1 Chronicles

Levi had three sons: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.

Sons of Kohath: Amran, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi, as recorded in their ancestral history.

Descendants of Gershon from one generation to the next: Libni, Jahath, Zimmah,

Joah, Iddo, Zerah, Jetherai.

Descendants of Kohath from one generation to the next: Amminadab, Korah, Assir,

Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir,

Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, Shaul.

Elkanah had two sons, Amasai and Ahimoth;

Elkanah, son of Ahimoth, Zophai, Nahath,

Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah.

The sons of Elkanah were Samuel, his firstborn, and Abijah. Samuel had two sons: Joel, the firstborn, and Abijah, the younger.

Descendants of Merari from one generation to the next: Mahli, Libni,

Shimei, Uzzah, Shimea, Haggiah, Asaiah.

David named men to lead the singing in the temple of the Lord when the Ark had come to rest there.

They were responsible for singing before the Holy Tent of the Tent of Meeting until Solomon had built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They performed their duties in accordance with the rules.

These are the men who accomplished this ministry and their sons: Of the clan of Kohath: Heman, the leader of the first choir, was the son of Joel. His ancestral line went back to Jacob as follows: Heman, Joel, Samuel,

Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah, Zuph,

Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai,

Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah,

Tahath, Assir, Ebiasaph, Korah,

Izhar, Kohath, Levi, Israel.

His brother Asaph was the leader of the second choir. His ancestral line went back to Levi as follows: Asaph, Berechiah, Shimea,

Michael, Baaseiah, Malchijah,

Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah,

Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei,

Jahath, Gershon, Levi.

Ethan of the clan of Merari was the leader of the third choir on the left side. His ancestral line went back to Levi as follows: Ethan, son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch,

son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah,

son of Amzi, son of Bani, son of Shemer,

son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi.

Their brother Levites were in charge of the Holy Tent of the temple of the Lord.

Aaron and his descendants burned the offerings on the altar for the burnt offering and on the altar of incense. They were responsible for all the worship in the Most Holy Place and for the atonement for Israel’s sins, according to the instructions of Moses, the servant of God.

This is the line of Aaron’s descendants: Eleazar, Phinehas, Abishua,

Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah,

Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub,

Zadok, Ahimaaz.

Levitical Cities

These are the places where they lived, based on the boundaries of their settlements:

To the sons of Aaron from the Kohath clan (to whom the first share of land was assigned), they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and the pasturelands nearby.

The fields and villages of this town, however, had been given to Caleb, son of Jephunneh.

The following towns were given to the descendants of Aaron: Hebron, a city of refuge; Jattir, Libnah, Eshtemoa,

Holon, Debir,

Ashan, and Beth-shemesh, with pasturelands near them.

In the territory of Benjamin, they were given the following towns with their pasturelands: Geba, Almon, and Anathoth. Thirteen towns were allotted to them for all their families to live in.

To the rest of the clan of Kohath, family by family, ten towns were given from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh.

The clan of Gershom, family by family, was given thirteen towns from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and from the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

The clan of Merari, family by family, was assigned twelve towns from the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

The people of Israel gave these towns and their pasturelands to the Levites.

They received the towns which they named from the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

The clans of Kohath obtained towns by lot from the tribe of Ephraim.

They were given the following towns with their pasturelands: Shechem, the city of refuge in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer,

Jokmeam, Beth-horon,

Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon.

In the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, they were given the towns of Taanach and Ibleam with their pasture lands. So much was given to the remaining families of the son of Kohath.

The clan of Gershon, family by family, was given the following towns with their pasturelands: in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan, and Ashtaroth;

in the territory of Issachar: Kedesh, Daberath,

Ramoth, and Engannim;

in the territory of Asher: Mashal, Abdon,

Hilkath, and Rehob;

in the territory of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim.

The rest of the clan of Merari was given the following towns with their pasturelands: Rimmon and Tabor in the territory of Zebulun;

Bezer on the high, flat land, Jahzah,

Kedemoth, and Mephaathin the territory of Reuben, beyond the Jordan River near Jericho;

Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim,

Heshbon, and Jazer in the territory of Gad.