1 Chronicles 6:54-81

54 These are their dwelling places according to their settlements within their borders: to the sons of Aaron of the families of Kohathites—for the lot fell to them first—
55 to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasture lands,
56 but the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh.
57 To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,
58 Hilen with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands,
59 Ashan with its pasture lands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands.
60 From the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its pasture lands, Alemeth with its pasture lands, and Anathoth with its pasture lands. All their towns throughout their families were thirteen.
61 To the rest of the Kohathites were given by lot out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten towns.
62 To the Gershomites according to their families were allotted thirteen towns out of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan.
63 To the Merarites according to their families were allotted twelve towns out of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
64 So the people of Israel gave the Levites the towns with their pasture lands.
65 They also gave them by lot out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin these towns that are mentioned by name.
66 And some of the families of the sons of Kohath had towns of their territory out of the tribe of Ephraim.
67 They were given the cities of refuge: Shechem with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasture lands,
68 Jokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth-horon with its pasture lands,
69 Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands;
70 and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasture lands, and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the rest of the families of the Kohathites.
71 To the Gershomites: out of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands and Ashtaroth with its pasture lands;
72 and out of the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands,
73 Ramoth with its pasture lands, and Anem with its pasture lands;
74 out of the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands,
75 Hukok with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands;
76 and out of the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, Hammon with its pasture lands, and Kiriathaim with its pasture lands.
77 To the rest of the Merarites out of the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono with its pasture lands, Tabor with its pasture lands,
78 and across the Jordan from Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, out of the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the steppe with its pasture lands, Jahzah with its pasture lands,
79 Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands;
80 and out of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, Mahanaim with its pasture lands,
81 Heshbon with its pasture lands, and Jazer with its pasture lands.

1 Chronicles 6:54-81 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 6

This chapter begins with the fathers and heads of the tribe of Levi, 1Ch 6:1-3, and reckons up the high priests in the line of Eleazar, to the Babylonish captivity, 1Ch 6:4-15 gives an account of the families of the sons of Levi, 1Ch 6:16-30 and of those Levites that were employed as singers, and in other ministrations in the sanctuary in the times of David and Solomon, 1Ch 6:31-49, then follows a repetition of the sons of Aaron in the line of Eleazar, to the said times, 1Ch 6:50-53, and a recital of the dwelling places of the Levites in the several tribes, 1Ch 6:54-81.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Other readings [Hilez], [Holon]; See Josh 21.15
  • [b]. Or [Dobrath]
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.