New King James Version

English Standard Version

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

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

2And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

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

3Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand.

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

4Of these, twenty-four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the LORD, six thousand were officers and judges,

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,

5four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the LORD with musical instruments, “which I made,” said David, “for giving praise.”

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

6Also David separated them into divisions among the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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

7Of the Gershonites: Laadan and Shimei.

7The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei.

8The sons of Laadan: the first Jehiel, then Zetham and Joel—three in all.

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

9The sons of Shimei: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Laadan.

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

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

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

11Jahath was the first and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; therefore they were assigned as one father’s house.

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.

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

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

13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was set apart, he and his sons forever, that he should sanctify the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to Him, and to give the blessing in His name forever.

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.

14Now the sons of Moses the man of God were reckoned to the tribe of Levi.

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

15The sons of Moses were Gershon and Eliezer.

15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16Of the sons of Gershon, Shebuel was the first.

16The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.

17Of the descendants of Eliezer, Rehabiah was the first. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

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

18Of the sons of Izhar, Shelomith was the first.

18The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.

19Of the sons of Hebron, Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

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

20Of the sons of Uzziel, Michah was the first and Jesshiah the second.

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

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

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

22And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but only daughters; and their brethren, the sons of Kish, took them as wives.

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

23The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.

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

24These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses—the heads of the fathers’ houses as they were counted individually by the number of their names, who did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and above.

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.

25For David said, “The LORD God of Israel has given rest to His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever”;

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

26and also to the Levites, “They shall no longer carry the tabernacle, or any of the articles for its service.”

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

27For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above;

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

28because their duty was to help the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts and in the chambers, in the purifying of all holy things and the work of the service of the house of God,

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.

29both with the showbread and the fine flour for the grain offering, with the unleavened cakes and what is baked in the pan, with what is mixed and with all kinds of measures and sizes;

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.

30to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at evening;

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

31and at every presentation of a burnt offering to the LORD on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the set feasts, by number according to the ordinance governing them, regularly before the LORD;

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.

32and that they should attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, the needs of the holy place, and the needs of the sons of Aaron their brethren in the work of the house of the LORD.

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.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.