Commentary - 1 Chronicles 6:54-81

Bird's-eye view

At first glance, this passage appears to be little more than a dusty old property map, a list of Levitical towns with their associated pasture lands. But when we look closer, we see that it is actually a stunning blueprint of God's design for His people. This is not a random scattering; it is a strategic placement. The Levites, the teaching tribe, were not given a single, consolidated territory. Instead, God distributed them throughout all the other tribes of Israel. Why? So that the knowledge of God, His law, and His ways would be embedded in every corner of the nation. They were to be the theological and moral backbone of Israel. This chapter details the fulfillment of God's plan to season the entire nation with the salt of His Word, administered by His chosen servants. It is a picture of a nation thoroughly catechized, with access to justice and worship in every region. And in the designation of the cities of refuge, we have a beautiful and powerful foreshadowing of the gospel of grace.

This is God's holy geography. Every city, every pasture land, is assigned by divine lot. God is sovereign over the details, and the details here reveal His plan for the sanctification of His people. The priests are central, the Levites are pervasive, and refuge is available for the unintentional sinner. This is a portrait of a nation organized around the worship of the one true God.

Outline

Context In 1 Chronicles

After the long genealogies that establish the identity of the post-exilic community, the Chronicler zooms in on the tribe of Levi. This is no accident. For the people returning from Babylon, the central question was how to worship God faithfully again. The temple was being rebuilt, and the priesthood and Levitical orders were essential for the restoration of true worship. This detailed list of cities serves as a powerful reminder of God's original design for the Levites. It's a statement of legitimacy and continuity. God had made these provisions long ago, and His plan had not been thwarted by exile. This list functions as both a historical record and a theological encouragement: God is faithful to His covenant, and He has always made provision for the ministry of Word and Sacrament to be at the heart of His people's life.

Key Issues

The Scattering of Levi

In Genesis, Jacob prophesies concerning Simeon and Levi, "I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel" (Gen. 49:7). For Simeon, this scattering was a curse that led to their absorption and effective disappearance as a distinct tribe. But for Levi, God in His marvelous grace turned this curse into a glorious blessing. Levi's zeal for the Lord at the incident of the golden calf (Ex. 32:26-29) set them apart. God took the scattering and repurposed it for His own glory. By distributing the Levites throughout the land, He ensured that every tribe had resident teachers of the law, judges, and ministers of worship. They were to be the spiritual leaven in the lump of Israel. This is a profound illustration of how God can take what was intended for judgment and transform it into a central part of His redemptive plan. The church is similarly "scattered" among the nations, not as a punishment, but as a strategy for discipling them.

The Cities of Refuge as a Type of Christ

Six of the Levitical cities are specifically designated as "cities of refuge." These were places where someone who had killed another unintentionally could flee for asylum from the "avenger of blood." The fugitive was safe as long as he remained within the city's walls. This entire system is a magnificent type of Christ. We, as sinners, are all fugitives from the just penalty of God's law. The law demands our life. But in Christ, we find our refuge. When we flee to Him by faith, we are safe from condemnation. He is our sanctuary, our strong tower. The avenger, which is the righteous requirement of the law, cannot touch us there. It is significant that these cities of refuge were Levitical cities. Access to God's grace and mercy is found where God's Word is ministered. The gospel is preached from the "cities" God has established, which today we call the church.

Verse-by-Verse Commentary

54 Now these are their settlements according to their camps within their borders. To the sons of Aaron of the families of the Kohathites (for the lot was theirs first),

The Chronicler begins the list with a clear statement of order and priority. This is not a haphazard arrangement. These are fixed settlements, divinely appointed. And who is first? The sons of Aaron, the priests. The lot was "theirs first." In God's economy, worship is primary. The priests, who ministered in the tabernacle and later the temple, are given their portion first. This establishes a principle for all time: a healthy society is a society that puts the worship of God at the center. Before we get to commerce, or military matters, or civil administration, we must settle the question of worship.

55-56 to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, with its pasture lands all around it; but the fields of the city and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

The first city given to the priests is Hebron, a place steeped in redemptive history. It was a city of the patriarchs and the first capital of King David. Placing the priests here roots their ministry in the soil of God's covenant promises. But there is a noteworthy exception. The city itself and its pasture lands go to the priests, but the surrounding fields and villages belong to Caleb. This shows us that God is able to keep multiple promises at once. He promised Hebron to Caleb for his faithfulness (Josh. 14:13-14), and He keeps that promise. He also provides for His priests. God's sovereign plan is not a zero-sum game; His faithfulness to one does not negate His faithfulness to another.

57-60 To the sons of Aaron they gave the following cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, Hilen with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands, Ashan with its pasture lands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands; from 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.

Here the list of priestly cities begins in earnest. Notice that Hebron is listed first as a city of refuge. The very heart of the priesthood is to be a place of refuge for the people. The list is precise, including the "pasture lands." God's provision is practical. He doesn't just give them a house; He gives them the means to support themselves. The list concludes with the total: thirteen cities for the priests, drawn from Judah and Benjamin. This proximity to Jerusalem, where the temple would eventually be built, was no accident. The priests were positioned right at the heart of Israel's worship life.

61-63 Now to the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, from the family of the tribe, from the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. And to the sons of Gershom, according to their families, were given from the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher, the tribe of Naphtali, and the tribe of Manasseh, thirteen cities in Bashan. To the sons of Merari were given by lot, according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

Now the Chronicler accounts for the other Levitical families. The rest of the Kohathites, who were responsible for the most holy things in the tabernacle, receive ten cities. The Gershomites, responsible for the coverings and curtains, receive thirteen. The Merarites, who carried the structural components, receive twelve. The numbers are specific because God is a God of order and detail. He is not sloppy. The distribution covers tribes in the north, the south, and across the Jordan. No region is left without Levitical influence.

64-65 So the sons of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their pasture lands. They also gave by lot from the tribe of the sons of Judah, the tribe of the sons of Simeon, and the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned here by name.

This is a crucial summary statement. "The sons of Israel gave." This was an act of obedience. The other tribes had to give up towns and valuable land to support the tribe that had no inheritance of its own. This is the Old Testament equivalent of the tithe. The people of God are responsible for supporting the ministry of the Word. This was not a tax imposed by a central government; it was a willing offering, an act of worshipful obedience to the command of God. And it was all done "by lot," signifying that the ultimate decision in the distribution rested with God Himself.

66-81 Now some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their territory from the tribe of Ephraim...

The remainder of the chapter provides the specific names of the cities given to each Levitical clan from the various tribes. It is a long list, but its very length and detail are the point. Shechem, another city of refuge, is in the hill country of Ephraim. Golan in Bashan. Kedesh in Galilee. Ramoth in Gilead. From the far north to the south, from the east of the Jordan to the west, the Levites are there. The list methodically moves through the Kohathites, the Gershomites, and the Merarites, naming their cities and reinforcing the central theme: God has made full provision for His law to be taught and His name to be worshiped throughout the entirety of the promised land. This exhaustive list is a testament to the comprehensive nature of God's plan for His people's holiness.

Application

So what does a list of ancient cities have to do with us? Everything. First, it shows us that God is sovereign over the details. Our lives, our homes, our locations are not accidents. God is a strategic God, and He places His people where He wants them for His purposes. We should see our own neighborhoods and workplaces as a divine allotment, a place where we are to be a spiritual influence.

Second, the principle of the scattered Levites is the principle of the New Covenant church. We are a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:9), and we have been scattered throughout the nations to be salt and light. We are not meant to huddle together in a holy enclave, but to permeate the culture with the truth and grace of the gospel. Like the Levites, our inheritance is not primarily a piece of land, but the Lord Himself.

Third, the cities of refuge point us directly to Christ. He is our only hope of escape from the just penalty for our sin. We must flee to Him and remain in Him. There is no safety outside of Christ. The church, as it preaches the gospel, is pointing the way to this ultimate city of refuge.

Finally, the obedience of the tribes in giving up their cities to the Levites is a model for us. The ministry of the Word must be supported. We are to cheerfully and obediently provide for those who labor in teaching and preaching, ensuring that the knowledge of God continues to flourish in our midst. This ancient property map, therefore, is a rich source of instruction on God's sovereignty, our mission, the glory of Christ, and our duty.