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The Groups of Priests

24 The priests in the family line of Aaron were separated into groups. The groups were separated according to the sons of Aaron.

The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did. They didn’t have any sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. With the help of Zadok and Ahimelek, David separated the priests into groups. Each group served in its appointed order and time. Zadok belonged to the family line of Eleazar. Ahimelek belonged to the family line of Ithamar. More leaders were found among Eleazar’s family line than among Ithamar’s. So the priests were separated into their groups based on that fact. There were 16 family leaders from Eleazar’s line. There were eight family leaders from Ithamar’s line. The priests were separated into their groups by casting lots. That was the fair way to do it. The priests were officials of the temple and officials of God. They came from the family lines of Eleazar and Ithamar.

Shemaiah was a Levite. He was the son of Nethanel. Shemaiah was the writer who recorded the names of the priests. He wrote them down in front of the king and the officials. The officials included Zadok the priest and Ahimelek. Ahimelek was the son of Abiathar. The officials also included the leaders of the families of the priests and the Levites. One family was chosen by lot from Eleazar’s group. Then one was chosen from Ithamar’s group.

The 1st lot chosen was for Jehoiarib.

The 2nd was for Jedaiah.

The 3rd was for Harim.

The 4th was for Seorim.

The 5th was for Malkijah.

The 6th was for Mijamin.

10 The 7th was for Hakkoz.

The 8th was for Abijah.

11 The 9th was for Jeshua.

The 10th was for Shekaniah.

12 The 11th was for Eliashib.

The 12th was for Jakim.

13 The 13th was for Huppah.

The 14th was for Jeshebeab.

14 The 15th was for Bilgah.

The 16th was for Immer.

15 The 17th was for Hezir.

The 18th was for Happizzez.

16 The 19th was for Pethahiah.

The 20th was for Jehezkel.

17 The 21st was for Jakin.

The 22nd was for Gamul.

18 The 23rd was for Delaiah.

The 24th was for Maaziah.

19 That was their appointed order for serving when they entered the Lord’s temple. That order was based on the rules Aaron had given them long ago. Everything was done exactly as the Lord had commanded Aaron. The Lord is the God of Israel.

The Rest of the Levites

20 Here are the other members of the family line of Levi.

From the sons of Amram came Shubael.

From the sons of Shubael came Jehdeiah.

21 From the sons of Rehabiah came Ishiah. Ishiah was the oldest.

22 From the people of Izhar came Shelomoth.

From the sons of Shelomoth came Jahath.

23 Jeriah was the first son of Hebron. Amariah was his second son. Jahaziel was the third. Jekameam was the fourth.

24 The son of Uzziel was Micah.

From the sons of Micah came Shamir.

25 The brother of Micah was Ishiah.

From the sons of Ishiah came Zechariah.

26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.

The son of Jaaziah was Beno.

27 The sons of Merari

from Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zakkur and Ibri.

28 From Mahli came Eleazar. Eleazar didn’t have any sons.

29 From Kish came Jerahmeel. Jerahmeel was the son of Kish.

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

Those were the Levites, family by family.

31 They cast lots just as their relatives had done. Their relatives were in the family line of Aaron. They cast lots in front of King David, Zadok and Ahimelek. They did it in front of the family leaders of the priests. They also did it in front of the family leaders of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated in the same way as the families of the youngest.

The Divisions of Priests

24 These were the divisions(A) of the descendants of Aaron:(B)

The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(C) But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did,(D) and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. With the help of Zadok(E) a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelek a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering. A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than among Ithamar’s, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar’s descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar’s descendants. They divided them impartially by casting lots,(F) for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.

The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelek(G) son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites—one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.

The first lot fell to Jehoiarib,

the second to Jedaiah,(H)

the third to Harim,(I)

the fourth to Seorim,

the fifth to Malkijah,

the sixth to Mijamin,

10 the seventh to Hakkoz,

the eighth to Abijah,(J)

11 the ninth to Jeshua,

the tenth to Shekaniah,

12 the eleventh to Eliashib,

the twelfth to Jakim,

13 the thirteenth to Huppah,

the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

14 the fifteenth to Bilgah,

the sixteenth to Immer,(K)

15 the seventeenth to Hezir,(L)

the eighteenth to Happizzez,

16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah,

the twentieth to Jehezkel,

17 the twenty-first to Jakin,

the twenty-second to Gamul,

18 the twenty-third to Delaiah

and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

19 This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the Lord, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

The Rest of the Levites

20 As for the rest of the descendants of Levi:(M)

from the sons of Amram: Shubael;

from the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.

21 As for Rehabiah,(N) from his sons:

Ishiah was the first.

22 From the Izharites: Shelomoth;

from the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.

23 The sons of Hebron:(O) Jeriah the first,[a] Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.

24 The son of Uzziel: Micah;

from the sons of Micah: Shamir.

25 The brother of Micah: Ishiah;

from the sons of Ishiah: Zechariah.

26 The sons of Merari:(P) Mahli and Mushi.

The son of Jaaziah: Beno.

27 The sons of Merari:

from Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zakkur and Ibri.

28 From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

29 From Kish: the son of Kish:

Jerahmeel.

30 And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth.

These were the Levites, according to their families. 31 They also cast lots,(Q) just as their relatives the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelek, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 24:23 Two Hebrew manuscripts and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 23:19); most Hebrew manuscripts The sons of Jeriah:

24 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.

And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.

And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.

Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

11 The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah,

12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,

16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,

17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,

18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.

19 These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the Lord, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

20 And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.

21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.

22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.

23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.

25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.

26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno.

27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.

28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.

29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.

30 The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.

31 These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren.