1 Chronicles 23

1 When David was old and full of years, he installed his son Solomon as king over Israel.

And when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

2 Then he gathered all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites.

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

3 The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.

And then were numbered the Levites from thirty years old and upward: and their number by their polls, of men, was thirty and eight thousand.

4 “Of these,” said David, “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges,

Of these were twenty and four thousand to superintend the work of the house of the Lord; and six thousand were officers and judges;

5 4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.”

And four thousand were gatekeepers: and four thousand those who praised the Lord with the instruments which I have made, to praise therewith.

6 Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

And David divided them into divisions after the sons of Levi, after Gershon, Kehath, and Merari.

7 The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

Of the Gershunites: La'dan, and Shim'i.

8 The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the first, Zetham, and Joel—three in all.

The sons of La'dan: The chief was Jechiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.

The sons of Shim'i: Shelomith, and Chaziel, and Haran, three. These were the chiefs of the families of La'dan.

10 And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.

And the sons of Shim'i were, Jachath, Zina, and Je'ush, and Beri'ah. These four were the sons of Shim'i.

11 Jahath was the first and Zizah was the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were counted as one family and received a single assignment.

And Jachath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Je'ush and Beri'ah had not many sons: therefore were they accounted as one family division in the numbering.

12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.

The sons of Kehath: 'Amram, Yizhar, Hebron, and 'Uzziel, four.

13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.

The sons of 'Amram, Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was set apart, to sanctify him as most holy, he with his sons for ever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.

14 As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

But as regardeth Moses the man of God, his sons were named after the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eli'ezer.

16 The descendants of Gershom: Shebuel was the first.

Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.

17 The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer did not have any other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.

And the sons of Eli'ezer were, Rechahyah the chief. And Eli'ezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rechahyah became exceedingly numerous.

18 The sons of Izhar: Shelomith was the first.

Of the sons of Yizhar, was Shelomith the chief.

19 The sons of Hebron: Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

The sons of Hebron: Jeriyahu the chief, Amaryah the second, Jachaziel the third, and Jekam'am the fourth.

20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah was the first and Isshiah the second.

The sons of 'Uzziel: Michah the chief, and Yishiyah the second.

21 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

The sons of Merari: Machli, and Mushi. The sons of Machli: El'azar, and Kish.

22 Eleazar died without having any sons; he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

And El'azar died, and had no sons, but daughters; and the sons of Kish, their brethren, took them [for wives].

23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth —three in all.

The sons of Mushi: Machli, and 'Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

24 These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families, registered individually by name—those twenty years of age or older who worked in the service of the house of the LORD.

These were the sons of Levi after their family divisions, even the chiefs of the families, as they were counted by numbering the names after their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from twenty years old and upward.

25 For David had said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to His people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever.

For David said, The Lord the God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, and he dwelleth in Jerusalem for evermore.

26 So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”

And also the Levites are no more bound to carry the tabernacle, and all its vessels for the service thereof.

27 For according to the final instructions of David, the Levites twenty years of age or older were counted,

Therefore by the last words of David were there numbered of the Levites those who were from twenty years old and above;

28 but their duty was to assist the descendants of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD, being responsible for the courts and chambers, the purification of all the holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God,

Because their station was to be at the side of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts, and in the chambers, and by the purification of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

29 as well as for the rows of the showbread, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.

And for the shew-bread, which was put in rows, and for the fine flour for meat-offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is sodden, and for all manner of dry and wet measure;

30 They were also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise in the evening.

And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and so also at evening,

31 Whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts, they were to serve regularly before the LORD in the numbers prescribed for them.

And at all the offering of burnt-offerings unto the Lord on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the appointed feasts, according to the number, and after the manner prescribed for them, continually before the Lord;

32 So the Levites were to carry out the responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting and the Holy Place, and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron, the service of the house of the LORD.

And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the Lord.