²⁴ These were the descendants of Levi according to their families, that is, the leaders of families as counted and individually listed who carried out assigned tasks in the Lord’s temple and were twenty years old and up.^{[a] 25} For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given his people rest and has permanently settled in Jerusalem. ²⁶ So the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the items used in its service.” ²⁷ According to David’s final instructions, the Levites twenty years old or older were counted.^[b]

²⁸ Their job was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the Lord’s temple. They were to take care of the courtyards, the rooms, ceremonial purification of all holy items, and other jobs related to the service of God’s temple.^{[c] 29} They also took care of^[d] the bread that is displayed, the flour for offerings, the unleavened wafers, the round cakes, the mixing, and all the measuring.^{[e] 30} They also stood in a designated place^[f] every morning and offered thanks and praise to the Lord. They also did this in the evening ³¹ and whenever burnt sacrifices were offered to the Lord on the Sabbath and at new moon festivals and assemblies. A designated number were to serve before the Lord regularly in accordance with regulations.^{[g] 32} They were in charge of the meeting tent and the Holy Place, and helped their relatives, the descendants of Aaron, in the service of the Lord’s temple.^[h]