Chapter 24

Divisions of Levites

1 Now the divisions of the 1descendants of Aaron were these: athe sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

2 aBut Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no 1sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

3 David, with aZadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices 1for their ministry.

4 Since more chief men were found from the 1descendants of Eleazar than the 1descendants of Ithamar, they divided them thus: there were sixteen heads of fathers’ households of the 1descendants of Eleazar and eight of the 1descendants of Ithamar, according to their fathers’ households.

5 aThus they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God, both from the 1descendants of Eleazar and the 1descendants of Ithamar.

6 Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, from the Levites, recorded them in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, aAhimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites; one father’s household taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar.

7 Now the first lot came out for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah,

8 the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim,

9 the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin,

10 the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for aAbijah,

11 the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah,

12 the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim,

13 the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab,

14 the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer,

15 the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez,

16 the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel,

17 the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul,

18 the twenty-third for Delaiah, the twenty-fourth for Maaziah.

19 aThese were their offices for their ministry when they came in to the house of the Lord according to the ordinance given to them through Aaron their father, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

20 Now for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, 1Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah.

21 Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the first.

22 Of the Izharites, 1Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath.

23 The sons aof Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

24 Of the sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir.

25 The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.

26 The sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah, Beno.

27 The sons of Merari: by Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri.

28 By Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

29 By Kish: the sons of Kish, Jerahmeel.

30 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers’ households.

31 aThese also cast lots just as their 1relatives the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, bZadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites—the head of fathers’ households as well as those of his younger brother.

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.