1 Chronicles 6:68 kjv
And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs,
1 Chronicles 6:68 nkjv
Jokmeam with its common-lands, Beth Horon with its common-lands,
1 Chronicles 6:68 niv
Jokmeam, Beth Horon,
1 Chronicles 6:68 esv
Jokmeam with its pasturelands, Beth-horon with its pasturelands,
1 Chronicles 6:68 nlt
Jokmeam, Beth-horon,
1 Chronicles 6 68 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 35:1-8 | The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, “Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites from the inheritance... and pasture lands...” | Command to provide Levite cities with common-land. |
| Josh 21:1-42 | Then the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest... and said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses to give us cities to dwell in...” | Detailed fulfillment of the command to provide Levite cities. |
| Josh 21:22 | And from the tribe of Ephraim they gave to the sons of Kohath, the rest of the Kohathite clans, Gezer... and Jokmeam with its common-land, and Beth-horon with its common-land. | Direct parallel and identical content to 1 Chr 6:68. |
| Deut 10:9 | Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, just as the Lord your God said to him. | Levites' lack of land inheritance and God as their portion. |
| Deut 18:1-2 | “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord’s food offerings and his rightful dues...” | Explains why Levites received cities instead of land. |
| Num 18:20-21 | And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land... I am your portion and your inheritance... To the sons of Levi, I have given every tithe...” | Divine provision for Levites in lieu of land. |
| Lev 25:34 | The common-land of the cities of the Levites may not be sold, for it is their perpetual possession. | Sacred and perpetual nature of Levite pasture lands. |
| Ez 45:1-8 | When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district... to the priests a holy portion... | Future vision of a distinct holy allocation for priests. |
| Ez 48:8-14 | Adjoining the territory of Judah, from east to west, shall be the portion that you shall set apart... and within it shall be the sanctuary. | Post-exilic blueprint for dedicated holy land portions. |
| Neh 12:44 | On that day men were appointed over the storerooms... to gather into them the portions for the priests and Levites. | Continued provision for Levites in post-exilic times. |
| Ps 135:19-20 | O house of Israel, bless the Lord! O house of Aaron, bless the Lord! O house of Levi, bless the Lord! | The Levites' role in worship and blessing God. |
| Isa 66:21 | “And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites,” says the Lord. | Future inclusion of Gentiles into priestly/Levitical service. |
| Mal 3:3 | He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver... | Future purification and sanctification of Levites for service. |
| 1 Cor 9:13-14 | Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? | NT principle: those who minister are supported. |
| Heb 7:1-10 | For this Melchizedek... met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him... And without any dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior. | Contrast between Levitical priesthood and Christ's superior priesthood. |
| 1 Pet 2:9-10 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him... | Believers as a spiritual priesthood, called to declare God. |
| Rom 15:16 | ...to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God... | Paul describes his ministry as priestly service. |
| Eph 4:11-12 | And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry... | God's provision of different roles for church ministry. |
| Col 1:17 | And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. | Christ as the sustainer, similar to God's detailed provision. |
| Matt 10:10 | “...nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his wages.” | Principle of provision for those sent in service. |
| 1 Chr 9:1-34 | Chronicles' extensive focus on temple service and Levites reinforces their importance. | Broader Chronicler emphasis on Levitical organization. |
| Num 3:27-28 | The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. The chief of the father’s house of the clans of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uziel. | Precedence for Kohathite duties and location in earlier texts. |
| Num 4:4-15 | This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things. | Specific holy duties of the Kohathites in the Tabernacle. |
| 1 Sam 7:16-17 | He used to go on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he administered justice to Israel in all these places. Then he would return to Ramah, for his home... | Levites and prophets often traveled to serve/instruct dispersed people. |
1 Chronicles 6 verses
1 Chronicles 6 68 Meaning
1 Chronicles 6:68 details two cities, Jokmeam and Beth-horon, along with their adjoining pasture lands (migrasheha), which were specifically assigned to the Kohathite branch of the Levites. This verse continues the detailed account of the allocation of cities to the Levite clans from various tribal territories, ensuring their dwelling places and means of sustenance as they served Israel.
1 Chronicles 6 68 Context
1 Chronicles chapter 6 focuses heavily on the lineage of Levi and the priests, tracing their family lines and detailing their duties and dwelling places. The Chronicler, writing for the post-exilic community, emphasizes the restoration of proper worship, Temple service, and the legitimacy of the priestly and Levitical roles. This meticulous list of cities serves several purposes: it demonstrates God's faithfulness in providing for His consecrated servants, highlights the Levites' dispersed presence throughout the land to instruct and serve the people, and provides a clear historical and theological anchor for the Levites' special status, echoing the distribution found in Joshua 21. Verses 54-81 specifically list the cities given to the three main Levitical clans: Kohath, Gershom, and Merari, beginning with the Kohathites who were most directly associated with the care of the Tabernacle's holiest objects.
1 Chronicles 6 68 Word analysis
- And: Conjunction connecting this statement to the preceding enumeration of cities given to the Kohathites. It continues the specific list within the broader accounting.
- Jokmeam: (יׇקְמְעָם, yoqme'am) - A city name. It is identified with modern Tel Qiẓi, near the valley of Jezreel. Its etymology may relate to "Let the people rise." In Josh 21:22, it's explicitly stated to be in the territory of Ephraim. The specific naming of these cities reinforces the detailed divine providence for the Levites, who unlike other tribes, received no unified territorial inheritance. Their presence in strategically dispersed cities ensured access to all Israel for teaching and worship oversight.
- with: (אֶת, ’et) - Preposition indicating association or possession, here linking the city to its surrounding land.
- its: (ָה, -ha) - Possessive suffix on "common-land" (migrasheha), meaning "her" or "its," referring back to the city itself.
- common-land: (מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ, migrasheha from מִגְרָשׁ, migrash) - This noun refers to an "open place," "pasture land," or "common area" adjoining the city. The provision of these pasture lands was critical for the Levites, as they did not inherit agricultural land. These common lands allowed them to raise livestock, a primary means of subsistence (Num 35:2-3). This ensured their self-sufficiency to carry out their religious duties without economic dependence on secular pursuits or other tribes.
- and: Conjunction again, continuing the list.
- Beth-horon: (בֵּית־חוֹרוֹן, beit-choron) - A significant city meaning "House of the Hollow" or "House of Caves." Often there were two cities, Upper and Lower Beth-horon, located along a crucial pass connecting the coastal plain to the central hill country. This location (also in Ephraim according to Joshua 21:22, though sometimes attributed to Benjamin in other contexts) highlights its strategic importance, allowing Levites to be present in key routes and areas of population density, fostering widespread spiritual influence and justice.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Jokmeam with its common-land": This phrase designates a complete and self-sufficient living space. The common-land provided economic viability through pasturage for their animals, essential since Levites did not receive agricultural tribal allotments. This dual provision emphasizes God's comprehensive care for those consecrated to His service.
- "and Beth-horon with its common-land": Parallel phrasing indicating another such fully provisioned Levitical city. The repetition stresses the systematic and uniform allocation of resources and dwelling places to the Levites, a hallmark of divine order. This was not haphazard but a well-planned distribution.
1 Chronicles 6 68 Bonus section
- The Chronicler's detailed listing of cities for the Levites serves to legitimize the returning priests and Levites' historical claim to these provisions and duties. It provided a strong foundation for the restoration of proper Temple worship and order in the post-exilic community.
- This pattern of God providing for those who serve Him echoes throughout Scripture. Just as the Levites had their migrashim, the New Testament teaches that "the laborer deserves his wages" (1 Tim 5:18) and those who minister the gospel should live by the gospel (1 Cor 9:14), emphasizing God's ongoing commitment to sustaining His workers.
- The exact number of Levitical cities was forty-eight (Num 35:7), distributed among all the tribes, emphasizing unity and shared responsibility for worship throughout Israel.
- These lists demonstrate a profound theological point: obedience to divine instruction brings order, provision, and proper functioning to God's people. The Levites' living situation was a constant physical reminder of their unique dedication to God and His covenant with them.
1 Chronicles 6 68 Commentary
1 Chronicles 6:68, by listing two more cities allocated to the Kohathite Levites, reiterates the consistent divine provision and the structured arrangement for God's consecrated servants in Israel. This meticulous accounting underscores several key points for the Chronicler's post-exilic audience: first, God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises to support those devoted to His worship, mirroring the lack of a territorial inheritance for Levites (Deut 10:9). Second, the geographical dispersal of these cities throughout Israel allowed the Levites to fulfill their roles as religious instructors, judges, and guardians of the law for the entire nation, not just localized regions. This was a direct contrast to scattered pagan cults. Third, the explicit mention of "common-land" for pasture highlights the practical and divinely ordained means of sustenance, ensuring the Levites could focus on their sacred duties without being burdened by material lack. It serves as a reminder that God perfectly equips and sustains those He calls into service.