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 Genesis 46:11 , from these sprung the three families of the Levites. read more
And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel ,.... Given in the same order as in Exodus 6:18 ; see Gill on Exodus 6:18 . read more
And the children of Amram, Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam ,.... Very memorable persons: Aaron was the high priest, Moses the prophet and lawgiver, and Miriam a prophetess, see Micah 6:4 , the sons also of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar ; the two first were destroyed by fire from heaven for offering strange fire, Leviticus 10:1 and the third succeeded his father in the high priesthood; the line of which is drawn from Aaron through him unto the Babylonish captivity, from... read more
The sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Which is repeated from 1 Chronicles 6:1 for the sake of their posterity, whose names are given in the three following verses, in the same manner as in Exodus 6:17 . read more
Of Gershon, Libni his son ,.... Whose genealogy runs thus, Jahath, called Jehiel, 1 Chronicles 23:8 . Zimmah, between whom was Shimei, 1 Chronicles 6:42 . Joah, the same with Ethan, 1 Chronicles 6:42 . Iddo, called Adaiah, 1 Chronicles 6:41 . Zerah, Jeaterai, whose name was also Ethni, 1 Chronicles 6:41 , the posterity of Shimei, the brother of Libni, are omitted. read more
The sons of Kohath, Amminadab ,.... The same with Izhar, 1 Chronicles 6:2 the posterity of his brethren, Amram, Hebron, and Uzziel, are omitted; and his genealogy is carried to a considerable length, for the sake of Samuel the prophet, who sprang from him: it stands thus, Korah, Assir, Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir, Tahath, Uriel, called Zephaniah, 1 Chronicles 6:36 Uzziah, the same with Azariah, 1 Chronicles 6:36 . Shaul, whose name is Joel, 1 Chronicles 6:36 then through the sons of... read more
The sons of Merari; Mahli ,.... The posterity of his brother Mushi are omitted; his genealogy is drawn thus, Libni, Shimei, Uzza, Shimea, Haggiah, Asaiah. read more
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. read more
Eleazar begat Phinehas - As the high priesthood continued in this family for a long time, the sacred historian confines himself to this chiefly, omitting Nadab and Abihu, and even the family of Ithamar. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 6:1-30
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... read more