1 Chronicles 23

1 When David was old, having lived a long life, he made his son Solomon king of Israel.

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

2 He also summoned all the leaders of Israel, the priests, and the Levites.

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

3 The Levites over thirty years old were counted, and there was 38,000 in total.

And the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years, and upwards: and there were found of them thirty-eight thousand men.

4 “Of these 24,000 will be in charge of the work of the house of the LORD, while 6,000 will be officers and judges,” David instructed.

Of these twenty-four thousand were chosen, and distributed unto the ministry of the house of the Lord: and six thousand were the overseers and judges.

5 “And 4,000 will be gatekeepers, while 4,000 will praise the Lord using the musical instruments I have provided for praise worship.”

Moreover four thousand were porters: and as many singers singing to the Lord with the instruments, which he had made to sing with.

6 David divided them into sections corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

And David distributed them into courses by the families of the sons of Levi, to wit, of Gerson, and of Caath, and of Merari.

7 The sons of Gershon: Ladan and Shimei.

The sons of Gerson were Leedan and Semei.

8 The sons of Ladan: Jehiel (chief), and Zetham, and Joel, three in total.

The sons of Leedan: the chief Jahiel, and Zethan, and Joel, three.

9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three in total. These were the leaders of the families of Ladan.

The sons of Semei: Salomith, and Hosiel, and Aran, three: these were the heads of the families of Leedan.

10 The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zizah, Jeush, and Beriah—four in total.

And the sons of Semei were Leheth, and Ziza, and Jaus, and Baria: these were the sons of Semei, four.

11 Jahath (chief), and Zizah (second); but because Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons they were counted as a single family.

And Leheth was the first, Ziza the second: but Jaus and Baria had not many children, and therefore they were counted in one family, and in one house.

12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—a total of four.

The sons of Caath were Amram, and Isaar, Hebron, and Oziel, four.

13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was dedicated to service with the most holy things, that he and his sons should always present offerings to the Lord, and minister before him, and give blessings in his name forever.

The sons of Amram, Aaron, and Moses. And Aaron was separated to minister in the holy of holies, he and his sons for ever, and to burn incense before the Lord, according to his ceremonies, and to bless his name for ever.

14 As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were included with the tribe of Levi.

The sons also of Moses, the man of God, were numbered in the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses were Gersom and Eliezer:

16 The sons of Gershom: Shebuel (chief).

The sons of Gersom: Subuel the first.

17 The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah (chief). Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many sons.

And the sons of Eliezer were: Rohobia the first: and Eliezer had no more sons. But the sons of Rohobia were multiplied exceedingly.

18 The sons of Izhar: Shelomith (chief).

The sons of Isaar: Salomith the first.

19 The sons of Hebron: Jeriah (chief), Amariah (second), Jahaziel (third), and Jekameam (fourth).

The sons of Hebron: Jeriau the first, Amarias the second, Jahaziel the third, Jecmaam the fourth.

20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah (chief) and Isshiah (second).

The sons of Oziel: Micha the first, Jesia the second.

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

The sons of Merari: Moholi, and Musi. The sons of Moholi: Eleazar and Cia.

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

And Eleazar died, and had no sons but daughters: and the sons of Cis their brethren took them.

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

The sons of Musi: Moholi, and Eder, and Jerimoth, three.

24 These were the descendants of Levi by family, the heads of families chiefs listed individually by name—those twenty years of age or more who served in the house of the Lord.

These are the sons of Levi in their kindreds and families, princes by their courses, and the number of every head that did the works of the ministry of the house of the Lord from twenty years old and upward.

25 For David said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given peace to his people, and he will live in Jerusalem forever.

For David said: The Lord the God of Israel hath given rest to his people, and a habitation in Jerusalem for ever.

26 So the Levites don't need to carry the Tent any longer, or anything needed for its service.”

And it shall not be the office of the Levites to carry any more the tabernacle, and all the vessels for the service thereof.

27 In accordance with David's final instructions, Levites twenty years of age or more were counted.

So according to the last precepts of David, the sons of Levi are to be numbered from twenty years old and upward.

28 Their assignment was to help the descendants of Aaron with the service of the house of the Lord They were responsible for the courtyards and rooms, for cleansing all the holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God.

And they are to be under the hand of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the porches, and in the chambers, and in the place of purification, and in the sanctuary, and in all the works of the ministry of the temple of the Lord.

29 They were also responsible for the showbread that was placed on the table, the special flour for the grain offerings, the unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and dealing with all amounts and measurements.

And the priests have the charge of the leaves of proposition, and of the sacrifice of fine flour, and of the unleavened cakes, and of the fryingpan, and of the roasting, and of every weight and measure.

30 They also had to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the Lord, and do the same in the evening,

And the Levites are to stand in the morning to give thanks, and to sing praises to the Lord: and in like manner in the evening,

31 and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord whether on Sabbaths, new moons, and feast days. They were to serve regularly before the Lord according to the number required for them.

As well in the oblation of the holocausts of the Lord, as in the sabbaths and in the new moons, and the rest of the solemnities, according to the number and ceremonies prescribed for every thing, continually before the Lord.

32 So the Levites were to carry out the responsibility of caring for the Tent of Meeting and the sanctuary, and with their brothers the descendants of Aaron, they served the house of the Lord.

And let them keep the observances of the tabernacle of the covenant, and the ceremonies of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, that they may minister in the house of the Lord.