1 Chronicles 24:1-19

International Children’s Bible

The Groups of the Priests

24 These were the groups of Aaron’s sons:

Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ² But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did. And they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. ³ David separated the family groups of Eleazar and Ithamar into two different groups. Each group had certain duties it had been given. Zadok and Ahimelech helped David. Zadok was a descendant of Eleazar. And Ahimelech was a descendant of Ithamar. ⁴ There were more leaders from Eleazar’s family than from Ithamar’s. There were 16 leaders from Eleazar’s family. And there were 8 leaders from Ithamar’s family. ⁵ Men were chosen from Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s families by throwing lots. Some men from each family were chosen to be in charge of the Holy Place. And some men from each family were chosen to serve as priests.

⁶ Shemaiah son of Nethanel was the secretary. He was from the tribe of Levi. Shemaiah recorded the names of those descendants in front of King David and these officers: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the families of the priests and Levites. The work was divided by lots among the families of Eleazar and Ithamar. The following men with their groups were chosen.

⁷ The first one chosen was Jehoiarib. The second was Jedaiah. ⁸ The third was Harim. The fourth was Seorim. ⁹ The fifth was Malkijah. The sixth was Mijamin. ¹⁰ The seventh was Hakkoz. The eighth was Abijah. ¹¹ The ninth was Jeshua. The tenth was Shecaniah. ¹² The eleventh was Eliashib. The twelfth was Jakim. ¹³ The thirteenth was Huppah. The fourteenth was Jeshebeab. ¹⁴ The fifteenth was Bilgah. The sixteenth was Immer. ¹⁵ The seventeenth was Hezir. The eighteenth was Happizzez. ¹⁶ The nineteenth was Pethahiah. The twentieth was Jehezkel. ¹⁷ The twenty-first was Jakin. The twenty-second was Gamul. ¹⁸ The twenty-third was Delaiah. The twenty-fourth was Maaziah.

¹⁹ These were the groups chosen to serve in the Temple of the Lord. They obeyed the rules Aaron had given them. The Lord, the God of Israel, had given those rules to Aaron.