利未人的職務

23 大衛年紀老邁,壽數將盡,就立他兒子所羅門為以色列王。 他召集了以色列的眾首領、祭司和利未人。 凡三十歲以上的利未人都在統計之列,共有三萬八千男子, 其中有兩萬四千人在耶和華的殿裡司職,六千人做官長和審判官, 四千人守門,四千人用大衛提供的樂器頌讚耶和華。 大衛將利未人革順、哥轄和米拉利的子孫分成班次。

革順的兒子有拉但和示每。 拉但有長子耶歇,還有細坦和約珥,共三個兒子, 都是拉但族的族長。示每的兒子有示羅密、哈薛和哈蘭三人。 10 示每的兒子還有雅哈、細拿、耶烏施和比利亞四人。 11 雅哈是長子,細拿是次子。耶烏施和比利亞的子孫不多,所以合為一族。

12 哥轄有暗蘭、以斯哈、希伯崙、烏薛四個兒子。 13 暗蘭的兒子是亞倫和摩西。亞倫和他的子孫永遠被分別出來事奉耶和華,向祂獻至聖之物,在祂面前燒香,奉祂的名祝福,直到永遠。 14 上帝的僕人摩西的子孫歸在利未支派的名下。 15 摩西的兒子是革舜和以利以謝。 16 革舜的長子是細布業。 17 以利以謝只有一個兒子利哈比雅,但利哈比雅子孫眾多。 18 以斯哈的長子是示羅密。 19 希伯崙的長子是耶利雅,次子是亞瑪利亞,三子是雅哈悉,四子是耶加緬。 20 烏薛的長子是米迦,次子是耶西雅。

21 米拉利的兒子是抹利、姆示。抹利的兒子是以利亞撒、基士。 22 以利亞撒終生沒有兒子,只有女兒,同族人基士的兒子娶了她們為妻。 23 姆示的三個兒子是末力、以得和耶利摩。 24 以上是利未各宗族的子孫,他們登記在各自族長的名下,凡二十歲以上的男子都在耶和華的殿裡任職。 25 大衛說:「以色列的上帝耶和華已使祂的子民安享太平,祂永遠住在耶路撒冷。 26 利未人再不用抬聖幕和其中的器皿了。」 27 按照大衛臨終時的囑咐,二十歲以上的利未人都已被統計。 28 他們的任務是幫助亞倫的子孫在耶和華的殿裡司職,管理殿的院子和廂房,負責潔淨聖物等事務。 29 他們還負責供餅、做素祭的細麵粉、無酵薄餅的調和、烤製、分量和尺寸。 30 他們每天早晚要肅立、頌讚耶和華, 31 每逢安息日、朔日[a]或其他節期,他們要按照規定的數目將燔祭獻給耶和華, 32 並負責看守會幕和聖所,幫助他們的親族——亞倫的子孫在耶和華的殿裡供職。

Footnotes

  1. 23·31 朔日」即每月初一。

23 So when Dovid was old and full of days, he made Sh’lomo bno Melech Yisroel.

And he gathered together all the sarim of Yisroel, with the Kohanim and the Levi’im.

Now the Levi’im were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward; and their number by their gulgelot (totals, head count), gevarim (men), was thirty and eight elef.

Of which, twenty and four elef were to look after the work of the Beis Hashem; and six alafim were shoterim (officials) and shofetim (judges);

Moreover four alafim were sho’arim (gatekeepers); and four alafim praised Hashem with the kelim (instruments) which I made, said Dovid, to praise therewith.

And Dovid divided them into divisions among the Bnei Levi, namely, Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.

Of the Gershoni were La’dan, and Shimei.

The Bnei La’dan; the rosh was Yechiel, and Zetam, and Yoel, three.

The Bnei Shimei; Shlomit, and Chaziel, and Haran, three. These were the rashei avot of La’dan.

10 And the Bnei Shimei were Yachat, Zina, and Yeush, and Beriah. These four were the Bnei Shimei.

11 And Yachat was rosh, and Zizah the second; but Yeush and Beriah had not many banim; therefore they were in pekudah echad (one reckoning), according to their bais av.

12 The Bnei Kehat; Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron, and Uzziel, four.

13 The Bnei Amram; Aharon and Moshe; Aharon was separated, to set him apart as Kodesh Kodashim, he and his banim ad olam, to burn offerings before Hashem, to minister unto Him, and to bless b’Shmo ad olam.

14 Now concerning Moshe the Ish HaElohim, his banim were reckoned of the Shevet Levi.

15 The Bnei Moshe were Gershom, and Eliezer.

16 Of the Bnei Gershom, Shevuel was the rosh.

17 And the Bnei Eliezer were Rechavyah the rosh. And Eliezer had no banim acharim; but the Bnei Rechavyah were very many.

18 Of the Bnei Yitzhar: Shlomit the rosh.

19 Of the Bnei Chevron: Yeriyahu the first, Amaryah the seond, Yachziel the third, and Yekam’am the fourth.

20 Of the Bnei Uzziel: Michah the first and Yishiyah the second.

21 The Bnei Merari: Machli, and Mushi. The Bnei Machli; Eleazar, and Kish.

22 And Eleazar died, and had no banim, only banot, and their brethren the Bnei Kish took them as wives.

23 The Bnei Mushi; Machli, and Eder, and Yeremot, three.

24 These were the Bnei Levi after the bais avoteihem; even the rashei avot, as they were counted by number of shmot by their head count, that did the work for the avodas Beis Hashem, from the age of twenty shanah and upward.

25 For Dovid said, Hashem Elohei Yisroel hath given rest unto His people, that they may dwell in Yerushalayim ad l’olam;

26 And also unto the Levi’im; they shall no more carry the Mishkan, nor any kelim (vessels) of it for the avodah thereof.

27 According to the last instructions of Dovid the Bnei Levi were numbered from those twenty shanah and above;

28 Because their ma’amad (position) was to wait on the Bnei Aharon for the avodas Beis Hashem, in the khatzerot, and in the rooms, and in the tahorat (cleansing) of kol kodesh, and the work of the avodas Beis HaElohim;

29 Both for the Lechem HaMa’arechet (showbread), and for the solet (flour) for minchah, and for the cakes of matzot, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is scalded, and for all manner of measure and size;

30 And to stand baboker baboker to thank and praise Hashem, and likewise at erev (evening);

31 And to offer all olot (burnt offerings) unto Hashem on Shabbatot, at Rosh Chodesh, and at mo’adim, according to their number ordained for them, tamid before Hashem;

32 And that they should be shomer to keep the mishmeret (watch, guard responsibility) of the Ohel Mo’ed and the mishmeret of the Kodesh, and the mishmeret of the Bnei Aharon their brethren, in the avodas Beis Hashem.

The Levites

23 When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon(A) king over Israel.(B)

He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. The Levites thirty years old or more(C) were counted,(D) and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.(E) David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge(F) of the work(G) of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges.(H) Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments(I) I have provided for that purpose.”(J)

David separated(K) the Levites into divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi:(L) Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Gershonites

Belonging to the Gershonites:(M)

Ladan and Shimei.

The sons of Ladan:

Jehiel the first, Zetham and Joel—three in all.

The sons of Shimei:

Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran—three in all.

These were the heads of the families of Ladan.

10 And the sons of Shimei:

Jahath, Ziza,[a] Jeush and Beriah.

These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.

11 Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; so they were counted as one family with one assignment.

Kohathites

12 The sons of Kohath:(N)

Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel—four in all.

13 The sons of Amram:(O)

Aaron and Moses.

Aaron was set apart,(P) he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the Lord, to minister(Q) before him and to pronounce blessings(R) in his name forever. 14 The sons of Moses the man(S) of God were counted as part of the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses:

Gershom and Eliezer.(T)

16 The descendants of Gershom:(U)

Shubael was the first.

17 The descendants of Eliezer:

Rehabiah(V) was the first.

Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.

18 The sons of Izhar:

Shelomith(W) was the first.

19 The sons of Hebron:(X)

Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.

20 The sons of Uzziel:

Micah the first and Ishiah the second.

Merarites

21 The sons of Merari:(Y)

Mahli and Mushi.(Z)

The sons of Mahli:

Eleazar and Kish.

22 Eleazar died without having sons: he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.(AA)

23 The sons of Mushi:

Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth—three in all.

24 These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families as they were registered under their names and counted individually, that is, the workers twenty years old or more(AB) who served in the temple of the Lord. 25 For David had said, “Since the Lord, the God of Israel, has granted rest(AC) to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever, 26 the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service.”(AD) 27 According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more.

28 The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the Lord: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification(AE) of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God. 29 They were in charge of the bread set out on the table,(AF) the special flour for the grain offerings,(AG) the thin loaves made without yeast, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.(AH) 30 They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening(AI) 31 and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon(AJ) feasts and at the appointed festivals.(AK) They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.

32 And so the Levites(AL) carried out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting,(AM) for the Holy Place and, under their relatives the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the Lord.(AN)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 23:10 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also verse 11); most Hebrew manuscripts Zina

23 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord; and six thousand were officers and judges:

Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.

The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house.

12 The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.

14 Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.

16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.

17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

19 Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the first and Jesiah the second.

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

22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.

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

24 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of twenty years and upward.

25 For David said, The Lord God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:

26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:

28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

29 Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even:

31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the Lord:

32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the Lord.