Daily reading assignment – 1 Chronicles 6
1 Chronicles 6 – The Priestly Tribe of Levi and Their Cities
Our chronological reading of the Scriptures brings us today to 1 Chronicles 6. A reminder: the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles is largely dedicated to the genealogical record of the sons of Jacob (i.e. Israel) and the Twelve Tribes of their lineage.
1 Chronicles 6 gives us the lineage of the priestly tribe of Levi that included Aaron, Moses, and Miriam (6:1-53). The cities assigned to the Levites in the midst of the tribal lands belonging to the Twelve Tribes are also noted (6:54-81).
The Levite family of Aaron (and his sons) who would serve as high priest is listed (1 Chronicles 6:1-15).
To Levi, the third-born son of Jacob, were born three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (6:1). Of Kohath, the second-born son of Levi, are named three in his lineage: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam(6:3a). Aaron, of course, is the bloodline for all legitimate heirs to serve the LORD and Israel as high priest.
Aaron was father of four sons: Nadab and Abihu were slain when they offered “strange fire” before the LORD (Leviticus 10:1). Aaron had two other sons, Eleazar and Ithamar (6:3). When Aaron died, his eldest son Eleazar was chosen to become high priest, and the high-priestly line passed through his lineage (6:4-15; Exodus 6:25; Judges 20:28).
A Record of Names and Cities Registered to the Levites (1 Chronicles 6:16-81)
Unlike the other tribes that were assigned their inheritance of land in Canaan with detailed boundaries, the tribe of Levi’s inheritance was not land but their privilege of serving the LORD and the nation as His priests. Every tribe was to allot cities to the tribe of Levi for the Levites to live in the midst of the nation.
Some might be interested in the genealogies of three Levite musicians: Heman (6:33), Asaph (6:39), the author of Psalm 50, 73-83), and Ethan (6:42-44). They and their sons were ministering in the Tabernacle during David’s era and in the Temple during Solomon’s reign.
1 Chronicles 6:31-32 – 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. 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.”
I invite you to notice that dedicated musicians and choirs were an important part of worship from the time of the Tabernacle and through the Temple-age.
Copyright 2020 – Travis D. Smith