1 Chronicles 23

The Divisions of the Levites

1When DavidH1732 was oldH2204 and full ofH7646 yearsH3117, he installed his sonH1121 SolomonH8010 as kingH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478. 2Then he gatheredH622 allH3605 the leadersH8269 of IsraelH3478, as well as the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881.

3The LevitesH3881 thirtyH7970 years of ageH1121H8141 or olderH4605 were countedH5608, and the total numberH4557 of menH1397 wasH1961 38,000H7970H8083H505. 4“Of theseH428,” said David,1 “24,000H6242H702H505 are to overseeH5329 the workH4399 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, 6,000H8337H505 are to be officersH7860 and judgesH8199, 54,000H702H505 are to be gatekeepersH7778, and 4,000H702H505 are to praiseH1984 the LORDH3068 with the instrumentsH3627 I have madeH6213 for giving praiseH1984.”

6Then DavidH1732 dividedH2505 the Levites into divisionsH4256 according to the sonsH1121 of LeviH3878:

GershonH1648, KohathH6955, and MerariH4847.

The Gershonites

(Numbers 3:21–26; Numbers 4:21–28)

7The GershonitesH1649: LadanH39362 and ShimeiH8096. 8The sonsH1121 of LadanH3936: JehielH31713 the firstH7218, ZethamH2241, and JoelH3100—threeH7969 in all. 9The sonsH1121 of ShimeiH8096: ShelomothH8013, HazielH2381, and HaranH2039—threeH7969 in all. TheseH428 were the headsH7218 of the familiesH1 of LadanH3936. 10And the sonsH1121 of ShimeiH8096:4 JahathH3189, ZinaH2126,5 JeushH3266, and BeriahH1283. TheseH428 were the sonsH1121 of ShimeiH8096—fourH702 in all. 11JahathH3189 wasH1961 the firstH7218 and ZizahH2125 was the secondH8145; but JeushH3266 and BeriahH1283 did notH3808 have manyH7235 sonsH1121, so they were counted asH1961 one familyH1H1004 and received a singleH259 assignmentH6486.

The Kohathites

(Numbers 3:27–32; Numbers 4:1–20)

12The sonsH1121 of KohathH6955: AmramH6019, IzharH3324, HebronH2275, and UzzielH5816—fourH702 in all. 13The sonsH1121 of AmramH6019: AaronH175 and MosesH4872. AaronH175 and his descendantsH1121 were set apartH914 foreverH5704H5769 to consecrateH6942 the most holy thingsH6944H1931, to burn incenseH6999 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068, to minister before HimH8334, and to pronounce blessingsH1288 in His nameH8034 foreverH5704H5769. 14As for MosesH4872 the manH376 of GodH430, his sonsH1121 were namedH7121 amongH5921 the tribeH7626 of LeviH3878. 15The sonsH1121 of MosesH4872: GershomH1647 and EliezerH461. 16The descendantsH1121 of GershomH1647: ShebuelH7619 was the firstH7218. 17The descendantsH1121 of EliezerH461: RehabiahH7345 wasH1961 the firstH7218. EliezerH461 did notH3808 haveH1961 any otherH312 sonsH1121, but the sonsH1121 of RehabiahH7345 were veryH4605 numerousH7235. 18The sonsH1121 of IzharH3324: ShelomithH8019 was the firstH7218. 19The sonsH1121 of HebronH2275: JeriahH3404 was the firstH7218, AmariahH568 the secondH8145, JahazielH3166 the thirdH7992, and JekameamH3360 the fourthH7243. 20The sonsH1121 of UzzielH5816: MicahH4318 was the firstH7218 and IsshiahH3449 the secondH8145.

The Merarites

(Numbers 3:33–37; Numbers 4:29–33)

21The sonsH1121 of MerariH4847: MahliH4249 and MushiH4187. 22The sonsH1121 of MahliH4249: EleazarH499 and KishH7027. EleazarH499 diedH4191 withoutH3808 havingH1961 any sonsH1121; he had onlyH3588H518 daughtersH1323. Their cousinsH251, the sonsH1121 of KishH7027, married themH5375. 23The sonsH1121 of MushiH4187: MahliH4249, EderH5740, and JeremothH34066—threeH7969 in all.

Levite Duties Revised

24TheseH428 were the descendantsH1121 of LeviH3878 by their familiesH1H1004—the headsH7218 of familiesH1, registeredH6485H4557 individuallyH1538 by nameH8034—those twentyH6242 years of ageH1121H8141 or olderH4605 who workedH6213H4399 in the serviceH5656 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.

25ForH3588 DavidH1732 had saidH559, “The LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, has given restH5117 to His peopleH5971 and has come to dwellH7931 in JerusalemH3389 foreverH5704H5769. 26So nowH1571 the LevitesH3881 noH369 longer need to carryH5375 the tabernacleH4908 or anyH3605 of the articlesH3627 for its serviceH5656.”

27ForH3588 according to the finalH314H1992 instructionsH1697 of DavidH1732, the LevitesH1121H3878 twentyH6242 years of ageH1121H8141 or olderH4605 were countedH4557, 28butH3588 their dutyH4612 was to assistH3027 the descendantsH1121 of AaronH175 with the serviceH5656 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, being responsible forH5921 the courtsH2691H5921 and chambersH3957H5921, the purificationH2893 of allH3605 the holy thingsH6944, and the workH4639 of the serviceH5656 of the houseH1004 of GodH430, 29as well as for the rowsH4635 of the showbreadH3899, the fine flourH5560 for the grain offeringH4503, the wafersH7550 of unleavened breadH4682, the bakingH4227, the mixingH7246, and allH3605 measurements of quantityH4884 and sizeH4060.

30They were also to standH5975 every morningH1242 to give thanksH3034 and praiseH1984 to the LORDH3068, and likewiseH3651 in the eveningH6153. 31WheneverH3605 burnt offeringsH5930 were presentedH5927 to the LORDH3068 on the SabbathsH7676, New MoonsH2320, and appointed feastsH4150, they were to serve regularlyH8548 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 in the numbersH4557 prescribedH4941 for themH5921. 32So the Levites were to carry outH8104 the responsibilitiesH4931 for the TentH168 of MeetingH4150 andH853H4931 the Holy PlaceH6944, and, underH4931 their brothersH251 the descendantsH1121 of AaronH175, the serviceH5656 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.