1 Chronicles 23

1 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

When David was old and full of years, he installed his son Solomon as king over Israel.

2 And he assembled all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

Then he gathered all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites.

3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.

4 Of which, twenty and four thousand [were] to oversee the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand [were] officers and judges:

“Of these,” said David, “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges,

5 Moreover, four thousand [were] porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, [said David], to praise [with them].

4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.”

6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, [namely], Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

7 Of the Gershonites, [were], Laadan and Shimei.

The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

8 The sons of Laadan: the chief [was] Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the first, Zetham, and Joel—three in all.

9 The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These [were] the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.

10 And the sons of Shimei [were], Jahath, Zina, and Jeush and Beriah. These four [were] the sons of Shimei.

And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.

11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to [their] father's house.

Jahath was the first and Zizah was the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were counted as one family and received a single assignment.

12 The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.

13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to him, and to bless in his name for ever.

The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.

14 Now [concerning] Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.

As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses [were], Gershom, and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16 Of the sons of Gershom; Shebuel [was] the chief.

The descendants of Gershom: Shebuel was the first.

17 And the sons of Eliezer [were], Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer did not have any other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.

18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

The sons of Izhar: Shelomith was the first.

19 Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jehaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

The sons of Hebron: Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the first, and Jesiah the second.

The sons of Uzziel: Micah was the first and Isshiah the second.

21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.

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

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

Eleazar died without having any sons; he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

23 The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

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

24 These [were] the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; [even] the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families, registered individually by name—those twenty years of age or older who worked in the service of the house of the LORD.

25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest to his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever;

For David had said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to His people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever.

26 And also to the Levites: they shall no [more] carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for its service.

So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”

27 For by the last words of David the Levites [were] numbered from twenty years old and above:

For according to the final instructions of David, the Levites twenty years of age or older were counted,

28 Because their office [was] to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

but their duty was to assist the descendants of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD, being responsible for the courts and chambers, the purification of all the holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God,

29 Both for the show-bread, 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 fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

as well as for the rows of the showbread, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.

30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at evening;

They were also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise in the evening.

31 And to offer all burnt-sacrifices to the LORD on the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded to them, continually before the LORD:

Whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts, they were to serve regularly before the LORD in the numbers prescribed for them.

32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy [place], 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 responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting and the Holy Place, and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron, the service of the house of the LORD.