📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 6:52
What does 1 Chronicles 6:52 mean?
"Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,"
— 1 Chronicles 6:52 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.
These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,
Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,
Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.
Now these are their dwelling places according to their encampments in their borders: to the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first lot),
to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs around it;
Explanation
This verse is a single link in a much longer genealogical chain, and on its own it simply states three names in succession: Meraioth was the son of Ahitub (reading the Hebrew style of "father, son" listed here in reverse order as the WEB renders it), and Amariah was the son of Meraioth. In plain terms, it is telling us who descended from whom in a specific family line — a father-to-son record with no additional narrative detail, commentary, or story attached. It is meant to be read as part of the larger list surrounding it, not as an isolated teaching.
The book of 1 Chronicles was likely compiled after the Babylonian exile, addressed to the Jewish community that had returned to the land of Judah. The author (traditionally associated with Ezra or a scribe in that circle) was writing to a people who had lost their temple, their monarchy, and much of their sense of identity. One of the chief purposes of the opening chapters of Chronicles (chapters 1–9) is to reestablish who belonged to Israel, and specifically who had legitimate claim to priestly and Levitical service. Chapter
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