American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
1 Chronicles 6
2
And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.
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Exodus 6:18
3
And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
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10
And Johanan begat Azariah, (he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:)
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15
And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
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16
The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
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Exodus 6:16
17
And these be the names of the sons of Gershom; Libni, and Shimei.
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1 Chronicles 23:7
18
And the sons of Kohath were, Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.
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1 Chronicles 23:12
19
The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers.
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22
The sons of Kohath; Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,
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Exodus 6:24
26
As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and Nahath his son,
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1 Samuel 1:1
27
Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.
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1 Samuel 1:1
29
The sons of Merari; Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzza his son,
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People
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1 Chronicles 6:19
31
And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.
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32
And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order.
33
And these are they that waited with their children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son of Shemuel,
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People
34
The son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
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The son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
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The son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
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The son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
39
And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea,
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People
44
And their brothers the sons of Merari stood on the left hand: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,
People
48
Their brothers also the Levites were appointed to all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.
49
But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.
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50
And these are the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,
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Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
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Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,
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Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.
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2 Samuel 8:17
54
Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot.
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Genesis 25:16
55
And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it.
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Joshua 14:13
56
But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
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Joshua 15:13
57
And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs,
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Joshua 15:48
60
And out of the tribe of Benjamin; Geba with her suburbs, and Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth with her suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.
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📍 Alemeth
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 1:1
61
And to the sons of Kohath, which were left of the family of that tribe, were cities given out of the half tribe, namely, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities.
62
And to the sons of Gershom throughout 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.
63
To the sons of Merari were given by lot, throughout their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
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Joshua 21:7
64
And the children of Israel gave to the Levites these cities with their suburbs.
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References Israel
Joshua 21:3
65
And they 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 called by their names.
66
And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim.
67
And they gave to them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs,
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Joshua 21:21
68
And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs,
📍 Jokmeam 2
69
And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs:
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Joshua 10:12
70
And out of the half tribe of Manasseh; Aner with her suburbs, and Bileam with her suburbs, for the family of the remnant of the sons of Kohath.
📍 Locations
71
To the sons of Gershom were given out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs:
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72
And out of the tribe of Issachar; Kedesh with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs,
📍 Kedesh 3
73
And Ramoth with her suburbs, and Anem with her suburbs:
📍 Locations
74
And out of the tribe of Asher; Mashal with her suburbs, and Abdon with her suburbs,
📍 Mashal
75
And Hukok with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs:
📍 Hukok
76
And out of the tribe of Naphtali; Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon with her suburbs, and Kirjathaim with her suburbs.
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📍 Kiriathaim 2
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Joshua 21:32
77
To the rest of the children of Merari were given out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmon with her suburbs, Tabor with her suburbs:
📍 Locations
78
And on the other side Jordan by Jericho, on the east side of Jordan, were given them out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with her suburbs, and Jahzah with her suburbs,
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📍 Jahzah
Parallel theme
Joshua 20:8
79
Kedemoth also with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs:
80
And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
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📍 Ramoth 1
81
And Heshbon with her suburbs, and Jazer with her suburbs.
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Parallel theme
Joshua 21:39
Summary of 1 Chronicles 6
This chapter contains 81 verses and is devoted primarily to the tribe of Levi and its role in Israel's worship. The chapter begins by identifying Levi's three sons—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari—who became the three principal divisions of the Levite tribe. The Kohathite family receives particular attention because it produced Amram, Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. Aaron's descendants formed the priestly line, eventually leading through Eleazar, Phinehas, Zadok, and other generations to the time of the Babylonian exile.
The chapter also highlights the organization of Israel's worship music. Three major musicians are identified: Heman, from the Kohathite line; Asaph, from Gershon; and Ethan, from Merari. Their inclusion demonstrates that all three major Levite branches participated in organized worship. Their musical ministry was especially associated with the worship system established under King David around the 10th century BC.
The final major section explains the distribution of Levitical cities. Unlike Judah, Ephraim, or the other major tribes, Levi did not receive one large continuous territory. Instead, the Levites were given cities throughout the territories of the other tribes. The descendants of Aaron received thirteen cities, while the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites received additional cities in central, northern, southern, and Transjordan regions.
Several of these cities were cities of refuge, including Hebron, Shechem, Golan, Kedesh, Bezer, and Ramoth-Gilead. This shows that the Levites had responsibilities beyond worship. They were distributed throughout Israel so that religious instruction, worship, legal traditions, and community leadership could be maintained across the nation.
The chapter therefore presents Levi as a nationwide spiritual network. Its genealogies establish legitimate priestly and Levitical authority, while its city lists show how these families were integrated into Israelite society.
Main Message
God established an organized system of priests, Levites, musicians, and cities so that worship, teaching, justice, and spiritual service could reach the entire nation of Israel.
The chapter also highlights the organization of Israel's worship music. Three major musicians are identified: Heman, from the Kohathite line; Asaph, from Gershon; and Ethan, from Merari. Their inclusion demonstrates that all three major Levite branches participated in organized worship. Their musical ministry was especially associated with the worship system established under King David around the 10th century BC.
The final major section explains the distribution of Levitical cities. Unlike Judah, Ephraim, or the other major tribes, Levi did not receive one large continuous territory. Instead, the Levites were given cities throughout the territories of the other tribes. The descendants of Aaron received thirteen cities, while the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites received additional cities in central, northern, southern, and Transjordan regions.
Several of these cities were cities of refuge, including Hebron, Shechem, Golan, Kedesh, Bezer, and Ramoth-Gilead. This shows that the Levites had responsibilities beyond worship. They were distributed throughout Israel so that religious instruction, worship, legal traditions, and community leadership could be maintained across the nation.
The chapter therefore presents Levi as a nationwide spiritual network. Its genealogies establish legitimate priestly and Levitical authority, while its city lists show how these families were integrated into Israelite society.
Main Message
God established an organized system of priests, Levites, musicians, and cities so that worship, teaching, justice, and spiritual service could reach the entire nation of Israel.