Daily Devotion: Lessons from 1 Chronicles

January 26, 2026

Sometimes, while reading the Bible, I find myself laughing at my own confusion. 😄 You know that moment when you’ve read a verse, thought you understood it, and then—bam!—you realize you totally missed what it was saying? That happened to me with 1 Chronicles, especially the genealogies. But that’s the beauty of God’s Word—it challenges us to pay attention, think, and reflect.

Today, let’s look at some of the questions I had while reading and the lessons God reminded me through them.

1️⃣ Do the Levites and priests have land? (1 Chronicles 6:54)

Question:
I always thought the priests, especially Aaron’s descendants, didn’t get land. But 1 Chronicles 6:54 mentions cities for the Levites. How does that work?

Answer:
Yes, the Levites did have cities to live in, along with pasturelands for their families and livestock, but they did not receive large territorial inheritance like the other tribes. Their inheritance was service to God, not land.

Supporting Scriptures:

Numbers 18:20-24 – God says, “You shall have no inheritance in their land; I am your portion and inheritance among the children of Israel.”
Joshua 21:1-42 – Lists 48 cities assigned to the Levites across Israel.

Reflection:
Even without owning vast lands, God provided the Levites with purpose, place, and provision. Sometimes, what God calls us to serve in is our inheritance more than material possessions.

2️⃣ Naphtali, Bilhah, and his descendants (1 Chronicles 7:13)

Question:
Verse 13 mentions Naphtali’s sons, and some translations say “sons of Bilhah.” Does that mean Bilhah and Naphtali had children together?

Answer:
Not exactly. Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, was Naphtali’s mother, and the verse lists Naphtali’s sons—Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. The phrase “sons of Bilhah” in Hebrew (בְּנֵי בִלְהָה / benei Bilhah) is a lineage marker, not literal parentage in that generation.

Supporting Scriptures:

Genesis 30:7-8 – Naphtali is born to Bilhah.
Numbers 26:48-49 – Confirms Naphtali’s descendants.

Reflection:
God includes every generation, even through a handmaid like Bilhah, in His plan. Every life matters, and every lineage has a purpose in His story.

3️⃣ Why only half of Manasseh is mentioned? (1 Chronicles 5:23)

Question:
Why does the verse only list “half of the tribe of Manasseh”?

Answer:
The tribe of Manasseh was divided into two halves, one east of the Jordan River and one west. Chronicles sometimes focuses on one half, depending on the context of the genealogy or territory.

Supporting Scripture:

Joshua 17:1-6 – Describes the division of Manasseh’s land between Machir and Asriel.

Reflection:
Even when only part of a plan is visible, God is working for the whole. We may see only one “half” of His plan, but His purposes are complete.

4️⃣ Nun and Joshua—are they brothers? (1 Chronicles 7:27)

Question:
Are Nun and Joshua siblings? They were both spies in Canaan, right?

Answer:
No. Nun is Joshua’s father, not his brother. Joshua and Caleb were both spies, but from different tribes (Joshua = Ephraim, Caleb = Judah). Chronicles lists Joshua under Ephraim’s genealogy, but they are father and son, not siblings.

Supporting Scriptures:

Numbers 13:8 – Joshua son of Nun is listed as a spy.
Joshua 1:1-2 – Confirms Joshua as son of Nun.

Reflection:
God equips families across generations. The next generation carries forward His mission, just as Joshua did.

Closing Reflection

Genealogies in the Bible can be confusing at first glance, but they are full of lessons:

God remembers every generation.
Purpose can be more important than possession.
Even small or partial records show His plan at work.
Paying attention, even when confused, deepens our understanding of His story.

So next time a verse makes you pause and scratch your head, laugh a little—God might be guiding you to see something you missed.

"Even in complex genealogies, God’s faithfulness shows through each line, each city, and each tribe. From Levites to Naphtali’s descendants, He carefully orchestrates His plan for His people."