English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

1When David was an old man, he appointed his son Solomon to be king over Israel.

2David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites.

2David summoned all the leaders of Israel, together with the priests and Levites.

3The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was 38,000 men.

3All the Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted, and the total came to 38,000.

4“Twenty-four thousand of these,” David said, “shall have charge of the work in the house of the LORD, 6,000 shall be officers and judges,

4Then David said, “From all the Levites, 24,000 will supervise the work at the Temple of the LORD. Another 6,000 will serve as officials and judges.

54,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 shall offer praises to the LORD with the instruments that I have made for praise.”

5Another 4,000 will work as gatekeepers, and 4,000 will praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have made.”

6And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

6Then David divided the Levites into divisions named after the clans descended from the three sons of Levi—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The Gershonites

7The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei.

7The Gershonite family units were defined by their lines of descent from Libni and Shimei, the sons of Gershon.

8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

8Three of the descendants of Libni were Jehiel (the family leader), Zetham, and Joel.

9The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Ladan.

9These were the leaders of the family of Libni. Three of the descendants of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran.

10And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, and Jeush and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

10Four other descendants of Shimei were Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah.

11Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, therefore they became counted as a single father’s house.

11Jahath was the family leader, and Ziza was next. Jeush and Beriah were counted as a single family because neither had many sons. The Kohathites

12The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

12Four of the descendants of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to dedicate the most holy things, that he and his sons forever should make offerings before the LORD and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name forever.

13The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart to dedicate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices in the LORD’s presence, to serve the LORD, and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.

14But the sons of Moses the man of God were named among the tribe of Levi.

14As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were included with the tribe of Levi.

15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

15The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.

16The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.

16The descendants of Gershom included Shebuel, the family leader.

17The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah the chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

17Eliezer had only one son, Rehabiah, the family leader. Rehabiah had numerous descendants.

18The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.

18The descendants of Izhar included Shelomith, the family leader.

19The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

19The descendants of Hebron included Jeriah (the family leader), Amariah (the second), Jahaziel (the third), and Jekameam (the fourth).

20The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief and Isshiah the second.

20The descendants of Uzziel included Micah (the family leader) and Isshiah (the second). The Merarites

21The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

21The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.

22Eleazar died having no sons, but only daughters; their kinsmen, the sons of Kish, married them.

22Eleazar died with no sons, only daughters. His daughters married their cousins, the sons of Kish.

23The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

23Three of the descendants of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

24These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses, the heads of fathers’ houses as they were listed according to the number of the names of the individuals from twenty years old and upward who were to do the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

24These were the descendants of Levi by clans, the leaders of their family groups, registered carefully by name. Each had to be twenty years old or older to qualify for service in the house of the LORD.

25For David said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.

25For David said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given us peace, and he will always live in Jerusalem.

26And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service.”

26Now the Levites will no longer need to carry the Tabernacle and its furnishings from place to place.”

27For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward.

27In accordance with David’s final instructions, all the Levites twenty years old or older were registered for service.

28For their duty was to assist the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God.

28The work of the Levites was to assist the priests, the descendants of Aaron, as they served at the house of the LORD. They also took care of the courtyards and side rooms, helped perform the ceremonies of purification, and served in many other ways in the house of God.

29Their duty was also to assist with the showbread, the flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and all measures of quantity or size.

29They were in charge of the sacred bread that was set out on the table, the choice flour for the grain offerings, the wafers made without yeast, the cakes cooked in olive oil, and the other mixed breads. They were also responsible to check all the weights and measures.

30And they were to stand every morning, thanking and praising the LORD, and likewise at evening,

30And each morning and evening they stood before the LORD to sing songs of thanks and praise to him.

31and whenever burnt offerings were offered to the LORD on Sabbaths, new moons, and feast days, according to the number required of them, regularly before the LORD.

31They assisted with the burnt offerings that were presented to the LORD on Sabbath days, at new moon celebrations, and at all the appointed festivals. The required number of Levites served in the LORD’s presence at all times, following all the procedures they had been given.

32Thus they were to keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and to attend the sons of Aaron, their brothers, for the service of the house of the LORD.

32And so, under the supervision of the priests, the Levites watched over the Tabernacle and the Temple and faithfully carried out their duties of service at the house of the LORD.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.