1 Chronicles 23

1 And David is old, and satisfied with days, and causeth his son Solomon to reign over Israel,

When David was old, having lived a long life, he made his son Solomon king of Israel.

2 and gathereth all the heads of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites;

He also summoned all the leaders of Israel, the priests, and the Levites.

3 and the Levites are numbered from a son of thirty years and upward, and their number, by their polls, is of mighty men thirty and eight thousand.

The Levites over thirty years old were counted, and there was 38,000 in total.

4 Of these to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah [are] twenty and four thousand, and officers and judges six thousand,

“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 gatekeepers, and four thousand giving praise to Jehovah, 'with instruments that I made for praising,' [saith David.]

“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 distributeth them into courses: Of the sons of Levi: of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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

7 Of the Gershonite: Laadan and Shimei.

The sons of Gershon: Ladan and Shimei.

8 Sons of Laadan: the head [is] Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

The sons of Ladan: Jehiel (chief), and Zetham, and Joel, three in total.

9 Sons of Shimei [are] Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three; these [are] heads of the fathers of Laadan.

The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three in total. These were the leaders of the families of Ladan.

10 And sons of Shimei [are] Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah; these [are] sons of Shimei, four.

The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zizah, Jeush, and Beriah—four in total.

11 And Jahath is the head, and Zizah the second, and Jeush and Beriah have not multiplied sons, and they become the house of a father by one numbering.

Jahath (chief), and Zizah (second); but because Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons they were counted as a single family.

12 Sons of Kohath [are] Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—a total of four.

13 Sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron is separated for his sanctifying the holy of holies, he and his sons — unto the age, to make perfume before Jehovah, to serve Him, and to bless in His name — unto the age.

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 As to Moses, the man of God, his sons are called after the tribe of Levi.

As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were included with the tribe of Levi.

15 Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16 Sons of Gershom: Shebuel the head.

The sons of Gershom: Shebuel (chief).

17 And sons of Eliezer are Rehabiah the head, and Eliezer had no other sons, and the sons of Rehabiah have multiplied exceedingly.

The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah (chief). Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many sons.

18 Sons of Izhar: Shelomith the head.

The sons of Izhar: Shelomith (chief).

19 Sons of Hebron: Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

The sons of Hebron: Jeriah (chief), Amariah (second), Jahaziel (third), and Jekameam (fourth).

20 Sons of Uzziel: Micah the head, and Ishshiah, the second.

The sons of Uzziel: Micah (chief) and Isshiah (second).

21 Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

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

22 And Eleazar dieth, and he had no sons, but daughters, and sons of Kish their brethren take them.

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

23 Sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth, three.

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

24 These [are] sons of Levi, by the house of their fathers, heads of the fathers, by their appointments, in the number of names, by their polls, doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from a son of twenty years 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, 'Jehovah, God of Israel, hath given rest to His people, and He doth tabernacle in Jerusalem unto the age;'

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 of the Levites, 'None [are] to bear the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service;'

So the Levites don't need to carry the Tent any longer, or anything needed for its service.”

27 for by the last words of David they [took] the number of the sons of Levi from a son of twenty years and upward,

In accordance with David's final instructions, Levites twenty years of age or more were counted.

28 for their station [is] at the side of the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of Jehovah, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the cleansing of every holy thing, 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 bread of the arrangement, and for fine flour for present, and for the thin unleavened cakes, and for [the work of] the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all [liquid] measure and [solid] 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, morning by morning, to give thanks, and to give praise to Jehovah, and so 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 for all the burnt-offerings — burnt-offerings to Jehovah for sabbaths, for new moons, and for appointed seasons, by number, according to the ordinance upon them continually, before Jehovah.

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 they have kept the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, for the service of the house of Jehovah.

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.