(22?23) The sons of Kohath. As the text stands we have here a threefold list, each portion of which is isolated from the rest, and begins afresh with the word one (the sons of).

(22) Amminadab his son.--Amminadab is not mentioned as a son of Kohath in the Pentateuch or elsewhere. Korah, here called son of Amminadab, is called son of Izhar, son of Kohath, Exodus 6:21. (See 1Chronicles 6:18, supra, and 1Chronicles 6:38, infra.) Some assume that Amminadab is a "by-name" of Izhar (so Margin). It is more likely that the name Izhar has dropped out of the text of 1Chronicles 6:22.

(22, 23) Assir his son, Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son.--Comp. Exodus 6:24 : "And the sons of Korah, Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph, these are the sons of Korah." The connection, then, is as follows:--

The conjunction and, in 1Chronicles 6:23, seems to hint that the connection is no longer one of direct descent, but that the three, Assir, Elkanah, and Ebiasaph, are to be regarded as brothers.

(23) And Assir his son.--Comp. 1Chronicles 6:37 below, in the line of Heman, which in great part coincides with the present series. There we read, "Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah." The present Assir is therefore son of Ebiasaph, and nephew of the former Assir (1Chronicles 6:22). The form of a direct descent is now resumed and continued with Tahath, son of Assir (1Chronicles 6:24).

Verses 22-28. - (B) These verses give descendants, probably twenty-one in number, from Levi, through his second son, Kohath, to Joel, eldest son of Samuel and (ver. 33) father of Heman. The descendants of Kohath through his eldest son, Amram, have been given from vers. 3-15. But the descendants now to he spoken of are through another son, here called Am-minadab, a name not appearing among the four of ver. 2, but apparently standing for the Izhar of that verse. For he is said to have a son Korah, by whom, indeed, the genealogy moves on, while in vers. 37, 38. and Numbers 16:1, Korah is said to be the son of Izhar. Without the occurrence of this clue, we should have been at a loss to tell who Amminadab was, as we are now at a loss to explain the unexplained substitution of this new name. The Vatican Septuagint has Amminadab, while the Alexandrine has altered to Izhar, probably deeming the other name a mere error. Verses 22, 23. - Korah (comp. Numbers 16:27, 32, 33, with Numbers 26:9-11). From Exodus 6:24 we also learn that the throe next in lineal succession to Korah, were Assir, Elkanah, and Ebiasaph, or Abiasaph; though Elkanah and Assir are omitted from ver. 37, in the ascending line.

6:1-81 Genealogies. - We have an account of Levi in this chapter. The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites, to preserve their descent clear, and to be able to prove it; because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. Now, the Spirit of God calls ministers to their work, without any limit as to the families they came from; and then, as now, though believers and ministers may be very useful to the church, none but our great High Priest can make atonement for sin, nor can any be accepted but through his atonement.The sons of Kohath, Amminadab,.... The same with Izhar, 1 Chronicles 6:2 the posterity of his brethren, Amram, Hebron, and Uzziel, are omitted; and his genealogy is carried to a considerable length, for the sake of Samuel the prophet, who sprang from him: it stands thus, Korah, Assir, Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir, Tahath, Uriel, called Zephaniah, 1 Chronicles 6:36 Uzziah, the same with Azariah, 1 Chronicles 6:36. Shaul, whose name is Joel, 1 Chronicles 6:36 then through the sons of Elkanah, before mentioned, Amasai, Ahimoth, called Mahath, 1 Chronicles 6:35 another Elkanah, Zophai, or Zuph, 1 Chronicles 6:35. Nahath, the same with Toah, 1 Chronicles 6:34 and Tohu, 1 Samuel 1:1, Eliab, called Eliel, 1 Chronicles 6:34, and Elihu, 1 Samuel 1:1, Jeroham, another Elkanah, the father of Samuel the prophet, whose firstborn was Vashni, and whose name also was Joel, 1 Chronicles 6:33 and so here it is read in the Syriac and Arabic versions:

and his second son Abiah.