📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 6:55
What does 1 Chronicles 6:55 mean?
"to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs around it;"
— 1 Chronicles 6:55 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
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;
but the fields of the city, and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron; Libnah also with its suburbs, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its suburbs,
Hilen with its suburbs, Debir with its suburbs,
Explanation
First Chronicles 6:55 states simply that Hebron, located in the territory of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands, was given "to them" — referring to the descendants of Aaron, the priestly line among the Levites. On its surface, this is a brief administrative note about a city allotment, but it carries real historical and theological weight within the larger structure of Israel's tribal life.
The context is a lengthy genealogical record compiled likely during or after the Babylonian exile, traditionally attributed to Ezra or a similar priestly scribe, writing to help the returning Jewish community remember their identity, heritage, and religious institutions. Chapter 6 traces the line of Levi, especially the priestly descendants of Aaron, and then lists the cities assigned to various Levitical families throughout the tribal territories of Israel. Unlike the other tribes, the Levites were not given one contiguous territorial inheritance; instead, because they were set apart for sacred service, they were given specific cities scattered among the other tribes, along with pasturelands for their livestock. Hebron, given to the sons of Aaron, was one of these key cities, located within the tribal allotment of Judah.
Theologically, this verse refl
Compare translations
Go deeper with ScriptureCompanion AI
Ask questions about any verse, follow reading plans, write personal prayers, and track your daily habit — all grounded in verified scripture text.