⁵⁰ Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle^(A) of the covenant law^(B)—over all its furnishings^(C) and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it.

The Materials Used

²¹ These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law,^(A) which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar^(B) son of Aaron, the priest.

¹⁵ “After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move,^(A) only then are the Kohathites^(B) to come and do the carrying.^(C) But they must not touch the holy things^(D) or they will die.^(E) The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.

¹⁸ When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai,^(A) he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone^(B) inscribed by the finger of God.^(C)

²² Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Remember^(A) me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

¹⁰ I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them,^(A) and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.^{(B) 11} So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?”^(C) Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.

¹² All Judah brought the tithes^(D) of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms.^{(E) 13} I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.^(F)

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)

¹¹ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water^(A) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

²⁵ They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle,^(A) that is, the tent of meeting,^(B) its covering^(C) and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, ²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar,^(D) the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard,^(E) the ropes and all the equipment^(F) used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. ²⁷ All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons.^(G) You shall assign to them as their responsibility^(H) all they are to carry. ²⁸ This is the service of the Gershonite clans^(I) at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar^(J) son of Aaron, the priest.

The Merarites

²⁹ “Count^(K) the Merarites by their clans and families.^{(L) 30} Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. ³¹ As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases,^{(M) 32} as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes,^(N) all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. ³³ This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar^(O) son of Aaron, the priest.”