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1 Chronicles 23:2–6

2 And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel with the priests and the Levites.

Offices of the Levites

3 aThe Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward, and btheir number by 1census of men was 38,000.

4 Of these, 24,000 were ato oversee the work of the house of the Lord; and 6,000 were bofficers and judges,

5 and 4,000 were gatekeepers, and a4,000 were praising the Lord with the instruments which 1David made for giving praise.

6 David divided them into divisions aaccording to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — The New International Version (NIV)

He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand. David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges. Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.”

David separated the Levites into divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — English Standard Version (ESV)

David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was 38,000 men. “Twenty-four thousand of these,” David said, “shall have charge of the work in the house of the Lord, 6,000 shall be officers and judges, 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 shall offer praises to the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praise.” And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. 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. 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: Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith. And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — New Living Translation (NLT)

David summoned all the leaders of Israel, together with the priests and Levites. All the Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted, and the total came to 38,000. Then David said, “From all the Levites, 24,000 will supervise the work at the Temple of the Lord. Another 6,000 will serve as officials and judges. Another 4,000 will work as gatekeepers, and 4,000 will praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have made.” Then David divided the Levites into divisions named after the clans descended from the three sons of Levi—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand. Of these, twenty-four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the Lord, six thousand were officers and judges, four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments, “which I made,” said David, “for giving praise.”

Also David separated them into divisions among the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — New Century Version (NCV)

David gathered all the leaders of Israel, along with the priests and Levites. He counted the Levites who were thirty years old and older. In all, there were thirty-eight thousand Levites. David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand Levites will direct the work of the Temple of the Lord, six thousand Levites will be officers and judges, four thousand Levites will be gatekeepers, and four thousand Levites will praise the Lord with musical instruments I made for giving praise.”

David separated the Levites into three groups that were led by Levi’s three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — American Standard Version (ASV)

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. And the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. Of these, twenty and four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of Jehovah; and six thousand were officers and judges; and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised Jehovah with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith. And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. And the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward; and their number, by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand. Of these, twenty-four thousand were to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah; and six thousand were officers and judges; and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised Jehovah with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith. And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

He gathered all the officials of Israel and the priests and Levites. Every male Levite who was at least 30 years old was counted. There were 38,000. Of these, 24,000 were appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple, 6,000 were appointed to be officers and judges, 4,000 were appointed to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 were appointed to praise the Lord with the instruments David had made for praising God. David organized the Levites into divisions based on which of Levi’s sons (Gershon, Kohath, or Merari) they were descended from. 

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Then he gathered all the leaders of Israel, the priests, and the Levites. The Levites 30 years old or more were counted; the total number of men was 38,000 by headcount. “Of these,” David said, “24,000 are to be in charge of the work on the Lord’s temple, 6,000 are to be officers and judges, 4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the Lord with the instruments that I have made for worship.”

Then David divided them into divisions according to Levi’s sons: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were counted, and the total was thirty-eight thousand. “Twenty-four thousand of these,” David said, “shall have charge of the work in the house of the Lord, six thousand shall be officers and judges, four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand shall offer praises to the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praise.” And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

And he assembled all the commanders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. And the Levites from thirty years old and above were counted, and their number according to their head count for the men was thirty-eight thousand. Of these, David said, “Twenty-four thousand are to direct the work of the house of Yahweh, along with six thousand judges and officials, four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand offering praise to Yahweh with the instruments that I have made for praise.” And David organized them in divisions according to the sons of Levi: to Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:2–6 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

He gathered together all of the leaders of Israel. He also gathered the priests and the Levites together. The Levites who were 30 years old or more were counted. The total number of men was 38,000.

David said, “From them, 24,000 will direct the work of the Lord’s temple. And 6,000 will be officials and judges. Another 4,000 will guard the gates. And 4,000 will praise the Lord with the instruments of music I’ve provided for that purpose.”

David separated the Levites into groups. He did it based on the sons of Levi. The sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.


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