1 Chronicles 24
1 Now these were the divisions of the sons of Aaron: The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abiu, 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 Abiu died before their father, and had no children: so Eleazar, and Ithamar did the office of the priesthood.
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, Sadoc 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 principal men, than of the sons of Ithamar. And he divided them so, that there were of the sons of Eleazar, sixteen chief men 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 And he divided both the families one with the other by lot: for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of 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 Semeias the son of Nathanael the scribe a Levite, wrote them down before the king and the princes, and Sadoc the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the princes also of the priestly and Levitical families: one house, which was over the rest, of Eleazar: and another house, which had the rest under it, 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 came forth to Joiarib, the second to Jedei,
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 Melchia, the sixth to Maiman,
Next, Malkijah was selected. Next, Mijamin was selected.
10 The seventh to Accos, the eighth to Abia,
Next, Hakkoz was selected. Next, Abijah was selected.
11 The ninth to Jesua, the tenth to Sechenia,
Next, Jeshua was selected. Next, Shecaniah was selected.
12 The eleventh to Eliasib, the twelfth to Jacim,
Next, Eliashib was selected. Next, Jakim was selected.
13 The thirteenth to Hoppha, the fourteenth to Isbaab,
Next, Huppah was selected. Next, Jeshebeab was selected.
14 The fifteenth to Belga, the sixteenth to Emmer,
Next, Bilgah was selected. Next, Immer was selected.
15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,
Next, Hezir was selected. Next, Happizzez was selected.
16 The nineteenth to Pheteia, the twentieth to Hezechiel,
Next, Pethahiah was selected. Next, Jehezkel was selected.
17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,
Next, Jakin was selected. Next, Gamul was selected.
18 The three and twentieth to Dalaiau, the four and twentieth to Maaziau.
Next, Delaiah was selected. Next, Maaziah was selected.
19 These are their courses according to their ministries, to come into the house of the Lord, and according to their manner under the hand of Aaron their father: as the Lord the God of Israel had commanded.
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 rest of the sons of Levi, there was of the sons of Amram, Subael: and of the sons of Subael, Jehedeia.
[This is a list of some of] the other descendants of Levi: Amram was the ancestor of Shubael and Jehdeiah.
21 Also of the sons of Rohobia the chief Jesias.
Rehabiah was the ancestor of Isshiah, the oldest son in his family.
22 And the son of Isaar Salemoth, and the son of Salemoth Jahath:
Izhar was the father of Shelomoth and the grandfather of Jahath.
23 And his son Jeriau the first, Amarias the second, Jahaziel the third, Jecmaan the fourth.
[Kohath’s son] Hebron had four sons: Jeriah and his [younger] brothers Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam.
24 The son of Oziel, Micha: the son of Micha, Samir.
Uzziel was the father of Micah and the grandfather of Shamir.
25 The brother of Micha, Jesia: and the son of Jesia, Zacharias.
Micah’s [younger] brother was the father of Zechariah.
26 The sons of Merari: Moholi and Musi: the son of Oziau: Benno.
The sons of Merari were Mahli, Mushi, and Jaaziah.
27 The son also of Merari: Oziau, and Seam, and Zacchur, and Hebri.
Jaaziah had four sons: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
28 And the son of Moholi: Eleazar, who had no sons.
Mahli’s son Eleazar did not have any sons.
29 And the son of Cis, Jeramael.
From the descendants of [Mahli’s second son] there was Jerahmeel.
30 The sons of Musi: Moholi, Eder, and Jerimoth. These are 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 over against their brethren the sons of Aaron before David the king, and Sadoc, and Ahimelech, and the princes of the priestly and Levitical families, both the elder and the younger. The lot divided all equally.
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.
