1 Chronicles 23

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

And David was old and satisfied with days, and he causes his son Solomon to reign over Israel,

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

and gathers all the heads of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites;

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

and the Levites are numbered from a son of thirty years and upward, and their number, for their counted heads, is of thirty-eight thousand mighty 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 [are] to preside over the work of the house of YHWH, and six thousand officers 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.”

and four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand giving praise to YHWH, “with instruments that I made for praising,” [says David.]

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

And David distributes them into divisions of the sons of Levi—of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7 The sons of Gershon: Ladan and Shimei.

Of the Gershonite: Laadan and Shimei.

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

Sons of Laadan: the head [is] Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel—three.

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

Sons of Shimei: Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran—three; these [are] heads of the fathers of Laadan.

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

And sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah; these [are] the four sons of Shimei.

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

And Jahath is the head, and Zizah the second, and Jeush and Beriah have not multiplied sons, and they become the house of a father by one numbering.

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

Sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—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.

Sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron is separated for his sanctifying the Holy of Holies, he and his sons, for all time, to make incense before YHWH, to serve Him, and to bless in His Name for all time.

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

As for Moses, the man of God, his sons are called after the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16 The sons of Gershom: Shebuel (chief).

Sons of Gershom: Shebuel the head.

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

And sons of Eliezer are Rehabiah the head, and Eliezer had no other sons, and the sons of Rehabiah have multiplied exceedingly.

18 The sons of Izhar: Shelomith (chief).

Sons of Izhar: Shelomith the head.

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

Sons of Hebron: Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

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

Sons of Uzziel: Micah the head, and Ishshiah the second.

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

Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

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

And Eleazar dies, and he had no sons, but daughters, and their brothers, sons of Kish, take them.

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

Sons of Mushi: Mahli, 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] sons of Levi, by the house of their fathers, heads of the fathers, by their appointments, in the number of names, by their counted heads, doing the work for the service of the house of YHWH, from a son of twenty years 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, “YHWH, God of Israel, has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem for all time”;

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

and also of the Levites, “None [are] to carry the Dwelling Place and all its vessels for its service”;

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

for by the last words of David they [took] the number of the sons of Levi from a son of twenty years 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.

for their station [is] at the side of the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of YHWH, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the cleansing of every holy thing, and the work of the service of the house of God,

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 for the bread of the arrangement, and for fine flour for present, and for the thin unleavened cakes, and for [the work of] the pan, and for that which is stirred, and for all [liquid] measure and [solid] 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 to stand, morning by morning, to give thanks, and to give praise to YHWH, and so at 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.

and for all the burnt-offerings—burnt-offerings to YHWH for Sabbaths, for new moons, and for appointed times, by number, according to the ordinance on them continually, before YHWH.

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 they have kept the charge of the Tent of Meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of their brothers, the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of YHWH.