1 Chronicles 6
2 Chronicles 6 contains Solomon’s prayers and words of blessing to God, offered to commemorate the dedication of the temple. This chapter mainly describes scenes in which Solomon brings before God, in the presence of the people, prayers of thanksgiving and requests. After the temple is completed, the king of Israel himself steps forward to proclaim the meaning of the temple and God’s presence, confessing what God will accomplish through Israel.
1verseThe sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
2verseThe sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
3verseThe children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
4verseEleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua,
5verseAbishua became the father of Bukki. Bukki became the father of Uzzi.
6verseUzzi became the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth.
7verseMeraioth became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub.
8verseAhitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz.
9verseAhimaaz became the father of Azariah. Azariah became the father of Johanan.
10verseJohanan became the father of Azariah, who executed the priest’s office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem.
11verseAzariah became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub.
12verseAhitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Shallum.
13verseShallum became the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah became the father of Azariah.
14verseAzariah became the father of Seraiah. Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak.
15verseJehozadak went into captivity when the LORD carried Judah and Jerusalem away by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
16verseThe sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
17verseThese are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.
18verseThe sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
19verseThe sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households.
20verseOf Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,
21verseJoah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and Jeatherai his son.
22verseThe sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,
23verseElkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son,
24verseTahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.
25verseThe sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth.
26verseAs for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son, Nahath his son,
27verseEliab his son, Jeroham his son, and Elkanah his son.
28verseThe sons of Samuel: the firstborn, Joel, and the second, Abijah.
29verseThe sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,
30verseShimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.
31verseThese are they whom David set over the service of song in the LORD’s house after the ark came to rest there.
32verseThey ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting until Solomon had built the LORD’s house in Jerusalem. They performed the duties of their office according to their order.
33verseThese are those who served, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
34versethe son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
35versethe son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
36versethe son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
37versethe son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
38versethe son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
39verseHis brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea,
40versethe son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah,
41versethe son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
42versethe son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,
43versethe son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.
44verseOn the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,
45versethe son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
46versethe son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer,
47versethe son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.
48verseTheir brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of God’s house.
49verseBut Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.
50verseThese are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,
51verseBukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
52verseMeraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,
53verseZadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.
54verseNow these are their dwelling places according to their encampments in their borders: to the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first lot),
55verseto them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its pasture lands around it;
56versebut the fields of the city and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
57verseTo the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron, Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,
58verseHilen with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands,
59verseAshan with its pasture lands, and Beth Shemesh with its pasture lands;
60verseand out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its pasture lands, Allemeth with its pasture lands, and Anathoth with its pasture lands. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.
61verseTo the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities.
62verseTo the sons of Gershom, according to their families, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.
63verseTo the sons of Merari were given by lot, according to their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
64verseThe children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their pasture lands.
65verseThey 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.
66verseSome of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim.
67verseThey gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands and Gezer with its pasture lands,
68verseJokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth Horon with its pasture lands,
69verseAijalon with its pasture lands, Gath Rimmon with its pasture lands;
70verseand 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.
71verseTo 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;
72verseand out of the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands,
73verseRamoth with its pasture lands, and Anem with its pasture lands;
74verseand out of the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands,
75verseHukok with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands;
76verseand out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, Hammon with its pasture lands, and Kiriathaim with its pasture lands.
77verseTo the rest of the Levites, the sons of Merari, were given, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmono with its pasture lands, and Tabor with its pasture lands;
78verseand beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, were given them out of the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the wilderness with its pasture lands, Jahzah with its pasture lands,
79verseKedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands;
80verseand out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, Mahanaim with its pasture lands,
81verseHeshbon with its pasture lands, and Jazer with its pasture lands.
The Meaning of the Temple Dedication
As Solomon dedicates the temple, he emphasizes that it is not merely a building, but a holy place where God sets His Name and establishes fellowship with the people. While confessing that God is “not confined to a house made with hands,” he still pleads with God to hear the prayers and requests of His people and to show them grace. The temple shows that it is the center of faith where God’s people can approach Him when they repent and seek His forgiveness.
Solomon’s Intercessory Prayer Scene
The heart of this chapter is Solomon’s intercessory prayer, in which he mentions various sins and hardships and asks that when the people repent in the temple, God will hear their prayers each time. Even if Israel commits sins and is judged, the content repeatedly emphasizes that God is asked to show mercy when the people turn their hearts toward God either in front of the temple or while in exile. This reveals an attitude of faith that trusts in God’s compassion and His promises.
A Prayer for the Nations
Solomon especially asks that God will hear the prayers of foreigners—meaning people of nations other than Israel—when they hear God’s name, come to the temple, and pray (6:32–33). This reflects the desire that God be glorified among the whole world and that the nations also come to know Him. It contains a message of peace and unity that symbolizes salvation and grace being open not only to Israel but also to all foreigners.
Meditation Points
- God’s Presence: Even though God is not limited to a particular place, we can think about the need for a community and a holy space where our prayers gather and we can share grace.
- Intercession and Repentance: We can reflect on an attitude of prayer in which we intercede together, not only for our own wrongdoing, but also for the restoration and forgiveness of others.
- Nations and Blessing: God loves not only Israel but all peoples, and He encourages an open heart toward the world.
Putting It into Practice for Yourself
- We reflect on whether there is a holy space, time, and attitude devoted to God at the center of our lives.
- Even amid difficulties and failures, we take courage to come to God, repent, and seek forgiveness.
- Beyond our own advantage, we can put into practice a life of prayer for the peace and restoration of our neighbors and the world.
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