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24 The courses or divisions of the priests, the sons of Aaron, were these: The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children; therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office.

And David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided and distributed them according to their assigned duties.

Since there were more chief men found among the sons of Eleazar [because of the misfortunes of Eli, and Saul’s slaughter of the priests at Nob] than among the sons of Ithamar, they were divided thus: sixteen heads of fathers’ houses of the sons of Eleazar and eight of the sons of Ithamar according to their fathers’ houses.

Thus were they divided by lot, one group with the other, for there were chiefs of the sanctuary and chiefs of God [high priests] drawn both from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar.

Shemaiah the scribe, son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar [the priest who escaped being killed at Nob by Saul and fled to David], and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and Levites—one father’s house being taken alternately for Eleazar and one for Ithamar.

The lots fell, the first one to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

The third to Harim, the fourth to Se-orim,

The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

11 The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,

12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebe-ab,

14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,

16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,

17 The twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,

18 The twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

19 This was their order for coming on duty to serve in the house of the Lord, according to the procedure ordered for them by their [forefather] Aaron, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

20 As for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram: Shubael; of the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.

21 Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah: Isshiah the chief.

22 Of the Izharites: Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.

23 The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

24 The son of Uzziel: Micah; of the sons of Micah: Shamir.

25 The brother of Micah: Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah: Zechariah.

26 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The son of Jaaziah: Beno.

27 The sons of Merari: by Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

28 Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

29 Of Kish: the son of Kish: Jerahmeel.

30 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites, according to their fathers’ houses.

31 These likewise cast lots, as did their kinsmen the sons of Aaron, in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and Levites—the head of each father’s house and his younger brother alike.

The Divisions of Priests

24 These were the divisions(A) of the descendants of Aaron:(B)

The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(C) But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did,(D) and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. With the help of Zadok(E) a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelek a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering. A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than among Ithamar’s, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar’s descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar’s descendants. They divided them impartially by casting lots,(F) for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.

The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelek(G) son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites—one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.

The first lot fell to Jehoiarib,

the second to Jedaiah,(H)

the third to Harim,(I)

the fourth to Seorim,

the fifth to Malkijah,

the sixth to Mijamin,

10 the seventh to Hakkoz,

the eighth to Abijah,(J)

11 the ninth to Jeshua,

the tenth to Shekaniah,

12 the eleventh to Eliashib,

the twelfth to Jakim,

13 the thirteenth to Huppah,

the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

14 the fifteenth to Bilgah,

the sixteenth to Immer,(K)

15 the seventeenth to Hezir,(L)

the eighteenth to Happizzez,

16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah,

the twentieth to Jehezkel,

17 the twenty-first to Jakin,

the twenty-second to Gamul,

18 the twenty-third to Delaiah

and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

19 This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the Lord, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

The Rest of the Levites

20 As for the rest of the descendants of Levi:(M)

from the sons of Amram: Shubael;

from the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.

21 As for Rehabiah,(N) from his sons:

Ishiah was the first.

22 From the Izharites: Shelomoth;

from the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.

23 The sons of Hebron:(O) Jeriah the first,[a] Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.

24 The son of Uzziel: Micah;

from the sons of Micah: Shamir.

25 The brother of Micah: Ishiah;

from the sons of Ishiah: Zechariah.

26 The sons of Merari:(P) Mahli and Mushi.

The son of Jaaziah: Beno.

27 The sons of Merari:

from Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zakkur and Ibri.

28 From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

29 From Kish: the son of Kish:

Jerahmeel.

30 And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth.

These were the Levites, according to their families. 31 They also cast lots,(Q) just as their relatives the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelek, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 24:23 Two Hebrew manuscripts and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 23:19); most Hebrew manuscripts The sons of Jeriah: