What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 6:26? Elkanah his son 1 Chronicles 6:26 opens with “Elkanah his son,” situating us in the Kohathite line of Levi. This Elkanah is the same man introduced in 1 Samuel 1:1 and again in 1 Chronicles 6:33-34, the father of the prophet Samuel. A few key observations: • The phrase “his son” connects Elkanah directly to Jeroham (v. 25), underscoring an unbroken priestly heritage from Levi through Kohath (v. 1) to Samuel’s household. • By repeating Elkanah’s name later in the chapter (v. 27), the writer stresses his importance as the link between the tribal history of Levi and the prophetic ministry that would shape Israel’s monarchy. • In 1 Samuel 1:3 we see Elkanah faithfully traveling to Shiloh “year after year” to worship. The Chronicles genealogy rests that devotion on legitimate ancestry; Elkanah is no outsider but a genuine Kohathite who honors God in both lineage and practice. Zophai his son Immediately after Elkanah, the text states “Zophai his son.” Zophai is the same ancestor called “Zuph” in 1 Samuel 1:1. Scripture uses both spellings, but 1 Chronicles 6:35 pairs “Zuph” with Elkanah again, clarifying they are one and the same individual. Consider: • “Land of Zuph” (1 Samuel 9:5) points to a region named after this forefather, showing how family and geography intertwined in Israel. • By preserving Zophai/Zuph in the record, the narrator affirms Samuel’s background in a specific Levitical clan, safeguarding the validity of Samuel’s later ministry recorded in 1 Samuel 3 and beyond. • The repetition of Zophai in both historical (Samuel) and genealogical (Chronicles) books displays Scripture’s internal harmony—different authors, same lineage, same message of covenant continuity. Nahath his son Third in the sequence is “Nahath his son.” 1 Chronicles 6:34 lists him again (there spelled “Toah,” another acceptable rendering). Both forms identify the same person in the same generational slot. Important themes emerge: • The chronicler is careful to trace every generation, affirming that no link is missing in the priestly chain from Levi to the music-leading sons of Korah (v. 31-38). • Nahath’s placement demonstrates God’s faithfulness over time. From Levi in Egypt to Samuel in the hill country of Ephraim spans several centuries, yet each name manifests the LORD’s preservation of His covenant people (cf. Exodus 6:18-20 for earlier Kohathite details). • The attention to Nahath, a figure otherwise unknown, confirms that every servant in God’s plan—prominent or obscure—matters and is remembered (see Malachi 3:16 for the divine “book of remembrance”). summary 1 Chronicles 6:26 is more than a string of names. Elkanah reminds us that genuine worship arises from people rooted in God’s covenant. Zophai links family identity to the land, illustrating how God plants His servants where they will bear fruit. Nahath shows that even lesser-known generations are vital in preserving the priestly line. Together they testify that the LORD watches over every detail of history, ensuring that His purposes move steadily forward—from Levi, to Samuel, to the coming King whom Samuel would anoint, and ultimately to Christ Himself. |
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