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The Priestly Line

[a]The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

The descendants of Kohath included 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 was the father of Phinehas.
Phinehas was the father of Abishua.
Abishua was the father of Bukki.
Bukki was the father of Uzzi.
Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah.
Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth.
Meraioth was the father of Amariah.
Amariah was the father of Ahitub.
Ahitub was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz.
Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah.
Azariah was the father of Johanan.
10 Johanan was the father of Azariah, the high priest at the Temple[b] built by Solomon 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.
Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak, 15 who went into exile when the Lord sent the people of Judah and Jerusalem into captivity under Nebuchadnezzar.

The Levite Clans

16 [c]The sons of Levi were Gershon,[d] Kohath, and Merari.

17 The descendants of Gershon included Libni and Shimei.

18 The descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

19 The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi.

The following were the Levite clans, listed according to their ancestral descent:

20 The descendants of Gershon included Libni, Jahath, Zimmah, 21 Joah, Iddo, Zerah, and Jeatherai.

22 The descendants of Kohath included Amminadab, Korah, Assir, 23 Elkanah, Abiasaph,[e] Assir, 24 Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, and Shaul.

25 The descendants of Elkanah included Amasai, Ahimoth, 26 Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath, 27 Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah, and Samuel.[f]

28 The sons of Samuel were Joel[g] (the older) and Abijah (the second).

29 The descendants of Merari included Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah, 30 Shimea, Haggiah, and Asaiah.

The Temple Musicians

31 David assigned the following men to lead the music at the house of the Lord after the Ark was placed there. 32 They ministered with music at the Tabernacle[h] until Solomon built the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They carried out their work, following all the regulations handed down to them. 33 These are the men who served, along with their sons:

Heman the musician was from the clan of Kohath. His genealogy was traced back through Joel, Samuel, 34 Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah, 35 Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai, 36 Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah, 37 Tahath, Assir, Abiasaph, Korah, 38 Izhar, Kohath, Levi, and Israel.[i]

39 Heman’s first assistant was Asaph from the clan of Gershon.[j] Asaph’s genealogy was traced back through Berekiah, Shimea, 40 Michael, Baaseiah, Malkijah, 41 Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah, 42 Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei, 43 Jahath, Gershon, and Levi.

44 Heman’s second assistant was Ethan from the clan of Merari. Ethan’s genealogy was traced back through Kishi, Abdi, Malluch, 45 Hashabiah, Amaziah, Hilkiah, 46 Amzi, Bani, Shemer, 47 Mahli, Mushi, Merari, and Levi.

48 Their fellow Levites were appointed to various other tasks in the Tabernacle, the house of God.

Aaron’s Descendants

49 Only Aaron and his descendants served as priests. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offering and the altar of incense, and they performed all the other duties related to the Most Holy Place. They made atonement for Israel by doing everything that Moses, the servant of God, had commanded them.

50 The descendants of Aaron were Eleazar, Phinehas, Abishua, 51 Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, 52 Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub, 53 Zadok, and Ahimaaz.

Territory for the Levites

54 This is a record of the towns and territory assigned by means of sacred lots to the descendants of Aaron, who were from the clan of Kohath. 55 This territory included Hebron and its surrounding pasturelands in Judah, 56 but the fields and outlying areas belonging to the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. 57 So the descendants of Aaron were given the following towns, each with its pasturelands: Hebron (a city of refuge),[k] Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 Holon,[l] Debir, 59 Ain,[m] Juttah,[n] and Beth-shemesh. 60 And from the territory of Benjamin they were given Gibeon,[o] Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, each with its pasturelands. So thirteen towns were given to the descendants of Aaron. 61 The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten towns from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh by means of sacred lots.

62 The descendants of Gershon received by sacred lots thirteen towns from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and from the Bashan area of Manasseh, east of the Jordan.

63 The descendants of Merari received by sacred lots twelve towns from the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

64 So the people of Israel assigned all these towns and pasturelands to the Levites. 65 The towns in the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, mentioned above, were assigned to them by means of sacred lots.

66 The descendants of Kohath were given the following towns from the territory of Ephraim, each with its pasturelands: 67 Shechem (a city of refuge in the hill country of Ephraim),[p] Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth-horon, 69 Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon. 70 The remaining descendants of Kohath were assigned the towns of Aner and Bileam from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, each with its pasturelands.

71 The descendants of Gershon received the towns of Golan (in Bashan) and Ashtaroth from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, each with its pasturelands. 72 From the territory of Issachar, they were given Kedesh, Daberath, 73 Ramoth, and Anem, each with its pasturelands. 74 From the territory of Asher, they received Mashal, Abdon, 75 Hukok, and Rehob, each with its pasturelands. 76 From the territory of Naphtali, they were given Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, each with its pasturelands.

77 The remaining descendants of Merari received the towns of Jokneam, Kartah,[q] Rimmon,[r] and Tabor from the territory of Zebulun, each with its pasturelands. 78 From the territory of Reuben, east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho, they received Bezer (a desert town), Jahaz,[s] 79 Kedemoth, and Mephaath, each with its pasturelands. 80 And from the territory of Gad, they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, 81 Heshbon, and Jazer, each with its pasturelands.

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 Verses 6:1-15 are numbered 5:27-41 in Hebrew text.
  2. 6:10 Hebrew the house.
  3. 6:16a Verses 6:16-81 are numbered 6:1-66 in Hebrew text.
  4. 6:16b Hebrew Gershom, a variant spelling of Gershon (see 6:1); also in 6:17, 20, 43, 62, 71.
  5. 6:23 Hebrew Ebiasaph, a variant spelling of Abiasaph (also in 6:37); compare parallel text at Exod 6:24.
  6. 6:27 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 6:33-34); Hebrew lacks and Samuel.
  7. 6:28 As in some Greek manuscripts and the Syriac version (see also 6:33 and 1 Sam 8:2); Hebrew lacks Joel.
  8. 6:32 Hebrew the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.
  9. 6:38 Israel is the name that God gave to Jacob.
  10. 6:39 Hebrew lacks from the clan of Gershon; see 6:43.
  11. 6:57 As in parallel text at Josh 21:13; Hebrew reads were given the cities of refuge: Hebron, and the following towns, each with its pasturelands.
  12. 6:58 As in parallel text at Josh 21:15; Masoretic Text reads Hilez; other manuscripts read Hilen.
  13. 6:59a As in parallel text at Josh 21:16; Hebrew reads Ashan.
  14. 6:59b As in Syriac version (see also Josh 21:16); Hebrew lacks Juttah.
  15. 6:60 As in parallel text at Josh 21:17; Hebrew lacks Gibeon.
  16. 6:66-67 As in parallel text at Josh 21:21; Hebrew text reads were given the cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and the following towns, each with its pasturelands.
  17. 6:77a As in Greek version (see also Josh 21:34); Hebrew lacks Jokneam, Kartah.
  18. 6:77b As in Greek version (see also Josh 19:13); Hebrew reads Rimmono.
  19. 6:78 Hebrew Jahzah, a variant spelling of Jahaz.

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 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