בְּנֵי לֵוִי גֵּרְשֹׁם קְהָת וּמְרָרִי׃   6:1

1Chr. 6:1   The sons of Levi were Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

This verse repeats v. 5:27, presumably as prelude to naming the sons of of these three.

וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי־גֵרְשׁוֹם לִבְנִי וְשִׁמְעִי׃   6:2

1Chr. 6:2   And these are the names of the sons of Gershom:  Libni and Shimei.

וּבְנֵי קְהָת עַמְרָם וְיִצְהָר וְחֶבְרוֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵל׃   6:3

1Chr. 6:3   And the sons of Kohath were Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel.

And this verse repeats v. 5:28.

בְּנֵי מְרָרִי מַחְלִי וּמֻשִׁי וְאֵלֶּה מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַלֵּוִי לַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶם׃   6:4

1Chr. 6:4   The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.  And these are the Levite families belonging to their fathers.

לְגֵרְשׁוֹם לִבְנִי בְנוֹ יַחַת בְּנוֹ זִמָּה בְנוֹ׃   6:5

1Chr. 6:5   For Gershom, Libni was his son, Jahath was his son, Zimmah was his son,

יוֹאָח בְּנוֹ עִדּוֹ בְנוֹ זֶרַח בְּנוֹ יְאָתְרַי בְּנוֹ׃   6:6

1Chr. 6:6   Joach was his son, Iddo was his son, Zerach was his son, Jeatherai was his son.

בְּנֵי קְהָת עַמִּינָדָב בְּנוֹ קֹרַח בְּנוֹ אַסִּיר בְּנוֹ׃   6:7

1Chr. 6:7   The sons of Kohath:  Amminadab was his son, Korach was his son, Assir was his son,

אֶלְקָנָה בְנוֹ וְאֶבְיָסָף בְּנוֹ וְאַסִּיר בְּנוֹ׃   6:8

1Chr. 6:8   Elkanah was his son, and Ebiasaph was his son, and Assir was his son,

תַּחַת בְּנוֹ אוּרִיאֵל בְּנוֹ עֻזִּיָּה בְנוֹ וְשָׁאוּל בְּנוֹ׃   6:9

1Chr. 6:9   Tahath was his son, Uriel was his son, Uzziah was his son, and Shaul was his son.

וּבְנֵי אֶלְקָנָה עֲמָשַׂי וַאֲחִימוֹת׃   6:10

1Chr. 6:10   And of the sons of Elkanah were Amasai and Ahimoth.

אֶלְקָנָה (בְּנֹו) [בְּנֵי] אֶלְקָנָה צֹופַי בְּנֹו וְנַחַת בְּנֹו׃   6:11

1Chr. 6:11   Of Elkanah, his son was Elkanah, Zophai was his son, and Nahath was his son,

There is no easy way to translate the Hebrew in this verse, with or without the alleged error.  The popular bibles offer a wide selection of possibilities, none of which is true to the Hebrew (and many make little sense).  In my translation there is no error.  Possible reasonable alternative translations that take into account the error are “Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: ....” or “Of Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: ...”  However, at least two of the sons of Elkanah are mentioned in the preceding verse and neither is repeated here.  Furthermore, this form of the phrase the sons of is not used this way, because it is normally followed by a list of the next-generation sons of the individual.  The most reasonable understanding of this verse is that Elkanah named one of his sons Elkanah, and Zophai was a son of the latter named Elkanah.

אֱלִיאָב בְּנוֹ יְרֹחָם בְּנוֹ אֶלְקָנָה בְנוֹ׃   6:12

1Chr. 6:12   Eliab was his son, Jeroham was his son, Elkanah was his son.

וּבְנֵי שְׁמוּאֵל הַבְּכֹר וַשְׁנִי וַאֲבִיָּה׃   6:13

1Chr. 6:13   And of the sons of Samuel, was the first born Vashni, then Abiah.

Remember that Samuel was the son of Elkanah (above, v. 12) son of Jeroham (see Samu. 1:20).

בְּנֵי מְרָרִי מַחְלִי לִבְנִי בְנוֹ שִׁמְעִי בְנוֹ עֻזָּה בְנוֹ׃   6:14

1Chr. 6:14   The descendants of Merari:  Of Mahli, Libni was his son, Shemei was his son, Uzzah was his son,

שִׁמְעָא בְנוֹ חַגִּיָּה בְנוֹ עֲשָׂיָה בְנוֹ׃   6:15

1Chr. 6:15   Shimea was his son, Haggiah was his son, Asaiah was his son.

וְאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱמִיד דָּוִיד עַל־יְדֵי־שִׁיר בֵּית יְהוָה מִמְּנוֹחַ הָאָרוֹן׃   6:16

1Chr. 6:16   And these are for whom David set up the song of the house of the Lord after the coming to rest of the ark.

וַיִּהְיוּ מְשָׁרְתִים לִפְנֵי מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל־מוֹעֵד בַּשִּׁיר עַד־בְּנוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־בֵּית יְהוָה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וַיַּעַמְדוּ   6:17

כְמִשְׁפָּטָם עַל־עֲבוֹדָתָם׃

1Chr. 6:17   And they were ministering before the Tabernacle of the tent of meeting with song until Solomon built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they stood, as was their right, at their service.

There’s a peculiarity in the Hebrew of this verse.  It’s the word בְּנוֹת, which is the infinitive form of the verb בָּנַה, meaning, among other definitions, to build.  This word appears a total of 73 times in the bible in this form.  In all but two other instances, its meaning is the plural of daughter.  In the two exceptions (Jere. 35:9 and Ezek. 11:3) the word is properly translated as the infinitive form of the verb.  In this instance that translation doesn’t work.  To fit the context, the word must be translated as the active perfect tense verb form, to be translated as built or had built.  In all the popular bibles, the translation is either of these two.  If you would like to check this out, please be advised that in most bibles, this verse is numbered 1Chr. 6:32.

וְאֵלֶּה הָעֹמְדִים וּבְנֵיהֶם מִבְּנֵי הַקְּהָתִי הֵימָן הַמְשׁוֹרֵר בֶּן־יוֹאֵל בֶּן־שְׁמוּאֵל׃   6:18

1Chr. 6:18   And these and their sons from the children of the Kohathite were standing:  The singer, Heman son of Joel son of Samuel

בֶּן־אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן־יְרֹחָם בֶּן־אֱלִיאֵל בֶּן־תֹּוחַ׃   6:19

1Chr. 6:19   son of Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Eliel son of Toach

בֶּן־(צִיף) [צוּף] בֶּן־אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן־מַחַת בֶּן־עֲמָשָׂי׃   6:20

1Chr. 6:20   son of Zuph son of Elkanah son of Mahath son of Amasai

The yad in the parentheses in this verse is an error and is replaced by the vav in the brackets.

בֶּן־אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן־יוֹאֵל בֶּן־עֲזַרְיָה בֶּן־צְפַנְיָה׃   6:21

1Chr. 6:21   son of Elkanah son of Joel son of Azariah son of Zephaniah

בֶּן־תַּחַת בֶּן־אַסִּיר בֶּן־אֶבְיָסָף בֶּן־קֹרַח׃   6:22

1Chr. 6:22   son of Tahath son of Assir son of Ebiasaph son of Korach

Amazing!  Samuel was a descendant of Korach, he who challenged Moses’ authority (Numbers Chapter 16), and all but one of his sons were destroyed with the entire family.  The one survivor, we learn here, was Abiasaph.

בֶּן־יִצְהָר בֶּן־קְהָת בֶּן־לֵוִי בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃   6:23

1Chr. 6:23   son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi son of Israel,

וְאָחִיו אָסָף הָעֹמֵד עַל־יְמִינוֹ אָסָף בֶּן־בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ בֶּן־שִׁמְעָא׃   6:24

1Chr. 6:24   and his brother, Asaph, who stood on his right, Asaph son of Berechiah son of Shimea

בֶּן־מִיכָאֵל בֶּן־בַּעֲשֵׂיָה בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּה׃   6:25

1Chr. 6:25   son of Michael son of Baaseiah son of Malchijah

בֶּן־אֶתְנִי בֶן־זֶרַח בֶּן־עֲדָיָה׃   6:26

1Chr. 6:26   son of Ethni son of Zerach son of Adaiah

בֶּן־אֵיתָן בֶּן־זִמָּה בֶּן־שִׁמְעִי׃   6:27

1Chr. 6:27   son of Ethan son of Zimmah son of Shimei

בֶּן־יַחַת בֶּן־גֵּרְשֹׁם בֶּן־לֵוִי׃   6:28

1Chr. 6:28   son of Jahath son of Gershom son of Levi.

וּבְנֵי מְרָרִי אֲחֵיהֶם עַל־הַשְּׂמֹאול אֵיתָן בֶּן־קִישִׁי בֶּן־עַבְדִּי בֶּן־מַלּוּךְ׃   6:29

1Chr. 6:29   And of the sons of Merari, their brethren, on the left was Ethan son of Kishi son of Abdi son of Malluch

בֶּן־חֲשַׁבְיָה בֶן־אֲמַצְיָה בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּה׃   6:30

1Chr. 6:30   son of Hashabiah son of Amaziah son of Hilkiah

בֶּן־אַמְצִי בֶן־בָּנִי בֶּן־שָׁמֶר׃   6:31

1Chr. 6:31   son of Amzi son of Bani son of Shemer

בֶּן־מַחְלִי בֶּן־מוּשִׁי בֶּן־מְרָרִי בֶּן־לֵוִי׃   6:32

1Chr. 6:32   son of Mahli son of Mushi son of Merari son of Levi.

וַאֲחֵיהֶם הַלְוִיִּם נְתוּנִים לְכָל־עֲבוֹדַת מִשְׁכַּן בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים׃   6:33

1Chr. 6:33   And their brethren were the appointed Levites for all the service of the Tabernacle of the house of God.

וְאַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו מַקְטִירִים עַל־מִזְבַּח הָעוֹלָה וְעַל־מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת לְכֹל מְלֶאכֶת קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים וּלְכַפֵּר   6:34

 עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד הָאֱלֹהִים׃

1Chr. 6:34   And Aaron and his sons were offering on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the holiest of holies, and to make atonement for Israel according to all that Moses, the servant of God, had commanded.

וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ פִּינְחָס בְּנוֹ אֲבִישׁוּעַ בְּנוֹ׃   6:35

1Chr. 6:35   And these were the descendants of Aaron:  Eleazar was his son, Phinehas was his son, Abishua was his son,

בֻּקִּי בְנוֹ עֻזִּי בְנוֹ זְרַחְיָה בְנוֹ׃   6:36

1Chr. 6:36   Bukki was his son, Uzzi was his son, Zerahiah was his son,

מְרָיוֹת בְּנוֹ אֲמַרְיָה בְנוֹ אֲחִיטוּב בְּנוֹ׃   6:37

1Chr. 6:37   Meraioth was his son, Amariah was his son, Ahitub was his son,

צָדוֹק בְּנוֹ אֲחִימַעַץ בְּנוֹ׃   6:38

1Chr. 6:38   Zadok was his son, Ahimaaz was his son.

וְאֵלֶּה מוֹשְׁבוֹתָם לְטִירוֹתָם בִּגְבוּלָם לִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן לְמִשְׁפַּחַת הַקְּהָתִי כִּי לָהֶם הָיָה הַגּוֹרָל׃   6:39

1Chr. 6:39   And these were their dwelling places for their encampments within their border.  For the sons of Aaron, for the Kohathite family, for to them was the lot,

וַיִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם אֶת־חֶבְרוֹן בְּאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ סְבִיבֹתֶיהָ׃   6:40

1Chr. 6:40   so they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah and its open lands surrounding it.

וְאֶת־שְׂדֵה הָעִיר וְאֶת־חֲצֵרֶיהָ נָתְנוּ לְכָלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה׃   6:41

1Chr. 6:41   But the cultivated field of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunnah.

וְלִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן נָתְנוּ אֶת־עָרֵי הַמִּקְלָט אֶת־חֶבְרוֹן וְאֶת־לִבְנָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־יַתִּר וְאֶת־אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ   6:42

וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃

1Chr. 6:42   And to the sons of Aaron, they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron, and Libnah and its open lands, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa and its open lands,

וְאֶת־חִילֵז וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ אֶת־דְּבִיר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:43

1Chr. 6:43   and Hilen and its open lands, and Debir and its open lands,

וְאֶת־עָשָׁן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:44

1Chr. 6:44   and Ashan and its open lands, and Beth-shemesh and its open lands;

וּמִמַּטֵּה בִנְיָמִן אֶת־גֶּבַע וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עָלֶמֶת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עֲנָתוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ   6:45

 כָּל־עָרֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה עִיר בְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם׃

1Chr. 6:45   and from the tribe of Benjamin, Geba and its open lands, and Alemeth and its open lands, and Anathoth and its open lands.  All their cities, thirteen cities, were with their families.

וְלִבְנֵי קְהָת הַנּוֹתָרִים מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת הַמַּטֶּה מִמַּחֲצִית מַטֵּה חֲצִי מְנַשֶּׁה בַּגּוֹרָל עָרִים עָשֶׂר׃   6:46

1Chr. 6:46   And for the remaining sons of Kohath from the family of the tribe -- from the half tribe -- the half of Menasseh by lot were ten cities.

וְלִבְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹם לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם מִמַּטֵּה יִשָׂשכָר וּמִמַּטֵּה אָשֵׁר וּמִמַּטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי וּמִמַּטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה בַּבָּשָׁן   6:47

 עָרִים שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה׃

1Chr. 6:47   And for the sons of Gershom, for their families, from the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, were thirteen cities.

לִבְנֵי מְרָרִי לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם מִמַּטֵּה רְאוּבֵן וּמִמַּטֵּה־גָד וּמִמַּטֵּה זְבוּלֻן בַּגּוֹרָל עָרִים שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה׃   6:48

1Chr. 6:48   For the sons of Merari, for their families, from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun by lot were twelve cities.

וַיִּתְּנוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַלְוִיִּם אֶת־הֶעָרִים וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם׃   6:49

1Chr. 6:49   Thus the children of Israel gave the cities and their open lands to the Levites.

וַיִּתְּנוּ בַגּוֹרָל מִמַּטֵּה בְנֵי־יְהוּדָה וּמִמַּטֵּה בְנֵי־שִׁמְעוֹן וּמִמַּטֵּה בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן אֵת הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה   6:50

 אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרְאוּ אֶתְהֶם בְּשֵׁמוֹת׃

1Chr. 6:50   And they gave by lot from the tribe of the children of Judah, and from the tribe of the children of Simeon, and from the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities which they would call them by name.

וּמִמִּשְׁפְּחוֹת בְּנֵי קְהָת וַיְהִי עָרֵי גְבוּלָם מִמַּטֵּה אֶפְרָיִם׃   6:51

1Chr. 6:51   And some of the families were of the children of Kohath, and it was, the cities of their border were from the tribe of Ephraim.

וַיִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם אֶת־עָרֵי הַמִּקְלָט אֶת־שְׁכֶם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם וְאֶת־גֶּזֶר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:52

1Chr. 6:52   And they gave the cities of refuge to them, Shechem and its open lands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer and its open lands,

וְאֶת־יָקְמְעָם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־בֵּית חוֹרוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:53

1Chr. 6:53   and Jokmeam and its open lands, and Beth-horon and its open lands,

וְאֶת־אַיָּלוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־גַּת־רִמּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:54

1Chr. 6:54   and Aijalon and its open lands, and Gath-rimmon and its open lands,

וּמִמַּחֲצִית מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה אֶת־עָנֵר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־בִּלְעָם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ לְמִשְׁפַּחַת לִבְנֵי־קְהָת   6:55

הַנּוֹתָרִים׃

1Chr. 6:55   and, from the half tribe of Manasseh, Aner and its open lands, and Bileam and its open lands, the remainder belonging to the family of the sons of Kohath.

לִבְנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹם מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת חֲצִי מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה אֶת־גּוֹלָן בַּבָּשָׁן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עַשְׁתָּרוֹת   6:56

 וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃

1Chr. 6:56   For the sons of Gershom, from the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan, in Bashan, and its open lands, and Ashtaroth and its open lands,

וּמִמַּטֵּה יִשָׂשכָר אֶת־קֶדֶשׁ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ אֶת־דָּבְרַת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:57

1Chr. 6:57   and, from the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh and its open lands, Dobrath and its open lands,

וְאֶת־רָאמוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עָנֵם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:58

1Chr. 6:58   and Ramoth and its open lands, and Anem and its open lands,

וּמִמַּטֵּה אָשֵׁר אֶת־מָשָׁל וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־עַבְדּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:59

1Chr. 6:59   and, from the tribe of asher, Mashal and its open lands, and Abdon and its open lands,

וְאֶת־חוּקֹק וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־רְחֹב וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:60

1Chr. 6:60   and Hukok and its open lands, and Rehob and its open lands,

וּמִמַּטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי אֶת־קֶדֶשׁ בַּגָּלִיל וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־חַמּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־קִרְיָתַיִם   6:61

וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃

1Chr. 6:61   and, from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh, in Galilee, and its open lands, and Hammon and its open lands, and Kiriathaim and its open lands.

לִבְנֵי מְרָרִי הַנּוֹתָרִים מִמַּטֵּה זְבוּלֻן אֶת־רִמּוֹנוֹ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ אֶת־תָּבוֹר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:62

1Chr. 6:62   For the remaining sons of Merari, from the tribe of Zebulun, were Rimmono and its open lands, Tabor and its open lands,

וּמֵעֵבֶר לְיַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ לְמִזְרַח הַיַּרְדֵּן מִמַּטֵּה רְאוּבֵן אֶת־בֶּצֶר בַּמִּדְבָּר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־יַהְצָה   6:63

 וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃

1Chr. 6:63   and from the side of the Jordan at Jericho, to the east of the Jordan, from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, in the wilderness, and its open lands, and Jahaz and its open lands,

וְאֶת־קְדֵמוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־מֵיפַעַת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:64

1Chr. 6:64   and Kedemoth and its open lands, and Mephaath and its open lands,

וּמִמַּטֵּה־גָד אֶת־רָאמוֹת בַּגִּלְעָד וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־מַחֲנַיִם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:65

1Chr. 6:65   and, from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth, in Gilead, and its open lands, and Mahanaim and its open lands,

וְאֶת־חֶשְׁבּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ וְאֶת־יַעְזֵיר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ׃   6:66

1Chr. 6:66   and Heshbon and its open lands, and Jazer and its open lands.

 

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1Chronicles 6