1 Chronicles 6:70
And from the half-tribe of Manasseh the remaining clans of the Kohathites were given Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands.
And from the half-tribe of Manasseh

Manasseh’s descendants received inheritances on both sides of the Jordan, and the cities named here came from its western territory in Canaan. Their provision for the Levites showed that every tribe shared responsibility for the worship and spiritual instruction of Israel.

Jos 21:25 And from the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given…
Jos 13:29-31 This is what Moses had given to the clans…
Num 32:39-42 The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead,…

the rest of the clans of the Kohathites

The Kohathites included the priestly family of Aaron and the remaining descendants of Kohath. Aaron’s line received cities in Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, while the other Kohathite families received cities among Ephraim, Dan, and Manasseh. Their earlier duty of carrying the holy furnishings of the tabernacle gave way to settled service among the people in the land.

Jos 21:20 The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted…
Num 3:27-28 From Kohath came the clans of the Amramites…
Num 4:4 This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting…

were given Aner and Bileam,

Aner and Bileam were appointed as Levitical cities for the remaining Kohathite families. Bileam appears to correspond with Ibleam, a city in Manasseh’s territory. The placement of Levites throughout Israel ensured that knowledge of God’s law and the ministry connected with the sanctuary remained accessible to the tribes.

Jos 17:11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean,…
Jdg 1:27 At that time Manasseh failed to drive out…
2Ki 9:27 When King Ahaziah of Judah saw this, he fled up the road……

together with their pasturelands.

The surrounding pasturelands provided room for livestock and household needs without giving the Levites an independent tribal inheritance. The Lord Himself was their inheritance, yet He supplied for them through the faithfulness of His people.

Jos 21:2-3 Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said to them,…
Num 35:2-5 Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance…
Lev 25:34 But the open pastureland around their cities…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Half-Tribe of Manasseh
This refers to one of the two divisions of the tribe of Manasseh, which was one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe was split between land on the east and west of the Jordan River.

2. Aner
A city given to the Levites, specifically to the Kohathites, as part of their inheritance. It was located in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh.

3. Bileam
Another city allocated to the Kohathites, also within the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh.

4. Kohathites
A clan within the Levites, descendants of Kohath, who was one of the sons of Levi. The Kohathites had specific duties related to the tabernacle and later the temple.

5. Pasturelands
These were lands surrounding the cities given to the Levites for their livestock, as they did not receive a territorial inheritance like the other tribes.
Teaching Points
God's Provision for His Servants
The allocation of cities and pasturelands to the Levites demonstrates God's faithfulness in providing for those who serve Him. This reminds us that God is attentive to the needs of His people, especially those dedicated to His service.

The Role of the Levites
The Levites were set apart for specific duties related to worship and the tabernacle. This calls us to recognize and respect the roles and responsibilities within the body of Christ today.

Community Support and Responsibility
The provision for the Levites came from the other tribes, illustrating the importance of community support. In the church, we are called to support one another, especially those in ministry.

Inheritance Beyond Material Possessions
The Levites' inheritance was not land but the Lord Himself. This challenges us to value our spiritual inheritance in Christ above material possessions.

Faithfulness in Fulfilling God's Commands
The distribution of cities to the Levites was a fulfillment of God's command. It encourages us to be faithful in carrying out God's instructions in our lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the provision for the Levites in 1 Chronicles 6:70 reflect God's care for those who serve Him, and how can we apply this principle in supporting church leaders today?

2. In what ways does the role of the Levites in the Old Testament parallel the roles within the church today, and how can we honor these roles?

3. How does the concept of community support in the allocation of cities to the Levites challenge us to support one another in our local church?

4. What does the Levites' inheritance teach us about valuing our spiritual inheritance in Christ, and how can this perspective influence our daily lives?

5. How can we ensure that we are faithful in fulfilling God's commands, as seen in the distribution of cities to the Levites, in our personal and communal walk with God?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Joshua 21
This chapter provides a parallel account of the allocation of cities to the Levites, including the cities of Aner and Bileam. It highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to provide for the Levites.

Numbers 35
This passage outlines the command from God to give cities and pasturelands to the Levites, emphasizing their unique role and provision within Israel.

Deuteronomy 18
This chapter discusses the inheritance of the Levites, underscoring their dependence on the Lord and the community for their sustenance.
Religious CultureW. Clarkson 1 Chronicles 6:32-81
On the Genealogical TablesR. Glover 1 Chronicles 1-6
GenealogiesJ.R. Thomson 1 Chronicles 1-9
People
Aaron, Abdi, Abdon, Abiah, Abihu, Abijah, Abishua, Adaiah, Ahimaaz, Ahimoth, Ahitub, Alemeth, Amariah, Amasai, Amaziah, Amminadab, Amram, Amzi, Anathoth, Aner, Asaiah, Asaph, Asher, Assir, Azariah, Baaseiah, Bani, Benjamin, Berachiah, Berechiah, Bezer, Bukki, Caleb, Dan, David, Debir, Ebiasaph, Eleazar, Eliab, Eliel, Elkanah, Eshtemoa, Ethan, Ethni, Gad, Gershom, Gershomites, Gershon, Gibeon, Haggiah, Hashabiah, Heman, Hilkiah, Iddo, Israelites, Issachar, Ithamar, Izhar, Jahath, Jeaterai, Jehozadak, Jephunneh, Jeroham, Joah, Joel, Johanan, Kishi, Kohath, Kohathites, Korah, Levi, Levites, Libni, Mahath, Mahli, Malchiah, Malchijah, Malluch, Manasseh, Meraioth, Merari, Merarites, Michael, Miriam, Mushi, Nadab, Nahath, Naphtali, Nebuchadnezzar, Phinehas, Rehob, Reuben, Samuel, Saul, Seraiah, Shallum, Shamer, Shaul, Shemer, Shemuel, Shimea, Shimei, Simeon, Solomon, Tahath, Toah, Uriel, Uzza, Uzzah, Uzzi, Uzziah, Uzziel, Vashni, Zadok, Zebulun, Zephaniah, Zerah, Zerahiah, Zimmah, Zophai, Zuph
Places
Abdon, Aijalon, Alemeth, Anathoth, Anem, Aner, Ashan, Ashtaroth, Assyria, Bashan, Beth-horon, Beth-shemesh, Bezer, Bileam, Daberath, Debir, Eshtemoa, Galilee, Gath-rimmon, Geba, Gezer, Gibeon, Gilead, Golan, Hammon, Hebron, Heshbon, Hilen, Hukok, Jahzah, Jattir, Jazer, Jericho, Jerusalem, Jokmeam, Jordan River, Kedemoth, Kedesh, Kiriathaim, Libnah, Mahanaim, Mashal, Mephaath, Most Holy Place, Ramoth, Rehob, Shechem, Tabor
Topics
Aner, Bileam, Bil'e-am, Clans, Families, Family, Half, Half-tribe, Israelites, Kohath, Kohathite, Ko'hathites, Lands, Manasseh, Manas'seh, Open, Outskirts, Pasture, Pasturelands, Remnant, Rest, Sons, Suburbs, Tribe
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Chronicles 6:54-80

     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
David's Choristers
'They stood in their office, according to their order.'--1 CHRON. vi. 32 (R.V. margin). This brief note is buried in the catalogue of the singers appointed by David for 'the service of song in the house of the Lord.' The waves of their choral praise have long ages since ceased to eddy round the 'tabernacle of the tent of meeting,' and all that is left of their melodious companies is a dry list of names, in spite of which the dead owners of them are nameless. But the chronicler's description of them
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Nob. Bahurim.
That Nob was placed in the land of Benjamin, not far from Jerusalem, whence Jerusalem also might be seen,--the words of the Chaldee paraphrast, upon Isaiah 10:32, do argue. For so he speaks; "Sennacherib came and stood in Nob, a city of the priests, before the walls of Jerusalem; and said to his army, 'Is not this the city of Jerusalem, against which I have raised my whole army, and have subdued all the provinces of it? Is it not small and weak in comparison of all the fortifications of the Gentiles,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

In Galilee at the Time of Our Lord
"If any one wishes to be rich, let him go north; if he wants to be wise, let him come south." Such was the saying, by which Rabbinical pride distinguished between the material wealth of Galilee and the supremacy in traditional lore claimed for the academies of Judaea proper. Alas, it was not long before Judaea lost even this doubtful distinction, and its colleges wandered northwards, ending at last by the Lake of Gennesaret, and in that very city of Tiberias which at one time had been reputed unclean!
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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