Family Trees of the Tribes of Israel (Part 14 of 12)

The Tribe of Levi (1 Chron 6): Gershonites & Descendants of Asaph

The Descendants of Gershon

Gershon son of Levi is not to be confused with Gershom son of Moses. To make matters more confusing, Gershon is sometimes spelt drshom in 1 Chronicles; but he will be called Gershon throughout this article.

At the Exodus

The Gershonites pitched their tents on the west side of the tabernacle, between the tabernacle and the tents of Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. Their job was to look after all the curtaining of the tabernacle (except the vail) (Num.2:18-24; 3:21-26; 4:21-28). When the land was settled, their cities were in the tribes of Issacher, Asher, Naphtali and Manasseh in Bashan; in other words, in the north-east of the land (1 Chron.6:62,71-76). The incompleteness of the information which the genealogies of Chronicles give is illustrated by the fact that at the time of the Exodus journey there were 7,500 males aged one month and above of the Gershonite line (Num.3:22). No genealogy could possibly show more than a very small proportion of such a family.

In fact, we know little of individual members of the family of Gershon at the time of the Exodus. The man who was their leader then, Eliasaph son of Lael, cannot be linked with the genealogies at all.

From the Exodus to David

The years between the Exodus and the reign of King David are bridged by two lines of descendants from Gershon in 1 Chron.6. The first, in verses 20-21, has 8 names, running from Gershon to Jeaterai, an individual otherwise unknown in Scripture. The second, in verses 39-43, has 15 names in all and runs backwards from Asaph, the temple singer in the time of David, to Gershon and Levi.

It has been assumed that these two lines are the same, for two reasons:

Firstly, some of the earlier descendants of Gershon in both lines have the same names. Secondly, by amalgamating the two lines, the total number of individuals from Levi to Asaph inclusive becomes 19, which is about the same as in similar lines of descent from Levi to other individuals living in David’s time. Since the men in this line are otherwise unknown, the genealogy which illustrates this article omits them.

The Gershonites in David’s Day

In 1 Chron.23:6 it is stated that “David divided them (the Levites) into courses according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari” (RV). In verses 7-11 the divisions of the Gershonites are given. It is possible to identify 9 individuals who were heads of courses or “divisions” – as the AV and RV margins have it. See the illustrated genealogy where the 9 heads of courses are numbered. The reconstruction is, perhaps, not readily seen to be in accordance with the narrative, and so the following points should be noted:

  1. The two sons of Gershon are elsewhere stated to be Libni and Shimei (Ex.6:17; 1 Chron.6:17). Here they are given as Laadan and Shimei. Laadan must be another name for Libni, therefore.
  2. The individuals’ names were either the actual men who headed these 9 courses in David’s time, or the 9 long-dead ancestors of 9 courses of Levites who lived in David’s time. We have assumed the former; the term “son of” must therefore mean “descendant of”.
  3. The name Shimei occurs twice. The one in v.10 is Shimei the son of Gershon. The one in v.9 is not the son of Gershon, for the verse concludes: “these were the chief of the fathers of Laadan”. The Shimei of v.9 must therefore be another Shimei who was descended from Libni/Laadan. This Shimei can be identified from 1 Chron.6, where, putting the two lines together, he is son of Jahath, and grandson of Libni/Laadan (20,42-43).
  4. There were 6 courses descended from Libni/Laadan and 3 descended from Shimei. Four names are mentioned as descendants of Shimei in v.10, but there are only three courses because two were so small that they were amalgamated into one.
  5. Zethan and Joel, the sons of Jehieli, are mentioned again in 1 Chron.26:22 as being “over the treasures of the house of the LORD”, and Jehieli is almost certainly the “Jehiel the Gershonite” into whose keeping the people gave gifts of precious stones, while David was still alive, to be used in the temple that Solomon was to build (1 Chron.29:8). At the time when David brought up the ark to Jerusalem it was Joel who was leader of the Gershonites (1 Chron. 15:7). The existence of these individuals in David’s day supports our con­tention at 2.

Asaph and his Descendants

The most famous descendant of Gershon in David’s time was undoubtedly Asaph, the most renowned of that famed trio of musicians, singers and inspired authors of Psalms – Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun/Ethan. His father, Berechiah, was perhaps one of the two doorkeepers mentioned in 1 Chron.15:23.

In 1 Chron.25 is the account of the 24 courses of singers, each led by a son of these three notable singers. Asaph had 4 sons, named in v.2. The numbers shown against them in the genealogy attached relates to where they occur in the list of orders in verses 9-31. It is assumed that the Asarelah of v.2 is the Jesharelah of v.14.

It is noteworthy that later on in the history of Judah, whenever there was a spiritual revival, the descendants of Asaph were there:

  1. Jehoshaphat  In 2 Chron.20 there is an account of the great victory which God gave Judah against an invading confederacy of nations. It was Jahaziel, a descendant of Asaph, who was inspired by the Spirit to instruct Judah as to what they should do (v.14).
  2. Hezekiah  When Hezekiah began his reformation, certain Levites assisted him, among them Zechariah and Mattaniah, sons of Asaph (2 Chron.29:13). This Zecha­riah may have been the one described in Isaiah 8:2 as a faithful witness, who witnessed to the name of Isaiah’s son, Maher-shalal-hash-baz. Also with Hezekiah at the time of reformation were Joah and his son Eden, described as Gershonites (2 Chron.29:12). These also seem to have been descendants of Asaph, for in 2 Kings 18:37 we read of “Joah the son of Asaph the recorder”, who appears to have been a faithful man at the time of the Assyrian invasion. Eden appears again in 2 Chron.31:15 as one who assisted with the work of distributing the freewill offerings.
  3. Josiah  In Josiah’s reign a man called Joah was also recorder (2 Chron.34:8). Obviously it is not the same man, but the same name and job suggests he was a descendant. He is mentioned as being involved in the repairing of the temple.
  4. The Return From Captivity  1 Chron.9 is evidently about the return from captivity (vv.1-2). Certain Asaphites are mentioned in v.15, amongst those who settled in the land.
  5. Nehemiah’s Time  This was roughly 100 years later than the first return from captivity, and was undoubtedly a time of further reform. In Neh.11:17 there is mentioned Mattaniah the son of Micha, a descendant of Asaph “who was the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer” (RV). Since one of the Asaphites mentioned in 1 Chron.9 was Mattaniah son of Micah, it is just possible that this was the same individual, who returned from Babylon as a small child under Zerubbabel and who, as a very old man of over 100, was given the honour of commencing the thanksgiving as senior representative of the house of Asaph – his ancestor who had had the same honour in David’s time (1 Chron.16:4-5,7).

It is not possible to link any of these people together in a genealogy, or to link them with any particular son of Asaph. In addition it should be noted that the descendants of Asaph mentioned in Meh.12:35 must be descended from a different Asaph, for this is to do with the priests, who were, of course, descen­dants of Aaron, not Gershon.


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