⁶ No one is to enter the temple of the Lord except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the others are to observe^(A) the Lord’s command not to enter.^[a]

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^(A) 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,^(B) the special flour for the grain offerings,^(C) the thin loaves made without yeast, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.^{(D) 30} They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening^{(E) 31} and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon^(F) feasts and at the appointed festivals.^(G) They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.

³² And so the Levites^(H) carried out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting,^(I) for the Holy Place and, under their relatives the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the Lord.^(J)

⁶ a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— ⁷ and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king.