The Daily Audio Bible

¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, under their chief men, had duties, just as their kinsmen did, serving in the house of Adonai. ¹³ Great or small, they cast lots according to their clans for every gate. ¹⁴ The lot for the east gate fell to Shelemyahu. Then they cast lots for his son Z’kharyahu, a sensible adviser, and he was allotted the north gate. ¹⁵ ‘Oved-Edom was allotted the south gate and his sons the storehouse. ¹⁶ Shupim and Hosah were allotted the west gate and the Shallekhet Gate at the highway that goes up, with corresponding guards. ¹⁷ For the east there were six L’vi’im, for the north four a day, for the south four a day, for the Storehouse two and two, ¹⁸ while for the courtyard to the west there were four at the highway and two at the courtyard itself. ¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers, consisting of descendants of the Korchim and descendants of M’rari.

²⁰ Of the L’vi’im, Achiyah was responsible for the stores in the house of God and the stores of holy articles. ²¹ The sons of La‘dan, the descendants of the Gershuni belonging to La‘dan, the heads of clans belonging to La‘dan the Gershuni: Yechi’eli; ²² and the sons of Yechi’eli: Zetam and Yo’el his brother, over the stores in the house of Adonai. ²³ Of the ‘Amrami, of the Yitz’hari, of the Hevroni, of the ‘Uzi’eli, ²⁴ Sh’vu’el the descendant of Gershom, the son of Moshe, was in charge of the stores.

²⁵ His kinsmen: from Eli‘ezer: Rechavyahu his son, Yesha‘yahu his son, Yoram his son, Zikhri his son and Shlomit his son. ²⁶ This Shlomit and his kinsmen were in charge of all the stores of the dedicated things that David the king, the clan heads, the captains over thousands and hundreds and the commanders of the army had dedicated. ²⁷ From the spoil won in wars they had dedicated these things to repair the house of Adonai. ²⁸ Also included was all that Sh’mu’el the seer, Sha’ul the son of Kish, Avner the son of Ner and Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah had dedicated. In short, if anyone had dedicated anything, Shlomit and his brothers were in charge of it.

²⁹ Of the Yitz’hari: K’nanyahu and his sons were assigned to be over Isra’el in regard to outside business as officers and judges. ³⁰ Of the Hevroni: Hashavyah and his kinsmen, 1,700 valiant men, had the oversight of Isra’el west of the Yarden in regard to all the business of Adonai and the service of the king. ³¹ Yeriyah was chief of the Hevroni according to their generations by clans. In the fortieth year of David’s reign the Hevroni were sought out, and there were found among them strong, brave men at Ya‘zer in Gil‘ad. ³² King David appointed 2,700 of his kinsmen, valiant men and clan leaders, as overseers over the Re’uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of the M’nashi for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.

27 The people of Isra’el, registered according to their clan leaders, were drafted for army duty under captains of thousands and of hundreds, and officers serving the king, in divisions of 24,000 each, for month-long terms of duty covering all the months of the year.

² Over the first division, for the first month, was Yashov‘am the son of Zavdi’el; there were 24,000 in his division. ³ He was from the descendants of Peretz and was in charge of all the army captains during the first month.

⁴ Over the division for the second month was Dodai the Achochi; Miklot was the chief officer of his division; there were 24,000 in his division.

⁵ The third army commander, for the third month, was B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada the chief cohen; there were 24,000 in his division. ⁶ This is the same B’nayah who was one of the thirty heroes and was over the thirty; his son ‘Ammizavad was in his division.

⁷ The fourth commander, for the fourth month, was ‘Asah’el the brother of Yo’av, with Z’vadyah his son after him; there were 24,000 in his division.

⁸ The fifth commander, for the fifth month, was Shamhut from Yizrach; there were 24,000 in his division.

⁹ The sixth commander, for the sixth month, was ‘Ira the son of ‘Ikesh from T’koa; there were 24,000 in his division.

¹⁰ The seventh commander, for the seventh month, was Heletz the P’loni, from the descendants of Efrayim; there were 24,000 in his division.

¹¹ The eighth commander, for the eighth month, was Sibkhai the Hushati, from the Zarchi; there were 24,000 in his division.

¹² The ninth commander, for the ninth month, was Avi‘ezer from ‘Anatot, from the Ben-Y’mini; there were 24,000 in his division.

¹³ The tenth commander, for the tenth month, was Mahrai, the N’tofati, from the Zarchi; there were 24,000 in his division.

¹⁴ The eleventh commander, for the eleventh month, was B’nayah from Pir‘aton, from the descendants of Efrayim; there were 24,000 in his division.

¹⁵ The twelfth commander, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the N’tofati, from ‘Otni’el; there were 24,000 in his division.

¹⁶ Over the the tribes of Isra’el:

These were the commanders of the tribes of Isra’el.

²³ But David did not include in the registration those twenty years old or less, because Adonai had said he would increase Isra’el’s numbers like the stars in the sky. ²⁴ Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah began a census of these, but he did not finish, and wrath came upon Isra’el because of this; moreover the number was not entered into the Annals of King David.

²⁵ In charge of the king’s supplies was ‘Azmavet the son of ‘Adi’el. In charge of the supplies in the countryside, the cities, the villages and the fortresses was Y’honatan the son of ‘Uziyahu. ²⁶ In charge of farmers working the land was ‘Ezri the son of K’luv. ²⁷ In charge of the vineyards was Shim‘i the Ramati, while Zavdi the Shifmi was responsible for the produce from the vineyards for the wine-cellars. ²⁸ In charge of the olive and sycamore-fig trees in the Sh’felah was Ba‘al-Hanan from G’derah, while Yo’ash was put over the storehouses for olive oil. ²⁹ In charge of the herds of livestock feeding in the Sharon was Shirtai from the Sharon, while Shafat the son of Adlai was put over herds in the valleys. ³⁰ Ovil the Yishma‘eli was put over the camels, Yechd’yahu the Meronoti over the donkeys ³¹ and Yaziz the Hagri over the flocks [of sheep and goats]. All of these were responsible for King David’s property.

³² Y’honatan David’s uncle was an adviser, a man of understanding and a secretary. Yechi’el the son of Hachmoni took care of the king’s sons. ³³ Achitofel was an adviser to the king. Hushai the Archi was the king’s confidant; ³⁴ and after Achitofel were Y’hoyada the son of B’nayah and Evyatar. Yo’av was commander of the king’s army.

¹³ For the promise to Avraham and his seed^[a] that he would inherit the world did not come through legalism but through the righteousness that trust produces. ¹⁴ For if the heirs are produced by legalism, then trust is pointless and the promise worthless. ¹⁵ For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law, there is also no violation.

¹⁶ The reason the promise is based on trusting is so that it may come as God’s free gift, a promise that can be relied on by all the seed, not only those who live within the framework of the Torah, but also those with the kind of trust Avraham had — Avraham avinu for all of us. ¹⁷ This accords with the Tanakh, where it says, “I have appointed you to be a father to many nations.”^[b] Avraham is our father in God’s sight because he trusted God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls nonexistent things into existence. ¹⁸ For he was past hope, yet in hope he trusted that he would indeed become a father to many nations, in keeping with what he had been told, “So many will your seed be.”^{[c] 19} His trust did not waver when he considered his own body — which was as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old — or when he considered that Sarah’s womb was dead too. ²⁰ He did not by lack of trust decide against God’s promises. On the contrary, by trust he was given power as he gave glory to God, ²¹ for he was fully convinced that what God had promised he could also accomplish. ²² This is why it was credited to his account as righteousness.^[d]

²³ But the words, “it was credited to his account . . . ,” were not written for him only. ²⁴ They were written also for us, who will certainly have our account credited too, because we have trusted in him who raised Yeshua our Lord from the dead — ²⁵ Yeshua, who was delivered over to death because of our offences and raised to life in order to make us righteous.

5 So, since we have come to be considered righteous by God because of our trust, let us continue to have shalom with God through our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. ² Also through him and on the ground of our trust, we have gained access to this grace in which we stand; so let us boast about the hope of experiencing God’s glory. ³ But not only that, let us also boast in our troubles; because we know that trouble produces endurance, ⁴ endurance produces character, and character produces hope; ⁵ and this hope does not let us down, because God’s love for us has already been poured out in our hearts through the Ruach HaKodesh who has been given to us.