Day 491 of 1461 · 2028-05-05 · 20 verses

1 Chronicles 6:54–73

My plan starts

Territories for the Levites

⁵⁴Now these are their dwelling places according to their encampments in their borders: to the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first lot), ⁵⁵to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its pasture lands around it; ⁵⁶but the fields of the city, and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. ⁵⁷To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron; Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, ⁵⁸Hilen with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands, ⁵⁹Ashan with its pasture lands, and Beth Shemesh with its pasture lands; ⁶⁰and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its pasture lands, Allemeth with its pasture lands, and Anathoth with its pasture lands. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities. ⁶¹To the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. ⁶²To the sons of Gershom, according to their families, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. ⁶³To the sons of Merari were given by lot, according to their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. ⁶⁴The children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their pasture lands. ⁶⁵They gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned by name. ⁶⁶Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim. ⁶⁷They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands, and Gezer with its pasture lands, ⁶⁸Jokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth Horon with its pasture lands, ⁶⁹Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath Rimmon with its pasture lands; ⁷⁰and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasture lands, and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath. ⁷¹To the sons of Gershom were given, out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, and Ashtaroth with its pasture lands; ⁷²and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, ⁷³Ramoth with its pasture lands, and Anem with its pasture lands;

Jamieson–Fausset–Brown · 6:60

thirteen cities--No more than eleven are named here; but two additional ones are mentioned (Jos 21:16-17), which makes up the thirteen.

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Matthew Henry · 6:54–81

We have here an account of the Levites' cities. They are here called their castles (Ch1 6:54), not only because walled and fortified, and well guarded by the country (for it is the interest of every nation to protect its ministers), but because they and their possessions were, in a particular manner, the care of the divine providence: as God was their portion, so God was their protection; and a cottage will be a castle to those that abide under the shadow of the Almighty. This account is much the same with that which we had, Jos. 21. We need not be critical in comparing them (what good will it do us?) nor will it do any hurt to the credit of the holy scripture if the names of some of the places be not spelt just the same here as they were there. We know it is common for cities to have several names.…

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Sarum and Salisbury, Salop and Shrewsbury, are more unlike than Hilen (Ch1 6:58) and Holon (Jos 21:15), Ashan (Ch1 6:59) and Ain (Jos 21:16), Alemeth (Ch1 6:60) and Almon (Jos 21:18); and time changes names. We are only to observe that in this appointment of cities for the Levites God took care, 1. For the accomplishment of dying Jacob's prediction concerning this tribe, that it should be scattered in Israel, Gen 49:7. 2. For the diffusing of the knowledge of himself and his law to all parts of the land of Israel. Every tribe had Levites' cities in it; and so every room was furnished with a candle, so that none could be ignorant of his duty but it was either his own fault or the Levites'. 3. For a comfortable maintenance for those that ministered in holy things. Besides their tithes and offerings, they had glebe-lands and cities of their own to dwell in. Some of the most considerable cities of Israel fell to the Levites' lot. Every tribe had benefit by the Levites, and therefore every tribe must contribute to their support. Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth, and do it cheerfully.

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More notes on this section (4)

Jamieson–Fausset–Brown · 6:61

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unto the sons of Kohath, which were left--that is, in addition to the priests belonging to the same family and tribe of Levi. by lot, ten cities-- (Jos 21:26). The sacred historian gives an explanation (Ch1 6:66). Eight of these are mentioned, but only two of them are taken out of the half tribe of Manasseh (Ch1 6:70). The names of the other two are given (Jos 21:21), where full and detailed notices of these arrangements may be found.

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Jamieson–Fausset–Brown · 6:67

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they gave unto them of the cities of refuge--The names of the cities given here are considerably different from those applied to them (Jos 21:13-19). In the lapse of centuries, and from the revolutions of society, changes might have been expected to take place in the form or dialectic pronunciation of the names of those cities; and this will sufficiently account for the variations that are found in the lists as enumerated here and in an earlier book. As to these cities themselves that were assigned to the Levites, they were widely remote and separated--partly in fulfilment of Jacob's prophecy (Gen 49:7), and partly that the various districts of the country might obtain a competent supply of teachers who might instruct the people in the knowledge, and animate them to the observance, of a law which had so important a bearing on the promotion both of their private happiness and their national prosperity. Next: 1 Chronicles Chapter 7

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John Gill · 6:54

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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 Joshua 21:1 with some few variations of names of places, which have been there observed: see the notes there; only in 1 Chronicles 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, Numbers 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.

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Jamieson–Fausset–Brown · 6:62

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to the sons of Gershom--Supply "the children of Israel gave."

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About a five-minute read

Drawn from the public-domain commentaries and Spurgeon sermons that cover this exact passage · ~538 words.

Matthew Henry. 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). 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. Besides their tithes and offerings, they had glebe-lands and cities of their own to dwell in. Every tribe had Levites' cities in it; and so every room was furnished with a candle, so that none could be ignorant of his duty but it was either his own fault or the Levites'. 3. Every tribe had benefit by the Levites, and therefore every tribe must contribute to their support. We are only to observe that in this appointment of cities for the Levites God took care, 1. For the diffusing of the knowledge of himself and his law to all parts of the land of Israel. For the accomplishment of dying Jacob's prediction concerning this tribe, that it should be scattered in Israel, Gen 49:7. 2. They are here called their castles (Ch1 6:54), not only because walled and fortified, and well guarded by the country (for it is the interest of every nation to protect its ministers), but because they and their possessions were, in a particular manner, the care of the divine providence: as God was their portion, so God was their protection; and a cottage will be a castle to those that abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Jamieson–Fausset–Brown. thirteen cities--No more than eleven are named here; but two additional ones are mentioned (Jos 21:16-17), which makes up the thirteen. unto the sons of Kohath, which were left--that is, in addition to the priests belonging to the same family and tribe of Levi. by lot, ten cities-- (Jos 21:26). Eight of these are mentioned, but only two of them are taken out of the half tribe of Manasseh (Ch1 6:70). The names of the other two are given (Jos 21:21), where full and detailed notices of these arrangements may be found. they gave unto them of the cities of refuge--The names of the cities given here are considerably different from those applied to them (Jos 21:13-19). As to these cities themselves that were assigned to the Levites, they were widely remote and separated--partly in fulfilment of Jacob's prophecy (Gen 49:7), and partly that the various districts of the country might obtain a competent supply of teachers who might instruct the people in the knowledge, and animate them to the observance, of a law which had so important a bearing on the promotion both of their private happiness and their national prosperity. In the lapse of centuries, and from the revolutions of society, changes might have been expected to take place in the form or dialectic pronunciation of the names of those cities; and this will sufficiently account for the variations that are found in the lists as enumerated here and in an earlier book.

Chapter introductions and general notes (1)

Matthew Henry · ch. 6

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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).

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