Historical

24 ^1-2 The priests (the descendants of Aaron) were placed into two divisions named after Aaron’s sons, Eleazar and Ithamar.

Nadab and Abihu were also sons of Aaron, but they died before their father did and had no children; so only Eleazar and Ithamar were left to carry on. ³ David consulted with Zadok, who represented the Eleazar clan, and with Ahimelech, who represented the Ithamar clan; then he divided Aaron’s descendants into many groups to serve at various times. ⁴ Eleazar’s descendants were divided into sixteen groups and Ithamar’s into eight (for there was more leadership ability among the descendants of Eleazar).

⁵ All tasks were assigned to the various groups by coin-toss^[a] so that there would be no preference, for there were many famous men and high officials of the Temple in each division. ⁶ Shemaiah, a Levite and the son of Nethanel, acted as recording secretary and wrote down the names and assignments in the presence of the king and of these leaders: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the priests and Levites. Two groups from the division of Eleazar and one from the division of Ithamar were assigned to each task.

^7-18 The work was assigned (by coin-toss) in this order:

¹⁹ Each group carried out the Temple duties as originally assigned by God through their ancestor Aaron.

²⁰ These were the other descendants of Levi: Amram; his descendant Shubael; and Shubael’s descendant Jehdeiah; ²¹ the Rehabiah group, led by his oldest son Isshiah; ²² the Izhar group, consisting of Shelamoth and his descendant Jahath. ²³ The Hebron group: Jeriah, Hebron’s oldest son; Amariah, his second son; Jahaziel, his third son; Jekameam, his fourth son.

^24-25 The Uzziel group was led by his son Micah and his grandsons Shamir and Isshiah, and by Isshiah’s son Zechariah.

^26-27 The Merari group was led by his sons: Mahli and Mushi. (Jaaziah’s group, led by his son Beno, included his brothers Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.) ²⁸ Mahli’s descendants were Eleazar, who had no sons, ²⁹ and Kish, among whose sons was Jerahmeel. ³⁰ The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

These were the descendants of Levi in their various clans. ³¹ Like the descendants of Aaron, they were assigned to their duties by coin-toss without distinction as to age or rank. It was done in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the leaders of the priests and the Levites.

25 David and the officials of the Tabernacle then appointed men to prophesy to the accompaniment of zithers, harps, and cymbals. These men were from the groups of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. Here is a list of their names and their work:

² Under the leadership of Asaph, the king’s private prophet, were his sons Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah.

³ Under Jeduthun, who led in giving thanks and praising the Lord (while accompanied by the zither), were his six sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah.

^4-5 Under the direction of Heman, the king’s private chaplain, were his sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Geddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. (For God had honored him with fourteen sons and three daughters.) ^6-7 Their music ministry included the playing of cymbals, harps, and zithers; all were under the direction of their father as they performed this ministry in the Tabernacle.

Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman reported directly to the king. They and their families were all trained in singing praises to the Lord; each one—288 of them in all—was a master musician. ⁸ The singers were appointed to their particular term of service by coin-toss, without regard to age or reputation.