1Ch 6:15-17 | KD | STEP | As to the tribe of Levi, we have several communications: (1.) the genealogy of the high-priestly family of Aaron, down to Jehozadak, who was led away into exile by Nebuchadnezzar ( ); (2.) a short register of the families of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, which does not extend far into later times ( ); (3.) the genealogies of the musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan (1 Chron 6:31-47), with remarks on the service of the other Levites ( , ); (4.) a register of the high priests from Eleazar to Ahimaaz the son of Zadok ( ), with a register of the cities of the Levites (1 Chron 6:54-81). If we look into these genealogies and registers, we see, both from a repetition of a part of the genealogy of the high priest ( ), and also from the name of the eldest son of Levi appearing in two different forms - in 1Ch 6:1. Gershon; in , , etc., Gershom - that the register in is drawn from another source than the registers in 1 Chron 6, which, with the exception of the genealogies of David’s chief musicians, are throughout fragmentary, and in parts corrupt, and were most probably found by the author of the Chronicle in this defective state. (Hebrew_Bible_5:27-41). The family of Aaron, or the high-priestly line of Aaron, to the time of the Babylonian exile. - -3. In order to exhibit the connection of Aharon (or Aaron) with the patriarch Levi, the enumeration begins with the three sons of Levi, who are given in as in ; , and in other passages. Of Levi’s grandchildren, only the four sons of Kohath ( ) are noticed; and of these, again, Amram is the only one whose descendants - Aaron, Moses, and Miriam - are named ( ); and thereafter only Aaron’s sons are introduced, in order that the enumeration of his family in the high-priestly line of Eleazar might follow. With cf. , and on see the commentary on Exo 6:20. With the sons of Aaron ( ) compare besides , also Num 3:2-4, and -2. As Nadab and Abihu were slain when they offered strange fire before Jahve (Lev 10:1.), Aaron’s race was continued only by his sons Eleazar and Ithamar. After Aaron’s death, his eldest son Eleazar was chosen by God to be his successor in the high priest’s office, and thus the line of Eleazar came into possession of the high-priestly dignity.

‏ 1 Chronicles 6:15-17

The Families of Levi, and Their Cities - 1 Chronicles 6 1 Chronicles 6 (Hebrew_Bible_5:27-6:66).

As to the tribe of Levi, we have several communications: (1.) the genealogy of the high-priestly family of Aaron, down to Jehozadak, who was led away into exile by Nebuchadnezzar (1Ch 6:1-15); (2.) a short register of the families of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, which does not extend far into later times (1Ch 6:16-30); (3.) the genealogies of the musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan (1 Chron 6:31-47), with remarks on the service of the other Levites (1Ch 6:48, 1Ch 6:49); (4.) a register of the high priests from Eleazar to Ahimaaz the son of Zadok (1Ch 6:50-53), with a register of the cities of the Levites (1 Chron 6:54-81). If we look into these genealogies and registers, we see, both from a repetition of a part of the genealogy of the high priest (1Ch 6:50-53), and also from the name of the eldest son of Levi appearing in two different forms - in 1Ch 6:1. Gershon; in 1Ch 6:16-17, 1Ch 6:20, etc., Gershom - that the register in 1Ch 6:1-15 is drawn from another source than the registers in 1 Chron 6, which, with the exception of the genealogies of David’s chief musicians, are throughout fragmentary, and in parts corrupt, and were most probably found by the author of the Chronicle in this defective state.

1Ch 6:1-15 (Hebrew_Bible_5:27-41). The family of Aaron, or the high-priestly line of Aaron, to the time of the Babylonian exile. - 1Ch 6:1-3. In order to exhibit the connection of Aharon (or Aaron) with the patriarch Levi, the enumeration begins with the three sons of Levi, who are given in 1Ch 6:1 as in Gen 46:11; Exo 6:16, and in other passages. Of Levi’s grandchildren, only the four sons of Kohath (1Ch 6:2) are noticed; and of these, again, Amram is the only one whose descendants - Aaron, Moses, and Miriam - are named (1Ch 6:3); and thereafter only Aaron’s sons are introduced, in order that the enumeration of his family in the high-priestly line of Eleazar might follow. With 1Ch 6:2 cf. Exo 1:18, and on 1Ch 6:34 see the commentary on Exo 6:20. With the sons of Aaron (1Ch 6:44) compare besides Exo 6:23, also Num 3:2-4, and 1Ch 24:1-2. As Nadab and Abihu were slain when they offered strange fire before Jahve (Lev 10:1.), Aaron’s race was continued only by his sons Eleazar and Ithamar. After Aaron’s death, his eldest son Eleazar was chosen by God to be his successor in the high priest’s office, and thus the line of Eleazar came into possession of the high-priestly dignity. 1Ch 6:16-81 (Hebrew_Bible_Ch. 6). The families and cities of the Levites. - Vv. 1-34. Register of the families of the Levites. - This is introduced by an enumeration of the sons and grandsons of Levi (1Ch 6:16-19), which is followed by lists of families in six lines of descent: (a) the descendants of Gershon (1Ch 6:20-21), of Kohath (1Ch 6:22-28), and of Merari (1Ch 6:29-30); and (b) the genealogies of David’s chief musicians (1Ch 6:31, 1Ch 6:32), of Heman the Kohathite (1Ch 6:33-38), of Asaph the Gershonite (1Ch 6:39-43), and of Ethan the Merarite (1Ch 6:44-47); and in 1Ch 6:48, 1Ch 6:49, some notes as to the service performed by the other Levites and the priests are added. (Hebrew_Bible_6:1-4). The sons of Levi are in 1Ch 6:1 again enumerated as in 1Ch 6:1; then in 1Ch 6:16-22 the sons of these three sons, i.e., the grandsons of Levi, are introduced, while in 1Ch 6:1 only the sons of Kohath are mentioned. The only object of this enumeration is to make quite clear the descent of the Levitic families which follow. The name of the first son of Levi is in 1Ch 6:16, 1Ch 6:17, 1Ch 6:20, etc. of this chapter גּרשׁם, which was the name of Moses’ son, cf. 1Ch 23:15.; whereas in 1Ch 6:1 and in the Pentateuch we find a different pronunciation, viz., גּרשׁון. The names of Levi’s grandsons in 1Ch 6:17-22 coincide with the statements of the Pentateuch, Exo 6:17-19, and Num 3:17-20, cf. Num 26:57. Bertheau and other commentators consider the words in 1Ch 6:17, “and these are the families of Levi according to their fathers,” to be a “concluding subscription” to the statements of 1Ch 6:15-17, and would remove ו before אלּה, as not compatible with this supposition. But in this he is wrong: for although the similar statement in Exo 6:20 is a subscription, yet it is in Num 3:20 a superscription, and must in our verse also be so understood; for otherwise the enumeration of the descendants of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, which follows, would be brought in very abruptly, without any connecting particle, and the ו before אלּה points to the same conclusion.