3 And the children H1121 of Amram; H6019 Aaron, H175 and Moses, H4872 and Miriam. H4813 The sons H1121 also of Aaron; H175 Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385
And Nadab H5070 and Abihu, H30 the sons H1121 of Aaron, H175 took H3947 either H376 of them his censer, H4289 and put H5414 fire H784 therein, H2004 and put H7760 incense H7004 thereon, and offered H7126 strange H2114 fire H784 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 which he commanded H6680 them not.
And Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto Aaron, H175 and unto Eleazar H499 and unto Ithamar, H385 his sons H1121 that were left, H3498 Take H3947 the meat offering H4503 that remaineth H3498 of the offerings H801 of the LORD H3068 made by fire, H801 and eat H398 it without leaven H4682 beside H681 the altar: H4196 for it is most H6944 holy: H6944
And Aaron H175 took H3947 him Elisheba, H472 daughter H1323 of Amminadab, H5992 sister H269 of Naashon, H5177 to wife; H802 and she bare H3205 him Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385
And he said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Come up H5927 unto the LORD, H3068 thou, and Aaron, H175 Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 and seventy H7657 of the elders H2205 of Israel; H3478 and worship H7812 ye afar off. H7350
And take H7126 thou unto thee Aaron H175 thy brother, H251 and his sons H1121 with him, from among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, H3547 even Aaron, H175 Nadab H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar H499 and Ithamar, H385 Aaron's H175 sons. H1121
And Moses H4872 diligently H1875 sought H1875 the goat H8163 of the sin offering, H2403 and, behold, it was burnt: H8313 and he was angry H7107 with Eleazar H499 and Ithamar, H385 the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 which were left H3498 alive, saying, H559
The sons H1121 of Amram; H6019 Aaron H175 and Moses: H4872 and Aaron H175 was separated, H914 that he should sanctify H6942 the most H6944 holy things, H6944 he and his sons H1121 for H5704 ever, H5769 to burn incense H6999 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 to minister H8334 unto him, and to bless H1288 in his name H8034 for H5704 ever. H5769
Now these are the divisions H4256 of the sons H1121 of Aaron. H175 The sons H1121 of Aaron; H175 Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385 But Nadab H5070 and Abihu H30 died H4191 before H6440 their father, H1 and had no children: H1121 therefore Eleazar H499 and Ithamar H385 executed the priest's office. H3547 And David H1732 distributed H2505 them, both Zadok H6659 of the sons H1121 of Eleazar, H499 and Ahimelech H288 of the sons H1121 of Ithamar, H385 according to their offices H6486 in their service. H5656 And there were more H7227 chief H7218 men H1397 found H4672 of the sons H1121 of Eleazar H499 than of the sons H1121 of Ithamar; H385 and thus were they divided. H2505 Among the sons H1121 of Eleazar H499 there were sixteen H8337 H6240 chief men H7218 of the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 and eight H8083 among the sons H1121 of Ithamar H385 according to the house H1004 of their fathers. H1 Thus were they divided H2505 by lot, H1486 one sort H428 with another; H428 for the governors H8269 of the sanctuary, H6944 and governors H8269 of the house of God, H430 were of the sons H1121 of Eleazar, H499 and of the sons H1121 of Ithamar. H385 And Shemaiah H8098 the son H1121 of Nethaneel H5417 the scribe, H5608 one of the Levites, H3881 wrote H3789 them before H6440 the king, H4428 and the princes, H8269 and Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Ahimelech H288 the son H1121 of Abiathar, H54 and before the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the priests H3548 and Levites: H3881 one H259 principal H1 household H1004 being taken H270 for Eleazar, H499 and one taken H270 for Ithamar. H385
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 6
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 6 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 6
1Ch 6:1-48. Line of the Priests.
5. 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.
10. he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem—It is doubtful whether the person in favor of whom this testimony is borne be Johanan or Azariah. If the former, he is the same as Jehoiada, who rendered important public services (2Ki 11:1-20); if the latter, it refers to the worthy and independent part he acted in resisting the unwarrantable encroachments of Uzziah (2Ch 26:17).
in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem—described in this particular manner to distinguish it from the second temple, which was in existence at the time when this history was written.
14. Azariah begat Seraiah—He filled the supreme pontifical office at the destruction of Jerusalem, and, along with his deputy and others, he was executed by Nebuchadnezzar's orders at Riblah (2Ki 25:18, 21). The line of high priests, under the first temple, which from Zadok amounted to twelve, terminated with him.
16-48. The sons of Levi; Gershom, &c.—This repetition (see 1Ch 6:1) is made, as the historian here begins to trace the genealogy of the Levitical families who were not priests. The list is a long one, comprising the chiefs or heads of their several families until David's reign, who made a new and different classification of them by courses.
20. Zimmah his son—his grandson (1Ch 6:42).
24. Uriel—or Zephaniah (1Ch 6:36).
27. Elkanah—the father of the prophet Samuel (1Sa 1:1).
28. the sons of Samuel—The sons of Samuel are here named Vashni and Abiah. The first-born is called Joel (1Sa 8:2); and this name is given to him in 1Ch 6:33. It is now generally thought by the best critics that, through an error of the copyists, an omission has been made of the oldest son's name, and that Vashni, which is not the name of a person, merely signifies "and the second." This critical emendation of the text makes all clear, as well as consistent with other passages relating to the family of Samuel.
32. before the dwelling-place, &c.—that is, in the tent which David had erected for receiving the ark after it was removed from the house of Obed-edom [2Sa 6:17]. This was a considerable time before the temple was built.
they waited on their office according to their order—which David, doubtless by the direction of the Holy Spirit, had instituted for the better regulation of divine worship.
33. Shemuel—that is, Samuel. This is the exact representation of the Hebrew name.
39. his brother Asaph—They were brothers naturally, both being descended from Levi, as well as officially, both being of the Levitical order.
42. Ethan—or Jeduthun (1Ch 9:16; 2Ch 35:15).
48. Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service—Those of them who were endowed with musical tastes and talents were employed in various other departments of the temple service.
1Ch 6:49-81. Office of Aaron and His Sons.
49. But Aaron and his sons offered, &c.—The office and duties of the high priests having been already described, the names of those who successively filled that important office are recorded.
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.
61. 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 (1Ch 6:66). Eight of these are mentioned, but only two of them are taken out of the half tribe of Manasseh (1Ch 6:70). The names of the other two are given (Jos 21:21), where full and detailed notices of these arrangements may be found.
62. to the sons of Gershom—Supply "the children of Israel gave."
67-81. 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 (Ge 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.