Chapter 25

Number and Services of Musicians

1 Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of aAsaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to bprophesy with lyres, charps and cymbals; and the number of 1those who performed their service was:

2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and 1Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the 2direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the 2direction of the king.

3 aOf Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, 1Zeri, Jeshaiah, 2Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the 3direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord.

4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, 1Uzziel, 2Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.

5 All these were the sons of Heman athe king’s seer to 1exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman.

6 All these were under the 1direction of their father to sing in the house of the Lord, awith cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. bAsaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the 1direction of the king.

7 Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their 1relatives, all who were skillful, was a288.

Divisions of Musicians

8 aThey cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil.

9 Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve;

10 the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

11 the fourth to 1Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

14 the seventh to 1Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

18 the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

20 for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

21 for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

22 for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

23 for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

24 for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

25 for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

26 for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

27 for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

28 for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

29 for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

30 for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

31 for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve.

Chapter 26

Divisions of the Gatekeepers

1 For the divisions of the gatekeepers there were of the Korahites, 1Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of 2Asaph.

2 Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

3 Elam the fifth, Johanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.

4 aObed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,

5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh and Peullethai the eighth; God had indeed blessed him.

6 Also to his son Shemaiah sons were born who ruled over the house of their father, for they were mighty men of valor.

7 The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, whose brothers, Elihu and Semachiah, were valiant men.

8 All these were of the sons of Obed-edom; they and their sons and their 1relatives were able men with strength for the service, 62 from Obed-edom.

9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, 18 valiant men.

10 Also aHosah, one of the sons of Merari had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father made him first),

11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the sons and relatives of Hosah were 13.

12 To these divisions of the gatekeepers, the chief men, were given duties like their relatives to minister in the house of the Lord.

13 aThey cast lots, the small and the great alike, according to their fathers’ households, for every gate.

14 The lot to the east fell to 1Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a counselor with insight, and his lot came out to the north.

15 For Obed-edom it fell to the south, and to his sons went the storehouse.

16 For Shuppim and Hosah it was to the west, by the gate of Shallecheth, on the ascending highway. Guard corresponded to guard.

17 On the east there were six Levites, on the north four daily, on the south four daily, and at the storehouse two by two.

18 At the 1aParbar on the west there were four at the highway and two at the Parbar.

19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers of the sons of Korah and of the sons of Merari.

Keepers of the Treasure

20 1The Levites, their relatives, 2had acharge of the treasures of the house of God and of the treasures of the dedicated gifts.

21 The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, namely, the Jehielites, were the heads of the fathers’ households, belonging to Ladan the Gershonite.

22 The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and Joel his brother, 1had charge of the treasures of the house of the Lord.

23 As for the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites,

24 Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was officer over the treasures.

25 His relatives by Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son and Shelomoth his son.

26 This Shelomoth and his relatives 1had charge of all the treasures of the dedicated gifts awhich King David and the heads of the fathers’ households, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the commanders of the army, had dedicated.

27 They dedicated 1part of the spoil won in battles to repair the house of the Lord.

28 And all that Samuel the seer had dedicated and Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner and Joab the son of Zeruiah, everyone who had dedicated anything, all of this was 1in the care of 2Shelomoth and his relatives.

Outside Duties

29 As for the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons awere assigned to outside duties for Israel, as bofficers and judges.

30 As for the Hebronites, aHashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, had charge of the affairs of Israel 1west of the Jordan, for all the work of the Lord and the service of the king.

31 As for the Hebronites, aJerijah the chief 1(these Hebronites were investigated according to their genealogies and fathers’ households, in the fortieth year of David’s reign, and men of outstanding capability were found among them at bJazer of Gilead)

32 and his relatives, capable men, were 2,700 in number, heads of fathers’ households. And King David made them overseers of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of the Manassites aconcerning 1all the affairs of God and of the king.

Chapter 27

Commanders of the Army

1 Now this is the enumeration of the sons of Israel, the heads of fathers’ households, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all the affairs of the divisions which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, each division numbering 24,000:

2 Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel 1ahad charge of the first division for the first month; and in his division were 24,000.

3 He was from the sons of Perez, and was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month.

4 Dodai the Ahohite and his division had charge of the division for the second month, Mikloth being the chief officer; and in his division were 24,000.

5 The third commander of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, as chief; and in his division were 24,000.

6 This Benaiah was the mighty man of the thirty, and had charge of thirty; and over his division was Ammizabad his son.

7 The fourth for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him; and in his division were 24,000.

8 The fifth for the fifth month was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite; and in his division were 24,000.

9 The sixth for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; and in his division were 24,000.

10 The seventh for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000.

11 The eighth for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000.

12 The ninth for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite of the Benjamites; and in his division were 24,000.

13 The tenth for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000.

14 The eleventh for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000.

15 The twelfth for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite of Othniel; and in his division were 24,000.

Chief Officers of the Tribes

16 Now in charge of the tribes of Israel: chief officer for the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;

17 for Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok;

18 for Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri the son of Michael;

19 for Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; for Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel;

20 for the sons of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah; for the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah;

21 for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner;

22 for Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. aThese were the princes of the tribes of Israel.

23 But David did not 1count those twenty years of age and under, abecause the Lord had said He would multiply Israel bas the stars of heaven.

24 Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to count them, but did not finish; and because of athis, wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not included in the account of the chronicles of King David.

Various Overseers

25 Now Azmaveth the son of Adiel had charge of the king’s storehouses. And Jonathan the son of Uzziah had charge of the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers.

26 Ezri the son of Chelub had charge of the 1agricultural workers who tilled the soil.

27 Shimei the Ramathite had charge of the vineyards; and Zabdi the Shiphmite had charge of the 1produce of the vineyards stored in the wine cellars.

28 Baal-hanan the Gederite had charge of the olive and asycamore trees in the 1Shephelah; and Joash had charge of the stores of oil.

29 Shitrai the Sharonite had charge of the cattle which were grazing in aSharon; and Shaphat the son of Adlai had charge of the cattle in the valleys.

30 Obil the Ishmaelite had charge of the camels; and Jehdeiah the Meronothite had charge of the donkeys.

31 Jaziz the aHagrite had charge of the flocks. All these were 1overseers of the property which belonged to King David.

Counselors

32 Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni 1tutored the king’s sons.

33 aAhithophel was counselor to the king; and bHushai the Archite was the king’s friend.

34 Jehoiada the son of aBenaiah, and bAbiathar 1succeeded Ahithophel; and Joab was the ccommander of the king’s army.