This page gives you a full set of study questions for 1 Chronicles 6, the chapter that traces the descendants of Levi and sets out the priestly line, the families of the Levites, the singers David appointed, and the towns given to the priests and Levites. It is written for a small group, a Sunday class, or personal study, and each question comes with a leader’s note so you can run the session without preparing a separate commentary.
1 Chronicles 6 at a Glance
The chapter opens with the three sons of Levi and then moves through the Kohathite line, tracing Aaron and his descendants down to the exile under Nebuchadnezzar. It then lists the Gershonite and Merarite families before returning to the Kohathites, where David’s musicians Heman and Asaph are named with their ancestry. Last comes the record of the priestly cities and the lands assigned to the sons of Aaron and the other Levites.
The effect is a long, deliberate genealogy. Chronicles is written for a people returning to Jerusalem after exile, and its lists show that worship, priesthood and the land still belonged to God’s ordered household. Keep that purpose in mind as you read the names, because the chapter is about continuity more than about the individuals themselves.
Observation Questions
Use these questions first, before anyone offers an interpretation. Ask the group to point to the verse in the text, read it aloud if needed, and say only what the words state. Let the quieter members answer before the more confident ones speak.
Q: In verses 1-3, which three sons of Levi are named first, and which of Kohath’s sons are listed next?
1 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 2 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. 3 The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
1 Chronicles 6:1-3 (WEB)
The three sons of Levi are Gershon (Gershom in some verses), Kohath and Merari, and the chapter then follows Kohath’s line. Point out that the list moves quickly from Kohath to Aaron, Moses and Miriam. Ask the group why the writer might have grouped these names this way. A good answer notes that the Levitical families are the frame for everything that follows.
Q: According to verses 31-32, who did David set over the service of song, and where did they minister?
31 These are they whom David set over the service of song in the LORD’s house, after the ark came to rest there. 32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon had built the LORD’s house in Jerusalem. They performed the duties of their office according to their order.
1 Chronicles 6:31-32 (WEB)
David appointed Levitical singers to lead music before the ark and then in the house the Lord’s temple. They ministered first at the Tent of Meeting and continued until Solomon’s temple was built. Ask the group to say in their own words what changed when the temple was finished. This gives you a simple way to talk about how worship moved from a portable tent to a permanent house.
Q: In verses 54-60, which families received cities and lands, and how many cities are counted in total?
54 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), 55 to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs around it; 56 but the fields of the city, and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 57 To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron; Libnah also with its suburbs, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its suburbs, 58 Hilen with its suburbs, Debir with its suburbs, 59 Ashan with its suburbs, and Beth Shemesh with its suburbs; 60 and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its suburbs, Allemeth with its suburbs, and Anathoth with its suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.
1 Chronicles 6:54-60 (WEB)
The sons of Aaron, from the Kohathite families, received Hebron and a set of towns in Judah and Benjamin, and the total given at the close of the passage is thirteen cities. Notice that Caleb is named as receiving the fields and villages around Hebron. Ask the group why the text bothers to record such exact boundaries, and let them suggest that the land was a gift that made the priests’ service possible.
Interpretation Questions
These questions ask what the chapter means, not only what it contains. Encourage the group to connect each answer back to a specific verse so the discussion stays grounded in the text. Disagreement is welcome as long as it is tied to what the words say.
Application Questions
Move from the chapter to daily life with these questions. Give the group a few minutes of quiet before discussion, and invite honest answers rather than polished ones. Close the set by asking who in the room might need encouragement this week.
Q: Where in your life do you feel like a name in a long list, serving faithfully but without much recognition?
Their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of God’s house.
1 Chronicles 6:48 (WEB)
Verse 48 describes the Levites as appointed for the service of the tabernacle, with no special spotlight on any one of them. Let people share honestly where they serve quietly, such as in a nursery, a kitchen, or a prayer ministry. Remind the group that God records faithful service even when no one applauds it. Ask whether this changes how they see their ordinary work.
Q: In what way does the picture of a household given its own place in verses 16-30 speak to your sense of belonging?
16 The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. 17 These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. 18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households.
1 Chronicles 6:16-19 (WEB)
Each Levite family is named and placed, which shows that belonging comes through a defined family line. Invite the group to reflect on who in their own life helped them find a place, whether a parent, a mentor, or a church family. You might ask a member to think of someone who needs to be welcomed into the group this week. This turns the chapter’s genealogy into a practical call to care.
Q: What would it look like for you to trust God with the land and provision you currently depend on, as the priests did in verses 54-60?
54 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), 55 to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs around it; 56 but the fields of the city, and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
1 Chronicles 6:54-56 (WEB)
The priests received their inheritance as a gift from God, not as something they earned through their own strength. Ask the group to name an area where they are anxious about provision or security. Encourage them to think about one step of trust they can take this week. Close by noting that the text presents God as a faithful giver who provides for those who serve him.
Key Verses to Read Aloud
1 Chronicles 6:49
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.
(WEB)
This verse states that Aaron and his sons offered on the altars and made atonement for Israel, as Moses had commanded. Reading it aloud helps the group see the central role of the priests. It also points forward to the gospel theme of atonement, which you can explore lightly if your group is ready.
Memory Verse for 1 Chronicles 6
1 Chronicles 6:32
They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon had built the LORD’s house in Jerusalem. They performed the duties of their office according to their order.
(WEB)
Memorising this verse helps keep the phrase “according to their order” in mind as a pattern for faithful service. Ask the group to repeat it together and consider one way it might shape how they serve this week. Small, steady service is a fitting thing to carry into the day.
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we thank you that you record the faithfulness of every family and every servant, even when their names sit quietly in a long list. We confess that we often want recognition for what we do, and we ask you to shape our hearts toward humble, ordered service. Help us to serve in the places you have given us, whether they are seen or unseen. Thank you for providing for those who give their lives to your house, and for providing for us in the same faithful way. Guide each person here as they go back to their homes and their work. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
