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 near the end of his life, 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 leaders of Israel, with 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 who were thirty years old and older were counted. They numbered thirty-eight thousand.

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

“Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of Yahweh's house, and six thousand were 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 [therewith].

Four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand were to praise Yahweh with the instruments that I made to give praise,” David said.

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

He divided them into groups that corresponded to Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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

From the clans descended from Gershon, there were Ladan and Shimei.

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

There were three of Ladan's sons: Jehiel the leader, Zetham, and Joel.

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

There were three of Shimei's sons: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran. These were the leaders of the clans of Ladan.

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

There were four of Shimei's sons: Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah.

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 oldest, and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were considered as one clan with the same duties.

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

There were four of Kohath's sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

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 unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.

These were Amram's sons: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was chosen to set apart the most holy things, that he and his descendants would offer incense before Yahweh, to serve him and to give blessings in his name forever.

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

But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were considered to be Levites.

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

Moses' sons were Gershom and Eliezer.

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

Gershom's descendant was Shubael the oldest.

17 And the sons of Eliezer [were], Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

Eliezer's descendant was Rehabiah. Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many descendants.

18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

Izhar's son was Shelomith the leader.

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

Hebron's descendants were Jeriah, the oldest, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

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

Uzziel's sons were Micah the oldest, and Ishijah the second.

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

Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. Mahli's sons were 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. The sons of Kish married them.

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

Mushi's three sons were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

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 Levi's descendants corresponding to their clans. They were the leaders, counted and listed by name, of the clans that did the work in the service of Yahweh's house, from twenty years old and upward.

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

For David said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people. He makes his home in Jerusalem forever.

26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no [more] carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

The Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all the equipment used in its service.”

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

For by David's last words the Levites were counted, from twenty years old and upward.

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;

Their duty was to assist Aaron's descendants in the service of Yahweh's house. They were to care for the courtyards, the rooms, the ceremonial purification of all the things that belong to Yahweh, and other work in the service of God's house.

29 Both 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;

They also took care of the bread of the presence, the fine flour for grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baked offerings, the offerings mixed with oil, and all the measuring of the amounts and sizes of things.

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

They also stood every morning to thank and praise Yahweh. They also did this in the evening

31 And 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:

and whenever burnt offerings were offered to Yahweh, on the Sabbath and at the new moon festivals and feast days. A fixed number, assigned by decree, always had to be present before Yahweh.

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.

They were in charge of the tent of meeting, the holy place, and helped their fellow descendants of Aaron in the service of Yahweh's house.