I Chronicles 6:10

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 6 This chapter begins with the fathers and heads of the tribe of Levi, Ch1 6:1, and reckons up the high priests in the line of Eleazar, to the Babylonish captivity, Ch1 6:4 gives an account of the families of the sons of Levi, Ch1 6:16 and of those Levites that were employed as singers, and in other ministrations in the sanctuary in the times of David and Solomon, Ch1 6:31, then follows a repetition of the sons of Aaron in the line of Eleazar, to the said times, Ch1 6:50, and a recital of the dwelling places of the Levites in the several tribes, Ch1 6:54.

Though Joseph and Judah shared between them the forfeited honours of the birthright, yet Levi was first of all the tribes, dignified and distinguished with an honour more valuable than either the precedency or the double portion, and that was the priesthood. That tribe God set apart for himself; it was Moses's tribe, and perhaps for his sake was thus favoured. Of that tribe we have an account in this chapter. I. Their pedigree, the first fathers of the tribe (Ch1 6:1-3), the line of the priests, from Aaron to the captivity (Ch1 6:4-15), and of some other of their families (Ch1 6:16-30). II. Their work, the work of the Levites (v. 31-48), of the priests (Ch1 6:49-53). III. The cities appointed them in the land of Canaan (v. 54-81).

6:10 Most Old Testament scholars agree that the phrase the high priest at the Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem belongs in 6:9 (connected to the first Azariah) but that the order was transposed through a scribal error. Making this correction yields 12 generations between Aaron and the building of the Temple, which conforms to the date in 1 Kgs 6:1 (480 years is the equivalent of 12 generations of 40 years each in numerical typology). The correction also results in 12 generations between the building of the Temple under Azariah to the rebuilding of the Temple under Jeshua (Ezra 3:2).