The Divisions of the Levites 1 UEB When David was old and near the end of his life, 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 UEB He gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and Levites. BSB BSB: Then he gathered all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites.
3 UEB The Levites who were thirty years old and older were counted. They numbered thirty-eight thousand. BSB BSB: The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.
4 UEB "Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of Yahweh's house, 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 UEB Four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand were to praise Yahweh with the instruments that I made to give praise," David said. 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 UEB He divided them into groups that corresponded to Levi's sons: 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 UEB From the clans descended from Gershon, there were Ladan and Shimei. BSB BSB: The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
8 UEB There were three of Ladan's sons: Jehiel the leader, Zetham, and Joel. BSB BSB: The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the first, Zetham, and Joel—three in all.
9 UEB There were three of Shimei's sons: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran. These were the leaders of the clans of Ladan. BSB BSB: The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.
10 UEB There were four of Shimei's sons: Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah. BSB BSB: And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.
11 UEB Jahath was the oldest, and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were considered as one clan with the same duties. 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 UEB There were four of Kohath's sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. BSB BSB: The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.
13 UEB These were Amram's sons: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was chosen to set apart the most holy things, that he and his descendants would offer incense before Yahweh, to serve him and to give blessings in his name forever. 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 UEB But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were considered to be Levites. BSB BSB: As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
15 UEB Moses' sons were Gershom and Eliezer. BSB BSB: The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
16 UEB Gershom's descendant was Shubael the oldest. BSB BSB: The descendants of Gershom: Shebuel was the first.
17 UEB Eliezer's descendant was Rehabiah. Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many descendants. 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 UEB Izhar's son was Shelomith the leader. BSB BSB: The sons of Izhar: Shelomith was the first.
19 UEB Hebron's descendants were Jeriah, the oldest, 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 UEB Uzziel's sons were Micah the oldest, and Ishijah 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 UEB Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. Mahli's sons were Eleazar and Kish. BSB BSB: The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
22 UEB Eleazar died without having any sons. He had only daughters. The sons of Kish married them. BSB BSB: Eleazar died without having any sons; he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.
23 UEB Mushi's three sons were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. BSB BSB: The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.
Levite Duties Revised 24 UEB These were Levi's descendants corresponding to their clans. They were the leaders, counted and listed by name, of the clans that did the work in the service of Yahweh's house, from twenty years old 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 UEB For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people. He makes his home in Jerusalem forever. 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 UEB The Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all the equipment used in its service." BSB BSB: So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”
27 UEB For by David's last words the Levites were counted, from twenty years old and upward. BSB BSB: For according to the final instructions of David, the Levites twenty years of age or older were counted,
28 UEB Their duty was to assist Aaron's descendants in the service of Yahweh's house. They were to care for the courtyards, the rooms, the ceremonial purification of all the things that belong to Yahweh, and other work in the service of God's house. 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 UEB They also took care of the bread of the presence, the fine flour for grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baked offerings, the offerings mixed with oil, and all the measuring of the amounts and sizes of things. 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 UEB They also stood every morning to thank and praise Yahweh. They also did this in the evening BSB BSB: They were also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise in the evening.
31 UEB and whenever burnt offerings were offered to Yahweh, on the Sabbath and at the new moon festivals and feast days. A fixed number, assigned by decree, always had to be present before Yahweh. 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 UEB They were in charge of the tent of meeting, the holy place, and helped their fellow descendants of Aaron in the service of Yahweh's house. 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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