(1 Chronicles 6:49-50). 1 Chronicles 6:64 and 1 Chronicles 6:65 are not here in their proper place; for their contents show that they should be in the middle of the thirty-ninth verse, after the general superscription, and before the words "for the sons of Aaron." They are found also in Joshua 21:8-9, as a superscription before the enumeration by name of the cities assigned to the priests; but how the confusion has arisen in our text cannot be certainly ascertained. Bertheau thinks "the wish to make mention of the cities of the high-priestly family at the beginning of the enumeration, has induced the author of the Chronicle to communicate the introductory remarks belonging to the lists of cities with other statements as to the tribal domains, only after the enumeration of the cities of the sons of Aaron." By that supposition the position of 1 Chronicles 6:61 is certainly explained, but not that of 1 Chronicles 6:64 and 1 Chronicles 6:65; for even with the supposed desire, 1 Chronicles 6:64 and 1 Chronicles 6:65 should have been placed before 1 Chronicles 6:61. But besides, this, the clause וגו אהרן לבני in 1 Chronicles 6:54 neither has anything to connect it with the preceding superscription nor a verb; and the subject of ויּתּנוּ, 1 Chronicles 6:55, is also wanting. That which was missed before 1 Chronicles 6:54 and in 1 Chronicles 6:55 is contained in 1 Chronicles 6:64 and 1 Chronicles 6:65; whence it is manifest that 1 Chronicles 6:64 and 1 Chronicles 6:65 ought to stand before 1 Chronicles 6:54, and have by some inexplicable accident fallen out of their proper place, and have come into an unsuitable position after 1 Chronicles 6:63. The plurals יקראוּ and שׁמות, instead of the singulars יקרא and שׁם, as in Joshua 21:9, bring the words into more manifest correspondence with the circumstances, since the subject of יקראוּ, "the sons of Israel," may be easily supplied from 1 Chronicles 6:53, and many names of cities are mentioned. The masc. אתהם instead of the fem. אתהן is probably only an oversight. With 1 Chronicles 6:66 begins the enumeration of the cities of the other Levitic families only summarily given in 1 Chronicles 6:61, which forms a very suitable continuation of 1 Chronicles 6:63.

And the children of Israel gave to the Levites these cities with their suburbs.

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.