1
The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
2
The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
3
The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
4
Eleazar became the father of Phinehas; Phinehas became the father of Abishua;
5
Abishua became the father of Bukki; Bukki became the father of Uzzi;
6
Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah; Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth;
7
Meraioth became the father of Amariah; Amariah became the father of Ahitub;
8
Ahitub became the father of Zadok; Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz;
9
Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah; Azariah became the father of Johanan;
10
Johanan became the father of Azariah; it was he who held the office of priest in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem.
11
Azariah became the father of Amariah; Amariah became the father of Ahitub;
12
Ahitub became the father of Zadok; Zadok became the father of Shallum;
13
Shallum became the father of Hilkiah; Hilkiah became the father of Azariah;
14
Azariah became the father of Seraiah; Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak;
15
Jehozadak also was taken away when the LORD allowed Judah and Jerusalem to be carried into exile by Nebuchadnezzar.
16
The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
17
These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei.
18
The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
19
The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.
These are the clans of the Levites according to their families:
20
Of Gershon: his son Libni, and his son Jahath, and his son Zimmah,
21
and his son Joah, and his son Iddo, and his son Zerah, and his son Jeatherai.
22
The descendants of Kohath: his son Amminadab, and his son Korah, and his son Assir,
23
and his son Elkanah, and his son Ebiasaph, and his son Assir,
24
and his son Tahath, and his son Uriel, and his son Uzziah, and his son Shaul.
25
The sons of Elkanah were Amasai and Ahimoth,
26
and his son Elkanah, and his son Zophai, and his son Nahath,
27
and his son Eliab, and his son Jeroham, and his son Elkanah.
28
The sons of Samuel were Joel, the firstborn, and Abijah, the second.
29
The descendants of Merari: Mahli, and his son Libni, his son Shimei, and his son Uzzah,
30
and his son Shimea, and his son Haggiah, and his son Asaiah.
31
These are the men whom David appointed over the singing in the house of the LORD, after the ark had found rest.
32
They ministered with song before the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. They carried out their duties according to the regulations given them.
33
This is the line of those who served with their sons: of the sons of Kohath, Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel
34
the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah
35
the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai
36
the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah
37
the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah
38
the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
39
And at his right hand stood Asaph, his kinsman, that is, Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea
40
the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchiah
41
the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah
42
the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei
43
the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.
44
And at the left hand stood, of the sons of Merari, their kinsmen, Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch
45
the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah
46
the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer
47
the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.
48
Their kinsmen, the other Levites, were appointed to do all the work of the Tabernacle, the house of God.
49
But Aaron and his sons were responsible for burning offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, and for doing all the work in the Most Holy Place, and for making atonement for Israel, just as Moses the servant of God had commanded.
50
These are the descendants of Aaron: Eleazar his son, and the son of this one was Phinehas, and the son of this one was Abishua,
51
and the son of this one was Bukki, and the son of this one was Uzzi, and the son of this one was Zerahiah
52
and the son of this one was Meraioth, and the son of this one was Amariah, and the son of this one was Ahitub,
53
and the son of this one was Zadok, and the son of this one was Ahimaaz.
54
These were their dwelling places according to their encampments within their territory: to the descendants of Aaron, of the clans of the Kohathites—for theirs was the first lot—
55
to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, with its pasturelands around it,
56
but the fields of the city and its villages were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.
57
To the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with its pasturelands, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa with its pasturelands;
58
Hilen with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands;
59
Ashan with its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands;
60
and from the tribe of Benjamin: Geba with its pasturelands, Alemeth with its pasturelands, and Anathoth with its pasturelands. Altogether, their cities were thirteen, distributed among their clans.
61
And to the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot ten cities from the half-tribe, from the tribe of Manasseh.
62
To the sons of Gershon, according to their clans, were given thirteen cities from the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
63
To the sons of Merari, according to their clans, were given by lot twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun.
64
So the Israelites gave these cities to the Levites, with their pasturelands.
65
They also gave by lot the cities named above, from the tribe of the sons of Judah, from the tribe of the sons of Simeon, and from the tribe of the sons of Benjamin.
66
The remaining clans of the sons of Kohath received cities from the tribe of Ephraim as their territory.
67
To them were given Shechem, the city of refuge, with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer with its pasturelands,
68
Jokmeam with its pasturelands, Beth-Horon with its pasturelands,
69
Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath-Rimmon with its pasturelands.
70
And from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Aner with its pasturelands and Bileam with its pasturelands. These cities were given to the remaining clans of the sons of Kohath.
71
The sons of Gershon received from the clans of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands, and Ashtaroth with its pasturelands;
72
from the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh with its pasturelands; Daberath with its pasturelands,
73
Ramoth with its pasturelands, and Anem with its pasturelands;
74
from the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands,
75
Hukok with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands;
76
from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, Hammon with its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim with its pasturelands.
77
The remaining sons of Merari received from the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono with its pasturelands and Tabor with its pasturelands;
78
and beyond the Jordan near Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, from the tribe of Reuben were given: Bezer in the wilderness with its pasturelands, Jahaz with its pasturelands,
79
Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands;
80
and from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands, Mahanaim with its pasturelands,
81
Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands.
🎶👑🕊️ Summary of 1 Chronicles 6 – The Genealogy of the Tribe of Levi: Priests, Worship, and Service in the House of the LORD
1 Chronicles 6 especially records the complete genealogy of the tribe of Levi, the tribe appointed by God to serve in the House of the LORD. This chapter sets out the line of the high priests, the roles of the singers and musicians in worship, and the cities of the Levites. Unlike the other tribes, the tribe of Levi did not receive a large territory, but was given special cities because their task was to serve the LORD fully.
This chapter emphasizes the importance of worship, service, and faithfulness to God, especially in the context of restoration after the exile.
📌 1. The Genealogy of the High Priests from Aaron to Jehozadak (verses 1–15)
➡️ It begins with Levi → Kohath → Amram → Aaron and continues to Zadok and Jehozadak
➡️ Jehozadak was the high priest when the people were taken to Babylon
➡️ This line is important because it became the legal basis for service in the House of the LORD
🎯 Holy service requires a lineage and a calling established by the LORD.
📌 2. Other Branches of the Tribe of Levi: Kohath, Gershon, Merari (verses 16–30)
➡️ The tribe of Levi consisted of three main branches: Kohath, Gershon, and Merari
➡️ Each had a role in the service of the Tabernacle and the House of the LORD
➡️ The long genealogy shows the importance of service across generations
🎯 Service to God is a holy inheritance that must be passed on.
📌 3. The Duties of Musicians and Singers in Worship (verses 31–48)
➡️ Those who were appointed to sing and play musical instruments were recorded
➡️ Names such as Heman, Asaph, and Ethan are mentioned — important figures in the Psalms
➡️ They came from the descendants of Kohath, Gershom, and Merari
🎯 Worship is at the center of Israel’s spiritual life and is served by those appointed by God.
📌 4. The Priests and the Cities of the Levites (verses 49–81)
➡️ Aaron and his descendants served in the most holy place, offered sacrifices, and led the people
➡️ The tribe of Levi was given 48 cities in various tribes of Israel (including cities of refuge such as Hebron)
➡️ Those cities were spread out so they could serve the people throughout the whole land
🎯 The service of God must be present throughout the land, not only at the center of worship.
📖 Main Teaching
- Service to God is a holy calling and divinely appointed
- The genealogy of the tribe of Levi shows the importance of faithfulness and spiritual heritage
- True worship requires structure, called people, and perseverance
- God provides for His servants through the community (cities for the Levites)
- The whole life of the people of Israel centered on worship and the presence of God
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 Hebrews 4:14
“We have a great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God.”
➡️ All the priests in 1 Chronicles 6 point to Jesus as the perfect High Priest
📖 1 Peter 2:9
“You are a royal priesthood…”
➡️ Now, all believers are called to be “spiritual priests” who live in holiness
📖 John 4:23
“True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.”
➡️ True worship goes beyond ritual, and becomes a lifestyle led by the Holy Spirit
🕊️ “Aaron and his descendants offered sacrifices on the altar…” – 1 Chronicles 6:49
🕊️ “These were the men appointed to sing in the house of the LORD…” – 1 Chronicles 6:31
🕊️ “They gave cities for the dwelling places of the Levites…” – 1 Chronicles 6:64
🕊️ “Jehozadak went into exile, when the LORD carried Judah away…” – 1 Chronicles 6:15
