1 Chronicles 24-26

New English Translation

David Organizes the Priests

24 The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows:

The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

² Nadab and Abihu died before their father did; they had no sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

³ David, Zadok (a descendant of Eleazar), and Ahimelech (a descendant of Ithamar) divided them into groups to carry out their assigned responsibilities.^{[a] 4} The descendants of Eleazar had more leaders than the descendants of Ithamar, so they divided them up accordingly; the descendants of Eleazar had sixteen leaders, while the descendants of Ithamar had eight.^{[b] 5} They divided them by lots, for there were officials of the Holy Place and officials designated by God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.^{[c] 6} The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, wrote down their names before the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the priestly and Levite families. One family was drawn by lot from Eleazar, and then the next from Ithamar.^[d]

⁷ The first lot went to Jehoiarib,

the second to Jedaiah,

⁸ the third to Harim,

the fourth to Seorim,

⁹ the fifth to Malkijah,

the sixth to Mijamin,

¹⁰ the seventh to Hakkoz,

the eighth to Abijah,

¹¹ the ninth to Jeshua,

the tenth to Shecaniah,

¹² the eleventh to Eliashib,

the twelfth to Jakim,

¹³ the thirteenth to Huppah,

the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

¹⁴ the fifteenth to Bilgah,

the sixteenth to Immer,

¹⁵ the seventeenth to Hezir,

the eighteenth to Happizzez,

¹⁶ the nineteenth to Pethahiah,

the twentieth to Jehezkel,

¹⁷ the twenty-first to Jakin,

the twenty-second to Gamul,

¹⁸ the twenty-third to Delaiah,

the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

¹⁹ This was the order in which they carried out their assigned responsibilities when they entered the Lord’s temple, according to the regulations given them by their ancestor^[e] Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had instructed him.^[f]

Remaining Levites

²⁰ The rest of the Levites included:^[g]

Shubael^[h] from the sons of Amram,

Jehdeiah from the sons of Shubael,

²¹ the firstborn Isshiah from Rehabiah and the sons of Rehabiah,

²² Shelomoth from the Izharites,

Jahath from the sons of Shelomoth.

²³ The sons of Hebron:^[i] Jeriah, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²⁴ The son^[j] of Uzziel: Micah;

Shamir from the sons of Micah.

²⁵ The brother of Micah: Isshiah.

Zechariah from the sons of Isshiah.

²⁶ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.

The son of Jaaziah: Beno.^[k]

²⁷ The sons of Merari, from Jaaziah: Beno,^[l] Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.

²⁸ From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

²⁹ From Kish: Jerahmeel.^[m]

³⁰ The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

These were the Levites, listed by their families.

³¹ Like their relatives, the descendants of Aaron, they also cast lots before King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, the leaders of families, the priests, and the Levites. The families of the oldest son cast lots along with those of the youngest.^[n]

David Organizes the Musicians

25 David and the army officers selected some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy as they played stringed instruments and cymbals.^[o] The following men were assigned this responsibility:^[p]

² From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were supervised by Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.^[q]

³ From the sons of Jeduthun:^[r] Gedaliah, Zeri,^[s] Jeshaiah,^[t] Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six in all,^[u] under supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied as he played a harp, giving thanks and praise to the Lord.

⁴ From the sons of Heman:^[v] Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ⁵ All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious.^[w] God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

⁶ All these were under the supervision of their fathers; they were musicians in the Lord’s temple, playing cymbals and stringed instruments as they served in God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the supervision of the king. ⁷ They and their relatives, all of them skilled and trained to make music to the Lord, numbered 288.^[x]

⁸ They cast lots to determine their responsibilities—oldest as well as youngest, teacher as well as student.^[y]

⁹ The first lot went to Asaph’s son Joseph and his relatives and sons—twelve in all,^[z]

the second to Gedaliah and his relatives and sons—twelve in all,

¹⁰ the third to Zaccur and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹¹ the fourth to Izri^[aa] and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹² the fifth to Nethaniah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹³ the sixth to Bukkiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹⁴ the seventh to Jesharelah^[ab] and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹⁵ the eighth to Jeshaiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹⁶ the ninth to Mattaniah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹⁷ the tenth to Shimei and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹⁸ the eleventh to Azarel^[ac] and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

¹⁹ the twelfth to Hashabiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²⁰ the thirteenth to Shubael and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²¹ the fourteenth to Mattithiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²² the fifteenth to Jerimoth and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²³ the sixteenth to Hananiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²⁴ the seventeenth to Joshbekashah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²⁵ the eighteenth to Hanani and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²⁶ the nineteenth to Mallothi and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²⁷ the twentieth to Eliathah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²⁸ the twenty-first to Hothir and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

²⁹ the twenty-second to Giddalti and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

³⁰ the twenty-third to Mahazioth and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

³¹ the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer and his sons and relatives—twelve in all.

Divisions of Gatekeepers

26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:

From the Korahites: Meshelemiah, son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.

² Meshelemiah’s sons:

The firstborn Zechariah, the second Jediael, the third Zebadiah, the fourth Jathniel, ³ the fifth Elam, the sixth Jehohanan, and the seventh Elihoenai.

⁴ Obed-Edom’s sons:

The firstborn Shemaiah, the second Jehozabad, the third Joah, the fourth Sakar, the fifth Nethanel, ⁵ the sixth Ammiel, the seventh Issachar, and the eighth Peullethai. (Indeed, God blessed Obed-Edom.^[ad])

⁶ His son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders of their families, for they were highly respected. ⁷ The sons of Shemaiah:

Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. His relatives^[ae] Elihu and Semakiah were also respected.

⁸ All these were the descendants of Obed-Edom. They and their sons and relatives were respected men, capable of doing their responsibilities. There were sixty-two of them related to Obed-Edom.

⁹ Meshelemiah had sons and relatives who were respected—eighteen in all.

¹⁰ Hosah, one of the descendants of Merari, had sons:

The firstborn Shimri (he was not actually the firstborn, but his father gave him that status), ¹¹ the second Hilkiah, the third Tebaliah, and the fourth Zechariah. All Hosah’s sons and relatives numbered thirteen.

¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had assigned responsibilities, like their relatives, as they served in the Lord’s temple.

¹³ They cast lots, both young and old, according to their families, to determine which gate they would be responsible for.^{[af] 14} The lot for the east gate went to Shelemiah.^[ag] They then cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise adviser, and the lot for the north gate went to him. ¹⁵ Obed-Edom was assigned the south gate, and his sons were assigned the storehouses. ¹⁶ Shuppim and Hosah were assigned the west gate, along with the Shalleketh gate on the upper road. One guard was adjacent to another.^{[ah] 17} Each day there were six Levites posted on the east, four on the north, and four on the south. At the storehouses they were posted in pairs. ¹⁸ At the court on the west there were four posted on the road and two at the court. ¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.

Supervisors of the Storehouses

²⁰ Their fellow Levites were^[ai] in charge of the storehouses^[aj] in God’s temple and the storehouses containing consecrated items. ²¹ The descendants of Ladan,^[ak] who were descended from Gershon through Ladan and were leaders of the families of Ladan the Gershonite, included Jehieli^{[al] 22} and the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the storehouses in the Lord’s temple.

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

²⁴ Shebuel^[am] son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was the supervisor of the storehouses. ²⁵ His relatives through Eliezer included: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zikri his son, and Shelomith^[an] his son. ²⁶ Shelomith^[ao] and his relatives were in charge of all the storehouses containing the consecrated items dedicated by King David, the family leaders who led units of a thousand and a hundred, and the army officers. ²⁷ They had dedicated some of the plunder taken in battles to be used for repairs on the Lord’s temple. ²⁸ They were also in charge of everything dedicated by Samuel the prophet,^[ap] Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah; Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of everything that had been dedicated.

²⁹ As for the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were given responsibilities outside the temple^[aq] as officers and judges over Israel.

³⁰ As for the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 respected men, were assigned responsibilities in Israel west of the Jordan; they did the Lord’s work and the king’s service.

³¹ As for the Hebronites: Jeriah was the leader of the Hebronites according to the genealogical records. In the fortieth year of David’s reign, they examined the records and discovered^[ar] there were highly respected men in Jazer in Gilead. ³² Jeriah had 2,700 relatives who were respected family leaders.^[as] King David placed them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh; they took care of all matters pertaining to God and the king.^[at]