²² Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers^(A) at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer.^(B)

⁹ (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire^(A) of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)^(B)

¹³ He gave him instructions for the divisions^(A) of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.

The Levites

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

² He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. ³ The Levites thirty years old or more^(C) were counted,^(D) and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.^{(E) 4} 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) 5} 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)

⁶ David separated^(K) the Levites into divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi:^(L) Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Gershonites

⁷ Belonging to the Gershonites:^(M)

Kohathites

¹² The sons of Kohath:^(N)

Merarites

²¹ The sons of Merari:^(Y)

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)

⁴⁴ At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms^(A) for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes.^(B) From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites.^(C)

²⁸ The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites,^{(A) 29} from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.

³⁶ Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.

²⁵ As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba^(A) and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon^(B) and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages, ²⁶ in Jeshua, in Moladah,^(C) in Beth Pelet,^{(D) 27} in Hazar Shual,^(E) in Beersheba^(F) and its settlements, ²⁸ in Ziklag,^(G) in Mekonah and its settlements, ²⁹ in En Rimmon, in Zorah,^(H) in Jarmuth,^{(I) 30} Zanoah,^(J) Adullam^(K) and their villages, in Lachish^(L) and its fields, and in Azekah^(M) and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba^(N) to the Valley of Hinnom.

¹⁸ They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves.