1 Chronicles 6:41

6:1-81 Genealogies. - We have an account of Levi in this chapter. The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites, to preserve their descent clear, and to be able to prove it; because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. Now, the Spirit of God calls ministers to their work, without any limit as to the families they came from; and then, as now, though believers and ministers may be very useful to the church, none but our great High Priest can make atonement for sin, nor can any be accepted but through his atonement.

And his brother Asaph,.... That is, Heman's brother; so Asaph was, as he was a descendant from the same original ancestor Levi, yet in the line of Gershon; and as being of the same office, a precentor, or chief singer: who stood on his right hand; he was next to Heman; Heman stood in the middle, which was the most honourable (h), and Asaph on his right hand, and Ethan, after mentioned, on his left; even Asaph, whose name is often met with in the book of Psalms; and his genealogy here stands thus, as traced up to Levi, viz. Berechiah, Shimea, Michael, Baaseiah, Malchiah, Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah, Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei, Jahath, Gershon, Levi. (h) "Alecto stetit in mediis----", Claudian in Rufin. l. 1. ver. 41. Vid. Barthii Animadv. in ib.

Of Gershon, Libni his son,.... Whose genealogy runs thus, Jahath, called Jehiel, 1 Chronicles 23:8 . Zimmah, between whom was Shimei, 1 Chronicles 6:42 . Joah, the same with Ethan, 1 Chronicles 6:42 . Iddo, called Adaiah, 1 Chronicles 6:41 . Zerah, Jeaterai, whose name was also Ethni, 1 Chronicles 6:41 , the posterity of Shimei, the brother of Libni, are omitted.

Of Gershom - The names in this list are curiously different from those in 1 Chronicles 6:41-43 , which yet appear to represent the same line reversed. Probably both lists are more or less corrupted, and, as in many genealogies, omission is made, to reduce the number of the names to seven. Compare e. g. 1 Chronicles 6:22-28 with 1 Chronicles 6:33-38 . Compare the other genealogy ties of this chapter; and see also Matthew 1:1-17 .

( 1 Chronicles 6:24-28 ). "His brother Asaph," who is Heman's brother only in the more general sense of being closely connected with him, partly by their common descent from Levi, partly by their common calling, was a descendant of Gershon from his younger son Shimei. His genealogy contains only fifteen names to Gershon, five less than that of his contemporary Heman, probably because here and there intermediate names are omitted.

41 . Jeduthun ] Psalms 39, 62, 77 (titles). In 1 Chronicles 6:33-47 ; 1 Chronicles 15:17 ; 1 Chronicles 15:19 the names of the leading singers are given as Heman , Asaph and Ethan ; in 1 Chronicles 16:41 ; 1 Chronicles 25:1 ff. however Jeduthun seems to take the place of Ethan . Probably there was a variation in the tradition as to the third name, two families competing each for the honour of its own ancestor. to give thanks ] Cp. 1 Chronicles 16:34 .