The Levites
1When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
2He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. 3The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand. 4David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges. 5Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.”
6David separated the Levites into divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
Gershonites
7Belonging to the Gershonites:
Ladan and Shimei.
8The sons of Ladan:
Jehiel the first, Zetham and Joel—three in all.
9The sons of Shimei:
Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran—three in all.
These were the heads of the families of Ladan.
10And the sons of Shimei:
Jahath, Ziza,23:10 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also verse 11); most Hebrew manuscripts Zina Jeush and Beriah.
These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.
11Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; so they were counted as one family with one assignment.
Kohathites
12The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel—four in all.
13The sons of Amram:
Aaron and Moses.
Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the Lord, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name forever. 14The sons of Moses the man of God were counted as part of the tribe of Levi.
15The sons of Moses:
Gershom and Eliezer.
16The descendants of Gershom:
Shubael was the first.
17The descendants of Eliezer:
Rehabiah was the first.
Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.
18The sons of Izhar:
Shelomith was the first.
19The sons of Hebron:
Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.
20The sons of Uzziel:
Micah the first and Ishiah the second.
Merarites
21The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
The sons of Mahli:
Eleazar and Kish.
22Eleazar died without having sons: he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.
23The sons of Mushi:
Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth—three in all.
24These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families as they were registered under their names and counted individually, that is, the workers twenty years old or more who served in the temple of the Lord. 25For David had said, “Since the Lord, the God of Israel, has granted rest to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever, 26the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service.” 27According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more.
28The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the Lord: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God. 29They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the special flour for the grain offerings, the thin loaves made without yeast, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size. 30They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening 31and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals. They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.
32And so the Levites carried out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting, for the Holy Place and, under their relatives the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the Lord.
1So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
2¶ And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. 3Now 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. 4Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:23.4 set…: or, oversee 5Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith. 6And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.23.6 courses: Heb. divisions
7¶ Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.23.7 Laadan: or, Libni 8The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three. 9The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan. 10And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.23.10 Zina: or, Zizah 11And 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.23.11 had…: Heb. did not multiply sons
12¶ The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. 13The 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 unto him, and to bless in his name for ever. 14Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi. 15The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer. 16Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.23.16 Shebuel: also called, Shubael 17And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.23.17 the chief: or, the first23.17 very many: Heb. highly multiplied 18Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.23.18 Shelomith: also called, Shelomoth 19Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 20Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah the first, and Jesiah the second.
21¶ The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish. 22And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.23.22 brethren: or, kinsmen 23The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
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. 25For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:23.25 that…: or, and he dwelleth in Jerusalem, etc 26And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof. 27For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:23.27 numbered: Heb. number 28Because 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;23.28 their…: Heb. their station was at the hand of the sons of Aaron 29Both for the shewbread, 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;23.29 pan: or, flat plate 30And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even; 31And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD: 32And 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.
