1 Chronicles, 23

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

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

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

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

3. A census was taken of those Levites thirty years old and upwards. On a count of heads, they numbered thirty-eight thousand men;

3. The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was thirty-eight thousand men.

4. twenty-four thousand were responsible for the service of the House of Yahweh, six thousand were officials and judges,

4. "Twenty-four thousand of these," David said, "shall have charge of the work in the house of the LORD, six thousand shall be officers and judges,

5. four thousand were gatekeepers and four thousand praised Yahweh on the instruments which David had made for praising him.

5. four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand shall offer praises to the LORD with the instruments which I have made for praise."

6. David then divided the Levites into classes: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

6. And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merar'i.

7. Of the Gershonites there were Ladan and Shimei.

7. The sons of Gersham were Ladan and Shim'e-i.

8. Sons of Ladan: Jehiel first, Zetham, Joel; three in all.

8. The sons of Ladan: Jehi'el the chief, and Zetham, and Jo'el, three.

9. Sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, Haran; three in all. These are the heads of families of Ladan.

9. The sons of Shim'e-i: Shelo'moth, Ha'zi-el, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers' houses of Ladan.

10. Sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, Beriah; these were the sons of Shimei; four in all.

10. And the sons of Shim'e-i: Jahath, Zina, and Je'ush, and Beri'ah. These four were the sons of Shim'e-i.

11. Jahath was the eldest, Zizah the second, then Jeush and Beriah, who had not many children and were reckoned as one family.

11. Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Je'ush and Beri'ah had not many sons, therefore they became a father's house in one reckoning.

12. Sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, Uzziel; four in all.

12. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uz'ziel, four.

13. Sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to consecrate the things that were especially holy, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense in the presence of Yahweh, to serve him and to bless in his name for ever.

13. The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things, that he and his sons for ever should burn incense before the LORD, and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name for ever.

14. Moses, man of God, and his sons were reckoned with the tribe of Levi.

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

15. Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

15. The sons of Moses: Gershom and Elie'zer.

16. Sons of Gershom: Shebuel, the first.

16. The sons of Gershom: Sheb'uel the chief.

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

17. The sons of Elie'zer: Rehabi'ah the chief; Elie'zer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabi'ah were very many.

18. Sons of Izhar: Shelomith, the first.

18. The sons of Izhar: Shelo'mith the chief.

19. Sons of Hebron: Jeriah first, Amariah second, Jahaziel third, Jekameam fourth.

19. The sons of Hebron: Jeri'ah the chief, Amari'ah the second, Jaha'ziel the third, and Jekame'am the fourth.

20. Sons of Uzziel: Micah first, Isshiah second.

20. The sons of Uz'ziel: Micah the chief and Isshi'ah the second.

21. Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. Sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

21. The sons of Merar'i: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Elea'zar and Kish.

22. Eleazar died without sons, but he did have daughters, whom their cousins, the sons of Kish, married.

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

23. Sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, Jeremoth: three in all.

23. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jer'emoth, three.

24. These were the sons of Levi by their families, the heads of families, and those registered by name, individually; whoever was twenty years old or upwards had his function in the service of the Temple of Yahweh.

24. These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses, the heads of fathers' houses as they were registered 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.

25. For David said, 'Since Yahweh, God of Israel, has given rest to his people Israel and has taken up residence in Jerusalem for ever,

25. For David said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given peace to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem for ever.

26. the Levites need no longer carry the Dwelling or any of the objects required for its service.'

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

27. For, according to the last words of David, the Levites who had been registered were of twenty years and upwards.

27. for by the last words of David these were the number of the Levites from twenty years old and upward --

28. Their duty now is to help the sons of Aaron in the service of the House of Yahweh, in the care of the courts and rooms, the purification of all the holy things, the work for the service of the House of God,

28. "but their duty shall be 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;

29. the loaves of permanent offering, the flour for the oblation, the wafers of unleavened bread, the pan-baked materials, the unmixed materials and all measures of volume and length.

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

30. Furthermore, they have to be present every morning to give thanks and praise to Yahweh, and also in the evening,

30. And they shall stand every morning, thanking and praising the LORD, and likewise at evening,

31. and at the bringing of every burnt offering to Yahweh on Sabbath, New Moon or solemn feast, appearing regularly before Yahweh in accordance with the numbers required of them.

31. and whenever burnt offerings are offered to the LORD on sabbaths, new moons, and feast days, according to the number required of them, continually before the LORD.

32. In serving the Temple of Yahweh they observe the ritual of the Tent of Meeting, the ritual of the sanctuary and the ritual of their kinsmen, the sons of Aaron.'

32. Thus they shall keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and shall attend the sons of Aaron, their brethren, for the service of the house of the LORD."