1 Chronicles 24
1 Now these were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar.
These are the groups of the descendants of Aaron [the first Supreme Priest]: Aaron’s four sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and without children. And so Eleazar and Ithamar exercised the priestly office.
But Nadab and Abihu died before their father died, and they had no children. So their [younger] brothers Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests.
3 And David distributed them, that is, Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their courses and ministry.
Zadok, who was a descendant of Eleazar, and Ahimelech, who was a descendant of Ithamar, helped David to separate his descendants into two groups. Each group had certain duties.
4 And there were found many more of the sons of Eleazar among the leading men, than of the sons of Ithamar. Therefore, he divided them so that there were, of the sons of Eleazar, sixteen leaders by their families, and of the sons of Ithamar eight by their families and houses.
There were more leaders among the descendants of Eleazar than there were among the descendants of Ithamar. So they appointed 16 leaders from Eleazar’s descendants and eight leaders from Ithamar’s descendants.
5 Then he divided among them, in both families, by lot. For there were leaders of the sanctuary and leaders of God, as much from the sons of Eleazar as from the sons of Ithamar.
There were temple officials and priests, including descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar, to make sure that the work was divided fairly. So they decided what work each person would do by (casting lots/throwing marked stones).
6 And the scribe Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel, a Levite, wrote these down before the king and the leaders, with Zadok, the priest, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, and also the leaders of the priestly and Levitical families. And there was one house, which was preeminent over the others, that of Eleazar; and there was another house, which had the others under it, that of Ithamar.
Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel, who was a descendant of Levi, wrote down the names [of the leaders of each group] while David and his officials were watching. Zadok, the [Supreme] Priest, and Ahimelech [his assistant], and the leaders of the families of the priests and of the families of the other descendants of Levi also watched.
7 Now the first lot went forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
Jehoiarib was the first one whose name was selected [by casting lots/throwing marked stones]. Next Jedaiah was selected.
8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
Next, Harim was selected. Next, Seorim was selected.
9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
Next, Malkijah was selected. Next, Mijamin was selected.
10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
Next, Hakkoz was selected. Next, Abijah was selected.
11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
Next, Jeshua was selected. Next, Shecaniah was selected.
12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
Next, Eliashib was selected. Next, Jakim was selected.
13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
Next, Huppah was selected. Next, Jeshebeab was selected.
14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
Next, Bilgah was selected. Next, Immer was selected.
15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,
Next, Hezir was selected. Next, Happizzez was selected.
16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
Next, Pethahiah was selected. Next, Jehezkel was selected.
17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,
Next, Jakin was selected. Next, Gamul was selected.
18 the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
Next, Delaiah was selected. Next, Maaziah was selected.
19 These were their courses according to their ministries, so that they would enter into the house of the Lord in accord with their practice, under the hand of Aaron, their father, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had instructed.
Those were the men who were chosen to be the leaders of the groups that would serve in the temple, obeying the regulations that were set down by Aaron, regulations which Yahweh, the God to whom the Israeli people belonged, had given to him.
20 Now of the sons of Levi who were remaining, there were Shubael, from the sons of Amram, and Jehdeiah, from the sons of Shubael.
[This is a list of some of] the other descendants of Levi: Amram was the ancestor of Shubael and Jehdeiah.
21 Also, there were Isshiah, the leader from the sons of Rehabiah,
Rehabiah was the ancestor of Isshiah, the oldest son in his family.
22 and truly Shelomoth, the son of Izhar, and Jahath, the son of Shelomoth,
Izhar was the father of Shelomoth and the grandfather of Jahath.
23 and his son, Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.
[Kohath’s son] Hebron had four sons: Jeriah and his [younger] brothers Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam.
24 The son of Uzziel was Micah. The son of Micah was Shamir.
Uzziel was the father of Micah and the grandfather of Shamir.
25 The brother of Micah was Isshiah. And the son of Isshiah was Zechariah.
Micah’s [younger] brother was the father of Zechariah.
26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The son of Uzziah was Beno.
The sons of Merari were Mahli, Mushi, and Jaaziah.
27 Also, the son of Merari: Uzziah, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Hebri.
Jaaziah had four sons: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
28 In addition, the son of Mahli was Eleazar, who had no children.
Mahli’s son Eleazar did not have any sons.
29 Truly, the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.
From the descendants of [Mahli’s second son] there was Jerahmeel.
30 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of Levi according to the houses of their families.
The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. Those were descendants of Levi who were listed according to the leaders of their families.
31 And they also cast lots concerning their brothers, the sons of Aaron, before David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the leaders of the priestly and Levitical families, as much concerning the elder as the younger. The lot divided all things equitably.
The jobs they would do were decided by (casting lots/throwing marked stones), like their fellow Israelis, the descendants of Aaron, did. They cast lots {The lots were cast} while King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the leaders of the families of the priests and the [other] descendants of Levi watched. They gave the same jobs to the families of each oldest brother and each youngest brother.
