1 Chronicles 23

1 Now, David, was old, and satisfied with days, —so 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 gathered together all the rulers of Israel, with the priests, and the Levites.

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

3 Now the Levites were numbered, from thirty years old and upwards, —and their number by their polls, of mature men, was thirty-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 Yahweh, were twenty-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, were doorkeepers, —and, four thousand, were offerers of praise unto Yahweh, with instruments, which [said David] I made for offering praise.

“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, —pertaining to the sons of Levi, to Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

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

7 Of the Gershonites, Ladan and Shimei.

The sons of Gershon: Ladan and Shimei.

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

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

9 The sons of Shimei, Shelomoth and Haziel and Haran, three, —these, were the ancestral chiefs of Ladan.

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, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah, —these, were the sons of Shimei, four.

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

11 And Jahath was chief, and Zizah the second, —but, Jeush and Beriah, had not many sons, so they became an ancestral house, by one reckoning.

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, Izhar, 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, to hallow the holy of holies, he and his sons, unto times age-abiding, to make a perfume before Yahweh, to be in attendance upon him, and to bless in his name, unto times age-abiding;

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 for Moses, the man of God, his sons, were called unto 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, were Gershom, and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16 the sons of Gershom, were Shebuel the chief;

The sons of Gershom: Shebuel (chief).

17 and the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah the chief, —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 Izhar, Shelomith the chief.

The sons of Izhar: Shelomith (chief).

19 The sons of Hebron, Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jehaziel 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 chief, and Isshiah the second.

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

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

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

22 But Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only, —and so the sons of Kish their brethren took them.

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

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

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

24 These, were the sons of Levi by their ancestral house, the ancestral chiefs of them who were counted in the number of their names, by their polls, doing the work, for the service of the house of Yahweh, —from twenty years old, and upwards.

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, said David, Yahweh the God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, —and hath taken up his habitation in Jerusalem, unto times age-abiding;

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

26 moreover also, as for the Levites, they have no need to bear the habitation, nor any of its vessels in the laborious work thereof.

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, the same, were the number of the sons of Levi, —from twenty years old, and upwards.

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

28 For, their duty, was—to be in attendance upon the sons of Aaron, in the laborious work of the house of Yahweh, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the purifying of everything holy, —and doing the laborious work, 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 set in array, and for the fine meal for the meal-offering, and for the unleavened cakes, even for that which is baked in a pan, for the moistened food, —even of every measure, 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, morning by morning, to give thanks and offer praise unto Yahweh, —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 the offering of ascending-sacrifices unto Yahweh, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts, —by number, according to the manner prescribed for them continually, before Yahweh; —

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 shall keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, —in the laborious work of the house of Yahweh.

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.