← All Chapters The Book of 1 Chronicles · Chapter 6

1 Chronicles 6: The Tribe of Levi

The priestly line of Aaron, the singers David appointed, and the cities given to the Levites show God's care for worship at the center of Israel's life.

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1 Chronicles 6 (WEB)

1 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

2 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

3 The children of Amram: Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

4 Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua,

5 and Abishua became the father of Bukki, and Bukki became the father of Uzzi,

6 and Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah, and Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth,

7 Meraioth became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub,

8 and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz,

9 and Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Johanan,

10 and Johanan became the father of Azariah, (he it is who executed the priest’s office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem),

11 and Azariah became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub,

12 and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Shallum,

13 and Shallum became the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah became the father of Azariah,

14 and Azariah became the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak;

15 Jehozadak went into captivity, when Yahweh carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

16 The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

17 These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.

18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households.

20 Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,

21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son.

22 The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,

23 Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son,

24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.

25 The sons of Elkanah: Amasai, and Ahimoth.

26 As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son, and Nahath his son,

27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.

28 The sons of Samuel: the firstborn Joel, and the second Abijah.

29 The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,

30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.

31 These are they whom David set over the service of song in Yahweh’s house, after that the ark had rest.

32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon had built Yahweh’s house in Jerusalem: and they waited on their office according to their order.

33 These are those who waited, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: 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 His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea,

40 the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah,

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 On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: 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 brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of God’s house.

49 But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

50 These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,

51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,

52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,

53 Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.

54 Now 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),

55 to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs around it;

56 but the fields of the city, and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

57 To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron; Libnah also with its suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa with its suburbs,

58 and Hilen with its suburbs, Debir with its suburbs,

59 and Ashan with its suburbs, and Beth Shemesh with its suburbs;

60 and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its suburbs, and Allemeth with its suburbs, and Anathoth with its suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.

61 To 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.

62 To 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.

63 To 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.

64 The children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their suburbs.

65 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 mentioned by name.

66 Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim.

67 They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its suburbs; Gezer also with its suburbs,

68 and Jokmeam with its suburbs, and Beth Horon with its suburbs,

69 and Aijalon with its suburbs, and Gath Rimmon with its suburbs;

70 and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its suburbs, and Bileam with its suburbs, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.

71 To the sons of Gershom were given, out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, and Ashtaroth with its suburbs;

72 and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh with its suburbs, Daberath with its suburbs,

73 and Ramoth with its suburbs, and Anem with its suburbs;

74 and out of the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its suburbs, and Abdon with its suburbs,

75 and Hukok with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs;

76 and out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, and Hammon with its suburbs, and Kiriathaim with its suburbs.

77 To the rest of the Levites, the sons of Merari, were given, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmono with its suburbs, Tabor with its suburbs;

78 and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, were given them, out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with its suburbs, and Jahzah with its suburbs,

79 and Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs;

80 and out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,

81 and Heshbon with its suburbs, and Jazer with its suburbs.

Summary

The Chronicler devotes a full and careful chapter to the tribe of Levi, the tribe set apart for God's service. He traces the three sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, and then follows the high-priestly line through Aaron and his son Eleazar down through the generations to the time of the exile, when Jehozadak went into captivity as Yahweh carried Judah away by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. The chapter then turns to the Levites David appointed over the service of song in the Lord's house after the ark had rest, naming the great singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan and tracing their genealogies. It distinguishes the work of Aaron and his sons, who made atonement at the altar, from the broader service of the Levites. Finally, it records the cities given to the Levites throughout the tribes of Israel, including the cities of refuge, so that those who ministered before God were scattered among the people. By giving Levi such attention, the Chronicler underscores that worship and the priesthood lay at the very heart of the nation's life, and that God had provided faithfully for both the ministry of the altar and the ministry of song.

Key Figures

  • Aaron and his sons — The high-priestly line through Eleazar, set apart to offer sacrifice and make atonement for Israel at the altar.
  • The Levites — The tribe descended from Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, appointed to all the service of God's house and scattered among the tribes.
  • Heman, Asaph, and Ethan — The chief singers whom David set over the service of song in the Lord's house once the ark had come to rest.
  • Jehozadak — The priest in the high-priestly line who went into captivity when Judah and Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar.

Key Verse

1 Chronicles 6:31 (WEB)

These are they whom David set over the service of song in Yahweh’s house, after that the ark had rest.

Lessons Learned

  • God places worship and the service of his house at the very center of his people's life.
  • Both the ministry of atonement at the altar and the ministry of song are valued and ordered by God.
  • Those set apart to serve God were spread throughout the land to bless and teach all the tribes.
  • Even the priestly line passed through the discipline of exile, yet God preserved his servants.
  • Worship belongs at the center. The Chronicler gives Levi a whole chapter and highlights “the service of song in Yahweh's house” (1 Chronicles 6:31, WEB), showing that worship is no afterthought but central to the people's life.
  • God orders his service with care. Aaron's sons offered sacrifice “to make atonement for Israel” (1 Chronicles 6:49, WEB) while the Levites served the house; God assigns and honors distinct callings.
  • God scatters his servants to bless the whole. The Levites received cities throughout the tribes (1 Chronicles 6:54-81, WEB), placing ministers of God among all the people rather than in one place.
  • God preserves his ministers through judgment. Even as Jehozadak “went into captivity” (1 Chronicles 6:15, WEB), the priestly line was recorded and kept, ready to serve again after exile.
  1. Why does the Chronicler give the tribe of Levi such extended and careful attention?
  2. What is the significance of David appointing singers over the service of song in the Lord's house?
  3. How does the chapter distinguish the work of Aaron's priestly line from that of the wider Levites?
  4. Why were the Levites given cities scattered throughout all the tribes of Israel?
  5. How does seeing worship placed at the center of Israel's life challenge or encourage the place worship holds in your own life?
  1. Levi receives such care because worship and the priesthood stood at the heart of Israel's covenant relationship with God. For a community rebuilding the temple, knowing the priestly and Levitical lines were intact assured them that proper worship could be restored.
  2. By appointing singers once the ark had rest, David established music and praise as a permanent, ordered part of God's worship. It shows that singing to the Lord is not optional decoration but a God-honored ministry with its own called and trained servants.
  3. Aaron's sons alone made atonement at the altar, while the broader Levites handled the many other services of God's house. The distinction honors both callings and teaches that God's work involves a variety of roles, each appointed and valued by him.
  4. Scattering the Levites among the tribes placed teachers and ministers of God within reach of every part of Israel. It ensured that knowledge of God and the means of worship were spread throughout the land rather than confined to one region.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Invite members to reflect honestly on whether worship sits at the center or the margins of their lives. As leader, encourage practical steps to make praise and the gathering of God's people a true priority, without inducing guilt.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.