66 And the residue of the families H4940 of the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 had cities H5892 of their coasts H1366 out of the tribe H4294 of Ephraim. H669
67 And they gave H5414 unto them, of the cities H5892 of refuge, H4733 Shechem H7927 in mount H2022 Ephraim H669 with her suburbs; H4054 they gave also Gezer H1507 with her suburbs, H4054
68 And Jokmeam H3361 with her suburbs, H4054 and Bethhoron H1032 with her suburbs, H4054
69 And Aijalon H357 with her suburbs, H4054 and Gathrimmon H1667 with her suburbs: H4054
70 And out of the half H4276 tribe H4294 of Manasseh; H4519 Aner H6063 with her suburbs, H4054 and Bileam H1109 with her suburbs, H4054 for the family H4940 of the remnant H3498 of the sons H1121 of Kohath. H6955
71 Unto the sons H1121 of Gershom H1647 were given out of the family H4940 of the half H2677 tribe H4294 of Manasseh, H4519 Golan H1474 in Bashan H1316 with her suburbs, H4054 and Ashtaroth H6252 with her suburbs: H4054
72 And out of the tribe H4294 of Issachar; H3485 Kedesh H6943 with her suburbs, H4054 Daberath H1705 with her suburbs, H4054
73 And Ramoth H7216 with her suburbs, H4054 and Anem H6046 with her suburbs: H4054
74 And out of the tribe H4294 of Asher; H836 Mashal H4913 with her suburbs, H4054 and Abdon H5658 with her suburbs, H4054
75 And Hukok H2712 with her suburbs, H4054 and Rehob H7340 with her suburbs: H4054
76 And out of the tribe H4294 of Naphtali; H5321 Kedesh H6943 in Galilee H1551 with her suburbs, H4054 and Hammon H2540 with her suburbs, H4054 and Kirjathaim H7156 with her suburbs. H4054
77 Unto the rest H3498 of the children H1121 of Merari H4847 were given out of the tribe H4294 of Zebulun, H2074 Rimmon H7417 with her suburbs, H4054 Tabor H8396 with her suburbs: H4054
78 And on the other side H5676 Jordan H3383 by Jericho, H3405 on the east side H4217 of Jordan, H3383 were given them out of the tribe H4294 of Reuben, H7205 Bezer H1221 in the wilderness H4057 with her suburbs, H4054 and Jahzah H3096 with her suburbs, H4054
79 Kedemoth H6932 also with her suburbs, H4054 and Mephaath H4158 with her suburbs: H4054
80 And out of the tribe H4294 of Gad; H1410 Ramoth H7216 in Gilead H1568 with her suburbs, H4054 and Mahanaim H4266 with her suburbs, H4054
81 And Heshbon H2809 with her suburbs, H4054 and Jazer H3270 with her suburbs. H4054
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 6
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
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.
1Ch 6:1-30
The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites to preserve their pedigree clear and to be able to prove it, because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. And we read of those who, though perhaps they really were children of the priests, yet, because they could not find the register of their genealogies, nor make out their descent by any authentic record, were, as polluted, put from the priesthood, and forbidden to eat of the holy things, Ezra 2:62, 63. It is but very little that is here recorded of the genealogies of this sacred tribe.
1Ch 6:31-53
When the Levites were first ordained in the wilderness much of the work then appointed them lay in carrying and taking care of the tabernacle and the utensils of it, while they were in their march through the wilderness. In David's time their number was increased; and, though the greater part of them was dispersed all the nation over, to teach the people the good knowledge of the Lord, yet those that attended the house of God were so numerous that there was not constant work for them all; and therefore David, by special commission and direction from God, new-modelled the Levites, as we shall find in the latter part of this book. Here we are told what the work was which he assigned them.
1Ch 6:54-81
We have here an account of the Levites' cities. They are here called their castles (v. 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. Sarum and Salisbury, Salop and Shrewsbury, are more unlike than Hilen (v. 58) and Holon (Jos. 21:15), Ashan (v. 59) and Ain (Jos. 21:16), Alemeth (v. 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,