The kingdom
David organizes the Levites
When David was old and had made Solomon king, he gathered the leaders of Israel, the priests and the Levites to organize the service at the house of the Lord. The Levites were counted from thirty years of age and totaled 38,000 men, who were assigned as overseers, supervisors and judges, gatekeepers and singers with instruments. David divided them according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari, and appointed the heads of their families. Since the Lord had given rest to the people in Jerusalem and the tabernacle no longer needed to be carried, the service age was lowered to twenty years. The Levites were to assist Aaron's sons with the courtyards, the showbread, measures and weights, and to praise the Lord morning and evening. 1 Chronicles 23:1-32
1 Chronicles 23,1-32
1When David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
וְדָוִ֥יד זָקֵ֖ן וְשָׂבַ֣ע יָמִ֑ים וַיַּמְלֵ֛ךְ אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
2He gathered together all the leaders of Israel, along with the priests and the Levites.
וַיֶּאֱסֹף֙ אֶת־כָּל־שָׂרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְהַלְוִיִּֽם׃
3The Levites thirty years old and older were counted, and the number of men, head by head, was thirty-eight thousand.
וַיִּסָּֽפְרוּ֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִבֶּ֛ן שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה וַיְהִ֨י מִסְפָּרָ֤ם לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם֙ לִגְבָרִ֔ים שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁמוֹנָ֖ה אָֽלֶף׃
4Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, six thousand were officers and judges,
מֵאֵ֗לֶּה לְנַצֵּ֙חַ֙ עַל־מְלֶ֣אכֶת בֵּית־יְהוָ֔ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְאַרְבָּעָ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וְשֹׁטְרִ֥ים וְשֹׁפְטִ֖ים שֵׁ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִֽים׃
5four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand were to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for praise." [footnote: The sudden first person reflects David's own words, quoted here from his arrangements.]
וְאַרְבַּ֥עַת אֲלָפִ֖ים שֹׁעֲרִ֑ים וְאַרְבַּ֤עַת אֲלָפִים֙ מְהַֽלְלִ֣ים לַיהוָ֔ה בַּכֵּלִ֕ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְהַלֵּֽל׃
6David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥ם דָּוִ֖יד מַחְלְק֑וֹת ס לִבְנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י לְגֵרְשׁ֖וֹן קְהָ֥ת וּמְרָרִֽי׃ ס
7Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
לַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י לַעְדָּ֥ן וְשִׁמְעִֽי׃ ס
8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, then Zetham and Joel—three in all.
בְּנֵ֣י לַעְדָּ֗ן הָרֹ֧אשׁ יְחִיאֵ֛ל וְזֵתָ֥ם וְיוֹאֵ֖ל שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס
9The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.
בְּנֵ֣י שִׁמְעִ֗י *שלמות **שְׁלוֹמִ֧ית וַחֲזִיאֵ֛ל וְהָרָ֖ן שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה אֵ֛לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֥י הָאָב֖וֹת לְלַעְדָּֽן׃ ס
10The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
וּבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְעִ֔י יַ֣חַת זִינָ֔א וִיע֖וּשׁ וּבְרִיעָ֑ה אֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵי־שִׁמְעִ֖י אַרְבָּעָֽה׃
11Jahath was the chief and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were counted as one family with one assignment. [footnote: Zizah is called Zina in the preceding verse; both spellings occur in the Hebrew text.]
וַֽיְהִי־יַ֣חַת הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְזִיזָ֖ה הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וִיע֤וּשׁ וּבְרִיעָה֙ לֹֽא־הִרְבּ֣וּ בָנִ֔ים וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ לְבֵ֣ית אָ֔ב לִפְקֻדָּ֖ה אֶחָֽת׃ ס
12The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.
בְּנֵ֣י קְהָ֗ת עַמְרָ֥ם יִצְהָ֛ר חֶבְר֥וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֖ל אַרְבָּעָֽה׃ ס
13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his sons forever, to be consecrated as most holy, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to him, and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.
בְּנֵ֥י עַמְרָ֖ם אַהֲרֹ֣ן וּמֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבָּדֵ֣ל אַהֲרֹ֡ן לְֽהַקְדִּישׁוֹ֩ קֹ֨דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֤ים הֽוּא־וּבָנָיו֙ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם לְהַקְטִיר֩ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהוָ֧ה לְשָׁרְת֛וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֥ךְ בִּשְׁמ֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
14As for Moses the man of God, his sons were counted as part of the tribe of Levi.
וּמֹשֶׁ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים בָּנָ֕יו יִקָּרְא֖וּ עַל־שֵׁ֥בֶט הַלֵּוִֽי׃
15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
בְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה גֵּרְשֹׁ֖ם וֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃
16The sons of Gershom: Shebuel was the chief.
בְּנֵ֥י גֵרְשׁ֖וֹם שְׁבוּאֵ֥ל הָרֹֽאשׁ׃
17The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־אֱלִיעֶ֖זֶר רְחַבְיָ֣ה הָרֹ֑אשׁ וְלֹא־הָיָ֤ה לֶאֱלִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ בָּנִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וּבְנֵ֥י רְחַבְיָ֖ה רָב֥וּ לְמָֽעְלָה׃
18The sons of Izhar: Shelomith was the chief.
בְּנֵ֥י יִצְהָ֖ר שְׁלֹמִ֥ית הָרֹֽאשׁ׃ ס
19The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
בְּנֵ֖י חֶבְר֑וֹן יְרִיָּ֤הוּ הָרֹאשׁ֙ אֲמַרְיָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֔י יַחֲזִיאֵל֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י וִֽיקַמְעָ֖ם הָרְבִיעִֽי׃
20The sons of Uzziel: Micah the first and Isshiah the second.
בְּנֵ֖י עֻזִּיאֵ֑ל מִיכָ֣ה הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְיִשִּׁיָּ֖ה הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃ ס
21The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
בְּנֵ֤י מְרָרִי֙ מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֔י בְּנֵ֥י מַחְלִ֖י אֶלְעָזָ֥ר וְקִֽישׁ׃
22Eleazar died leaving no sons, only daughters; their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.
וַיָּ֙מָת֙ אֶלְעָזָ֔ר וְלֹא־הָ֥יוּ ל֛וֹ בָּנִ֖ים כִּ֣י אִם־בָּנ֑וֹת וַיִּשָּׂא֥וּם בְּנֵי־קִ֖ישׁ אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃
23The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.
בְּנֵ֣י מוּשִׁ֗י מַחְלִ֥י וְעֵ֛דֶר וִירֵמ֖וֹת שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃
24These were the sons of Levi by their families—the heads of families as they were registered, listed by name, head by head—those twenty years old and older who did the work of the service of the house of the LORD.
אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵֽי־לֵוִי֩ לְבֵ֨ית אֲבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם רָאשֵׁ֧י הָאָב֣וֹת לִפְקוּדֵיהֶ֗ם בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שֵׁמוֹת֙ לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם עֹשֵׂה֙ הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָֽעְלָה׃
25For David had said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever.
כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר דָּוִ֔יד הֵנִ֛יחַ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְעַמּ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן בִּירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם עַד־לְעוֹלָֽם׃
26So the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service."
וְגַ֖ם לַלְוִיִּ֑ם אֵין־לָשֵׂ֧את אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֖יו לַעֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃
27For by David's final instructions, the sons of Levi were counted from twenty years old and older.
כִּ֣י בְדִבְרֵ֤י דָוִיד֙ הָאַ֣חֲרֹנִ֔ים הֵ֖מָּה מִסְפַּ֣ר בְּנֵי־לֵוִ֑י מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּלְמָֽעְלָה׃
28Their duty was to assist the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the LORD: to care for the courts and the side rooms, for the purification of all the holy things, and for the work of the service of the house of God—
כִּ֣י מַעֲמָדָ֞ם לְיַד־בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֗ן לַעֲבֹדַת֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה עַל־הַחֲצֵרוֹת֙ וְעַל־הַלְּשָׁכ֔וֹת וְעַֽל־טָהֳרַ֖ת לְכָל־קֹ֑דֶשׁ וּמֽ͏ַעֲשֵׂ֔ה עֲבֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
29for the bread of the Presence, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, what is baked on the griddle and what is well mixed with oil, and for all measures of quantity and size.
וּלְלֶ֨חֶם הַֽמַּעֲרֶ֜כֶת וּלְסֹ֤לֶת לְמִנְחָה֙ וְלִרְקִיקֵ֣י הַמַּצּ֔וֹת וְלַֽמַּחֲבַ֖ת וְלַמֻּרְבָּ֑כֶת וּלְכָל־מְשׂוּרָ֖ה וּמִדָּֽה׃
30They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise in the evening,
וְלַעֲמֹד֙ בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֔קֶר לְהֹד֥וֹת וּלְהַלֵּ֖ל לַיהוָ֑ה וְכֵ֖ן לָעָֽרֶב׃
31and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons, and at the appointed feasts—according to the number prescribed for them, continually before the LORD.
וּלְכֹ֨ל הַעֲל֤וֹת עֹלוֹת֙ לַיהוָ֔ה לַשַּׁבָּת֔וֹת לֶחֳדָשִׁ֖ים וְלַמֹּעֲדִ֑ים בְּמִסְפָּ֨ר כְּמִשְׁפָּ֧ט עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם תָּמִ֖יד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
32So they were to keep charge of the tent of meeting and of the sanctuary, and to assist their kinsmen the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the LORD.
וְשָׁמְר֞וּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֗ד וְאֵת֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ וּמִשְׁמֶ֕רֶת בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֲחֵיהֶ֑ם לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ פ