בְּנֵי לֵוִי גֵּרְשֹׁם קְהָת וּמְרָרִי

This chapter opens once again with the beginning of the family chain, in order to list the families of Levites who were not priests. The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kehat, and Merari.

וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי־גֵרְשׁוֹם לִבְנִי וְשִׁמְעִי

These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Livni and Shimi.

וּבְנֵי קְהָת עַמְרָם וְיִצְהָר וְחֶבְרוֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵל

The sons of Kehat: Amram, Yitzhar, Hevron, and Uziel.

בְּנֵי מְרָרִי מַחְלִי וּמֻשִׁי וְאֵלֶּה מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַלֵּוִי לַאֲבֹתֵיהֶם

The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their patrilineal houses. The same lineage of the family of Levi appears in the Torah.

לְגֵרְשׁוֹם לִבְנִי בְנוֹ יַחַת בְּנוֹ זִמָּה בְנוֹ

For Gershom: Livni was his son, as stated, and Yahat was his son, the son of Livni, and thus the chain of generations continued: Zima his son,

יוֹאָח בְּנוֹ עִדּוֹ בְנוֹ זֶרַח בְּנוֹ יְאָתְרַי בְּנוֹ

Yoah his son, Ido his son, Zerah his son, Ye’aterai his son. These are the descendants of Gershom.

בְּנֵי קְהָת עַמִּינָדָב בְּנוֹ קֹרַח בְּנוֹ אַסִּיר בְּנוֹ

The sons, descendants, of Kehat: Aminadav, apparently the same individual as the aforementioned Yitzhar, who was his, Kehat’s son, Korah his son, the son of Aminadav, Asir his son,

אֶלְקָנָה בְנוֹ וְאֶבְיָסָף בְּנוֹ וְאַסִּיר בְּנוֹ

Elkana his son, Evyasaf his son, Asir his son,

תַּחַת בְּנוֹ אוּרִיאֵל בְּנוֹ עֻזִּיָּה בְנוֹ וְשָׁאוּל בְּנוֹ

Tahat was his, Asir’s, son, Uriel his son, Uziya his son, and Shaul his son.

וּבְנֵי אֶלְקָנָה עֲמָשַׂי וַאֲחִימוֹת

The additional sons of the Elkana mentioned above (verse 8) were Amasai and Ahimot. Some explain that this Elkana was the same son of Shaul mentioned in the previous verse and that the verse is truncated, a stylistic feature of the book of Chronicles.

אֶלְקָנָה בְּנֵי אֶלְקָנָה צוֹפַי בְּנוֹ וְנַחַת בְּנוֹ

As for Elkana, a different person in this line who had the same name as the previously mentioned Elkana: The sons, descendants, of Elkana: Tzofai his son, Nahat his son,

אֱלִיאָב בְּנוֹ יְרֹחָם בְּנוֹ אֶלְקָנָה בְנוֹ

Eliav his son, Yeroham his son, Elkana his son. This Elkana is the father of the prophet Samuel. For some reason Samuel himself is not mentioned as Elkana’s son, but the genealogical list continues:

וּבְנֵי שְׁמוּאֵל הַבְּכֹר וַשְׁנִי וַאֲבִיָּה

The sons of Samuel: The firstborn was Vashni and the second son was Aviya. Some explain: The firstborn and the second [vehasheni] son was Aviya. However, it is more likely that the name of the firstborn was Vashni. Like many of the other names listed in the book of Chronicles, the meaning of Vashni is unclear. These were the descendants of Kehat.

בְּנֵי מְרָרִי מַחְלִי לִבְנִי בְנוֹ שִׁמְעִי בְנוֹ עֻזָּה בְנוֹ

The sons of Merari, Levi’s third son: The firstborn was Mahli; Livni was his son, Shimi his son, Uza his son,

שִׁמְעָא בְנוֹ חַגִּיָּה בְנוֹ עֲשָׂיָה בְנוֹ

Shima his son, Hagiya his son, Asaya his son.

וְאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱמִיד דָּוִיד עַל־יְדֵי שִׁיר בֵּית ה'מִמְּנוֹחַ הָאָרוֹן

These are those whom David installed in charge of the song in the House of the Lord. They were made responsible for the singing in the House of God once the ark came to rest, after which the Levites were no longer required to perform what had been their regular task of carrying the Ark of the Covenant and the other vessels of the Tabernacle.

וַיִּהְיוּ מְשָׁרְתִים לִפְנֵי מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל־מוֹעֵד בַּשִּׁיר עַד־בְּנוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־בֵּית ה' בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וַיַּעַמְדוּ כְמִשְׁפָּטָם עַל־עֲבוֹדָתָם

They served with song before the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting; their service had partly consisted of singing in the Tabernacle until Solomon built the House of the Lord in Jerusalem; and then they remained in their service in accordance with their practice, their custom; they continued to serve as singers in the Temple.

וְאֵלֶּה הָעֹמְדִים וּבְנֵיהֶם מִבְּנֵי הַקְּהָתִי הֵימָן הַמְשׁוֹרֵר בֶּן־יוֹאֵל בֶּן־שְׁמוּאֵל

These are those who stood over, were involved in, the song, and they were joined in this task by their sons. The singers were not from one specific Levite family; rather, they came from all branches of the tribe. From the sons of the Kehatites: Heman the singer, son of Yoel, son of Samuel, probably Samuel the prophet. If so, Heman was Samuel’s grandson.

בֶּן־אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן־יְרֹחָם בֶּן־אֱלִיאֵל בֶּן־תּוֹחַ

Samuel was the son of Elkana, son of Yeroham, son of Eliel, son of To’ah,

בֶּן־צוּף בֶּן־אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן־מַחַת בֶּן־עֲמָשָׂי

son of Tzuf, son of Elkana, son of Mahat, son of Amasai,

בֶּן־אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן־יוֹאֵל בֶּן־עֲזַרְיָה בֶּן־צְפַנְיָה

son of Elkana, son of Yoel, son of Azarya, son of Tzefanya,

בֶּן־תַּחַת בֶּן־אַסִּיר בֶּן־אֶבְיָסָף בֶּן־קֹרַח

son of Tahat, son of Asir, son of Evyasaf, son of Korah,

בֶּן־יִצְהָר בֶּן־קְהָת בֶּן־לֵוִי בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵל

son of Yitzhar, son of Kehat, son of Levi, son of Israel. This is Heman’s genealogical lineage.

וְאָחִיו אָסָף הָעֹמֵד עַל־יְמִינוֹ אָסָף בֶּן־בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ בֶּן־שִׁמְעָא

His brother from the same tribe, although not from the line of Kehat, was Asaf, mentioned by name several times in the book of Psalms (50:1; 73–83), who stood on his right. It seems that Heman was the lead singer, while Asaf was secondary to him; Asaf, son of Berekhyahu, son of Shima,

בֶּן־מִיכָאֵל בֶּן־בַּעֲשֵׂיָה בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּה

son of Mikhael, son of Baaseya, son of Malkiya,

בֶּן־אֶתְנִי בֶן־זֶרַח בֶּן־עֲדָיָה

son of Etni, son of Zerah, son of Adaya,

בֶּן־אֵיתָן בֶּן־זִמָּה בֶּן־שִׁמְעִי

son of Eitan, son of Zima, son of Shimi,

בֶּן־יַחַת בֶּן־גֵּרְשֹׁם בֶּן־לֵוִי

son of Yahat, son of Gershom, son of Levi.

וּבְנֵי מְרָרִי אֲחֵיהֶם עַל־הַשְּׂמֹאול אֵיתָן בֶּן־קִישִׁי בֶּן־עַבְדִּי בֶּן־מַלּוּךְ

Their brethren, the sons of Merari, were on the left. Whereas Asaf stood on Heman’s right side, the sons of Merari were positioned to Heman’s left: Eitan, son of Kishi, son of Avdi, son of Malukh,

בֶּן־חֲשַׁבְיָה בֶן־אֲמַצְיָה בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּה

son of Hashavya, son of Amatzya, son of Hilkiya,

בֶּן־אַמְצִי בֶן־בָּנִי בֶּן־שָׁמֶר

son of Amtzi, son of Bani, son of Shemer,

בֶּן־מַחְלִי בֶּן־מוּשִׁי בֶּן־מְרָרִי בֶּן־לֵוִי

son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi. The book of Psalms mentions a singer named Eitan, but since that singer is called Eitan the Ezrahite, he may not be the same person referred to here in Chronicles.

וַאֲחֵיהֶם הַלְוִיִּם נְתוּנִים לְכָל־עֲבוֹדַת מִשְׁכַּן בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים

Their brethren the Levites, those who were not singers, were given for all the service of the Tabernacle, the House of God.

וְאַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו מַקְטִירִים עַל־מִזְבַּח הָעוֹלָה וְעַל־מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת לְכֹל מְלֶאכֶת קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים וּלְכַפֵּר עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד הָאֱלֹהִים

But Aaron and his sons had a special function, as they offered on the altar of the burnt offerings and on the altar of incense, for all the labor of the sacred sanctities, or of the most holy things; the sacred offerings of especially high sanctity which were burned upon the altar, and to atone for Israel, in accordance with everything that Moses the servant of God had commanded. Some of the Levites were singers, and the lineage of some of them is traced here. The rest of the Levites performed ancillary services in the Temple, while the actual service of the Temple was reserved for the priests alone.

וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ פִּינְחָס בְּנוֹ אֲבִישׁוּעַ בְּנוֹ

A second list of priests until the generation of Solomon is presented here, which is identical to the list above (5:29). These are the sons of Aaron: Elazar his son, the son of Aaron, Pinhas his son, the son of Elazar, and so the generations continue: Avishua his son,

בֻּקִּי בְנוֹ עֻזִּי בְנוֹ זְרַחְיָה בְנוֹ

Buki his son, Uzi his son, Zerahya his son,

מְרָיוֹת בְּנוֹ אֲמַרְיָה בְנוֹ אֲחִיטוּב בְּנוֹ

Merayot his son, Amarya his son, Ahituv his son,

צָדוֹק בְּנוֹ אֲחִימַעַץ בְּנוֹ

Tzadok his son, Ahimaatz his son.

וְאֵלֶּה מוֹשְׁבוֹתָם לְטִירוֹתָם בִּגְבוּלָם לִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן לְמִשְׁפַּחַת הַקְּהָתִי כִּי לָהֶם הָיָה הַגּוֹרָל

A list of the cities that were given to the priests and the Levites from the inheritances of the various tribes is provided here, similar to the details given in the book of Joshua (chap. 21). These are their dwellings, the dwellings of the priests and Levites, according to their residences,fenced-in tent encampments or places of residence, in their borders: They were given first to the sons of Aaron, for the families of the Kehatite, for theirs was the first lot. They received the first lot that determined their cities;

וַיִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם אֶת־חֶבְרוֹן בְּאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ סְבִיבֹתֶיהָ

they allotted to them Hebron in the land of Judah, and its perimeter fields, the open areas around it,

וְאֶת־שְׂדֵה הָעִיר וְאֶת־חֲצֵרֶיהָ נָתְנוּ לְכָלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה

but the fields of the city and its villages, the small, surrounding settlements, they allotted to Caleb son of Yefuneh. Elsewhere, it is stated that Hebron belonged to Caleb. It is therefore explained here that the city of Hebron itself, together with the open land surrounding it, was given to the priests, the sons of Kehat, while Caleb received the fields and villages.

וְלִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן נָתְנוּ אֶת־עָרֵי הַמִּקְלָט אֶת־חֶבְרוֹן וְאֶת־לִבְנָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־יַתִּר וְאֶת־אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

To the sons of Aaron, they allotted the following cities of refuge: Hebron, which was one of the major cities of refuge, Livna and its perimeter fields, Yatir, and Eshtemoa and its perimeter fields. They were given only the city and its open land, but not the fields and villages, as the Levites and priests did not receive a proper inheritance in Israel, but merely residences and sufficient space for their basic needs.

וְאֶת־חִילֵן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ אֶת־דְּבִיר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

And Hilen and its perimeter fields, Devir and its perimeter fields,

וְאֶת־עָשָׁן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

and Ashan and its perimeter fields, and Beit Shemesh and its perimeter fields.

וּמִמַּטֵּה בִנְיָמִן אֶת־גֶּבַע וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עָלֶמֶת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עֲנָתוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ כָּל־עָרֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה עִיר בְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם

From the tribe of Benjamin, they gave Geva and its perimeter fields, Alemet and its perimeter fields, and Anatot and its perimeter fields. All their cities, the cities of the priests from the portion of Benjamin, were thirteen cities, where they dwelled with their families.

וְלִבְנֵי קְהָת הַנּוֹתָרִים מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת הַמַּטֶּה מִמַּחֲצִית מַטֵּה חֲצִי מְנַשֶּׁה בּגּוֹרָל עָרִים עָשֶׂר

For the remaining sons of Kehat from the family of the tribe, all those who were not priests, from half, part of, the tribe of the half of Manasseh that dwelled on the western side of the Jordan River, ten cities were divided among them by lots. They also received cities from the inheritances of Ephraim and Dan, as explained below (verses 51–55) and in the book of Joshua (21:20–24).

וְלִבְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹם לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם מִמַּטֵּה יִשָּׂשכָר וּמִמַּטֵּה אָשֵׁר וּמִמַּטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי וּמִמַּטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה בַּבָּשָׁן עָרִים שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה

For the sons of Gershom by, according to, their families, cities were given to them from the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the tribe of Manasseh, the other half of Manasseh, which dwelled in Bashan, thirteen cities.

לִבְנֵי מְרָרִי לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם מִמַּטֵּה רְאוּבֵן וּמִמַּטֵּה־גָד וּמִמַּטֵּה זְבֻלוּן בַּגּוֹרָל עָרִים שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה

For the sons of Merari by, according to, their families, cities were given from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities were divided among them by lot.

וַיִּתְּנוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַלְוִיִּם אֶת־הֶעָרִים וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם

The children of Israel allotted to the Levites the cities and their perimeter fields.

וַיִּתְּנוּ בַגּוֹרָל מִמַּטֵּה בְנֵי־יְהוּדָה וּמִמַּטֵּה בְנֵי־שִׁמְעוֹן וּמִמַּטֵּה בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן אֵת הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרְאוּ אֶתְהֶם בְּשֵׁמוֹת

They allotted them by lot from the tribe of the children of Judah, from the tribe of the children of Simeon, and from the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these aforementioned cities that they will call them by name. The chapter does not specify which of the cities were given from the children of Simeon, whose tribal territory was incorporated within that of Judah.

וּמִ מִּשְׁפְּחוֹת בְּנֵי קְהָת וַיְהִי עָרֵי גְבוּלָם מִמַּטֵּה אֶפְרָיִם

For the rest of the families of the sons of Kehat, the cities of their borders were from the tribe of Ephraim.

וַיִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם אֶת־עָרֵי הַמִּקְלָט אֶת־שְׁכֶם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם וְאֶת־גֶּזֶר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

They allotted to them the cities of refuge: Shekhem, another major city of refuge, and its perimeter fields, in the highlands of Ephraim, and Gezer and its perimeter fields;

וְאֶת־יָקְמְעָם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־בֵּית חוֹרוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

and Yokme’am and its perimeter fields, and Beit Horon and its perimeter fields,

וְאֶת־אַיָּלוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־גַּת־רִמּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

and Ayalon and its perimeter fields, and Gat Rimon and its perimeter fields.

וּמִמַּחֲצִית מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה אֶת־עָנֵר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־בִּלְעָם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ לְמִשְׁפַּחַת לִבְנֵי קְהָת הַנּוֹתָרִים

From half the tribe of Manasseh: Aner and its perimeter fields, and Bilam and its perimeter fields, for the remaining family of the sons of Kehat.

לִבְנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹם מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת חֲצִי מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה אֶת־גּוֹלָן בַּבָּשָׁן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עַשְׁתָּרוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

For the sons of Gershom: From the family of half the tribe of Manasseh: Golan in the Bashan, which was also one of the main cities of refuge, listed among the cities that Moses dedicated for this purpose, and its perimeter fields, and Ashtarot and its perimeter fields.

וּמִמַּטֵּה יִשָּׂשכָר אֶת־קֶדֶשׁ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ אֶת־דָּבְרַת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

From the tribe of Issachar they gave Kedesh, called Kishyon in the book of Joshua in order to differentiate it from Kedesh Naphtali, the major city of refuge listed below, and its perimeter fields, Dovrat and its perimeter fields,

וְאֶת־רָאמוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עָנֵם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

Ramot and its perimeter fields, and Anem and its perimeter fields.

וּמִמַּטֵּה אָשֵׁר אֶת־מָשָׁל וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עַבְדּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

From the tribe of Asher: Mashal and its perimeter fields, and Avdon and its perimeter fields,

וְאֶת־חוּקֹק וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־רְחֹב וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

Hukok and its perimeter fields, and Rehov and its perimeter fields.

וּמִמַּטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי אֶת־קֶדֶשׁ בַּגָּלִיל וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־חַמּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־קִרְיָתַיִם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

From the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee, one of the three main cities of refuge on the western side of the Jordan, and its perimeter fields, Hamon and its perimeter fields, and Kiryatayim and its perimeter fields.

לִבְנֵי מְרָרִי הַנּוֹתָרִים מִמַּטֵּה זְבֻלוּן אֶת־רִמּוֹנוֹ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ אֶת־תָּבוֹר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

For the remaining Levites, the sons of Merari, cities were given from the tribe of Zebulun: Rimono and its perimeter fields, Tavor and its perimeter fields.

וּמֵעֵבֶר לְיַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ לְמִזְרַח הַיַּרְדֵּן מִמַּטֵּה רְאוּבֵן אֶת־בֶּצֶר בַּמִּדְבָּר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־יַהְצָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

Beyond the Jordan, at Jericho, east of the Jordan, the Levites received from the tribe of Reuben: Betzer in the wilderness, also a major city of refuge that was dedicated by Moses, and its perimeter fields, and Yatza and its perimeter fields,

וְאֶת־קְדֵמוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־מֵיפַעַת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

Kedemot and its perimeter fields, and Meifaat and its perimeter fields.

וּמִמַּטֵּה־גָד אֶת־רָאמוֹת בַּגִּלְעָד וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־מַחֲנַיִם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

From the tribe of Gad: Ramot in the Gilad, the third major city of refuge on the eastern side of the Jordan, and its perimeter fields, and Mahanayim and its perimeter fields,

וְאֶת־חֶשְׁבּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־יַעְזֵיר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ

and Heshbon and its perimeter fields, and Yazer and its perimeter fields. This list of cities is incomplete. The book of Joshua provides a more orderly account of the manner in which the children of Levi settled by family in the cities they received from each of the tribes of Israel.