1 Chronicles 23
Complete Jewish Bible
23 David had now grown old; he had lived many years; so he made Shlomo his son king over Isra’el.
2 Then he assembled all the leaders of Isra’el, with the cohanim and L’vi’im. 3 A census of L’vi’im thirty years old and over was taken, and their number came to 38,000. 4 Of these, 24,000 were to oversee the work on the house of Adonai, while 6,000 were officials and judges, 5 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 sang praise to Adonai “with the instruments I made for the purpose of singing praise.”
6 David organized them into divisions named after the sons of Levi — Gershon, K’hat and M’rari.
7 For the Gershuni: La‘dan and Shim‘i. 8 The sons of La‘dan: Yechi’el the chief, Zetam and Yo’el — three. 9 The sons of Shim‘i: Shlomit, Hazi’el and Haran — three. These were the heads of the clans of La‘dan. 10 The sons of Shim‘i: Yachat, Zina Ye‘ush and B’ri‘ah. These four were the sons of Shim‘i. 11 Yachat was the chief and Zizah the second, then Ye‘ush and B’ri‘ah, who did not have many descendants and were therefore counted as one clan.
12 The sons of K’hat: ‘Amram, Yitz’har, Hevron and ‘Uzi’el — four. 13 The sons of ‘Amram: Aharon and Moshe. Aharon was set apart to be consecrated as especially holy, he and his sons forever; so that they might bring offerings before Adonai, perform the service for him and bless in his name forever. 14 But as for Moshe the man of God, his sons are included with the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moshe: Gershom and Eli‘ezer. 16 The sons of Gershom: Sh’vu’el the chief. 17 The sons of Eli‘ezer were: Rechavyah the chief. Eli‘ezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rechavyah were very numerous.
18 The sons of Yitz’har: Shlomit the chief. 19 The sons of Hevron: Yeriyahu the chief, Amaryah the second, Yachzi’el the third and Y’kam‘am the fourth. 20 The sons of ‘Uzi’el: Mikhah the chief and Yishiyah the second.
21 The sons of M’rari: Machli and Mushi. The sons of Machli: El‘azar and Kish. 22 El‘azar died without having sons, but daughters only; their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them. 23 Mushi had three sons — Machli, ‘Eder and Yeremot.
24 These were the descendants of Levi, according to their clans, the heads of clans according to their listing in the register, who did the work for the service of the house of Adonai, those twenty years old and over. 25 For David said, “Adonai the God of Isra’el has given rest to his people, and he lives in Yerushalayim forever. 26 The L’vi’im will no longer have to carry the tabernacle and all the equipment that goes with it for its service.” 27 For, according to David’s last instructions, the descendants of Levi twenty years old and over were to be counted. 28 Their role was to assist the descendants of Aharon with the service of the house of Adonai in the courtyards and rooms, and with purification of all the holy articles — in other words, with the work needed to minister in the house of God. 29 They were to assist with the showbread and the finely ground flour needed for grain offerings, no matter whether of matzah, pan-baked bread or mixed with oil, and no matter what shape or size. 30 They were to stand every morning to sing thanks and praises to Adonai, and likewise every evening. 31 They were to be present regularly before Adonai whenever burnt offerings were offered to Adonai on Shabbat, at Rosh-Hodesh, and at the other designated times, in the numbers required by the rules for sacrifices. 32 Finally, for the service in the house of Adonai they were to perform their duties in relation to the tent of meeting, the Holy Place and their kinsmen the descendants of Aharon.
1 Chronicles 23
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 23
The Levitical Divisions. 1 When David had grown old and was near the end of his days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.(A) 2 He then gathered together all the officials of Israel, along with the priests and the Levites.
3 The Levites thirty years old and above were counted, and their total number was found to be thirty-eight thousand.(B) 4 Of these, twenty-four thousand were to direct the service of the house of the Lord, six thousand were to be officials and judges, 5 four thousand were to be gatekeepers,(C) and four thousand were to praise the Lord with the instruments which [David] had devised for praise. 6 David apportioned them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.(D)
7 To the Gershonites belonged Ladan and Shimei. 8 The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, then Zetham and Joel; three in all.(E) 9 The sons of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran; three. These were the heads of the families of Ladan. 10 The sons of Shimei were Jahath, Zizah, Jeush, and Beriah; these were the sons of Shimei, four in all. 11 Jahath was the chief and Zizah was second to him; but Jeush and Beriah had few sons, and therefore they were classed as a single family, exercising a single office.
12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; four in all.(F) 13 The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to be consecrated as most holy, he and his sons forever, to offer sacrifice before the Lord, to minister to him, and to bless in his name forever.(G) 14 As for Moses, however, the man of God, his sons were counted as part of the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.(H) 16 The sons of Gershom: Shubael the chief.(I) 17 The sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah the chief—Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous. 18 The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief. 19 The sons of Hebron: Jeriah, the chief, Amariah, the second, Jahaziel, the third, and Jekameam, the fourth.(J) 20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah, the chief, and Isshiah, the second.(K)
21 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.(L) 22 Eleazar died leaving no sons, only daughters; the sons of Kish, their kinsmen, married them.(M) 23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth; three in all.(N)
24 These were the sons of Levi according to their ancestral houses, the family heads as they were enrolled one by one according to their names. They performed the work of the service of the house of the Lord beginning at twenty years of age.(O)
25 David said: “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and has taken up his dwelling in Jerusalem forever.(P) 26 Henceforth the Levites need not carry the tabernacle or any of the equipment for its service.”(Q) 27 For by David’s last words the Levites were enlisted from the time they were twenty years old. 28 Their duty is to assist the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord, having charge of the courts, the chambers, and the preservation of everything holy: they take part in the service of the house of God. 29 They also have charge of the showbread, of the fine flour for the grain offering, of the wafers of unleavened bread, and of the baking and mixing, and of all measures of quantity and size.(R) 30 They are to be present every morning to offer thanks and to praise the Lord, and likewise in the evening;(S) 31 and at every sacrifice of burnt offerings to the Lord on sabbaths, new moons, and feast days, in such numbers as are prescribed, they must always be present before the Lord(T) 32 and observe what is prescribed for them concerning the tent of meeting, the sanctuary, and the sons of Aaron, their kinsmen, in the service of the house of the Lord.(U)
1 Chronicles 23
King James Version
23 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
3 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.
4 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:
5 Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.
6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.
8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
9 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.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.