Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 6:65
They assigned by lot the cities named above from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Chronicler records an administrative action where Israelite leaders distribute Levitical cities to priestly and Levitical clans. This allocation occurs during the systematic territorial division following the return from exile.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיִּתְּנוּ (va.yit.ten) literally means "they gave," paired with בַּגּוֹרָל (ba.goral), "by the lot," denoting a divinely guided assignment process. The phrase מִמַּטֵּה בְנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן (mi.ma.teh ve.nei shim.on) specifies the territorial source "from the tribe of Simeon."
The thread — This lot-based distribution pattern appears in 1 Chronicles 6:57 for Aaron’s descendants and continues in 1 Chronicles 6:66 with cities allotted from Ephraim to the Kohathites. The text frames these allocations as a unified, tribe-by-tribe administrative sequence.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to recognize that territorial inheritance was treated as a structured, divinely overseen administrative task rather than a spontaneous human decision. It establishes a precedent for orderly resource distribution within the restored community.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which are called by their names.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 6:57 So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa,