1 Chronicles 6:44 Commentary

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).

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.

Now these are their dwelling places,.... The dwelling places of the priests and Levites, assigned and given to them in the several tribes of Israel; and the account of them agrees with that in Jos 21:1 with some few variations of names of places, which have been there observed: see the notes there; only in Ch1 6:57 two cities are omitted, Juttah and Gibeon, through want of care in transcribing, since they are said to be "thirteen", as they should be, whereas eleven only are mentioned. The Jews say (h), the cities of the suburbs (those here mentioned) ceased from the time the first temple was destroyed; and yet Ezra, who lived after the captivity, and the building the second temple, here gives a very particular account of them; the suburbs belonging to every city, which he particularly mentions, were 2000 cubits, both to the cities of refuge, and the rest, Num 35:5 Hebron, the first city mentioned in the next verse, was a city of refuge, and had suburbs of such a space; and it is remarkable, that some of the temples with the Heathens, which were asylums, or places of refuge, had the space of 2000 paces assigned them for the same sanctity and privilege (i). (h) T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 48. 2. (i) Tacit. Annal. l. 3. c. 62. Next: 1 Chronicles Chapter 7

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.

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.

Now these are their dwelling places,.... The dwelling places of the priests and Levites, assigned and given to them in the several tribes of Israel; and the account of them agrees with that in Jos 21:1 with some few variations of names of places, which have been there observed: see the notes there; only in Ch1 6:57 two cities are omitted, Juttah and Gibeon, through want of care in transcribing, since they are said to be "thirteen", as they should be, whereas eleven only are mentioned. The Jews say (h), the cities of the suburbs (those here mentioned) ceased from the time the first temple was destroyed; and yet Ezra, who lived after the captivity, and the building the second temple, here gives a very particular account of them; the suburbs belonging to every city, which he particularly mentions, were 2000 cubits, both to the cities of refuge, and the rest, Num 35:5 Hebron, the first city mentioned in the next verse, was a city of refuge, and had suburbs of such a space; and it is remarkable, that some of the temples with the Heathens, which were asylums, or places of refuge, had the space of 2000 paces assigned them for the same sanctity and privilege (i). (h) T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 48. 2. (i) Tacit. Annal. l. 3. c. 62. Next: 1 Chronicles Chapter 7