1 Chronicles 23

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

Now David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

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

He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with 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 were counted from thirty years old and upward; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand.

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;

David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of Yahweh’s house, six thousand were officers and judges,

5 And four thousand were gatekeepers: and four thousand those who praised the Lord with the instruments which I have made, to praise therewith.

four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”

6 And David divided them into divisions after the sons of Levi, after Gershon, Kehath, and Merari.

David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7 Of the Gershunites: La'dan, and Shim'i.

Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

8 The sons of La'dan: The chief was Jechiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, Zetham, and Joel, three.

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. These were the heads of the fathers’ households 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, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

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 was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah didn’t have many sons; therefore they became a fathers’ house in one reckoning.

12 The sons of Kehath: 'Amram, Yizhar, Hebron, and 'Uzziel, four.

The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, 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; and Aaron was separated that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before Yahweh, to minister to him, and to bless in his name forever.

14 But as regardeth Moses the man of God, his sons were named after the tribe of Levi.

But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among 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 the 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 son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

18 Of the sons of Yizhar, was Shelomith the chief.

The son of Izhar: Shelomith the 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 the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

20 The sons of 'Uzziel: Michah the chief, and Yishiyah the second.

The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the 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, and had no sons, but daughters only; and their relatives, the sons of Kish, took them as wives.

23 The sons of Mushi: Machli, and 'Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

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

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 sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those who were counted individually, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of Yahweh’s house, from twenty years old and upward.

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, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.

26 And also the Levites are no more bound to carry the tabernacle, and all its vessels for the service thereof.

Also the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels 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;

For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were counted, from twenty years old and upward.

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;

For their duty was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of Yahweh’s house—in the courts, in the rooms, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of God’s house;

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;

for the show bread also, and for the fine flour for a meal offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all measurements of quantity and size;

30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and so also at evening,

and to stand every morning to thank and praise Yahweh, and likewise 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 to offer all burnt offerings to Yahweh on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, in number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before Yahweh;

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.

and that they should keep the duty of the Tent of Meeting, the duty of the holy place, and the duty of the sons of Aaron their brothers for the service of Yahweh’s house.