1 Chronicles 23
1 And when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
When David was old, having lived a long life, he made his son Solomon king of Israel.
2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
He also summoned all the leaders of Israel, the priests, and the Levites.
3 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.
The Levites over thirty years old were counted, and there was 38,000 in total.
4 Of these were twenty and four thousand to superintend the work of the house of the Lord; and six thousand were officers and judges;
“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.
5 And four thousand were gatekeepers: and four thousand those who praised the Lord with the instruments which I have made, to praise therewith.
“And 4,000 will be gatekeepers, while 4,000 will praise the Lord using the musical instruments I have provided for praise worship.”
6 And David divided them into divisions after the sons of Levi, after Gershon, Kehath, and Merari.
David divided them into sections corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 Of the Gershunites: La'dan, and Shim'i.
The sons of Gershon: Ladan and Shimei.
8 The sons of La'dan: The chief was Jechiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
The sons of Ladan: Jehiel (chief), and Zetham, and Joel, three in total.
9 The sons of Shim'i: Shelomith, and Chaziel, and Haran, three. These were the chiefs of the families of La'dan.
The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three in total. These were the leaders of the families of Ladan.
10 And the sons of Shim'i were, Jachath, Zina, and Je'ush, and Beri'ah. These four were the sons of Shim'i.
The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zizah, Jeush, and Beriah—four in total.
11 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.
Jahath (chief), and Zizah (second); but because Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons they were counted as a single family.
12 The sons of Kehath: 'Amram, Yizhar, Hebron, and 'Uzziel, four.
The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—a total of four.
13 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.
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.
14 But as regardeth Moses the man of God, his sons were named after the tribe of Levi.
As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were included with the tribe of Levi.
15 The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eli'ezer.
The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.
The sons of Gershom: Shebuel (chief).
17 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.
The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah (chief). Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many sons.
18 Of the sons of Yizhar, was Shelomith the chief.
The sons of Izhar: Shelomith (chief).
19 The sons of Hebron: Jeriyahu the chief, Amaryah the second, Jachaziel the third, and Jekam'am the fourth.
The sons of Hebron: Jeriah (chief), Amariah (second), Jahaziel (third), and Jekameam (fourth).
20 The sons of 'Uzziel: Michah the chief, and Yishiyah the second.
The sons of Uzziel: Micah (chief) and Isshiah (second).
21 The sons of Merari: Machli, and Mushi. The sons of Machli: El'azar, and Kish.
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
22 And El'azar died, and had no sons, but daughters; and the sons of Kish, their brethren, took them [for wives].
Eleazar died without having sons, only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.
23 The sons of Mushi: Machli, and 'Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in total.
24 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.
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.
25 For David said, The Lord the God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, and he dwelleth in Jerusalem for evermore.
For David said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given peace to his people, and he will live in Jerusalem forever.
26 And also the Levites are no more bound to carry the tabernacle, and all its vessels for the service thereof.
So the Levites don't need to carry the Tent any longer, or anything needed for its service.”
27 Therefore by the last words of David were there numbered of the Levites those who were from twenty years old and above;
In accordance with David's final instructions, Levites twenty years of age or more were counted.
28 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;
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.
29 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;
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.
30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and so also at evening,
They also had to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the Lord, and do the same in the evening,
31 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;
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.
32 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.
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.
