1 Chronicles 23

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

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

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

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

3 And the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward; and their number, by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand.

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

4 Of these, twenty-four thousand were to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah; and six thousand were officers and judges;

“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 were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised Jehovah with the instruments which I made, [said David, ] to praise [therewith].

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

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

7 Of the Gershonites: Laadan and Shimei.

The sons of Gershon: Ladan and Shimei.

8 The sons of Laadan: the head was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

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

9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief 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 the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Ziza, and Jeush, and Beriah. These were the four sons of Shimei.

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

11 And Jahath was the head, and Ziza the second; and Jeush and Beriah had not many sons: as father's house, therefore, they were reckoned as one.

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

12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Jizhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

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

13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was separated, that he should be hallowed as most holy, he and his sons for ever, to offer before Jehovah, to do service to him, and to bless in his name for ever.

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 — And as to Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.

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

15 The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16 The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the head.

The sons of Gershom: Shebuel (chief).

17 And the sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah the head; and Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

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

18 — The sons of Jizhar: Shelomith the head.

The sons of Izhar: Shelomith (chief).

19 The 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 The sons of Uzziel: Micah the head, and Jishijah the second.

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

24 These were the sons of Levi according to their fathers' houses, the chief fathers, as they were reckoned, by number of names by their polls, who did the work of the service of the house of Jehovah, from twenty years old 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 the God of Israel has given rest to his people, and he will dwell in Jerusalem for ever;

For David said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given peace to his people, and he will live in Jerusalem forever.

26 and the Levites also have no more to carry the tabernacle, nor any of 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 was this [done], — the numbering of the sons of Levi from twenty years old and upward.

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

28 For their place was by 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 purifying of all holy things, and [for] 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 loaves to be set in rows, and for the fine flour for the oblation, and for the unleavened cakes, and for [what is baked in] the pan, and for that which is saturated [with oil], and for all measure of capacity and size;

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 every morning to thank and praise Jehovah, and likewise at even;

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 burnt-offerings offered up to Jehovah on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the ordinance concerning 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 kept the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in 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.