sons: Mahli, his son Libni,

his son Shimei, his son Uzzah,

30 his son Shimea, his son Haggiah,

and his son Asaiah.

The Musicians

31 These are the men David put in charge of the music in the Lord’s temple(F) after the ark came to rest there.(G) 32 They ministered with song in front of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, and they performed their task according to the regulations given to them. 33 These are the men who served with their sons.

From the Kohathites: Heman the singer,

son of Joel, son of Samuel,

34 son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham,

son of Eliel, son of Toah,

35 son of Zuph, son of Elkanah,

son of Mahath, son of Amasai,

36 son of Elkanah, son of Joel,

son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah,

37 son of Tahath, son of Assir,

son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah,

38 son of Izhar, son of Kohath,

son of Levi, son of Israel.

39 Heman’s relative was Asaph, who stood at his right hand:

Asaph son of Berechiah, son of Shimea,

40 son of Michael, son of Baaseiah,

son of Malchijah, 41 son of Ethni,

son of Zerah, son of Adaiah,

42 son of Ethan, son of Zimmah,

son of Shimei, 43 son of Jahath,

son of Gershom, son of Levi.

44 On the left, their relatives were Merari’s sons:

Ethan son of Kishi, son of Abdi,

son of Malluch, 45 son of Hashabiah,

son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah,

46 son of Amzi, son of Bani,

son of Shemer, 47 son of Mahli,

son of Mushi, son of Merari,

son of Levi.

Aaron’s Descendants

48 Their relatives, the Levites, were assigned to all the service of the tabernacle, God’s temple. 49 But Aaron and his sons did all the work of the most holy place. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offerings(H) and on the altar of incense(I) to make atonement for Israel according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.(J)

50 These(K) are Aaron’s sons: his son Eleazar,

his son Phinehas, his son Abishua,

51 his son Bukki, his son Uzzi,

his son Zerahiah, 52 his son Meraioth,

his son Amariah, his son Ahitub,

53 his son Zadok, and his son Ahimaaz.

The Settlements of the Levites

54 These were the places assigned to Aaron’s descendants from the Kohathite family for their settlements in their territory, because the first lot was for them.(L) 55 They(M) were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands, 56 but the fields and settlements around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. 57 Aaron’s descendants were given:(N)

Hebron (a city of refuge), Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands, 58 Hilen[c] and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands, 59 Ashan and its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh and its pasturelands. 60 From the tribe of Benjamin they were given Geba and its pasturelands, Alemeth and its pasturelands, and Anathoth and its pasturelands. They had thirteen towns in all among their families.

61 To the rest of the Kohathites, ten towns from half the tribe of Manasseh were assigned by lot.(O)

62 The Gershomites were assigned thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan according to their families.

63 The Merarites were assigned by lot twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun according to their families.(P) 64 So the Israelites gave these towns and their pasturelands to the Levites.(Q) 65 They assigned by lot the towns named above(R) from the tribes of the descendants of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

66 Some(S) of the families of the Kohathites were given towns from the tribe of Ephraim for their territory:

67 Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer and its pasturelands, 68 Jokmeam and its pasturelands, Beth-horon and its pasturelands, 69 Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon and its pasturelands. 70 From half the tribe of Manasseh, Aner and its pasturelands, and Bileam and its pasturelands were given to the rest of the families of the Kohathites.

71 The Gershomites received:

Golan in Bashan and its pasturelands, and Ashtaroth and its pasturelands from the families of half the tribe of Manasseh. 72 From the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands, 73 Ramoth and its pasturelands, and Anem and its pasturelands. 74 From the tribe of Asher they received Mashal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands, 75 Hukok and its pasturelands, and Rehob and its pasturelands. 76 From the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee and its pasturelands, Hammon and its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim and its pasturelands.

77 The rest of the Merarites received:

From the tribe of Zebulun they received Rimmono and its pasturelands and Tabor and its pasturelands. 78 From the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan at Jericho, to the east of the Jordan, they received Bezer in the desert and its pasturelands, Jahzah and its pasturelands, 79 Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands. 80 From the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead and its pasturelands, Mahanaim and its pasturelands, 81 Heshbon and its pasturelands, and Jazer and its pasturelands.

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 In Hb Levi’s son’s name is spelled ‘Gershon’ here and in many other places
  2. 6:28 Some LXX mss, Syr, Arabic; other Hb mss omit Joel; 1Sm 8:2
  3. 6:58 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read Hilez