Chapter 24

The Priestly Classes. ¹ These are the divisions of Aaron.

The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ² Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and they did not have any sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

³ David, with the help of Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and Ahimelech, a descendant of Ithamar, divided them according to the responsibilities of their service.

⁴ A larger number of leaders was found among the descendants of Eleazar than among the descendants of Ithamar. This is how they were divided: for the descendants of Eleazar there were sixteen leaders of the ancestral clans, and for the descendants of Ithamar there were eight leaders of the ancestral clans. ⁵ They divided them by lot, for there were officials of the sanctuary^[a] and officials of God from among the descendants of Eleazar and from among the descendants of Ithamar. ⁶ Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel, the scribe, a Levite, recorded it in the presence of the king and the officials: Zadok the priest and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the ancestral clans of the priests and the Levites, one ancestral clan being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.

⁷ The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second lot fell to Jedaiah, ⁸ the third lot fell to Harim, the fourth lot fell to Seorim, ⁹ the fifth lot fell to Malchijah, 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 Ishbaal, 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 Jachin, the twenty-second lot fell to Gamul, ¹⁸ the twenty-third lot fell to Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth lot fell to Maaziah.

¹⁹ This was the appointed order of service when they would come into the temple of the Lord. This was according to the regulations given by Aaron their ancestor as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.^[b]

²⁰ Other Levites. As for the other descendants of Levi, Shubael was the son of Amram, and Jehdeiah was the son of Shubael.

²¹ The firstborn son of Rehabiah was Isshiah.

²² From the Izharites there was Shelomoth.

Jahath was the son of Shelomoth.

²³ The sons of Hebron were Jeriah, the firstborn, Amariah, the second, Jahaziel, the third, and Jekameam, the fourth.

²⁴ Micah was the son of Uzziel, and Shamir was the son of Micah.

²⁵ Isshiah was the brother of Micah.

Zechariah was the son of Isshiah.

²⁶ The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi and the descendants of his son Uzziah.

²⁷ Among the descendants of Merari, there was Jaaziah, whose sons were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

²⁸ From Mahli there was Eleazar who did not have any sons.

²⁹ From Kish, there was Jerahmeel, the son of Kish.

³⁰ The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

These were the Levites, according to their ancestral clans. ³¹ They also cast lots, just as their brethren, the descendants of Aaron, had done. This was done before King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, the leaders of the ancestral clans of the priests and the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.