Beginning

David Appoints Musicians for the Temple

25 David and the army commanders appointed the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to serve as prophets with lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men who performed this service:

² From the sons of Asaph were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah. (They were directed by Asaph, who served as a prophet under the king’s direction.)

³ From the sons of Jeduthun were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, Mattithiah. (The six brothers were directed by their father, the prophet Jeduthun. They thanked and praised Yahweh as they played lyres.)

⁴ From the sons of Heman were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ⁵ (All of them were the sons of the king’s seer^[a] Heman. They were given to him to make him prominent, as Elohim had promised. So Elohim gave Heman 14 sons and 3 daughters.)

⁶ All these Levites sang at Yahweh’s temple under the direction of their fathers Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. They played cymbals, lyres, and harps for worship in Elohim’s temple under the direction of the king. ⁷ They, along with their relatives, were trained, skilled musicians for Yahweh. There were 288 of them.

⁸ They drew lots for their assignment of duties, the youngest as well as the oldest, the skilled musicians along with the students.

⁹ The first lot drawn chose Joseph, the son of Asaph.

The second chose Gedaliah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁰ The third chose Zaccur, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹¹ The fourth chose Izri, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹² The fifth chose Nethaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹³ The sixth chose Bukkiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁴ The seventh chose Jesarelah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁵ The eighth chose Jeshaiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁶ The ninth chose Mattaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁷ The tenth chose Shimei, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁸ The eleventh chose Azarel, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

¹⁹ The twelfth chose Hashabiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁰ The thirteenth chose Shubael, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²¹ The fourteenth chose Mattithiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²² The fifteenth chose Jeremoth, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²³ The sixteenth chose Hananiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁴ The seventeenth chose Joshbekashah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁵ The eighteenth chose Hanani, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁶ The nineteenth chose Mallothi, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁷ The twentieth chose Eliathah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁸ The twenty-first chose Hothir, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

²⁹ The twenty-second chose Giddalti, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

³⁰ The twenty-third chose Mahazioth, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

³¹ The twenty-fourth chose Romamti Ezer, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.

David Appoints Gatekeepers for the Temple

26 The following were the divisions of the gatekeepers: For Korah’s descendants there was Meshelemiah, the son of Kore, from the descendants of Asaph. ² Meshelemiah’s sons were Zechariah (the firstborn), Jediael (the second), Zebadiah (the third), Jathniel (the fourth), ³ Elam (the fifth), Jehohanan (the sixth), Eliehoenai (the seventh).

⁴ Also for Korah’s descendants there were Obed Edom’s sons Shemaiah (the firstborn), Jehozabad (the second), Joah (the third), Sachar (the fourth), Nethanel (the fifth), ⁵ Ammiel (the sixth), Issachar (the seventh), Peullethai (the eighth). Elohim had blessed Obed Edom. ⁶ His son Shemaiah had sons who ruled their families because they were soldiers. ⁷ Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, and Othni’s skilled brothers Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, as well as Elihu and Semachiah. ⁸ All of these people were Obed Edom’s descendants. They, their sons, and their relatives were skilled and had the ability to perform the service. Obed Edom’s family included 62 men.

⁹ Meshelemiah’s sons and relatives were 18 skilled men.

¹⁰ From the descendants of Merari there were Hosah’s sons. Shimri was the head, although he was not the firstborn. His father appointed him head. ¹¹ Hosah’s other sons were Hilkiah (the second), Tebaliah (the third), and Zechariah (the fourth). There were 13 sons and relatives of Hosah.

¹² These divisions of gatekeepers through their head men were assigned duties with their relatives to serve in Yahweh’s temple. ¹³ They drew lots by families, youngest and oldest alike, for every gate. ¹⁴ Shelemiah was chosen for the east side. His son Zechariah, a counselor who displayed insight, was chosen for the north side. ¹⁵ Obed Edom was chosen for the south side, and his sons were chosen for the storerooms. ¹⁶ Shuppim and Hosah were chosen for the west side with Shallecheth Gate at the gateway that goes to the palace.

One squad of guards served its watch after another. ¹⁷ On the east side there were six Levites. On the north there were four every day. On the south there were four every day. At the storerooms there were four, two at each entrance. ¹⁸ At the courtyard^[b] on the west there were four Levites at the gateway to the palace and two at the courtyard itself. ¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among Korah’s and Merari’s descendants.

David Appoints Treasurers for the Temple

²⁰ Ahijah, a Levite, was in charge of the treasuries in Elohim’s temple and the treasuries of the gifts dedicated to God. ²¹ There were also the descendants of Ladan, who was descended from Gershon. Those who served for Ladan, the descendant of Gershon, were the heads of Ladan’s families: Jehiel ²² and Jehiel’s sons Zetham and Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries in Yahweh’s temple. ²³ For the descendants of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, ²⁴ there was Shebuel, a descendant of Moses’ son Gershom. He was the highest-ranking official in charge of the treasuries. ²⁵ From his relatives on Eliezer’s side of the family was Shelomith. (Eliezer’s son was Rehabiah; his grandson was Jeshaiah; his great-grandson was Joram. Joram’s son was Zichri; his grandson was Shelomith.) ²⁶ He and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries of the gifts dedicated to God that King David, the heads of families, the commanders of regiments and battalions, and the commanders of the army had donated. ²⁷ (They had donated some of the loot taken in battle to support Yahweh’s temple.) ²⁸ Everything that Samuel the seer,^[c] Saul (son of Kish), Abner (son of Ner), and Joab (son of Zeruiah) had donated—everything that had been donated—was under the supervision of Shelomith and his relatives.

David Appoints Levites to Oversee Israel’s Worship

²⁹ From Izhar’s descendants Chenaniah and his sons were assigned duties. They served as officials and judges outside the temple in Israel. ³⁰ From Hebron’s descendants Hashabiah and his 1,700 skilled, male relatives were appointed to serve Israel west of the Jordan River. They did everything Yahweh wanted them to do, and they served the king. ³¹ Jeriah was the head of Hebron’s descendants. In the fortieth year of David’s reign, the ancestry of Hebron’s descendants was researched family by family. Warriors from these families were found at Jazer in Gilead. ³² Jeriah’s relatives were 2,700 skilled men, who were heads of families. King David appointed them to be overseers in every matter involving Elohim or the king for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh.

David’s Government Officials

27 This is a list of Israelite family heads, regiment and battalion commanders, and officers who were serving the king in all the army’s units. Throughout each year they came for a month at a time and then left. Each unit consisted of 24,000 men.

² Jashobeam, son of Zabdiel, was in charge of the first unit, the one during the first month. In his unit there were 24,000. ³ He was a descendant of Perez, and he was head of all of the army’s officers for the first month.

⁴ Dodai, Ahoh’s descendant, was in charge of the unit during the second month. It was his unit. (Mikloth was one of its leaders.) In Dodai’s unit there were 24,000.

⁵ The third commander of the army during the third month was Benaiah, son of the priest Jehoiada. He was the head, and in his unit there were 24,000. ⁶ This Benaiah was one of the thirty fighting men and commander of the thirty as well as his own unit. His son was Ammizabad.

⁷ Asahel, Joab’s brother, was in charge of the fourth unit during the fourth month, and after him was his son Zebadiah. In his unit there were 24,000.

⁸ Shamhuth, Izrah’s descendant, was commander of the fifth unit during the fifth month. In his unit there were 24,000.

⁹ Ira, the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, was in charge of the sixth unit during the sixth month. In his unit there were 24,000.

¹⁰ Helez, a Pelonite from the descendants of Ephraim, was in charge of the seventh unit during the seventh month. In his unit there were 24,000.

¹¹ Sibbecai, a descendant of Zerah from Hushah, was in charge of the eighth unit during the eighth month. In his unit there were 24,000.

¹² Abiezer, a member of the tribe of Benjamin from Anathoth, was in charge of the ninth unit during the ninth month. In his unit there were 24,000.

¹³ Mahrai, a descendant of Zerah from Netophah, was in charge of the tenth unit during the tenth month. In his unit there were 24,000.

¹⁴ Benaiah, a member of the tribe of Ephraim from Pirathon, was in charge of the eleventh unit during the eleventh month. In his unit there were 24,000.

¹⁵ During the twelfth month, the twelfth unit was commanded by Heldai from Netophah. He was Othniel’s descendant. In his unit there were 24,000.

¹⁶ The following officers were in charge of the tribes of Israel:

These were the commanders of Israel’s tribes.

²³ David didn’t count those under 20 years old, because Yahweh had promised that the people of Israel would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. ²⁴ Joab, son of Zeruiah, started to count them but didn’t finish. God was angry with Israel because of this, and the report from it was never included in the official records of King David.

²⁵ These were all the commanders in charge of King David’s property:^[d]

³² David’s uncle Jonathan, an educated man who possessed insight, was David’s adviser. Jonathan and Jehiel, son of Hachmoni, were in charge of the king’s sons. ³³ Ahithophel was the king’s adviser. Hushai, a descendant of Archi, was the king’s friend. ³⁴ Jehoiada (son of Benaiah) and Abiathar succeeded Ahithophel. Joab was the commander of the royal army.