The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites to preserve their pedigree clear and to be able to prove it, because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. And we read of those who, though perhaps they really were children of the priests, yet, because they could not find the register of their genealogies, nor make out...
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 6:1-30
The sons of Kohath, Amminadab,.... The same with Izhar, Ch1 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, Ch1 6:36 Uzziah, the same with Azariah, Ch1 6:36.
The sons of Levi; Gershom, &c.--This repetition (see Ch1 6:1) is made, as the historian here begins to trace the genealogy of the Levitical families who were not priests. The list is a long one, comprising the chiefs or heads of their several families until David's reign, who made a new and different classification of them by courses.