1 Chronicles 6:13 kjv
And Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begat Azariah,
1 Chronicles 6:13 nkjv
Shallum begot Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begot Azariah;
1 Chronicles 6:13 niv
Shallum the father of Hilkiah, Hilkiah the father of Azariah,
1 Chronicles 6:13 esv
Shallum fathered Hilkiah, Hilkiah fathered Azariah,
1 Chronicles 6:13 nlt
Shallum was the father of Hilkiah.
Hilkiah was the father of Azariah.
1 Chronicles 6 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Point) |
|---|---|---|
| Genealogical Purpose & Methodology | ||
| Matt 1:1 | The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ... Abraham begot Isaac... | Shows "begot" can refer to broader ancestry, common in biblical genealogies. |
| Luke 3:23 | Jesus... being the son... the son of Heli... | Extensive genealogy, often skipping generations. |
| Neh 7:64 | These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood... | Genealogy's crucial role in validating priestly claims post-exile. |
| 1 Chron 1:1 | Adam, Seth, Enosh... | Chronicler's focus on meticulous genealogies. |
| Priestly/Levitical Lineage & Parallels | ||
| Ezra 7:1-5 | ...Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth... | Provides a much more detailed, lengthier version of the high priestly line, explicitly showing multiple generations between the Azariahs mentioned in 1 Chron 6:13, highlighting the Chronicler's abridgment. (Strong Connection) |
| 1 Chron 5:29-41 (ESV 6:4-15) | The sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son... Azariah his son... Johanan his son... Azariah his son... | This is the broader chapter context, showing the very lineage the verse comes from, confirming the compressed list. (Strong Connection) |
| Exod 6:18-20 | The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar... Amram took Jochebed... she bore him Aaron and Moses... | Foundation of the Levitical line, including Aaron's direct lineage. |
| Num 3:27-32 | Of Kohath’s families were the Amramites... Kohath’s families, the Midianites, from them are... | Details of the Kohathite division of Levi, from which the priests descended. |
| High Priesthood Role & Continuity | ||
| Lev 8:12 | And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. | Ordination of Aaron as the first High Priest, establishing the line. |
| Num 18:7 | Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar... I have given your priesthood to you as a service of gift, and the foreigner who comes near shall be put to death. | Emphasizes the divine appointment and continuity of the Aaronic priesthood. |
| Mal 2:4-7 | Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant with Levi may continue... | Highlights God's covenant with Levi and the priests for instruction and truth. |
| Jer 33:18 | ...nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to kindle grain offerings, and to do sacrifice continually. | Promise of a perpetual Levitical priesthood (foreshadowing Christ's ultimate Priesthood). |
| Heb 5:4 | And no one takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. | The divine origin and call required for legitimate priesthood, reinforced by genealogies. |
| Heb 7:24 | But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. | Christ's priesthood supersedes the Aaronic, yet acknowledges the concept of perpetual lineage. |
| Names & Notable Individuals | ||
| Neh 12:22-23 | As for Jeshua... Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua... | Shows "Johanan" was a common priestly name in the post-exilic era, distinct from this older figure. |
| 2 Kgs 15:1-7 | In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, became king. | Illustrates the widespread use of "Azariah" for various important figures (here, a king, not a priest), emphasizing it was a common name. |
| Chronicler's Historical Context & Intent | ||
| 1 Chron 9:1-2 | So all Israel was recorded by genealogies, and these were written in the book of the kings of Israel. And Judah was carried away captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. | Chronicler's focus on genealogies for the post-exilic community. |
| 2 Chron 29:16 | Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and every defilement that they found in the temple of the LORD they brought out to the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it to carry out to the Brook Kidron. | References a specific act of cleansing involving priests (under King Hezekiah), often led by a High Priest, contextualizing priestly roles for the Chronicler's audience. |
| Ezra 1:1-3 | Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... stirred up the spirit of Cyrus... | Sets the scene for the return from exile, which heavily relied on established lineages for community reconstruction. |
| Jer 25:9-11 | Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land... This whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.' | The prophecy and reality of the Babylonian Exile, to which the priestly line of 1 Chr 6 culminates. |
1 Chronicles 6 verses
1 Chronicles 6 13 Meaning
The verse 1 Chronicles 6:13 describes a segment of the high priestly lineage: "And Azariah begot Johanan, and Johanan begot Azariah." It traces the direct father-son succession within the line of Aaron, but notably presents a compressed genealogy, indicating a highly selective and abridged recording common in biblical genealogies where "begot" can mean a distant descendant rather than immediate son, especially given the exact repetition of names within the same verse.
1 Chronicles 6 13 Context
1 Chronicles 6 details the genealogies of Levi's descendants, particularly emphasizing the high priestly line stemming from Aaron (verses 1-15). This specific lineage culminates in the high priest Seraiah, who was carried into Babylonian captivity. The Chronicler, writing for the post-exilic community returning to Judah, sought to legitimate the reconstituted priesthood and establish the continuity of Israel's covenant with God through these vital lines. The verse 1 Chronicles 6:13, with its seemingly unusual repetition of Azariah and Johanan, sits within this priestly chain, serving to bridge gaps in a compact manner. It is widely understood as a condensed version, common in biblical genealogies, where generations are omitted to create a streamlined, purposeful list, affirming the unbroken, legitimate succession of the priestly office from Aaron through critical historical periods, despite exilic disruptions.
1 Chronicles 6 13 Word analysis
- And (וְ): The Hebrew conjunction waw (וְ) serves as a simple connective, indicating the continuation of the genealogical list.
- Azariah (עֲזַרְיָה - ʿǍzaryāh): This name means "Yahweh has helped" or "Yahweh is my help." It was a very common name in ancient Israel, appearing for numerous significant individuals across the Old Testament, including priests, prophets, and kings (e.g., King Azariah of Judah, also called Uzziah, a number of priests including a high priest under King Uzziah mentioned in 2 Chronicles 26:17, and also a companion of Daniel known as Abed-nego in Babylonian context). In this specific priestly genealogy, Azariah figures prominently at different points in the lineage, which is part of the challenge in distinguishing these individuals and interpreting the compressed nature of the list.
- begot (יָלַד - yālad): The Hebrew verb yālad means "to bear," "to give birth," or "to beget." While typically indicating a direct parent-child relationship, in the context of biblical genealogies, particularly compressed ones, yālad can signify a more general ancestral relationship ("was the ancestor of" or "was the father of [a long line of]") where intervening generations are implicitly omitted. This understanding is crucial for interpreting 1 Chronicles 6:13 and other similar genealogical instances in Scripture.
- Johanan (יוֹחָנָן - Yôḥānān): This name means "Yahweh has been gracious" or "Yahweh is gracious." Like Azariah, Johanan was a widely used name in biblical times. It is the root of the modern name John. Several individuals bore this name in the Old Testament, including a high priest in the post-exilic period (Nehemiah 12:22-23), indicating the continuity of priestly names.
- and Johanan begot Azariah: This repetition within a single verse is the most significant feature of 1 Chronicles 6:13. This specific instance of "Azariah begot Johanan, and Johanan begot Azariah" strongly suggests that the Chronicler has significantly abridged a section of the genealogy. It represents a large temporal gap where numerous generations between the first Azariah (a descendant of Amariah, a 9th high priest) and the second Azariah (Hilkiah’s father, likely from the 8th century BC) have been condensed or simply omitted for brevity. For instance, the fuller lineage in Ezra 7:1-5 explicitly lists several generations between an Azariah and a subsequent Azariah who precede Hilkiah. The Chronicler’s aim here is not a complete historical record of every single generation, but a theologically purposeful list to establish the legitimate succession and historical continuity of the high priesthood for his post-exilic audience.
1 Chronicles 6 13 Bonus section
The high priestly line presented in 1 Chronicles 6 is not always in complete harmony with other biblical genealogies, most notably Ezra 7:1-5, which provides a longer list of priests leading to Ezra himself, where many names would logically fit between the "Azariah begot Johanan" and "Johanan begot Azariah" sequence if 1 Chronicles 6:13 were to list every single generation. This confirms that biblical genealogies, while anchored in historical reality, primarily serve a theological and sociological function, affirming lineage, right to office, or ethnic identity, rather than exhaustive biological precision. The selection and compression serve the specific purpose of the author. The emphasis on names like Azariah ("Yahweh has helped") and Johanan ("Yahweh is gracious") might also subtly reflect the theological message of divine help and grace underpinning the continuity of the covenant and priesthood, despite times of challenge and exile.
1 Chronicles 6 13 Commentary
1 Chronicles 6:13 is a succinct verse embedded within the Chronicler's comprehensive account of the Levitical and particularly the high priestly genealogies. Its distinctiveness lies in the immediate repetition of names: "Azariah begot Johanan, and Johanan begot Azariah." This structure is a primary example of biblical genealogical telescoping, a practice where intermediary generations are omitted to achieve brevity or to highlight key figures and periods. Rather than being a scribal error, it signifies the Chronicler's deliberate intent to streamline the lineage, connecting crucial points in time or personages for his specific audience—the returning exiles. The primary aim was to confirm the unbroken succession and legitimacy of the Aaronic high priesthood, crucial for the proper restoration of temple worship in the post-exilic era. It reassures the community that their spiritual leadership descends directly from divinely appointed origins, ensuring proper continuity from the past (prior to the exile) into their present. The verse is not about a biological peculiarity but a theological assertion of priestly authority.