¹⁷ and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants^(A) in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God.

Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good^(A)

⁵ The reason I left you in Crete^(B) was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint^[a] elders^(C) in every town, as I directed you.

¹⁹ Therefore this is what the Lord says:

⁹ Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched^(A) my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.^(B)

⁷ Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.^(A)

²⁶ the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service.”^{(A) 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^(B) 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,^(C) the special flour for the grain offerings,^(D) the thin loaves made without yeast, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.^{(E) 30} They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening^{(F) 31} and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon^(G) feasts and at the appointed festivals.^(H) They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.

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

³ The Levites thirty years old or more^(A) were counted,^(B) and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.^{(C) 4} David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge^(D) of the work^(E) of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges.^{(F) 5} Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments^(G) I have provided for that purpose.”^(H)

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