Divisions of the Levites

24 Now the divisions of the ^[a]descendants of Aaron were these: ^(A)the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ^2 (B)But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no ^[b]sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. ³ David, with ^(C)Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices ^[c]for their ministry. ⁴ Since more chief men were found from the ^[d]descendants of Eleazar than the ^[e]descendants of Ithamar, they divided them this way: there were sixteen heads of fathers’ households of the ^[f]descendants of Eleazar, and eight of the ^[g]descendants of Ithamar according to their fathers’ households. ^5 (D)So they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God, both from the ^[h]descendants of Eleazar and the ^[i]descendants of Ithamar. ⁶ Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, from the Levites, recorded them in the presence of the king, the leaders, Zadok the priest, ^(E)Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and the Levites; one father’s household taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar.

⁷ Now the first lot came out for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, ⁸ the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, ⁹ the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin, ¹⁰ the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for ^(F)Abijah, ¹¹ the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah, ¹² the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim, ¹³ the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab, ¹⁴ the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer, ¹⁵ the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez, ¹⁶ the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel, ¹⁷ the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul, ¹⁸ the twenty-third for Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. ^19 (G)These were their offices for their ministry when they entered the house of the Lord according to the ordinance given to them through their father Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

²⁰ Now for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, ^[j]Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. ²¹ Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah, the first. ²² Of the Izharites, ^[k]Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. ²³ The sons ^(H)of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. ²⁴ Of the sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir. ²⁵ The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. ²⁶ The sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah, Beno. ²⁷ The sons of Merari: by Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. ²⁸ By Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. ²⁹ By Kish: the sons of Kish, Jerahmeel. ³⁰ The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. ^31 (I)These also cast lots just as their relatives, the sons of Aaron did in the presence of David the king, ^(J)Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites—the head of fathers’ households as well as those of his younger brother.

Number and Services of Musicians

25 Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of ^(K)Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to ^(L)prophesy with lyres, ^(M)harps, and cymbals; and the number of ^[l]those who performed this service was: ² Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and ^[m]Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were ^[n]under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied ^[o]under the direction of the king. ^3 (N)Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, ^[p]Zeri, Jeshaiah, ^[q]Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six in all, ^[r]under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord. ⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, ^[s]Uzziel, ^[t]Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ⁵ All these were the sons of Heman ^(O)the king’s seer to ^[u]exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. ⁶ All of these were under the ^[v]direction of their father to sing in the house of the Lord, ^(P)with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. ^(Q)Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were ^[w]under the direction of the king. ⁷ Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their relatives, all who were skillful, was ^(R)288.

Divisions of the Musicians

^8 (S)They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil.

⁹ Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve; ¹⁰ the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹¹ the fourth to ^[x]Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹² the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹³ the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁴ the seventh to ^[y]Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁵ the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁶ the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁷ the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁸ the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁹ the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁰ for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²¹ for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²² for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²³ for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁴ for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁵ for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁶ for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁷ for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁸ for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁹ for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ³⁰ for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ³¹ for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve.

Serve God Willingly

5 ^(A)Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your ^(B)fellow elder and a ^(C)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a ^[a](D)fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: ² shepherd ^(E)the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, ^(F)not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and ^(G)not ^[b]with greed but with eagerness; ³ nor yet as ^(H)domineering over ^[c]those assigned to your care, but by ^[d]proving to be ^[e](I)examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief ^(J)Shepherd appears, you will receive the ^(K)unfading ^[f](L)crown of glory. ^5 (M)You ^[g]younger men, likewise, ^(N)be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with ^(O)humility toward one another, because ^(P)God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.

⁶ Therefore ^(Q)humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, ⁷ having cast all your ^(R)anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. ^8 (S)Be of sober spirit, ^(T)be on the alert. Your adversary, ^(U)the devil, prowls around like a roaring ^(V)lion, seeking someone to devour. ^9 [h](W)So resist him, ^(X)firm in your faith, knowing that ^(Y)the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your ^[i]brothers and sisters who are in the world. ¹⁰ After you have suffered ^(Z)for a little while, the ^(AA)God of all grace, who ^(AB)called you to His ^(AC)eternal glory in Christ, will Himself ^(AD)perfect, ^(AE)confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ^11 (AF)To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

¹² Through ^(AG)Silvanus, our faithful brother ^[j](for so I regard him), ^(AH)I have written to you briefly, ^[k]exhorting and testifying that this is ^(AI)the true grace of God. ^(AJ)Stand firm in it! ¹³ She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, ^(AK)Mark. ^14 (AL)Greet one another with a kiss of love.

^(AM)Peace be to you all who are in Christ.