The Divisions of the Levites 1 AKJV So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel. BSB BSB: When David was old and full of years, he installed his son Solomon as king over Israel.
2 AKJV And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. BSB BSB: Then he gathered all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites.
3 AKJV Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. BSB BSB: The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.
4 AKJV Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges: BSB BSB: “Of these,” said David, “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges,
5 AKJV Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith. BSB BSB: 4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.”
6 AKJV And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. BSB BSB: Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
The Gershonites (Numbers 3:21–26; Numbers 4:21–28)
7 AKJV Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei. BSB BSB: The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
8 AKJV The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three. BSB BSB: The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the first, Zetham, and Joel—three in all.
9 AKJV The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan. BSB BSB: The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.
10 AKJV And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. BSB BSB: And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.
11 AKJV And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father’s house. BSB BSB: Jahath was the first and Zizah was the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were counted as one family and received a single assignment.
The Kohathites (Numbers 3:27–32; Numbers 4:1–20)
12 AKJV The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. BSB BSB: The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.
13 AKJV The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to him, and to bless in his name for ever. BSB BSB: The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.
14 AKJV Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi. BSB BSB: As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
15 AKJV The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer. BSB BSB: The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
16 AKJV Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief. BSB BSB: The descendants of Gershom: Shebuel was the first.
17 AKJV And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. BSB BSB: The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer did not have any other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.
18 AKJV Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief. BSB BSB: The sons of Izhar: Shelomith was the first.
19 AKJV Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. BSB BSB: The sons of Hebron: Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
20 AKJV Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the first and Jesiah the second. BSB BSB: The sons of Uzziel: Micah was the first and Isshiah the second.
The Merarites (Numbers 3:33–37; Numbers 4:29–33)
21 AKJV The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish. BSB BSB: The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
22 AKJV And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brothers the sons of Kish took them. BSB BSB: Eleazar died without having any sons; he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.
23 AKJV The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three. BSB BSB: The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.
Levite Duties Revised 24 AKJV These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward. BSB BSB: These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families, registered individually by name—those twenty years of age or older who worked in the service of the house of the LORD.
25 AKJV For David said, The LORD God of Israel has given rest to his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever: BSB BSB: For David had said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to His people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever.
26 AKJV And also to the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof. BSB BSB: So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”
27 AKJV For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above: BSB BSB: For according to the final instructions of David, the Levites twenty years of age or older were counted,
28 AKJV Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God; BSB BSB: but their duty was to assist the descendants of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD, being responsible for the courts and chambers, the purification of all the holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God,
29 AKJV Both for the show bread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; BSB BSB: as well as for the rows of the showbread, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.
30 AKJV And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even: BSB BSB: They were also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise in the evening.
31 AKJV And to offer all burnt sacrifices to the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded to them, continually before the LORD: BSB BSB: Whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts, they were to serve regularly before the LORD in the numbers prescribed for them.
32 AKJV And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brothers, in the service of the house of the LORD. BSB BSB: So the Levites were to carry out the responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting and the Holy Place, and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron, the service of the house of the LORD.
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