Verse-by-Verse Commentary
The Book of 1 Chronicles
Chapter 6: To Make an Atonement for Israel
This long chapter is the register of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of priests and singers. It traces the high-priestly line from Aaron down to the man who went into captivity, records how David set the Levites over the service of song when the ark had rest, and marks the sacred distinction that Aaron and his sons alone offered sacrifice and made atonement for Israel. Priesthood, praise, and atonement, three shadows that all find their substance in Jesus Christ, our great High Priest.
About This Commentary
This is a verse-by-verse study of 1 Chronicles chapter 6. Because much of the chapter is genealogy, we focus on the passages that carry the weight of the story, with the KJV text, the Hebrew words that sharpen the meaning, plain explanation, and a Gospel Focus. Every Scripture quotation is from the King James Version.
From Aaron to the Captivity (1 Chronicles 6:1-15)
The high-priestly succession runs from Levi and Aaron through Zadok down to the priest who went into exile.
Jehozadak Went Into Captivity
"The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua, And Abishua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi, And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begat Meraioth, Meraioth begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub, And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahimaaz, And Ahimaaz begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Johanan, And Johanan begat Azariah, (he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:) And Azariah begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub, And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Shallum, And Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begat Azariah, And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak, And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar."
Word Study
"Levi," Hebrew Lewi (לֵוִי), "joined," the tribe joined to the service of God. The Chronicler now turns to Levi, and within Levi to the line of Aaron, the high priests. Notice that in one household stand the three great figures of the exodus: "Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam," the priest, the lawgiver, and the prophetess. The priestly succession then runs through Eleazar and Phinehas (whose zeal won an "everlasting priesthood," Numbers 25:13), down through Zadok, the faithful priest of David and Solomon's day, to the priest who "executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built," and on to Seraiah and his son Jehozadak. The list ends on a sorrowful note: "Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar." Even the high priesthood, the very heart of Israel's approach to God, was carried into exile. Yet the record itself is a seed of hope: Jehozadak's son was Joshua (Jeshua) the high priest who returned with Zerubbabel and stood again at the altar (Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 3). The line was broken by judgment but not destroyed; God preserved a priesthood, as He preserved a king, to bring His people back to Himself.
Explanation
The Chronicler traces the tribe of Levi and, in particular, the line of the high priests descended from Aaron. From Aaron's son Eleazar the succession runs through Phinehas, Zadok, and their descendants, generation by generation, down to Seraiah and his son Jehozadak. Along the way he notes the priest who served in Solomon's temple. The list closes with the fall of Jerusalem: Jehozadak was among those carried into Babylonian captivity when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city. So the high-priestly line, like the royal line of chapter 3, is followed all the way to the exile, showing that the priesthood too shared in the nation's judgment, yet was preserved through it for the return.
Gospel Focus
The long line of high priests, each one dying and giving way to the next, and finally carried into exile, exposes the weakness of the old priesthood. As Hebrews says, "they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death" (Hebrews 7:23). Every high priest, however faithful, was mortal, sinful, and at last led away captive; the system could not perfect anything. All of it was pointing forward to a Priest who would not die and give way, who would not be carried into any exile, but who "ever liveth to make intercession" (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus Christ is that Priest, "an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Hebrews 6:20), whose priesthood is "unchangeable" (Hebrews 7:24). Where the sons of Aaron came and went and finally fell with the city, Jesus abides for ever, the one Mediator between God and men. The exile of Jehozadak reminds us that the best of the old order was passing away; the resurrection of Jesus assures us that the new and living way to God can never be broken. In Him, the one God who alone could save has become our High Priest for ever.
David Sets the Singers (1 Chronicles 6:31-32)
When the ark had rest, David appointed Levites to lead the praise of God in His house.
Over the Service of Song
"And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest. And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order."
Word Study
"the service of song," Hebrew yede shir (יְדֵי־שִׁיר), literally "the hands of song," the ministry or direction of music. Here the Chronicler, so devoted to worship, records something dear to his heart: "these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest." When the ark, the symbol of God's presence, finally came to rest in Jerusalem, David did not think the work finished; he organized the praise of God, appointing Levites to "minister... with singing." The word for their work, sharat (שָׁרַת), to minister, is the same word used for priestly service; leading the worship of God in song was holy ministry, not mere entertainment. David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, understood that God's house was to be a house of praise, and he gave the ministry of music an ordered, permanent place, continued when Solomon built the temple, where the singers "waited on their office according to their order." The God who had given Israel a place to meet Him also gave them a way to worship Him, and appointed men to lead His people in lifting up His name.
Explanation
The Chronicler pauses to record how David established the ministry of music in the worship of God. Once the ark had been brought to Jerusalem and given a resting place, David appointed certain Levites to be in charge of the singing in the house of the LORD. They carried out this ministry of song before the tabernacle until the temple was built, and then continued their appointed service there in an orderly way. It was a permanent, organized office, showing that leading God's people in praise was regarded as a sacred duty within the worship of Israel, established by David himself and carried on for generations.
Gospel Focus
That David gave such care to "the service of song" reminds us that praise is not an afterthought to worship but at its very heart. God is the One "that inhabitest the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3), and He seeks worshippers who worship "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24). The singers ministered "after that the ark had rest," and so it is with us: it is the settled presence of God among His people that calls forth ordered, joyful praise. Under the new covenant, every believer is a priest and a singer, called to "offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name" (Hebrews 13:15), "singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19). The ministry David established points forward to a redeemed people whose praise never ends, and to the new song of heaven sung to the Lamb, "Thou art worthy... for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood" (Revelation 5:9). The God who once appointed singers before the ark now dwells among His people by His Spirit and fills their hearts with His song; let us give the praise of Jesus the central place David gave it.
Aaron Made Atonement for Israel (1 Chronicles 6:48-49)
The Levites served in all the work of the house, but only Aaron's sons offered sacrifice and made atonement.
Appointed for All the Work of the Place Most Holy
"Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God. But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded."
Word Study
"to make an atonement," Hebrew lekapper from kaphar (כָּפַר), to cover, to atone, to reconcile. This verse marks a vital distinction. The Levites in general "were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle," the carrying, guarding, cleaning, and assisting, but "Aaron and his sons," the priests, alone "offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense," and were appointed "to make an atonement (kaphar) for Israel." The word kaphar lies at the center of Israel's whole system of worship; it means to cover sin, to appease wrath, to reconcile the sinner to God through sacrifice. Not every Levite could do this; only the consecrated priesthood, and supremely on the Day of Atonement the high priest, could approach "the place most holy" and make atonement, "according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded." Everything was to be done God's way, not man's. The burnt offering pointed to full consecration, the incense to prayer ascending, and the atonement to sin covered by blood. All of it declared a sober truth: sinful people cannot simply walk into the presence of a holy God; atonement must be made, and made by the one God appointed.
Explanation
The Chronicler distinguishes between the Levites and the priests. The Levites as a whole were assigned every kind of supporting service in the tabernacle and temple. But only Aaron and his descendants, the priests, could offer the sacrifices on the altar of burnt offering and burn incense on the altar of incense, and only they were charged with the holiest duties and with making atonement for Israel. All of this was done exactly as Moses had commanded at God's direction. In other words, approaching God to deal with the people's sin was not open to everyone; it was entrusted to a specially consecrated priesthood, according to God's own appointed pattern.
Gospel Focus
"To make an atonement for Israel" is the beating heart of the Old Testament, and it points straight to the cross. The whole priestly system, the altars, the blood, the incense, the once-a-year entrance into the most holy place, was God's way of teaching that sin must be covered and that only the one He appoints may make that atonement. Every sacrifice was a shadow, for "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4). They pointed to the true atonement made by Jesus Christ, who is both our High Priest and the sacrifice itself, who "by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). What Aaron could only picture year after year, Jesus accomplished once for all. And here the wonder of the Oneness of God shines: the God against whom we sinned is Himself the God who provides the atonement, for God was "in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19). The one LORD who commanded the altar came in flesh to be the offering upon it. In Jesus, the atonement Aaron foreshadowed is finished, and the way into the holiest is opened to all who come by His blood.
Chapter in Review
First Chronicles 6 is the register of the tribe of Levi, the tribe set apart for the service of God, and it lifts up three sacred themes. First is the high-priestly line, traced from Aaron through Zadok down to Jehozadak, who "went into captivity," showing that even the priesthood shared in the exile, yet was preserved through it. Second is the ministry of praise: when the ark had rest, David "set" the Levites "over the service of song," giving the worship of God in music an ordered and honored place. Third is the distinction of the priesthood: while all the Levites served, only Aaron's sons offered sacrifice and were appointed "to make an atonement for Israel," according to God's own command. Priesthood, praise, and atonement all run through this chapter, and all are shadows that find their fullness in Jesus Christ, our unchanging High Priest, the leader of our praise, and the atonement for our sins, in whom the one God has opened the way to Himself for ever.
Key Takeaways
- The old priesthood was mortal and passing. High priests died and were exiled; Christ is the Priest who lives and abides for ever.
- Praise is central to worship. David established the service of song; leading God's people in praise is holy ministry.
- Believers are singing priests. We offer the sacrifice of praise continually, the fruit of lips giving thanks to His name.
- Atonement is God's appointed way. Sinners cannot approach a holy God without atonement, made by the one He appoints.
- Christ is the true atonement. The God we sinned against provided the offering; He was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
Questions for Reflection
- Does the frailty of the old priesthood make you treasure Christ, the High Priest who never dies?
- Do you give the praise of God the central, ordered place David gave the service of song?
- Are you offering the continual sacrifice of praise as a priest of the new covenant?
- Have you understood that you cannot approach God without atonement, and come by the blood of Jesus?
- How does it deepen your worship to know the one God Himself provided, in Christ, the atonement for your sin?
References
- Scripture: 1 Chronicles 6:1-81, King James Version (commentary focuses on verses 1-15, 31-32, and 48-49).
- Cross-references: Numbers 25:13; Psalm 22:3; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 3:1-10; John 4:23-24; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Ephesians 5:19; Hebrews 6:20; 7:23-25; 9:12; 10:4; 13:15; Revelation 5:9.
- Hebrew word meanings: standard lexical sources (Strong's, BDB) for Lewi, sharat, shir, and kaphar; background on the high-priestly line, the temple singers, and the ministry of atonement.