1 Chronicles 24

1 These are the groups of the descendants of Aaron [the first Supreme Priest]: Aaron’s four sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Now, the sons of Aaron, had their courses, —the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar;

2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father died, and they had no children. So their [younger] brothers Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests.

but Nadab and Abihu, died, before their father, and sons, had they none, —but Eleazar and Ithamar became priests;

3 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.

and David apportioned to them courses, both to Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and to Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, —by their appointed place in their service.

4 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.

But the sons of Eleazar were found to be more numerous, by the chiefs of their able men, than were the sons of Ithamar, so they divided them, —the sons of Eleazar, had chiefs, of the ancestral house, sixteen, whereas, the sons of Ithamar, had of their ancestral house, eight.

5 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).

They divided them, therefore, by [casting] lots, these with those, —for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, from among the sons of Eleazar, and among the sons of Ithamar.

6 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.

And Shemaiah son of Nethanel the scribe from among the Levites, wrote them down, before the king and the rulers and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the ancestral chiefs, pertaining to the priests and to the Levites, —one ancestral house, was taken for Eleazar, and, was equally taken, for Ithamar.

7 Jehoiarib was the first one whose name was selected [by casting lots/throwing marked stones]. Next Jedaiah was selected.

So then the first lot came forth for Jehoiarib, for Jedaiah, the second;

8 Next, Harim was selected. Next, Seorim was selected.

for Harim, the third, for Seorim, the fourth;

9 Next, Malkijah was selected. Next, Mijamin was selected.

for Malchijah, the fifth, for Mijamin, the sixth;

10 Next, Hakkoz was selected. Next, Abijah was selected.

for Hakkoz, the seventh, for Abijah, the eighth;

11 Next, Jeshua was selected. Next, Shecaniah was selected.

for Jeshua, the ninth, for Shecaniah, the tenth;

12 Next, Eliashib was selected. Next, Jakim was selected.

for Eliashib, the eleventh, for Jakim, the twelfth;

13 Next, Huppah was selected. Next, Jeshebeab was selected.

for Huppah, the thirteenth, for Jeshebeab, the fourteenth;

14 Next, Bilgah was selected. Next, Immer was selected.

for Bilgah, the fifteenth, for Immer, the sixteenth;

15 Next, Hezir was selected. Next, Happizzez was selected.

for Hezir, the seventeenth, for Happizzez, the eighteenth;

16 Next, Pethahiah was selected. Next, Jehezkel was selected.

for Pethahiah, the nineteenth, for Jehezkel, the twentieth;

17 Next, Jakin was selected. Next, Gamul was selected.

for Jachin, the twenty-first, for Gamul, the twenty-second;

18 Next, Delaiah was selected. Next, Maaziah was selected.

for Delaiah, the twenty-third, for Maaziah, the twenty-fourth.

19 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.

These, were their appointed places for their service, for entering the house of Yahweh, according to the regulation of them, by the hand of Aaron their father, —just as Yahweh God of Israel, commanded him.

20 [This is a list of some of] the other descendants of Levi: Amram was the ancestor of Shubael and Jehdeiah.

Now, as for the sons of Levi who remained, of the sons of Amram, Shubael, of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah.

21 Rehabiah was the ancestor of Isshiah, the oldest son in his family.

Of Rehabiah, of the sons of Rehabiah, the chief Isshiah;

22 Izhar was the father of Shelomoth and the grandfather of Jahath.

of the Izharites, Shelomoth, —of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath;

23 [Kohath’s son] Hebron had four sons: Jeriah and his [younger] brothers Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam.

and, the sons [of Hebron], Jeriah, —Amariah, the second, Jehaziel, the third, Jekameam, the fourth;

24 Uzziel was the father of Micah and the grandfather of Shamir.

the sons of Uzziel, Micah, of the sons of Micah, Shamir;

25 Micah’s [younger] brother was the father of Zechariah.

the brother of Micah, Isshiah, of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.

26 The sons of Merari were Mahli, Mushi, and Jaaziah.

The sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi, —the sons of Jaaziah, Beno;

27 Jaaziah had four sons: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

the sons of Merari, of Jaaziah, Beno, and Shoham and Zaccur and Ibri:

28 Mahli’s son Eleazar did not have any sons.

of Mahli, Eleazar, who had no sons;

29 From the descendants of [Mahli’s second son] there was Jerahmeel.

of Kish—the sons of Kish, Jerameel;

30 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. Those were descendants of Levi who were listed according to the leaders of their families.

and, the sons of Mushi, Mahli and Eder and Jerimoth. These, were the sons of the Levites, belonging to their ancestral house.

31 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.

Moreover, they also, cast lots along with their brethren the sons of Aaron, before David the king and Zadok and Ahimelech, and the ancestral chiefs, pertaining to the priests and to the Levites, the ancestral chief along with his younger brethren.