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23 So when Dovid was old and full of days, he made Sh’lomo bno Melech Yisroel.

And he gathered together all the sarim of Yisroel, with the Kohanim and the Levi’im.

Now the Levi’im were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward; and their number by their gulgelot (totals, head count), gevarim (men), was thirty and eight elef.

Of which, twenty and four elef were to look after the work of the Beis Hashem; and six alafim were shoterim (officials) and shofetim (judges);

Moreover four alafim were sho’arim (gatekeepers); and four alafim praised Hashem with the kelim (instruments) which I made, said Dovid, to praise therewith.

And Dovid divided them into divisions among the Bnei Levi, namely, Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.

Of the Gershoni were La’dan, and Shimei.

The Bnei La’dan; the rosh was Yechiel, and Zetam, and Yoel, three.

The Bnei Shimei; Shlomit, and Chaziel, and Haran, three. These were the rashei avot of La’dan.

10 And the Bnei Shimei were Yachat, Zina, and Yeush, and Beriah. These four were the Bnei Shimei.

11 And Yachat was rosh, and Zizah the second; but Yeush and Beriah had not many banim; therefore they were in pekudah echad (one reckoning), according to their bais av.

12 The Bnei Kehat; Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron, and Uzziel, four.

13 The Bnei Amram; Aharon and Moshe; Aharon was separated, to set him apart as Kodesh Kodashim, he and his banim ad olam, to burn offerings before Hashem, to minister unto Him, and to bless b’Shmo ad olam.

14 Now concerning Moshe the Ish HaElohim, his banim were reckoned of the Shevet Levi.

15 The Bnei Moshe were Gershom, and Eliezer.

16 Of the Bnei Gershom, Shevuel was the rosh.

17 And the Bnei Eliezer were Rechavyah the rosh. And Eliezer had no banim acharim; but the Bnei Rechavyah were very many.

18 Of the Bnei Yitzhar: Shlomit the rosh.

19 Of the Bnei Chevron: Yeriyahu the first, Amaryah the seond, Yachziel the third, and Yekam’am the fourth.

20 Of the Bnei Uzziel: Michah the first and Yishiyah the second.

21 The Bnei Merari: Machli, and Mushi. The Bnei Machli; Eleazar, and Kish.

22 And Eleazar died, and had no banim, only banot, and their brethren the Bnei Kish took them as wives.

23 The Bnei Mushi; Machli, and Eder, and Yeremot, three.

24 These were the Bnei Levi after the bais avoteihem; even the rashei avot, as they were counted by number of shmot by their head count, that did the work for the avodas Beis Hashem, from the age of twenty shanah and upward.

25 For Dovid said, Hashem Elohei Yisroel hath given rest unto His people, that they may dwell in Yerushalayim ad l’olam;

26 And also unto the Levi’im; they shall no more carry the Mishkan, nor any kelim (vessels) of it for the avodah thereof.

27 According to the last instructions of Dovid the Bnei Levi were numbered from those twenty shanah and above;

28 Because their ma’amad (position) was to wait on the Bnei Aharon for the avodas Beis Hashem, in the khatzerot, and in the rooms, and in the tahorat (cleansing) of kol kodesh, and the work of the avodas Beis HaElohim;

29 Both for the Lechem HaMa’arechet (showbread), and for the solet (flour) for minchah, and for the cakes of matzot, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is scalded, and for all manner of measure and size;

30 And to stand baboker baboker to thank and praise Hashem, and likewise at erev (evening);

31 And to offer all olot (burnt offerings) unto Hashem on Shabbatot, at Rosh Chodesh, and at mo’adim, according to their number ordained for them, tamid before Hashem;

32 And that they should be shomer to keep the mishmeret (watch, guard responsibility) of the Ohel Mo’ed and the mishmeret of the Kodesh, and the mishmeret of the Bnei Aharon their brethren, in the avodas Beis Hashem.

The Levites

23 When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon(A) king over Israel.(B)

He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. The Levites thirty years old or more(C) were counted,(D) and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.(E) David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge(F) of the work(G) of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges.(H) Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments(I) I have provided for that purpose.”(J)

David separated(K) the Levites into divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi:(L) Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Gershonites

Belonging to the Gershonites:(M)

Ladan and Shimei.

The sons of Ladan:

Jehiel the first, Zetham and Joel—three in all.

The sons of Shimei:

Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran—three in all.

These were the heads of the families of Ladan.

10 And the sons of Shimei:

Jahath, Ziza,[a] Jeush and Beriah.

These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.

11 Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; so they were counted as one family with one assignment.

Kohathites

12 The sons of Kohath:(N)

Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel—four in all.

13 The sons of Amram:(O)

Aaron and Moses.

Aaron was set apart,(P) he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the Lord, to minister(Q) before him and to pronounce blessings(R) in his name forever. 14 The sons of Moses the man(S) of God were counted as part of the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses:

Gershom and Eliezer.(T)

16 The descendants of Gershom:(U)

Shubael was the first.

17 The descendants of Eliezer:

Rehabiah(V) was the first.

Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.

18 The sons of Izhar:

Shelomith(W) was the first.

19 The sons of Hebron:(X)

Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.

20 The sons of Uzziel:

Micah the first and Ishiah the second.

Merarites

21 The sons of Merari:(Y)

Mahli and Mushi.(Z)

The sons of Mahli:

Eleazar and Kish.

22 Eleazar died without having sons: he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.(AA)

23 The sons of Mushi:

Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth—three in all.

24 These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families as they were registered under their names and counted individually, that is, the workers twenty years old or more(AB) who served in the temple of the Lord. 25 For David had said, “Since the Lord, the God of Israel, has granted rest(AC) to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever, 26 the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service.”(AD) 27 According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more.

28 The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the Lord: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification(AE) of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God. 29 They were in charge of the bread set out on the table,(AF) the special flour for the grain offerings,(AG) the thin loaves made without yeast, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.(AH) 30 They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening(AI) 31 and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon(AJ) feasts and at the appointed festivals.(AK) They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.

32 And so the Levites(AL) carried out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting,(AM) for the Holy Place and, under their relatives the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the Lord.(AN)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 23:10 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also verse 11); most Hebrew manuscripts Zina