1 Chronicles 6:61

And unto the sons of Kohath, which were left of the family of that tribe, were cities given out of the half tribe, namely, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(61-63) These verses correspond to Joshua 21:5-7. They supply short statements of the number of cities in the various tribes assigned to the non-Aaronic Kohathites, to the Gershonites, and the Merarites.

(61) And unto the sons of Kohath, which were left of the family of that tribe.—A comparison with Joshua 21:5 shows that the text is again mutilated. That passage reads (Heb.), “And unto the sons of Kohath which were left, out of the families [clans] of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, by the lot, ten cities.” The curious redundancy of the present text of 1Chronicles 6:61, “Out of the half of the tribe of the half of Manasseh”—a phrase which occurs nowhere else—suggests bad emendation of a corrupt reading. The passage from Joshua undoubtedly gives the meaning here. (Comp. 1Chronicles 6:66-67, below.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Unto the sons of Kohath which were left - i. e. to such of them as were not priests.

Out of the half tribe ... ten cities - The half tribe furnished two cities only (1 Chronicles 6:70, and compare Joshua 21:25). It is evident therefore that something has fallen out. We may supply from Joshua the words "out of Ephraim and out of Dan, and" before "out of the half tribe."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

61. unto the sons of Kohath, which were left—that is, in addition to the priests belonging to the same family and tribe of Levi.

by lot, ten cities—(Jos 21:26). The sacred historian gives an explanation (1Ch 6:66). Eight of these are mentioned, but only two of them are taken out of the half tribe of Manasseh (1Ch 6:70). The names of the other two are given (Jos 21:21), where full and detailed notices of these arrangements may be found.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Which were left, over and above the priests who were of the same family of Kohath and tribe of Levi.

By lot, ten cities, or, by lot (with a full point, for there the sense ends).

All their cities were ten cities, as it is expressly said, Joshua 21:6. These words, all their cities were, are to be understood out of the former verse; which is not unusual in the Holy Scripture. And so this sacred writer explains himself, 1 Chronicles 6:66, &c., where eight of these cities are named, whereof only two are taken out of this half tribe of Manasseh, 1 Chronicles 6:70, the other two being named, Joshua 21:21, &c., where these things are more plainly and fully declared.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now these are their dwelling places,.... The dwelling places of the priests and Levites, assigned and given to them in the several tribes of Israel; and the account of them agrees with that in Joshua 21:1 with some few variations of names of places, which have been there observed: see the notes there; only in 1 Chronicles 6:57 two cities are omitted, Juttah and Gibeon, through want of care in transcribing, since they are said to be "thirteen", as they should be, whereas eleven only are mentioned. The Jews say (h), the cities of the suburbs (those here mentioned) ceased from the time the first temple was destroyed; and yet Ezra, who lived after the captivity, and the building the second temple, here gives a very particular account of them; the suburbs belonging to every city, which he particularly mentions, were 2000 cubits, both to the cities of refuge, and the rest, Numbers 35:5 Hebron, the first city mentioned in the next verse, was a city of refuge, and had suburbs of such a space; and it is remarkable, that some of the temples with the Heathens, which were asylums, or places of refuge, had the space of 2000 paces assigned them for the same sanctity and privilege (i).

(h) T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 48. 2.((i) Tacit. Annal. l. 3. c. 62.

Geneva Study Bible

And unto the sons of {r} Kohath, which were left of the family of that tribe, were cities given out of the half tribe, namely, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities.

(r) That is, they gave a portion to the Kohathites, who were the remnant of the tribe of Levi, out of the half tribe of Manasseh and out of Ephraim, 1Ch 6:66.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

61–65 (cp. Joshua 21:26; Joshua 21:33; Joshua 21:40). Distribution of thirty-five other cities to the rest of the Levites

61. the sons of Kohath which were left] R.V. the rest of the sons of Kohath, i.e. the Kohathites who were not sons of Aaron (1 Chronicles 6:54).

of the family, etc.] R.V. were given by lot, out of the family of the tribe, out of the half tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. The text is faulty; cp. the Critical Note on 1 Chronicles 6:54-81.

1 Chronicles 6:61

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

(1 Chronicles 6:46-48). Summary statements of the number of cities which the remaining Kohathites, the Gershonites, and the Merarites received in the domains of the various tribes, corresponding to Joshua 21:5-7. In 1 Chronicles 6:61 occurs a hiatus; between המּטּה and ממּחצית the words "Ephraim and of the tribe of Dan and" have been omitted. In 1 Chronicles 6:48 the words "of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan" are quite intelligible without חצי, which is found in Joshua.