I Chronicles 6:66-70 · Bible study

1 Chronicles 6:66-70 Commentary: Kohathite Cities

Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say

Meaning in one sentence

Why the Chronicler details cities for the rest of Kohath in Ephraim and Manasseh, showing God's provision for the Levites and the integration of

Research Summary

Meaning: The Chronicler specifies the cities given to the non-priestly Kohathites from Ephraim and Manasseh, including cities of refuge and pasturelands.
Key words: cities, borders, tribe, pasture lands, cities of refuge, residue (rest), families.
Main debate: Whether the list matches the parallel in Joshua 21 and why the Chronicler adds detail after a numerical summary.
Theological theme: God's faithful provision for the Levites who serve Him in worship and justice.
Best use: A reminder to support and honor those who give their lives to spiritual leadership, and to trust God's care for practical needs.

Translation Comparison

BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020

⁶⁶And some of the clans of the Kohathites were given cities from the tribe of Ephraim for their territory:

⁶⁷They were given Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer,

⁶⁸Jokmeam, Beth-horon,

⁶⁹Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon, together with their pasturelands.

⁷⁰And from the half-tribe of Manasseh the remaining clans of the Kohathites were given Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands.

WEB World English Bible 2000

⁶⁶Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim.

⁶⁷They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands and Gezer with its pasture lands,

⁶⁸Jokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth Horon with its pasture lands,

⁶⁹Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath Rimmon with its pasture lands;

⁷⁰and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasture lands, and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.

KJV King James Version 1769

⁶⁶And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim.

⁶⁷And they gave unto them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs,

⁶⁸And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Beth–horon with her suburbs,

⁶⁹And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gath–rimmon with her suburbs:

⁷⁰And out of the half tribe of Manasseh; Aner with her suburbs, and Bileam with her suburbs, for the family of the remnant of the sons of Kohath.

ASV American Standard Version 1901

⁶⁶And some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim.

⁶⁷And they gave unto them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim with its suburbs; Gezer also with its suburbs,

⁶⁸and Jokmeam with its suburbs, and Beth-horon with its suburbs,

⁶⁹and Aijalon with its suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with its suburbs;

⁷⁰and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its suburbs, and Bileam with its suburbs, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898

⁶⁶and some of the families of the sons of Kohath have cities of their border from the tribe of Ephraim;

⁶⁷and they give to them the cities of refuge, Shechem and its suburbs in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Gezer and its suburbs,

⁶⁸and Jokmeam and its suburbs, and Beth-Horan and its suburbs,

⁶⁹and Aijalon and its suburbs, and Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs;

⁷⁰and from the half tribe of Manasseh, Aner and its suburbs, and Bileam and its suburbs, for the family of the sons of Kohath who are left.

Darby Darby Bible 1890

⁶⁶And to the families of the children of Kohath who had the cities of their territory out of the tribe of Ephraim,

⁶⁷they gave the city of refuge, Shechem and its suburbs in mount Ephraim; and Gezer and its suburbs,

⁶⁸and Jokmeam and its suburbs, and Beth-horon and its suburbs,

⁶⁹and Ajalon and its suburbs, and Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs;

⁷⁰and out of the half tribe of Manasseh: Aner and its suburbs, and Bileam and its suburbs, — for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.

Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899

⁶⁶And to them that were of the kindred of the sons of Caath, and the cities in their borders were of the tribe of Ephraim.

⁶⁷And they gave the cities of refuge Sichem with its suburbs in mount Ephraim, and Gazer with its suburbs,

⁶⁸Jecmaan also with its suburbs, and Beth-horon in like manner,

⁶⁹Helon also with its suburbs, and Gethremmon in like manner,

⁷⁰And out of the half tribe of Manasses, Aner and its suburbs, Baalam and its suburbs, to wit, to them that were left of the family of the sons of Caath.

Verse in Context

64 The children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their pasture lands.

65 They gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned by name.

66 Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim.

67 They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands and Gezer with its pasture lands,

68 Jokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth Horon with its pasture lands,

69 Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath Rimmon with its pasture lands;

70 and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasture lands, and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.

71 To the sons of Gershom were given, out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, and Ashtaroth with its pasture lands;

72 and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands,

Scholars' Consensus

Commentators agree that I Chronicles 6:66-70 records the specific cities given to the non-priestly Kohathites, those left after the priestly line of Aaron had been provided for earlier in the chapter. Matthew Henry notes the passage continues the listing of Levitical cities from Joshua 21, now focusing on the families of Kohath who did not serve as priests. The Cambridge Bible emphasizes that the Chronicler rearranged the material: after summarizing in verse 61 that ten cities were allotted to this group, he now supplies their names by tribe. The list includes the city of refuge Shechem in Ephraim, as well as Gezer, Jokmeam, Beth Horon, Aijalon, Gath Rimmon, and from Manasseh, Aner and Bileam, each with pasturelands. This detailed naming, while varying from the parallel in Joshua, confirms that God's provision for the Levites was concrete and exact, ensuring they had both dwellings and land for livestock.

How settled is the interpretation?

Interpretive difficulty: Medium

Main views:

Copyist abbreviation: The list omits cities present in Joshua 21, suggesting the Chronicler or later scribes shortened the record.
Intentional selection: The Chronicler may have chosen cities that were still significant in his day, omitting those that had lost prominence or were no longer in Israelite control.

What is clear: God assigned specific cities with pasturelands to the Levites, fulfilling the command given through Moses and recorded earlier in Joshua.

What Scholars Agree and Debate

Topic	Agreed	Debated
Relationship to Joshua 21	Both passages record the same allotment of Levitical cities to the Kohathites.	The Chronicler rearranges the order and omits some cities (e.g., from Dan and Zebulun), leading some to see scribal errors while others see intentional editorial selection.
Cities of refuge	Shechem is clearly identified as a city of refuge in this list, consistent with Joshua 20:7.	Some traditions see the cities of refuge as purely legal institutions, while others view them as types of Christ's sanctuary.
The Chronicler's audience	The list encourages a post-exilic generation that God has not forgotten His covenant with Levi.	Whether the Chronicler wrote primarily to validate the temple cult or to reunite the people around the law.

Historical & Cultural Context

The system of Levitical cities arose from Numbers 35, where God commanded Israel to give forty-eight cities to the Levites, including six cities of refuge. The Levites, as the tribe set apart for worship and teaching, received no large inheritance like the other tribes. Instead, they were dispersed throughout the land as spiritual servants. The tribe of Ephraim, prominent in the hill country of central Canaan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh east of the Jordan, were assigned in this passage to the Kohathites, descendants of Levi's son Kohath, excluding the priestly line of Aaron.

Shechem, listed here as a city of refuge, already carried deep history: Jacob had camped there (Genesis 33:18) and buried foreign gods under an oak (Genesis 35:4). It was a place of sanctuary and covenant renewal. The other cities, Gezer, Jokmeam, Beth Horon, Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, lay in the territory of Ephraim, a region later associated with idolatry but also with prophetic ministry. The pasturelands (the Hebrew term migrash, not in supplied data but a standard term) allowed the Levites to keep livestock, a practical provision for their livelihood.

The Chronicler, writing after the exile, compiled this list to show that God's promises to the Levites had been fulfilled. For a post-exilic audience struggling to reclaim the land, this genealogical and geographical detail anchored hope: God had not forgotten His servants. The listing by tribe also reinforced the unity of Israel, the Levites were woven into the fabric of each tribe's inheritance, a physical reminder that worship and justice belonged to every region.

Textual Notes

The Cambridge Bible notes that the text of this passage has suffered in transmission. Comparing to Joshua 21, two cities from Dan (Eltekeh and Gibbethon) and two from Zebulun appear to have fallen out of the Chronicler’s list, reducing the total from twelve (as implied in verse 63) to ten. Additionally, the name Juttah and Gibeon are missing from the earlier list of Aaronite cities (verse 60). These variations suggest that the Chronicler’s source text may have been abridged or that scribal errors occurred during copying. Despite these differences, the essential record of God’s provision for the Levites remains intact.

Reception History

Throughout church history, this passage has been read as a testimony to God’s care for ministers. Matthew Henry (1710) saw the Levite cities as evidence that God “provides for his own servants,” giving them not only houses but also fields. Wesley (1754) noted that the cities were within the borders of each tribe, so the Levites would be sprinkled throughout the land as teachers and examples. In more recent scholarship, the Chronicle’s list has been studied for its editorial method, showing how later biblical writers shaped earlier traditions to speak to their own generation. In devotional use, the passage reminds believers that God cares about the details of daily provision and that spiritual leaders are not to be left without support.

Preaching This Verse

Three-point outline

God provides for those who serve Him, The Levites had no land of their own, yet God gave them cities and pasturelands within every tribe. This mirrors how God cares for those who devote themselves to spiritual work.
Sacred geography, The cities of refuge, especially Shechem, were places of both sanctuary and justice. The Levites lived as reminders of God's mercy and law.
Integration not isolation, The Levites were not separated but scattered among the people. Their presence was meant to teach, guide, and bless each tribe.

Five-point outline

Gift of cities from Ephraim and Manasseh shows the cooperation of tribes.
Pasturelands were not an afterthought but essential for livelihood.
Shechem as a city of refuge points to God's provision of safety and atonement.
The detailed list underscores that God cares about the specifics of our lives.
This fulfillment of earlier commands (Joshua 21) shows God's faithfulness across generations.

Illustration hooks

A teacher assigned to a remote village discovers the community provides her a house and a garden. She is not wealthy but she has what she needs.
A church decides to pay its pastor more than a minimal salary, giving her time to study and care for the congregation rather than taking a second job.
A community builds a parsonage next to the church, so the minister lives among the people, not apart from them.

Questions your congregation is asking

Does God care about the practical needs of those who serve Him? This passage says yes.
Why does the Chronicler repeat information from Joshua? He is reminding a post-exilic generation that the land promises still stand.
How do we support spiritual leaders today beyond their salaries?

Leading a Discussion

This short passage may seem like a list of ancient place names. But it carries a powerful message: God made concrete provision for the Levites, the tribe set apart for His service. As you work through the questions, consider how this ancient arrangement speaks to the way we support those who lead, teach and care for us spiritually today.

Discussion questions

What cities are listed here, and from which tribes do they come?
How does this list compare with what you know of the Levites from earlier chapters (especially verses 61-63)?
Why do you think the Chronicler included both the summary (ten cities) and the detailed names?
What does the inclusion of pasturelands tell us about God's provision for the Levites?
Shechem is called a city of refuge. How does this connect to the Levites' role?
In what ways do Christian communities today provide for the needs of spiritual leaders?
What might this passage teach us about the importance of remembering God's faithfulness in the details?

What the Commentators Say

5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.

Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826

Clarke points out that this verse leaves out two cities, Eltekeh and Gibethon, which are listed in the parallel passage from Joshua. He sees a textual discrepancy in the record of the Levitical cities.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880

The Cambridge Bible Schools commentary notes that the Chronicler rearranged Joshua's list of Levitic cities in an "unhappy" way, and the text has suffered further in transcription. Names from Simeon and several other tribes are missing, and only eleven names appear where thirteen are counted, requiring restoration from Joshua's parallel account.

Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599

The Geneva Notes observe that the Levite families descended from Kohath received specific cities with surrounding pasturelands, including several designated as cities of refuge. The list emphasizes the orderly distribution of these towns from the tribes of Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh, noting Shechem in particular as a refuge city.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871

JFB attributes the differences in city names from an earlier list to natural changes in language and society over centuries. They also note that the Levitical cities were scattered widely across Israel to fulfill Jacob's prophecy and to ensure teachers were available in every region.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754

Wesley clarifies that the word "coasts" here does not mean seashores but refers to the borders of a region or the entire country contained within those borders. He is defining the term geographically, not geographically.

Cross-References

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)

Joshua 21:20	The families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kohath, had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.
Joshua 21:26	All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kohath were ten with their pasture lands.
Genesis 33:18	Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city.
Genesis 35:4	They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
Joshua 12:12	the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
Joshua 16:3	and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth Horon the lower, and on to Gezer; and ended at the sea.
Joshua 16:10	They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.
Joshua 20:7	They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.

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