The Divisions of Priests

24 These were the divisions^(A) of the descendants of Aaron:^(B)

The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.^{(C) 2} But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did,^(D) and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. ³ With the help of Zadok^(E) a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelek a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering. ⁴ A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than among Ithamar’s, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar’s descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar’s descendants. ⁵ They divided them impartially by casting lots,^(F) for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.

⁶ The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelek^(G) son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites—one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.

¹⁹ This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the Lord, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

The Rest of the Levites

²⁰ As for the rest of the descendants of Levi:^(M)

These were the Levites, according to their families. ³¹ They also cast lots,^(Q) just as their relatives the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelek, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.

The Musicians

25 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph,^(R) Heman^(S) and Jeduthun^(T) for the ministry of prophesying,^(U) accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.^(V) Here is the list of the men^(W) who performed this service:^(X)

² From the sons of Asaph:

³ As for Jeduthun, from his sons:^(Y)

⁴ As for Heman, from his sons:

⁶ All these men were under the supervision of their father^(AA) for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God.

Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman^(AB) were under the supervision of the king.^{(AC) 7} Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord—they numbered 288. ⁸ Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots^(AD) for their duties.

The Gatekeepers

26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:^(AG)

¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their leaders, had duties for ministering^(AK) in the temple of the Lord, just as their relatives had. ¹³ Lots^(AL) were cast for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.

¹⁴ The lot for the East Gate^(AM) fell to Shelemiah.^[h] Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah,^(AN) a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him. ¹⁵ The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-Edom,^(AO) and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons. ¹⁶ The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah.

Guard was alongside of guard: ¹⁷ There were six Levites a day on the east, four a day on the north, four a day on the south and two at a time at the storehouse. ¹⁸ As for the court^[i] to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court^[j] itself.

¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.^(AP)

The Treasurers and Other Officials

²⁰ Their fellow Levites^(AQ) were^[k] in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the dedicated things.^(AR)

²¹ The descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite,^(AS) were Jehieli, ²² the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries^(AT) of the temple of the Lord.

²³ From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites:^(AU)

Army Divisions

27 This is the list of the Israelites—heads of families, commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and their officers, who served the king in all that concerned the army divisions that were on duty month by month throughout the year. Each division consisted of 24,000 men.

Leaders of the Tribes

These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.

²³ David did not take the number of the men twenty years old or less,^(BS) because the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars^(BT) in the sky. ²⁴ Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. God’s wrath came on Israel on account of this numbering,^(BU) and the number was not entered in the book^[l] of the annals of King David.

The King’s Overseers

²⁵ Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses.

Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the outlying districts, in the towns, the villages and the watchtowers.

²⁶ Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the workers who farmed the land.

²⁷ Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards.

Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the produce of the vineyards for the wine vats.

²⁸ Baal-Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore-fig^(BV) trees in the western foothills.

Joash was in charge of the supplies of olive oil.

²⁹ Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds grazing in Sharon.^(BW)

Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the herds in the valleys.

³⁰ Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels.

Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.

³¹ Jaziz the Hagrite^(BX) was in charge of the flocks.

All these were the officials in charge of King David’s property.

³² Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of insight and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hakmoni took care of the king’s sons.

³³ Ahithophel^(BY) was the king’s counselor.

Hushai^(BZ) the Arkite was the king’s confidant. ³⁴ Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar.^(CA)

Joab^(CB) was the commander of the royal army.

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say^(A) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,^(B) discovered in this matter? ² If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.^{(C) 3} What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[a](D)

⁴ Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift^(E) but as an obligation. ⁵ However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.^{(F) 6} David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

⁹ Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?^(H) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.^{(I) 10} Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! ¹¹ And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.^(J) So then, he is the father^(K) of all who believe^(L) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. ¹² And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise^(M) that he would be heir of the world,^(N) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^{(O) 14} For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,^{(P) 15} because the law brings wrath.^(Q) And where there is no law there is no transgression.^(R)

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace^(S) and may be guaranteed^(T) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.^{(U) 17} As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^[c](V) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life^(W) to the dead and calls^(X) into being things that were not.^(Y)

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,^(Z) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^{[d](AA) 19} Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead^(AB)—since he was about a hundred years old^(AC)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.^{(AD) 20} Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened^(AE) in his faith and gave glory to God,^{(AF) 21} being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.^{(AG) 22} This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”^{(AH) 23} The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, ²⁴ but also for us,^(AI) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him^(AJ) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.^{(AK) 25} He was delivered over to death for our sins^(AL) and was raised to life for our justification.^(AM)

Peace and Hope

5 Therefore, since we have been justified^(AN) through faith,^(AO) we^[e] have peace^(AP) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(AQ) 2} through whom we have gained access^(AR) by faith into this grace in which we now stand.^(AS) And we^[f] boast in the hope^(AT) of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[g] also glory in our sufferings,^(AU) because we know that suffering produces perseverance;^{(AV) 4} perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope^(AW) does not put us to shame, because God’s love^(AX) has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,^(AY) who has been given to us.

Psalm 13^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Psalm 14^(O)

For the director of music. Of David.