The Tribe of Levi: 1 Chronicles 6

Narrator: Ivona Gentwo
1 Chronicles 6  •  5 min. read  •  grade level: 12
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1 Chronicles 6
In this chapter we find the genealogy of the priestly family and of the families of the Levites as well as their dwelling places.
In 1 Chron. 6:11The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (1 Chronicles 6:1), according to the principle often mentioned, we first find the sons of Levi according to natural order or the order of birth: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; then in 1 Chron. 6:22And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. (1 Chronicles 6:2), Kohath (and not Gershon) is chosen by grace as the stock of the Aaronic priesthood. Aaron, not Moses, is mentioned first in 1 Chron. 6:33And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. (1 Chronicles 6:3): "Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam." The order of this enumeration corresponds to the contents of Chronicles which treats of Judah's kingship according to God's counsels, and of the priesthood in its relationship to the kingship. These three names, Aaron, Moses and Miriam, represent the priesthood, the law, and prophecy; but as soon as it is a question of the counsels of grace relative to the kingship, the law, Moses, gives place to the priesthood.
Aaron's sons are Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu were judged for their sin. And thus in the priestly family we again see that the history of the natural man comes first and then is entirely set aside. After Nadab and Abihu come Eleazar and Ithamar: Eleazar, the priest according to the election of grace, Ithamar, the responsible priest, set aside in order to give place to the former.
Eleazar begets Phinehas, a man of energy, who like Caleb added virtue to his faith and was chosen by God to continue the priestly line. This line continues without interruption down to Azariah (1 Chron. 6:99And Ahimaaz begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Johanan, (1 Chronicles 6:9)), who "exercised the priesthood in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem" (1 Chron. 6:1010And Johanan begat Azariah, (he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:) (1 Chronicles 6:10)). The line goes on from Azariah to Jehozadak, the last high priest mentioned in Chronicles. He "went away when Jehovah carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar" (1 Chron. 6:1515And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the Lord carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. (1 Chronicles 6:15)). Ezra and Nehemiah give us information about the high priests who functioned after the return from captivity. Their line is interrupted about 330 years before Christ (Neh. 12:10-1110And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, 11And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. (Nehemiah 12:10‑11)), just as the royal line of descent stops in 1 Chron., a few generations after Zerubbabel.
In 1 Chron. 6:1616The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. (1 Chronicles 6:16), the Spirit of God again takes up the genealogy of the Levites, this time in the order of birth according to which their families had been established. The book of Numbers teaches us that their service consisted of carrying the tabernacle and its utensils through the wilderness. The most precious burden, including the ark, was entrusted to the Kohathites. But here we find that "after that the ark was in rest" David appointed men from among the three families of the Levites for "the service of song in the house of Jehovah." "And they ministered before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting with singing, until Solomon had built the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem" (1 Chron. 6:31-3231And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after that the ark had rest. 32And 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. (1 Chronicles 6:31‑32)).
In each of these three families one Levite stood out above the rest by reason of the gifts he had received from God: for the Kohathites, Heman; for the Gershonites, Asaph; for the Merarites, Ethan. The other Levites "were given for all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God" (1 Chron. 6:4848Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God. (1 Chronicles 6:48)).
The priesthood itself had a dual function. First of all, "Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt-offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place." Secondly, they made "atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded" (1 Chron. 6:4949But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. (1 Chronicles 6:49)). Thus, the priesthood alone was called to portray the work of Christ as He is described in Heb. 2:1717Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17): "a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." The Levites on the other hand depicted service and praise in connection with this work.
In 1 Chron. 6:54-8154Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot. 55And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it. 56But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 57And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs, 58And Hilen with her suburbs, Debir with her suburbs, 59And Ashan with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs: 60And out of the tribe of Benjamin; Geba with her suburbs, and Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth with her suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities. 61And unto the sons of Kohath, which were left of the family of that tribe, were cities given out of the half tribe, namely, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities. 62And to the sons of Gershom throughout their families out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. 63Unto the sons of Merari were given by lot, throughout their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. 64And the children of Israel gave to the Levites these cities with their suburbs. 65And they gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which are called by their names. 66And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim. 67And they gave unto them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs, 68And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs, 69And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs: 70And out of the half tribe of Manasseh; Aner with her suburbs, and Bileam with her suburbs, for the family of the remnant of the sons of Kohath. 71Unto the sons of Gershom were given out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs: 72And out of the tribe of Issachar; Kedesh with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs, 73And Ramoth with her suburbs, and Anem with her suburbs: 74And out of the tribe of Asher; Mashal with her suburbs, and Abdon with her suburbs, 75And Hukok with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs: 76And out of the tribe of Naphtali; Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon with her suburbs, and Kirjathaim with her suburbs. 77Unto the rest of the children of Merari were given out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmon with her suburbs, Tabor with her suburbs: 78And on the other side Jordan by Jericho, on the east side of Jordan, were given them out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with her suburbs, and Jahzah with her suburbs, 79Kedemoth also with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs: 80And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs, 81And Heshbon with her suburbs, and Jazer with her suburbs. (1 Chronicles 6:54‑81) we find enumerated the cities apportioned to the Levites, including the cities of refuge. These latter are not mentioned according to the order of their being hallowed, beginning with Kedesh and Shechem as in Josh. 20:7-97And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. 8And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. 9These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation. (Joshua 20:7‑9), but according to the order of Josh. 21:11-4011And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it. 12But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. 13Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs, 14And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs, 15And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, 16And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes. 17And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, 18Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities. 19All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 20And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim. 21For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, 22And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs; four cities. 23And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs, 24Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities. 25And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; two cities. 26All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained. 27And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beesh-terah with her suburbs; two cities. 28And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs, 29Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her suburbs; four cities. 30And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs, 31Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four cities. 32And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammoth-dor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities. 33All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 34And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs, 35Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities. 36And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs, 37Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities. 38And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs, 39Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all. 40So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities. (Joshua 21:11‑40), beginning with Hebron. Here again, Kohath comes first instead of Gershom (cf. 1 Chron. 6:2020Of Gershom; Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, (1 Chronicles 6:20)), for it is a matter of the Lord's free choice: "theirs was the lot" (1 Chron. 6:5454Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot. (1 Chronicles 6:54)). Among them, the sons of Aaron received "Hebron in the land of Judah" as a city of refuge (1 Chron. 6:55,5755And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it. (1 Chronicles 6:55)
57And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs, (1 Chronicles 6:57)). Thus the priesthood, issuing from Kohath, is here intimately united with the tribe of Judah and the place where the kingship was established, whereas the other members of the family of Kohath find their dwelling place in Ephraim and Manasseh. For this reason Judah and Ephraim (cf. 1 Chron. 6:6666And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim. (1 Chronicles 6:66)) occupy a prominent place among the sons of Israel. Thus we see Judah and Joseph, who had the birthright, united through the Levitical priesthood dwelling in their midst. These three names, Judah, Joseph, and Levi, speak to us in a way still obscure of the Messiah's features as king, as first-born, and as high priest.
As we have said, the order of the cities of refuge corresponds to that of Josh. 21, being Hebron, Shechem, Golan in Bashan, Kedesh, Bezer, and Ramoth in Gilead.