1 Chronicles 24–26

24TH CHAPTER

The Organization of the Priests

¹The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows: Aaron’s sons were Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ²Nadab and Abihu died before their father died, and neither had any children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. 

³David, Eleazar’s descendant Zadok, and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech divided Aaron’s descendants into groups for service. ⁴Since Eleazar’s descendants had more men who were family heads than Ithamar’s descendants, they were divided so that Eleazar’s descendants had 16 family leaders and Ithamar’s descendants had 8 family leaders. ⁵Both groups were divided impartially by drawing lots so that there were officers for the holy place and officers for God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants. ⁶The scribe Shemaiah was a son of Nethanel and a descendant of Levi. Shemaiah recorded their names in the presence of the king, the princes, the priest Zadok, Ahimelech (son of Abiathar), and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. One family was chosen for Eleazar, another for Ithamar. 

⁷The first lot drawn was for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, ⁸the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, ⁹the fifth for Malchiah, the sixth for Mijamin, ¹⁰the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah, ¹¹the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah, ¹²the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim, ¹³the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab, ¹⁴the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer, ¹⁵the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez, ¹⁶the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel, ¹⁷the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul, ¹⁸the twenty-third for Delaiah, the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. ¹⁹These were their priestly groups when they went to serve at the Lord’s temple. Their ancestor Aaron made these rules for them, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him. 

The Organization of the Levites

²⁰⸤The following men were leaders⸥ for Levi’s descendants ⸤from Kohath⸥: 

Jehdeiah (for Amram’s descendants through Shubael), 

²¹Isshiah (⸤for Amram’s descendants⸥ through Rehabiah), 

²²Jahath (for Izhar’s descendants through Shelomoth), 

²³Jeriah (for Hebron’s descendants^a), 

Amariah (the second ⸤of Hebron’s descendants⸥), 

Jahaziel (the third ⸤of Hebron’s descendants⸥), 

Jekameam (the fourth ⸤of Hebron’s descendants⸥), 

²⁴Shamir (for Uzziel’s descendants through Micah), 

²⁵and Zechariah (for ⸤Uzziel’s⸥ descendants through Micah’s brother 

Isshiah). 

²⁶The following men were leaders from Levi’s descendants from Merari: 

Mahli, Mushi, and Merari’s son Jaaziah, 

²⁷Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri (for Merari’s descendants through his son 

Jaaziah), 

²⁸Eleazar (who had no sons, for Mahli’s descendants), 

²⁹Jerahmeel (for ⸤Mahli’s⸥ descendants through Kish), 

³⁰Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth (for Mushi’s descendants). 

These were Levi’s descendants according to their families. ³¹They drew lots as their relatives, Aaron’s descendants, had done. They drew them in front of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the leaders of the families of the priests and Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same way as those of the youngest. 

25TH CHAPTER

David Appoints Musicians for the Temple

¹David and the army commanders appointed the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to serve as prophets with lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men who performed this service: 

²From the sons of Asaph were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah. (They were directed by Asaph, who served as a prophet under the king’s direction.) 

³From the sons of Jeduthun were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, Mattithiah. (The six brothers were directed by their father, the prophet Jeduthun. They thanked and praised the Lord as they played lyres.) 

⁴From the sons of Heman were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ⁵(All of them were the sons of the king’s seer^aHeman. They were given to him to make him prominent, as God had promised. So God gave Heman 14 sons and 3 daughters.) 

⁶All these ⸤Levites⸥ sang at the Lord’s temple under the direction of their fathers Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. They played cymbals, lyres, and harps for worship in God’s temple under the direction of the king. ⁷They, along with their relatives, were trained, skilled musicians for the Lord. There were 288 of them. 

⁸They drew lots for their assignment of duties, the youngest as well as the oldest, the skilled ⸤musicians⸥ along with the students. 

⁹The first lot drawn chose Joseph, the son of Asaph. 

The second chose Gedaliah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹⁰The third chose Zaccur, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹¹The fourth chose Izri, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹²The fifth chose Nethaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹³The sixth chose Bukkiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹⁴The seventh chose Jesarelah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹⁵The eighth chose Jeshaiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹⁶The ninth chose Mattaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹⁷The tenth chose Shimei, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹⁸The eleventh chose Azarel, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

¹⁹The twelfth chose Hashabiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²⁰The thirteenth chose Shubael, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²¹The fourteenth chose Mattithiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²²The fifteenth chose Jeremoth, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²³The sixteenth chose Hananiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²⁴The seventeenth chose Joshbekashah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²⁵The eighteenth chose Hanani, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²⁶The nineteenth chose Mallothi, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²⁷The twentieth chose Eliathah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²⁸The twenty-first chose Hothir, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

²⁹The twenty-second chose Giddalti, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

³⁰The twenty-third chose Mahazioth, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

³¹The twenty-fourth chose Romamti Ezer, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

26TH CHAPTER

David Appoints Gatekeepers for the Temple

¹The following were the divisions of the gatekeepers: For Korah’s descendants there was Meshelemiah, the son of Kore, from the descendants of Asaph. ²Meshelemiah’s sons were Zechariah (the firstborn), Jediael (the second), Zebadiah (the third), Jathniel (the fourth), ³Elam (the fifth), Jehohanan (the sixth), Eliehoenai (the seventh). 

⁴⸤Also for Korah’s descendants⸥ there were Obed Edom’s sons Shemaiah (the firstborn), Jehozabad (the second), Joah (the third), Sachar (the fourth), Nethanel (the fifth), ⁵Ammiel (the sixth), Issachar (the seventh), Peullethai (the eighth). God had blessed Obed Edom. ⁶His son Shemaiah had sons who ruled their families because they were soldiers. ⁷Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, and Othni’s skilled brothers Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, as well as Elihu and Semachiah. ⁸All of these people were Obed Edom’s descendants. They, their sons, and their relatives were skilled and had the ability to perform the service. Obed Edom’s family included 62 men. 

⁹Meshelemiah’s sons and relatives were 18 skilled men. 

¹⁰From the descendants of Merari there were Hosah’s sons. Shimri was the head, although he was not the firstborn. His father appointed him head. ¹¹Hosah’s other sons were Hilkiah (the second), Tebaliah (the third), and Zechariah (the fourth). There were 13 sons and relatives of Hosah. 

¹²These divisions of gatekeepers through their head men were assigned duties with their relatives to serve in the Lord’s temple. ¹³They drew lots by families, youngest and oldest alike, for every gate. ¹⁴Shelemiah was chosen for the east side. His son Zechariah, a counselor who displayed insight, was chosen for the north side. ¹⁵Obed Edom was chosen for the south side, and his sons were chosen for the storerooms. ¹⁶Shuppim and Hosah were chosen for the west side with Shallecheth Gate at the gateway that goes to the palace. 

One squad of guards served its watch after another. ¹⁷On the east side there were six Levites. On the north there were four every day. On the south there were four every day. At the storerooms there were four, two at each entrance. ¹⁸At the courtyardon the west there were four Levites at the gateway to the palace and two at the courtyard itself. ¹⁹These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among Korah’s and Merari’s descendants. 

David Appoints Treasurers for the Temple

²⁰Ahijah, a Levite, was in charge of the treasuries in God’s temple and the treasuries of the gifts dedicated to God. ²¹⸤There were also⸥ the descendants of Ladan, who was descended from Gershon. ⸤Those who served⸥ for Ladan, the descendant of Gershon, were the heads of Ladan’s families: Jehiel ²²⸤and⸥ Jehiel’s sons Zetham and Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries in the Lord’s temple. ²³For the descendants of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, ²⁴there was Shebuel, a descendant of Moses’ son Gershom. He was the highest-ranking official in charge of the treasuries. ²⁵From his relatives on Eliezer’s side of the family was Shelomith. (Eliezer’s son was Rehabiah; his grandson was Jeshaiah; his great-grandson was Joram. Joram’s son was Zichri; his grandson was Shelomith.) ²⁶He and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries of the gifts dedicated to God that King David, the heads of families, the commanders of regiments and battalions, and the commanders of the army had donated. ²⁷(They had donated some of the loot taken in battle to support the Lord’s temple.) ²⁸Everything that Samuel the seer,^bSaul (son of Kish), Abner (son of Ner), and Joab (son of Zeruiah) had donated—everything that had been donated—was under the supervision of Shelomith and his relatives. 

David Appoints Levites to Oversee Israel’s Worship

²⁹From Izhar’s…