1 Chronicles 6 Study Notes

6:31-32 The Chronicler emphasizes the presence of music in the temple, as it was instituted by David and revived in later years.

6:33-47 There are three main musicians: Heman (Ps 88), Asaph (Pss 50; 73-83), and Ethan (also called Jeduthun at times, Ps 89). These three men represent the three branches of the sons of Levi, coming from Kohath, Gershom, and Merari, respectively. Heman was a descendant of Kohath, but not through Aaron, so he was not eligible for the priesthood.

6:48-53 Emphasizing the distinction between the descendants of Aaron and the other branches derived from Levi, the Chronicler once more lists those who were priests, but states that everyone else was also engaged in the service of the tabernacle.

6:54 The Levites worked in the tabernacle and later the temple, but they did not all live clustered around the sacred location. One reason for this is that before the building of the temple, there was no restriction on where sacrifices could be performed. Furthermore, once there was a temple and the restriction was in place, it would not have been economically feasible. At the time of the conquest, they were allocated territories and cities scattered throughout the tribes.

6:55-61 The Kohathites got a share of the important city of Hebron. The main inheritor of this location was Caleb, and it would also serve later for a time as capital city under David’s monarchy.

6:62-81 A noticeable feature of this long list is that the Levites were given dwelling space among the eastern tribes of Manasseh . . . Gad, and Reuben, as well as in the main territory on the west. Even though eventually this arrangement would remove them far from the temple, it also allowed them to be distributed throughout the land so they could teach all the people.