Divisions of the Levites

24 Now the divisions of the [a]descendants of Aaron were these: (A)the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. (B)But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no [b]sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. David, with (C)Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices [c]for their ministry. Since more chief men were found from the [d]descendants of Eleazar than the [e]descendants of Ithamar, they divided them this way: there were sixteen heads of fathers’ households of the [f]descendants of Eleazar, and eight of the [g]descendants of Ithamar according to their fathers’ households. (D)So they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God, both from the [h]descendants of Eleazar and the [i]descendants of Ithamar. Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, from the Levites, recorded them in the presence of the king, the leaders, Zadok the priest, (E)Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and the Levites; one father’s household taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar.

Now the first lot came out for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin, 10 the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for (F)Abijah, 11 the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah, 12 the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim, 13 the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab, 14 the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer, 15 the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez, 16 the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel, 17 the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul, 18 the twenty-third for Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. 19 (G)These were their offices for their ministry when they entered the house of the Lord according to the ordinance given to them through their father Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 24:1 Lit sons
  2. 1 Chronicles 24:2 Or children
  3. 1 Chronicles 24:3 Lit in their service
  4. 1 Chronicles 24:4 Lit sons
  5. 1 Chronicles 24:4 Lit sons
  6. 1 Chronicles 24:4 Lit sons
  7. 1 Chronicles 24:4 Lit sons
  8. 1 Chronicles 24:5 Lit sons
  9. 1 Chronicles 24:5 Lit sons

Duties of the Priests

24 This is how Aaron’s descendants, the priests, were divided into groups for service. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and they had no sons. So only Eleazar and Ithamar were left to carry on as priests.

With the help of Zadok, who was a descendant of Eleazar, and of Ahimelech, who was a descendant of Ithamar, David divided Aaron’s descendants into groups according to their various duties. Eleazar’s descendants were divided into sixteen groups and Ithamar’s into eight, for there were more family leaders among the descendants of Eleazar.

All tasks were assigned to the various groups by means of sacred lots so that no preference would be shown, for there were many qualified officials serving God in the sanctuary from among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar. Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, acted as secretary and wrote down the names and assignments in the presence of the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. The descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar took turns casting lots.

The first lot fell to Jehoiarib.
The second lot fell to Jedaiah.
The third lot fell to Harim.
The fourth lot fell to Seorim.
The fifth lot fell to Malkijah.
The sixth lot fell to Mijamin.
10 The seventh lot fell to Hakkoz.
The eighth lot fell to Abijah.
11 The ninth lot fell to Jeshua.
The tenth lot fell to Shecaniah.
12 The eleventh lot fell to Eliashib.
The twelfth lot fell to Jakim.
13 The thirteenth lot fell to Huppah.
The fourteenth lot fell to Jeshebeab.
14 The fifteenth lot fell to Bilgah.
The sixteenth lot fell to Immer.
15 The seventeenth lot fell to Hezir.
The eighteenth lot fell to Happizzez.
16 The nineteenth lot fell to Pethahiah.
The twentieth lot fell to Jehezkel.
17 The twenty-first lot fell to Jakin.
The twenty-second lot fell to Gamul.
18 The twenty-third lot fell to Delaiah.
The twenty-fourth lot fell to Maaziah.

19 Each group carried out its appointed duties in the house of the Lord according to the procedures established by their ancestor Aaron in obedience to the commands of the Lord, the God of Israel.

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