1 Chronicles 6:55 kjv
And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it.
1 Chronicles 6:55 nkjv
They gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, with its surrounding common-lands.
1 Chronicles 6:55 niv
They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands.
1 Chronicles 6:55 esv
to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands,
1 Chronicles 6:55 nlt
This territory included Hebron and its surrounding pasturelands in Judah,
1 Chronicles 6 55 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 35:2-8 | "Command the people of Israel to give…forty-eight cities with their pasturelands" | Law for Levitical cities |
| Josh 21:11-12 | "They gave them Kiriath-arba...Hebron in the hill country of Judah, with its pasturelands..." | Fulfillment of Levitical city allotment |
| Josh 14:13-15 | "Joshua blessed Caleb...and gave him Hebron for an inheritance." | Hebron as Caleb's initial inheritance |
| Num 18:20 | "You shall have no inheritance in their land...I am your portion and your inheritance" | Principle of Levites' divine inheritance |
| Deut 18:1-8 | "The Levitical priests...shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord's food offerings..." | Provisions for the priesthood |
| Gen 23:19 | "After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah..." | Hebron as patriarchal burial place |
| 2 Sam 5:5 | "In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months..." | Hebron as David's early capital |
| Josh 20:7 | "They set apart Kedesh in Galilee...and Hebron in the hill country of Judah." | Hebron as a city of refuge |
| Exod 29:9 | "You shall ordain Aaron and his sons. And the priesthood shall be theirs for an everlasting statute." | Establishment of the Aaronic priesthood |
| Lev 25:34 | "The pasturelands of their cities shall not be sold, for that is their perpetual possession." | Prohibition against selling Levitical pasturelands |
| Gen 13:18 | "So Abram moved his tent, and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron..." | Patriarchal association with Hebron |
| Neh 11:25 | "And for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, and in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and its villages" | Post-exilic re-settlement reference |
| Isa 61:6 | "You shall be called the priests of the Lord; people shall speak of you as the ministers of our God..." | Prophetic vision of future priestly role |
| Ezek 48:10-14 | "And to the priests shall be allotted an area of the land, a holy portion..." | Prophetic vision of future priestly land |
| 1 Chron 6:67 | (Parallel to Josh 21 list of other Levitical cities.) | Other Levitical cities given |
| Deut 33:10 | "They shall teach your ordinances to Jacob and your law to Israel..." | Levitical role: teaching God's law |
| Ezra 7:6 | "This Ezra went up from Babylonia...for he was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses..." | Scribes maintaining the Law |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation..." | New Testament understanding of priesthood |
| Rev 1:6 | "And made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father..." | Believers as spiritual priests |
| Heb 7:11-19 | "If perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood..." | Limitation of Levitical priesthood's ability |
| Phil 4:19 | "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." | Divine provision for His servants |
1 Chronicles 6 verses
1 Chronicles 6 55 Meaning
This verse states that Hebron, located in the territory of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands, was designated and given to the priestly sons of Aaron. This allocation was part of the divinely ordained settlement of the land of Canaan, ensuring a physical base and source of sustenance for the lineage tasked with administering the sacred rituals and teaching God's law to Israel.
1 Chronicles 6 55 Context
1 Chronicles 6 details the genealogies of the tribe of Levi, specifically tracing the line of Aaron for the high priesthood. This chapter focuses on the roles and locations of the various Levitical families. Verses 54-81 are parallel to Joshua 21, listing the cities allocated to the Levites as their dwellings, distinct from the general tribal inheritances. The overall context is the fulfillment of God's command regarding the settlement of the land and the establishment of proper worship and service through His ordained priests and Levites. This ensures an organized structure for Israel's religious life, reflecting divine order and faithfulness. Hebron was particularly significant, known as a patriarchs' burial place and David's first capital, making its allocation to the priesthood symbolically powerful.
1 Chronicles 6 55 Word analysis
- and they gave them: The 'they' refers to the Israelites, through the drawing of lots, under the guidance of Joshua and Eleazar (as seen in the parallel Josh 21:1-3). This act was not a human choice alone, but a divine designation carried out by human agents, reflecting God's sovereignty in land distribution.
- Hebron: חֶבְרוֹן (Chevrōn), meaning "association" or "confederacy." A pivotal city in biblical history. It was a site where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sojourned (Gen 13:18), where Abraham purchased the Machpelah cave (Gen 23:2,19), and where David was crowned king before Jerusalem (2 Sam 5:5). Its allocation to the priests underscores its historical, strategic, and spiritual importance.
- in the land of Judah: אַרְצָה יְהוּדָה (ʾArtzāh Yəhūdāh). Specifies the location within the territory of the powerful and central tribe of Judah. This ensured the priests' presence within a major tribal domain, making them accessible to a large segment of the population for their duties.
- and its pasturelands: מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ (migrâshéyhā), referring to the open grounds surrounding the city for communal use, particularly for grazing livestock. This was essential for the priests' sustenance, as they did not receive a tribal land inheritance (Num 18:20) but depended on offerings and the produce of their assigned cities and surrounding land.
- round about it: סְבִיבֶיהָ (səvîve̱yhā). Emphasizes the complete provision of not just the city itself but also the necessary surrounding agricultural and grazing land, ensuring the priests' holistic well-being and ability to perform their duties without being concerned for their livelihood.
- "Hebron in the land of Judah": This phrase highlights the specific and important location of this priestly city. It ties the priestly provision to the land promised by God, rooted in a central and prominent tribal territory.
- "Hebron...and its pasturelands round about it": This phrase underscores the completeness of the provision. The priests were not given merely a dwelling but a self-sustaining plot of land that enabled them to keep flocks and support their households, vital for a community dependent on offerings and not primarily on agriculture or commerce.
1 Chronicles 6 55 Bonus section
- The chronicler's detailed listing of Levitical cities emphasizes the adherence to God's divine instructions, which were crucial for maintaining religious order and national identity after the conquest. This stands in contrast to any notion of chaotic settlement.
- The fact that Hebron was first given to Caleb (Josh 14:13-15) and then portions reallocated for priestly residence and purpose (Josh 21:11-12; 1 Chron 6:55-56) illustrates how personal tribal inheritance could be divinely modified or shared for the greater communal and religious good. Caleb retained the fields and villages surrounding Hebron.
- Hebron also functioned as one of the six Cities of Refuge (Josh 20:7), demonstrating its dual role in serving both the priests and the broader Israelite community for legal protection, emphasizing divine justice and mercy alongside worship.
- This chapter and the detailed list of cities are often interpreted as a "sacred geography," establishing places for the priestly and Levitical families, thereby marking the sacred spaces of Israel in fulfillment of God's covenant with them.
1 Chronicles 6 55 Commentary
1 Chronicles 6:55 succinctly confirms the allocation of Hebron, a historically significant city in Judah, to the Aaronic priests, alongside its vital surrounding pasturelands. This arrangement, echoing the detailed commands in Numbers 35 and the historical fulfillment in Joshua 21, signifies God's faithfulness in providing for those set apart for His service. By granting them specific cities, complete with provisions for livelihood, God ensured the priests could perform their cultic duties, teach His Law, and maintain spiritual oversight without secular entanglement. Hebron's prominence, both as a patriarchal site and David's initial capital, elevates the status of this priestly city, linking the divine order of worship to Israel's foundational covenantal history. It underscores the Lord's systematic ordering of Israel's tribal and religious life upon entering the promised land, showcasing His meticulous care for His covenant people and His dedicated servants.