What Does 1 Chronicles 6:64 Mean in the King James?
And the children of Israel gave to the Levites these cities with their suburbs.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
A gift can be a place: Israel’s giving sets the Levites within the community and gives open land around their cities.
THE MEANING
This verse makes belonging concrete: the community sets aside dwellings and surrounding open land for those who serve within its shared life. Provision includes both a place to live and room around it.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that a place in the community can be granted in words while those who serve it are left without material room.
THE ROOT
וַיִּתְּנוּ
vayittenu
GROWS FROM
נתן
n-t-n
To give, set, or place.
The Hebrew verb for “gave” carries the sense of setting something in place. Here, the gift takes concrete form in cities and surrounding land: the Levites are given a place within the community.
ALSO GROWS
mattanah: Gift
מַתָּנָה
This noun from the same root shows giving as something received, not merely an act or intention.
nethinim: Those given or assigned; a group serving at the temple
נְתִינִים
Their name carries the same root of giving, echoing how this verse gives the Levites a place and provision.
לַלְוִיִּם
la-Leviyyim
GROWS FROM
לוה
l-w-h
To join, attach, or accompany.
The name Levi is traditionally connected to לָוָה (lavah), “to join.” The Levites’ towns make that joining tangible: they have a place among the people and within their shared life.
ALSO GROWS
yillaveh: He will be joined
יִלָּוֶה
In Genesis 29:34, this verb accompanies the naming of Levi, linking the name to joining.
leviyyah: Accompaniment or escort
לְוִיָּה
This related word carries the sense of going with or accompanying, an echo of connection and shared presence.
מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם
migrashehem
GROWS FROM
גרש
g-r-sh
To drive out or send away; the noun is traditionally linked to the open land around a town.
The Hebrew word translated “suburbs” names the open land around the cities and is traditionally connected with the root גרש (garash), “to drive out.” This sound-family brings the town’s outer space into view: the gift includes room beyond the dwellings themselves.
ALSO GROWS
vaygaresh: And he drove out
וַיְגָרֶשׁ
This form appears in Genesis 3:24, where the same root describes driving someone out.
gerushah: A divorced or put-away woman
גְּרוּשָׁה
This word from the same root shows its sense of being sent away or separated.
THE PATTERN
A community’s shared life makes tangible room for the people whose service sustains it.
Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.THE THREAD
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.Levi’s name is traditionally connected to לָוָה (lavah), “to join.” Here, the Levites’ cities and surrounding land make that joining visible as shared place.
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