1 Chronicles 23

Solomon Reigns

11Now when David 2reached old age, 3he made his son Solomon king over Israel. 2And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel with the priests and the Levites.

Offices of the Levites

34Now the Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward, and 5their number by 6head count of men was thirty-eight thousand. 4Of these, twenty-four thousand were 7to oversee the work of the house of the Lord; and six thousand were 8officers and judges, 5and four thousand were gatekeepers, and 9four thousand were praising the Lord with the instruments which 10David made for giving praise. 6David divided them into divisions 11according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Gershonites

7Of the Gershonites there were 12Ladan and Shimei. 8The sons of Ladan were Jehiel the first, and Zetham and Joel, three. 9The sons of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan. 10The sons of Shimei were Jahath, 13Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. 11Jahath was the first and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they became a father’s household, one group for duty.

Kohathites

12The sons of Kohath were four in number: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 1314The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And 15Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, 16to burn incense before the Lord, to serve Him and bless in His name forever. 14But as for 17Moses, the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. 15The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. 16The 18son of Gershom was 19Shebuel the chief. 17The 20son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. 18The 21son of Izhar was 22Shelomith the chief. 19The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 20The sons of Uzziel were Micah the first and Isshiah the second.

Merarites

21The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish. 22Eleazar died and had no sons, but only daughters; so their relatives, the sons of Kish, took them as wives. 23The sons of Mushi were three: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth.

Duties Revised

2423These were the sons of Levi according to their fathers’ households, the heads of the fathers’ households of those among them who were 24counted, in the number of names by their 25head count, doing the work for the service of the house of the Lord, 26from twenty years old and upward. 25For David said, “The Lord God of Israel 27has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever. 26Also, 28the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its utensils for its service.” 27For by the last words of David, the sons of Levi were counted from twenty years old and upward. 28For their office is 29to assist the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of the Lord, in the courtyards and in the chambers, and in the purification of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God, 2930and with the showbread, and 31the fine flour for a grain offering, and unleavened wafers, or 32what is baked in the pan or 33what is well-mixed, and 34all measures of volume and size. 30They are to stand every morning to thank and to praise the Lord, and likewise at evening, 31and to offer all burnt offerings to the Lord, 35on the Sabbaths, the new moons and 36the appointed festivals, in the number determined by the ordinance concerning them, continually before the Lord. 32So 37they are to perform the 38duties of the tent of meeting, the holy place, and 39of assisting the sons of Aaron their relatives, for the service of the house of the Lord.