¹⁵ “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering,^(A) they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.^(B)

¹¹ Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering^(A) from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

¹³ Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering^(A) to the Lord.

The Musicians

25 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph,^(A) Heman^(B) and Jeduthun^(C) for the ministry of prophesying,^(D) accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.^(E) Here is the list of the men^(F) who performed this service:^(G)

² From the sons of Asaph:

³ As for Jeduthun, from his sons:^(H)

⁴ As for Heman, from his sons:

⁶ All these men were under the supervision of their father^(J) for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God.

Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman^(K) were under the supervision of the king.^{(L) 7} Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord—they numbered 288. ⁸ Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots^(M) for their duties.

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)

³ Count^(A) all the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(B) who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

⁴ “This is the work^(C) of the Kohathites^(D) at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things.^{(E) 5} When the camp is to move,^(F) Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain^(G) and put it over the ark of the covenant law.^{(H) 6} Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather,^[a](I) spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles^(J) in place.

⁷ “Over the table of the Presence^(K) they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings;^(L) the bread that is continually there^(M) is to remain on it. ⁸ They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable leather and put the poles^(N) in place.

⁹ “They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays,^(O) and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it. ¹⁰ Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.^(P)

¹¹ “Over the gold altar^(Q) they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles^(R) in place.

¹² “They are to take all the articles^(S) used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather and put them on a carrying frame.^(T)

¹³ “They are to remove the ashes^(U) from the bronze altar^(V) and spread a purple cloth over it. ¹⁴ Then they are to place on it all the utensils^(W) used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans,^(X) meat forks,^(Y) shovels^(Z) and sprinkling bowls.^(AA) Over it they are to spread a covering of the durable leather and put the poles^(AB) in place.

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,^(AC) only then are the Kohathites^(AD) to come and do the carrying.^(AE) But they must not touch the holy things^(AF) or they will die.^(AG) The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.

¹⁶ “Eleazar^(AH) son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light,^(AI) the fragrant incense,^(AJ) the regular grain offering^(AK) and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.”

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸ “See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites. ¹⁹ So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things,^(AL) do this for them: Aaron and his sons^(AM) are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry.^{(AN) 20} But the Kohathites must not go in to look^(AO) at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”

The Gershonites

²¹ The Lord said to Moses, ²² “Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. ²³ Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(AP) who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

²⁴ “This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: ²⁵ They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle,^(AQ) that is, the tent of meeting,^(AR) its covering^(AS) 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,^(AT) the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard,^(AU) the ropes and all the equipment^(AV) 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.^(AW) You shall assign to them as their responsibility^(AX) all they are to carry. ²⁸ This is the service of the Gershonite clans^(AY) at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar^(AZ) son of Aaron, the priest.

The Merarites

²⁹ “Count^(BA) the Merarites by their clans and families.^{(BB) 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,^{(BC) 32} as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes,^(BD) all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry.

²³ The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle.^{(A) 24} The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. ²⁵ At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle^(B) and tent, its coverings,^(C) the curtain at the entrance^(D) to the tent of meeting,^{(E) 26} the curtains of the courtyard^(F), the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar,^(G) and the ropes^(H)—and everything^(I) related to their use.

²⁷ To Kohath^(J) belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites;^(K) these were the Kohathite^(L) clans. ²⁸ The number of all the males a month old or more^(M) was 8,600.^[a] The Kohathites were responsible^(N) for the care of the sanctuary.^{(O) 29} The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side^(P) of the tabernacle. ³⁰ The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan^(Q) son of Uzziel. ³¹ They were responsible for the care of the ark,^(R) the table,^(S) the lampstand,^(T) the altars,^(U) the articles^(V) of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain,^(W) and everything related to their use.^{(X) 32} The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar^(Y) son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible^(Z) for the care of the sanctuary.^(AA)

³³ To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites;^(AB) these were the Merarite clans.^{(AC) 34} The number of all the males a month old or more^(AD) who were counted was 6,200. ³⁵ The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.^{(AE) 36} The Merarites were appointed^(AF) to take care of the frames of the tabernacle,^(AG) its crossbars,^(AH) posts,^(AI) bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use,^{(AJ) 37} as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard^(AK) with their bases, tent pegs^(AL) and ropes.

¹² “I have taken the Levites^(A) from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring^(B) of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,^(C)