The Daily Audio Bible

The Organization of the Priests

24 The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows: Aaron’s sons were Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ² Nadab and Abihu died before their father died, and neither had any children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

³ David, Eleazar’s descendant Zadok, and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech divided Aaron’s descendants into groups for service. ⁴ Since Eleazar’s descendants had more men who were family heads than Ithamar’s descendants, they were divided so that Eleazar’s descendants had 16 family leaders and Ithamar’s descendants had 8 family leaders. ⁵ Both groups were divided impartially by drawing lots so that there were officers for the holy place and officers for God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants. ⁶ The scribe Shemaiah was a son of Nethanel and a descendant of Levi. Shemaiah recorded their names in the presence of the king, the princes, the priest Zadok, Ahimelech (son of Abiathar), and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. One family was chosen for Eleazar, another for Ithamar.

⁷ The first lot drawn was for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, ⁸ the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, ⁹ the fifth for Malchiah, the sixth for Mijamin, ¹⁰ the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for 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, the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. ¹⁹ These were their priestly groups when they went to serve at the Lord’s temple. Their ancestor Aaron made these rules for them, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

The Organization of the Levites

²⁰ ⌞The following men were leaders⌟ for Levi’s descendants ⌞from Kohath⌟:

²⁶ The following men were leaders from Levi’s descendants from Merari:

These were Levi’s descendants according to their families. ³¹ They drew lots as their relatives, Aaron’s descendants, had done. They drew them in front of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the leaders of the families of the priests and Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same way as those of the youngest.

David Appoints Musicians for the Temple

25 David and the army commanders appointed the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to serve as prophets with lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men who performed this service:

² From the sons of Asaph were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah. (They were directed by Asaph, who served as a prophet under the king’s direction.)

³ From the sons of Jeduthun were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, Mattithiah. (The six brothers were directed by their father, the prophet Jeduthun. They thanked and praised the Lord as they played lyres.)

⁴ From the sons of Heman were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ⁵ (All of them were the sons of the king’s seer ^[b] Heman. They were given to him to make him prominent, as God had promised. So God gave Heman 14 sons and 3 daughters.)

⁶ All these ⌞Levites⌟ sang at the Lord’s temple under the direction of their fathers Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. They played cymbals, lyres, and harps for worship in God’s temple under the direction of the king. ⁷ They, along with their relatives, were trained, skilled musicians for the Lord. There were 288 of them.

⁸ They drew lots for their assignment of duties, the youngest as well as the oldest, the skilled ⌞musicians⌟ along with the students.

⁹ The first lot drawn chose Joseph, the son of Asaph.

The second chose Gedaliah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁰ The third chose Zaccur, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹¹ The fourth chose Izri, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹² The fifth chose Nethaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹³ The sixth chose Bukkiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁴ The seventh chose Jesarelah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁵ The eighth chose Jeshaiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁶ The ninth chose Mattaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁷ The tenth chose Shimei, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁸ The eleventh chose Azarel, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁹ The twelfth chose Hashabiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁰ The thirteenth chose Shubael, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²¹ The fourteenth chose Mattithiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²² The fifteenth chose Jeremoth, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²³ The sixteenth chose Hananiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁴ The seventeenth chose Joshbekashah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁵ The eighteenth chose Hanani, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁶ The nineteenth chose Mallothi, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁷ The twentieth chose Eliathah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁸ The twenty-first chose Hothir, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁹ The twenty-second chose Giddalti, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

³⁰ The twenty-third chose Mahazioth, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

³¹ The twenty-fourth chose Romamti Ezer, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

David Appoints Gatekeepers for the Temple

26 The following were the divisions of the gatekeepers: For Korah’s descendants there was Meshelemiah, the son of Kore, from the descendants of Asaph. ² Meshelemiah’s sons were Zechariah (the firstborn), Jediael (the second), Zebadiah (the third), Jathniel (the fourth), ³ Elam (the fifth), Jehohanan (the sixth), Eliehoenai (the seventh).

⁴ ⌞Also for Korah’s descendants⌟ there were Obed Edom’s sons Shemaiah (the firstborn), Jehozabad (the second), Joah (the third), Sachar (the fourth), Nethanel (the fifth), ⁵ Ammiel (the sixth), Issachar (the seventh), Peullethai (the eighth). God had blessed Obed Edom. ⁶ His son Shemaiah had sons who ruled their families because they were soldiers. ⁷ Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, and Othni’s skilled brothers Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, as well as Elihu and Semachiah. ⁸ All of these people were Obed Edom’s descendants. They, their sons, and their relatives were skilled and had the ability to perform the service. Obed Edom’s family included 62 men.

⁹ Meshelemiah’s sons and relatives were 18 skilled men.

¹⁰ From the descendants of Merari there were Hosah’s sons. Shimri was the head, although he was not the firstborn. His father appointed him head. ¹¹ Hosah’s other sons were Hilkiah (the second), Tebaliah (the third), and Zechariah (the fourth). There were 13 sons and relatives of Hosah.

We Have God’s Approval by Faith

4 What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham? ² If Abraham had God’s approval because of something he did, he would have had a reason to brag. But he could not brag to God about it. ³ What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.”

⁴ When people work, their pay is not regarded as a gift but something they have earned. ⁵ However, when people don’t work but believe God, the one who approves ungodly people, their faith is regarded as the basis of God’s approval. ⁶ David says the same thing about those who are blessed: God approves of people without their earning it. David said,

⁹ Are only the circumcised people blessed, or are uncircumcised people blessed as well? We say, “Abraham’s faith was regarded as the basis of God’s approval.” ¹⁰ How was his faith regarded as the basis of God’s approval? Was he circumcised or was he uncircumcised at that time? He had not been circumcised. ¹¹ Abraham’s faith was the basis of his approval by God while he was still uncircumcised. The mark of circumcision is the seal of that approval. Therefore, he is the father of every believer who is not circumcised, and their faith, too, is regarded as the basis of their approval by God. ¹² He is also the father of those who not only are circumcised but also are following in the footsteps of his faith. Our father Abraham had that faith before he was circumcised.

For the choir director; a psalm by David.