1 Chronicles 6:1 Komentář

Though Joseph and Judah shared between them the forfeited honours of the birthright, yet Levi was first of all the tribes, dignified and distinguished with an honour more valuable than either the precedency or the double portion, and that was the priesthood. That tribe God set apart for himself; it was Moses's tribe, and perhaps for his sake was thus favoured. Of that tribe we have an account in this chapter. I. Their pedigree, the first fathers of the tribe (Ch1 6:1-3), the line of the priests, from Aaron to the captivity (Ch1 6:4-15), and of some other of their families (Ch1 6:16-30). II. Their work, the work of the Levites (v. 31-48), of the priests (Ch1 6:49-53). III. The cities appointed them in the land of Canaan (v. 54-81).

The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites to preserve their pedigree clear and to be able to prove it, because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. And we read of those who, though perhaps they really were children of the priests, yet, because they could not find the register of their genealogies, nor make out their descent by any authentic record, were, as polluted, put from the priesthood, and forbidden to eat of the holy things, Ezr 2:62, Ezr 2:63. It is but very little that is here recorded of the genealogies of this sacred tribe. I. The first fathers of it are here named twice, Ch1 6:1, Ch1 6:16. Gershom, Kohath, and Merari, are three names which we were very conversant with in the book of Numbers, when the families of the Levites were marshalled and had their work assigned to them. Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam, we have known much more of than their names, and cannot pass them over here without remembering that this was that Moses and Aaron whom God honoured in making them instruments of Israel's deliverance and settlement and figures of him that was to come, Moses as a prophet and Aaron as a priest. And the mention of Nadab and Abihu (though, having no children, there was no occasion to bring them into the genealogy) cannot but remind us of the terrors of that divine justice which they were made monuments of for offering strange fire, that we may always fear before him. 2. The line of Eleazar, the successor of Aaron, is here drawn down to the time of the captivity, Ch1 6:4-15. It begins with Eleazar, who came out of the house of bondage in Egypt, and ends with Jehozadak, who went into the house of bondage in Babylon. Thus, for their sins, they were left as they were found, which might also intimate that the Levitical priesthood did not make anything perfect, but this was to be done by the bringing in of a better hope. All these here named were not high priests; for, in the time of the judges, that dignity was, upon some occasion or other, brought into the family of Ithamar, of which Eli was; but in Zadok it returned again to the right line. Of Azariah it is here said (v. 10), He it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built. It is supposed that this was that Azariah who bravely opposed the presumption of king Uzziah when he invaded the priest's office (Ch2 26:17, Ch2 26:18), though he ventured his neck by so doing. This was done like a priest, like one that was truly zealous for his God. He that thus boldly maintained and defended the priest's office, and made good its barriers against such a daring insult, might well be said to execute it; and this honour is put upon him for it; while Urijah, one of his successors, for a base compliance with King Ahaz, in building him an idolatrous altar, has the disgrace put upon him of being left out of this genealogy, as perhaps some others are. But some think that this remark upon this Azariah should have been added to his grandfather of the same name (Ch1 6:9), who was the son of Ahimaaz, and that he was the priest who first officiated in Solomon's temple. 3. Some other of the families of the Levites are here accounted for. One of the families of Gershom (that of Libni) is here drawn down as far as Samuel, who had the honour of a prophet added to that of a Levite. One of the families of Merari (that of Mahli) is likewise drawn down for several descents, Ch1 6:29, Ch1 6:30.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 6 This chapter begins with the fathers and heads of the tribe of Levi, Ch1 6:1, and reckons up the high priests in the line of Eleazar, to the Babylonish captivity, Ch1 6:4 gives an account of the families of the sons of Levi, Ch1 6:16 and of those Levites that were employed as singers, and in other ministrations in the sanctuary in the times of David and Solomon, Ch1 6:31, then follows a repetition of the sons of Aaron in the line of Eleazar, to the said times, Ch1 6:50, and a recital of the dwelling places of the Levites in the several tribes, Ch1 6:54.

The sons of Levi,.... After an account of the chief of the tribes of Judah and Simeon, of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, follows that of Levi, and his posterity; the kingdom being given to Judah, the birthright to Joseph, and the priesthood to Levi: the immediate sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; as in Gen 46:11, from these sprung the three families of the Levites.

The genealogy of Levi and Aaron, vv. 1-30. The offices of the priests and Levites, vv. 31-53. The cities assigned them, vv. 54-81.

The sons of Levi - It has been well remarked that the genealogy of Levi is given here more ample and correct than that of any of the others. And this is perhaps an additional proof that the author was a priest, felt much for the priesthood, and took care to give the genealogy of the Levitical and sacerdotal families, from the most correct tables; for with such tables we may presume he was intimately acquainted.

LINE OF THE PRIESTS. (1Ch. 6:1-48) Uzzi--It is supposed that, in his days, the high priesthood was, for unrecorded reasons, transferred from Eleazar's family to Ithamar's, in which it continued for several generations.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 6 This chapter begins with the fathers and heads of the tribe of Levi, Ch1 6:1, and reckons up the high priests in the line of Eleazar, to the Babylonish captivity, Ch1 6:4 gives an account of the families of the sons of Levi, Ch1 6:16 and of those Levites that were employed as singers, and in other ministrations in the sanctuary in the times of David and Solomon, Ch1 6:31, then follows a repetition of the sons of Aaron in the line of Eleazar, to the said times, Ch1 6:50, and a recital of the dwelling places of the Levites in the several tribes, Ch1 6:54.

The sons of Levi,.... After an account of the chief of the tribes of Judah and Simeon, of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, follows that of Levi, and his posterity; the kingdom being given to Judah, the birthright to Joseph, and the priesthood to Levi: the immediate sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; as in Gen 46:11, from these sprung the three families of the Levites.