Translate

Monday, June 1, 2015

Levitical And Aaronic Priests



1 Chronicles 6:1-81 NIV







Levi



1The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.






2The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

3The children of Amram:
Aaron, Moses and Miriam.





The sons of Aaron:

Nadab, Abihu, 






Eleazar and Ithamar.
4Eleazar was the father of Phinehas,
Phinehas the father of Abishua,
5Abishua the father of Bukki,
Bukki the father of Uzzi,
6Uzzi the father of Zerahiah,
Zerahiah the father of Meraioth,
7Meraioth the father of Amariah,
Amariah the father of Ahitub,
8Ahitub the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Ahimaaz,
9Ahimaaz the father of Azariah,
Azariah the father of Johanan,
10Johanan the father of Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem),
11Azariah the father of Amariah,
Amariah the father of Ahitub,
12Ahitub the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Shallum,
13Shallum the father of Hilkiah,
Hilkiah the father of Azariah,
14Azariah the father of Seraiah,
and Seraiah the father of Jozadak.a

15Jozadak was deported when The LORD Sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

16The sons of Levi:
Gershon,b Kohath and Merari.

17These are the names of the sons of Gershon:
Libni and Shimei.

18The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

19The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.

These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers:

20Of Gershon:

Libni his son, Jahath his son,
Zimmah his son, 21Joah his son,
Iddo his son, Zerah his son
and Jeatherai his son.

22The descendants of Kohath:

Amminadab his son, Korah his son,
Assir his son, 23Elkanah his son,
Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son,
24Tahath his son, Uriel his son,
Uzziah his son and Shaul his son.

25The descendants of Elkanah:

Amasai, Ahimoth,
26Elkanah his son,c Zophai his son,
Nahath his son, 27Eliab his son,
Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son
and Samuel his son.d

28The sons of Samuel:

Joele the firstborn
 and Abijah the second son.

29The descendants of Merari:

Mahli, Libni his son,
Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,
30Shimea his son, Haggiah his son
and Asaiah his son.




The Temple Musicians





31These are the men David put in charge of the music in the House of The Lord after The Ark came to rest there. 32They ministered with music before the Tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the Temple of The Lord in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.


33Here are the men who served, together with their sons:

From the Kohathites:

Heman, the musician,
the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
34the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham,
the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
35the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah,
the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
36the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel,
the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
37the son of Tahath, the son of Assir,
the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
38the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath,
the son of Levi, the son of Israel;

39and Heman’s associate Asaph, who served at his right hand:

Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea,
40the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah,f
the son of Malkijah, 41the son of Ethni,
the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
42the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah,
the son of Shimei, 43the son of Jahath,
the son of Gershon, the son of Levi;

44and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand:

Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi,
the son of Malluk, 45the son of Hashabiah,
the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
46the son of Amzi, the son of Bani,
the son of Shemer, 47the son of Mahli,
the son of Mushi, the son of Merari,
the son of Levi.

48Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of the Tabernacle, the House of GOD. 49But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of GOD had commanded.

50These were the descendants of Aaron:

Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son,
Abishua his son, 51Bukki his son,
Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
52Meraioth his son, Amariah his son,
Ahitub his son, 53Zadok his son
and Ahimaaz his son.

54These were the locations of their settlements allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them):

55They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands. 56But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.

57So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah,g Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58Hilen, Debir, 59Ashan, Juttahh and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands.60And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon,i Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands.


The total number of towns distributed among the Kohathite clans came to thirteen.

61The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh.

62The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan.

63The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

64So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns and their pasturelands. 65From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns.

66Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim.
67In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer,j68Jokmeam, Beth Horon, 69Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands.

70And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

71The Gershonites received the following:

From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh
they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands;

72from the tribe of Issachar
they received Kedesh, Daberath, 73Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands;

74from the tribe of Asher
they received Mashal, Abdon, 75Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands;

76and from the tribe of Naphtali
they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.
77The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following:

From the tribe of Zebulun
they received Jokneam, Kartah,k Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands;
78from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho

they received Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah, 79Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands;

80and from the tribe of Gad
they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, 81Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands.









6:1-48 Line of the Priests



This repetition (see 1 Chronicles 6:1) is made, as the historian here begins to trace the genealogy of the Levitical families who were not priests. The list is a long one, comprising the chiefs or heads of their several families until David's reign, who made a new and different classification of them by courses.



6:49-81 Office of Aaron and His Sons



The office and duties of the high priests having been already described, the names of those who successively filled that important office are recorded.









The Genealogy Of Judah Is Introduced Before That Of Reuben, The Firstborn



1 Chronicles 5:1-26 NIV








Reuben








1The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, 2and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph) 3the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel.


Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

4The descendants of Joel:
Shemaiah his son, Gog his son,
Shimei his son, 5Micah his son,
Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
6and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pilesera king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.

7Their relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records:
Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, 8and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. 9To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead.

10During Saul’s reign they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead.






Gad








11The Gadites lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salekah:
12Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan.

13Their relatives, by families, were:
Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia and Eber—seven in all.

14These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.

15Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.

16The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended.

17All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.

18The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. 19They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20They were helped in fighting them, and GOD Delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 21They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, 22and many others fell slain, because the battle was GOD’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.





The Half-Tribe of Manasseh








23The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon).

24These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. 25But they were unfaithful to The GOD of their ancestors and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom GOD Had Destroyed before them. 26So The GOD of Israel Stirred Up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.








The Line of Reuben



In proceeding to give this genealogy, the sacred historian states, in a parenthesis (1 Chronicles 5:1, 2), the reason why it was not placed first, as Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob. The birthright, which by a foul crime he had committed, implied not only dominion, but a double portion (Deuteronomy 21:17); and both of these were transferred to Joseph, whose two sons having been adopted as the children of Jacob (Genesis 48:5), received each an allotted portion, as forming two distinct tribes in Israel.


Joseph then was entitled to the precedency; and yet, as his posterity was not mentioned first, the sacred historian judged it necessary to explain that "the genealogy was not to be reckoned after the birthright," but with a reference to a superior honor and privilege that had been conferred on Judah—not the man, but the tribe, whereby it was invested with the pre-eminence over all the other tribes, and out of it was to spring David with his royal lineage, and especially the Great MESSIAH, JESUS CHRIST, our LORD (Hebrews 7:14).


These were the two reasons why in the order of enumeration, the genealogy of Judah is introduced before that of Reuben.










JEHOVAH Grants Our Request In HIS SON JESUS' Name



1 Chronicles 4:1-43 NIV








Other Clans of Judah



1The descendants of Judah:
Perez, Hezron, Karmi, Hur and Shobal.

2Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.

3These were the sonsa of Etam:
Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash. Their sister was named Hazzelelponi. 4Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah.
These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and fatherb of Bethlehem.

5Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah.

7The sons of Helah:
Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, 8and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Hazzobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,c saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 


10Jabez cried out to The GOD of Israel,



“Oh, that YOU Would Bless me and Enlarge my territory! Let YOUR Hand Be With me, and Keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.


And GOD Granted his request.






11Kelub, Shuhah’s brother, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash.d These were the men of Rekah.

13The sons of Kenaz:
Othniel and Seraiah.

The sons of Othniel:
Hathath and Meonothai.e 14Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.

Seraiah was the father of Joab,
the father of Ge Harashim.f It was called this because its people were skilled workers.

15The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh:
Iru, Elah and Naam.

The son of Elah:
Kenaz.

16The sons of Jehallelel:
Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria and Asarel.

17The sons of Ezrah:
Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. One of Mered’s wives gave birth to Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18(His wife from the tribe of Judah gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soko, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) These were the children of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah, whom Mered had married.

19The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham:
the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maakathite.

20The sons of Shimon:
Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan and Tilon.

The descendants of Ishi:
Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

21The sons of Shelah son of Judah:
Er the father of Lekah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea, 22Jokim, the men of Kozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (These records are from ancient times.) 23They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they stayed there and worked for the king.



Simeon



24The descendants of Simeon:
Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah and Shaul;
25Shallum was Shaul’s son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son.

26The descendants of Mishma:
Hammuel his son, Zakkur his son and Shimei his son.

27Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. 28They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual,29Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David. 32Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan—five towns— 33and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath.g These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record.

34Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah.

38The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, 39and they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. 40They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly.

41The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyedh them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. 42And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir. 43They killed the remaining Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.








Lesson from the Prayer of Jabez



“Oh, that YOU Would Bless me and Enlarge my territory! Let YOUR Hand Be With me, and Keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.



The very situation of this text is worth remarking. It stands in the very middle of genealogies. Why those names are so particularly put on record, or why nothing more besides the name, is not very easy to discover. Perhaps it was to let us see that multitudes of persons live upon the earth of whom, when you have told the name, you have told all that is worth mentioning. Great men they might be in their generations, men of renown in an earthly point of view, and yet, in the Sight of GOD, insignificant and worthless.


But, however this may be, here is one person, at least, whom The WORD of GOD Is Not Content With barely mentioning. It is said of him that he was "more honorable than his brethren." In whatever other points he was so, in this especially, that, whereas The HOLY SPIRIT barely Runs Over the names of others, and Tells us nothing else of them, when HE Comes To Jabez HE Stops short. Something HE Relates concerning Jabez which HE evidently Holds Forth to our praise and imitation. 


What is the fact in the history of Jabez which The HOLY SPIRIT Has Thought worthy of record? Is it any battle that he fought, or any exploit he performed? is it any proof he gave of earthly wisdom or of earthly policy? No; these are indeed the things which dazzle human eyes and which please the pens of human writers. But not so The Great GOD. The events HE Dwells on in the history of Jabez is one which many earthly penmen would have scorned to write of. HE Takes us to this good man's closet, and Tells us of a prayer he offered there. All amidst the multitude of things which are going on upon this earth, amidst the manifold events which man calls great, there is nothing in GOD'S Sight half so considerable as the prayer of a poor humble soul for mercy and acceptance.


The prayer of a Paul, of a Cornelius, of a Jabez — "What trifling matters," says the world, "are these!" But look into GOD'S Book and only see the notice which is taken of these prayers by HIM WHO Made us. Pray like Jabez. Pray, if not in his words, yet in his spirit, and you shall speed like him.


I. We are to consider the IMPORT of the prayer — the nature, I mean, of the petition it contains. There is no doubt but that it issued from the heart, and that it was offered up with holy fervency of spirit. "Jabez called upon The GOD of Israel," such is the expression used. Something more, you see, he did than merely say the words of prayer. He called or "cried" unto his GOD. He put his heart into his words, as one in deep and holy earnest. There is a holy vehemence, too, in the very form of his address. "Oh," says he, "that You would do this thing!" And this should be your way of praying. But to come to the language of the prayer.


II. The ANSWER which this prayer received. Answered it was, and answered to the full. 


"JEHOVAH Granted him that which he requested" 

not a part, you observe, but the whole. "That which he requested" — that is to say, all that he requested was bestowed upon him. Now do think over his request. It was a very large one. It comprehended much. He had not trespassed on the Divine bounty which says, "Ask, and you shall have." Let us, then, admire the bountifulness, the abundant mercy of the GOD WHOM Jabez called upon. Surely HE Is A GOD of faithfulness and truth and love. When has any humble soul ever cried to Him in vain? When Has HE ever Said to the praying "seed of Jacob, Seek ME in vain"? To you who are really "calling on The GOD of Israel" my text is surely a comfortable and refreshing one. It affords a pledge; it gives, as it were, a promise and assurance — that you will speed in your petitions.



The GOD of Jabez Is Unchanged, Unchangeable — "The Same yesterday, today, and forever."




(A. Roberts.)