David Organizes the Levites
Study note
In his old age, David made Solomon king and gathered all of Israel's leaders, priests, and Levites. The Levites who were 30 years old and above were counted, totaling 38,000 men. David divided them into four groups: 24,000 would oversee the temple work, 6,000 would be officials and judges, 4,000 would be gatekeepers, and 4,000 would praise the Lord with musical instruments David had made. The three main Levite clans were descended from Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
1 When David was old and nearing the end of his life, he made his son Solomon king over Israel. So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
2 He gathered together all of Israel's leaders, along with the priests and Levites. And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
3 All the Levites thirty years old and older were counted. The total came to 38,000 men. 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.
4 David assigned 24,000 of them to manage the work of the Lord's temple. Another 6,000 served as officials and judges. 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:
5 Another 4,000 were gatekeepers. And 4,000 were chosen to praise the Lord with instruments David had made for that purpose. Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.
6 David organized them into groups based on Levi's three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
The Families of the Levites
Study note
This section lists the specific families within each of the three Levite clans. The clan of Gershon included the families of Laadan and Shimei. The clan of Kohath included the families of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Aaron and Moses were both from the family of Amram. Aaron and his descendants were set apart for the most holy work of the priesthood, while Moses' descendants were counted among the regular Levites. The clan of Merari included the families of Mahli and Mushi. These family lists helped organize who would serve in which roles at the temple.
7 The Gershon group included the families of Laadan and Shimei. Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.
8 Laadan's sons were Jehiel (the head of the family), Zetham, and Joel -- three sons. The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
9 Shimei's sons were Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran -- three sons. These were the heads of Laadan's family groups. The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.
10 Shimei also had sons named Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah -- four sons in all. And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
11 Jahath was listed first and Zizah second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have large families, so they were counted together as one family group. And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house.
12 Kohath's four sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
13 Amram's sons were Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his family line were set apart forever for a special role. They were to set apart the holiest items to God, burn incense before the Lord, serve him, and speak blessings in his name forever. The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.
14 As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were simply counted as regular members of the tribe of Levi. Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.
15 Moses' sons were Gershom and Eliezer. The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.
16 Gershom's son Shebuel became the family head. Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.
17 Eliezer had only one son, Rehabiah, who became the family head. But Rehabiah had a very large number of descendants. And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
18 Izhar's son Shelomith was the family head. Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.
19 Hebron's sons were Jeriah (the first), Amariah (the second), Jahaziel (the third), and Jekameam (the fourth). Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
20 Uzziel's sons were Micah (the first) and Jesiah (the second). Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah the first, and Jesiah the second.
21 Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. Mahli's sons were Eleazar and Kish. The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.
22 Eleazar died without having any sons. He only had daughters, and their cousins -- Kish's sons -- married them. And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.
23 Mushi had three sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth. The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
The New Duties of the Levites
Study note
David lowered the starting age for Levite service from 30 to 20 years old. He explained that since the Lord had given Israel rest and the ark would now stay permanently in Jerusalem, the Levites no longer needed to carry the tabernacle and its equipment. Instead, their new duties included assisting the priests, caring for the temple courts and rooms, preparing the sacred bread and flour offerings, and leading morning and evening worship. They also served at all the special festivals and Sabbath celebrations.
24 These were the descendants of Levi, organized by family groups. The heads of families were registered and counted individually by name. They were responsible for the work of serving in the Lord's temple, starting at age twenty. These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.
25 David had said, 'The Lord, Israel's God, has given his people a permanent home. He has come to live in Jerusalem forever.' For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:
26 'So the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the tools used for services there.' And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.
27 In David's final orders, all Levites twenty years old and older were counted. For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:
28 Their job was to assist Aaron's descendants with the work in the Lord's temple. They maintained the courtyards, the side rooms, and kept all holy items clean. They helped with every task related to serving in God's house. Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;
29 Both for the showbread, and for the fine flour for the grain offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;
30 Every morning and evening they were to stand and give thanks and praise to the Lord. And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;
31 They also helped with all the burnt offerings to the Lord on Sabbaths, at new moon feasts, and at the yearly festivals. They served before the Lord on a regular schedule, following the rules they had been given. And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:
32 This is how the Levites served. They worked at the Tent of Meeting and the sanctuary. They helped Aaron's family with the Lord's temple work. And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.