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The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Verse 1. Levi. The genealogy of the Levites is given with more exactitude than any of the preceding. Caath formed two branches, 1. the priests, descended from Aaron; 2. all his other children, who were simply Levites. Calmet.—Hence they are placed after the priests. Menochius.
The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
Verse 2. Isaar, or Aminadab, verse 22.
The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Verse 3. Abiu. These died without children. The genealogy of Eleazar is given, as his family enjoyed the pontificate a long time, while that of Ithamar is neglected, ( Calmet.) as only Heli and a few others were raised to that dignity. Bible.
Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua,
Verse 4. Eleazar. The nine following generations to Sadoc may be immediate. D.
Abishua became the father of Bukki. Bukki became the father of Uzzi.
Verse 5. Abisue. He is mentioned no where else. Josephus (v. ult.) calls him Abiezer. Calmet.—Many of these high priests were very obscure. Menochius.—Ozi, after whom Heli is supposed to have reigned, so that Zaraias and the three following were excluded, ( Calmet.) while Heli, and four of the same family of Ithamar, were acknowledged as high priests. Tirinus.—Abiathar was then forced to give place to Sadoc, (3 Kennicott. 2:26. Bible.) whose family was in power at the captivity, verse 15. Tirinus.—Nicephorus (ii. 4.) and Josephus (x. 11.) mention other high priests besides these. Worthington.
Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth.
Meraioth became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub.
Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz.
Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah. Azariah became the father of Johanan.
Verse 9. Azarias. Perhaps the same who is called Amarias, (2 Chronicles 19:11) as Johanan is probably the illustrious Joiada, 4 Kennicott. 11:4.
Johanan became the father of Azariah, who executed the priest’s office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem.
Verse 10. This may refer to either. Calmet.—The Holy Ghost gives an encomium to Joiada, for re-establishing the divine worship, (Junius) or to Azarias, for withstanding the impious attempt of king Osias. E. Tirinus. &chapter 2 Paral. 26:17. Menochius.
Azariah became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub.
Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Shallum.
Verse 12. Sellum, or Mosollam. Calmet. 9:11. Calmet.
Shallum became the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah became the father of Azariah.
Azariah became the father of Seraiah. Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak.
Jehozadak went into captivity when the LORD carried Judah and Jerusalem away by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
Verse 15. Went out, into captivity, while his father was slain. 4 Kennicott. 25:18. More than 22 priests would be requisite to fill up near 900 years. See Salien.
The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
Verse 16. Gerson. Hebrew here reads Gersom, though it had Gerson before, verse 1.
These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.
The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
Verse 18. The, and so forth This verse is repeated from verse 2 as the author is now going to continue the genealogy of the Levites, in their natural order, ( Bible.) to Samuel. D.
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households.
Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,
Verse 20. Jahath. See verse 42, 43.—Zamma springs from Semei, Jeth, Gerson, and has a son named Ethan, who has Adaia; as Zara begot Athanai, verse 41. Almost all the names are rather different
Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and Jeatherai his son.
The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,
Verse 22. Asir. While Core perished, his children were preserved. Numbers 16:30 and 26:11. Bible.
Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son,
Verse 23. Asir. This name seems superfluous (verse 36, Exodus 6:24. Calmet.) perhaps taken from the preceding verse. Bible.—The two former were sons of Core, verse 25, 37. Calmet.
Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.
The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth.
As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son, Nahath his son,
Verse 26. Sophai, Nahath, and Eliab, are called Suph, ( Bible.) Thohu, (verse 34. Calmet.) and Eliel. Bible.—Sophai may be a surname of Elcana. Poole. D.
Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, and Elkanah his son.
Verse 27. Elcana, his son. It seems necessary to supply, “Samuel, his son,” ( Bible.) as he descended from the 3d Elcana. D.
The sons of Samuel: the firstborn, Joel, and the second, Abijah.
Verse 28. Vasseni. Some Latin copies subjoin “Joel,” who was the first-born, (verse 33.) La Haye.—Vasseni means, “and the second;” which can hardly be considered as the name of the eldest son, tough some have take it as such, in like manner as they have explained six. Calmet. 3:22. But then the v ought at least to be omitted, ( Calmet.) as it is in the Vat. and Alex. Septuagint “Sani and Abia.” Bible.—Other editions insert “Joel,” with the Syr. and Arab. Calmet.—This person had therefore either two names, or Joel has been omitted, and we should translate “Joel and the second, Abia.” Menochius.—These brothers acted so ill as judges, that the people took occasion to demand a king. 1 Kennicott. 8:3.
The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,
Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.
These are they whom David set over the service of song in the LORD’s house after the ark came to rest there.
Verse 31. The singing. Hebrew “the hands or places of the canticle,” the two tribunes on each side of the altar. Heman presided over the band in the middle, while Asaph directed those on the right, and Ethan those on the left, verse 33, 39, and 44. Calmet.—Placed. Hebrew “rested,” as before David’s time it had been carried about. He erected a tabernacle for it on Sion, and directed the Levites to attend in order, (Calmet. 25) so that some should be present every day ( Menochius.) to honour God, both by instruments and vocal music, while the priests performed their sacred functions with the utmost decency.
They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting until Solomon had built the LORD’s house in Jerusalem. They performed the duties of their office according to their order.
These are those who served, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
Verse 33. Heman. Some families among the Levites were more distinguished than the rest, having authority to regulate the singers, and to give the tune. Hence many psalms are addressed to these three masters of music. Yet from those titles we cannot surely infer that those psalms were composed by Asaph, and so forth Calmet.
the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
Verse 34. Eliel. Many of the genealogies do not seem to agree in these first 10 chapters, as some more obscure names have been passed over, ( Menochius.) or the people had different names, or, through the fault of transcribers, some alteration has taken place, which could hardly be avoided, without a constant miracle. Bible.
the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea,
Verse 39. Brother, or relation, though of the family of Gerson. He also followed the same profession as Ethan did, verse 44.
the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah,
the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,
the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.
On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,
Verse 44. Ethan is also called Idithun (Calmet. 25:1. 8) in the Psalms. Calmet.
the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer,
the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.
Their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of God’s house.
Verse 48. Brethren. All the other Levites, who were not Cantors. Menochius.
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.
Verse 49. Offerings, which is here the meaning of incensum; as “incense” was not burnt on this altar, but only victims. Exodus 29:13.
These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,
Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,
Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.
Verse 53. Sadoc. By God’s ordinance Heli had been appointed. But the dignity still subsisted in Aaron’s family. Worthington.—Achimaas, who was pontiff in the days of Solomon. This genealogy had been brought down to the Captivity, (verse 3, and so forth) which shews that the author give extracts from different records.
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),
to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its pasture lands around it;
Verse 55. Suburbs, or 2000 cubits round the city. See Joshua 20 and 21. Calmet.
but the fields of the city and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron, Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,
Verse 57. Of, is not authorized by the Vulg. civitates, but is added, to signify that all these 13 cities were not thus privileged. Bible.—There were only six cites of refuge, of which Hebron was one. See Josue 20:7. Calmet. Menochius.—Prot. “And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Juda, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge.” But “such a licence to insert words at pleasure, cannot be allowed.” Hebrew lit. “they gave cities of Hebrew refuge, Hebron,” and so forth The “sense absolutely disallows the word Judah,” which is omitted, (Joshua 21:13) as well as in some Hebrew MSS. in the Bamberg, and Complut. editions, and in those of Jablonski and Michaelis.—Hari, “cities,” ought to be hir, “a city,” as only one is meant. We should also add with the Arab. and Syriac, and the parallel passage in Josue, “and her suburbs,” after Hebron. Kennicott.—“Juda” is not found in the Septuagint and so forth: and Buxtorf acted with little wisdom, when he thought he had sufficiently answered Capellus, by observing that the Masora declared the word to be authentic. Anticrit. It is a great misfortune that most of the printed Hebrew editions have been given under such influence; and that the Masorets have defaced so many MSS. by their corrections. Bible.—Hence they probably burnt all the first edition of Naples, 1487, except part of a single copy, comprising the Cethubim given to Eton college by Dr. Pellet, which omits the word Juda. Kennicott. Dis. i. p. 520–2.
Hilen with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands,
Ashan with its pasture lands, and Beth Shemesh with its pasture lands;
Verse 59. Asan, perhaps Jethnan, or Ain. Joshua 15:23 and 21:15. Syriac adds Ethra. Calmet.—Bethsames. Septuagint Alex. subjoins, “Baither and its suburbs.” Bible.—All these cities were in the tribes of Juda and of Simeon. Menochius.
and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its pasture lands, Allemeth with its pasture lands, and Anathoth with its pasture lands. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.
Verse 60. Almath. Jos. Almon.—Thirteen; but Geta and Gabaon are not here expressed. Joshua 21:16, 17. Calmet.—Septuagint Alex. inserts, “Lebee,” before, and “Anchos, with its suburbs,” after Anathoth, thus making 14; but these additional cities are not sacerdotal. Bible.
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.
Verse 61. Out of. We may supply, “the tribe of Dan, Ephraim, and so forth” as only two cities belonged to Manasses. Joshua 21:25. Calmet.—Double that number was taken from the two other tribes. Menochius.
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.
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.
The children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their pasture lands.
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.
Verse 65. Them. The priests, verse 54. D.—Names. Some being styled of the priests, ( Calmet.) other of the Levites, ( Menochius.) whose dominion as thus asserted. Calmet.
Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim.
Verse 66. The cities, or rather “some cities,” as all were not in the tribe of Ephraim. Bible.
They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands and Gezer with its pasture lands,
Verse 67. Of the. Lit. “cities to flee to, (or of refuge) Sichem,” ( Bible.) which might induce some to suppose that all these cities were of this description; but, in reality, only Sichem had that privilege. Calmet.—Septuagint is liable to the same ambiguity. See verse 57. ( Bible.) Joshua 20:7 and 21:21.
Jokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth Horon with its pasture lands,
Verse 68. Jecmaan, or Cibsaim, (Jos.) as Helon is put for Aialon below. And of the tribe of Dan, Eltheco and Gabathon is omitted. See Joshua 21:23.
Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath Rimmon with its pasture lands;
and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasture lands, and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.
Verse 70. Aner and Baalam, perhaps the same as Thanach and Gethremmon, which were given to the children of Caath of the inferior degree, (Joshua 21:26. Calmet.) or, who were left out of the rank of priests, ( Menochius.) or before unprovided for, as the partition was made at different times.—Baalam. Hebrew “Balaam.” Septuagint “Iblaam” is the Jeblaam. Joshua 17:11.
To the sons of Gershom were given, out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, and Ashtaroth with its pasture lands;
Verse 71. Astharoth, or Bosra. Calmet.—Hebrew Hashtaroth. Joshua 21:27. Bible.
and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands,
Verse 72. Cedes … Ramoth, and Anem, are Cesion, Jaramoth, and Engannim. Joshua 21:28, 29.
Ramoth with its pasture lands, and Anem with its pasture lands;
and out of the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands,
Hukok with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands;
Verse 75. Hucac … Hamon, and Cariathaim, are Helcath, Hammoth-Dor, and Carthan.
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.
To the rest of the Levites, the sons of Merari, were given, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmono with its pasture lands, and Tabor with its pasture lands;
Verse 77. Remmono and Thabor, or, Jecham and Cartha. Bible.—Damna and Naalol are here omitted. Joshua 21:35. There was formerly a town on Thabor, perhaps called Ceselet Thabor. Joshua 19:12, Judges 4:6. Calmet.
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 pasture lands, Jahzah with its pasture lands,
Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands;
and out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, Mahanaim with its pasture lands,
Heshbon with its pasture lands, and Jazer with its pasture lands.