Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1When David was old and full of years, he installed his son Solomon as king over Israel.

1When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

2Then he gathered all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites.

2David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites.

3The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.

3The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was 38,000 men.

4“Of these,” said David, “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges,

4“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,

54,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.”

54,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 shall offer praises to the LORD with the instruments that I have made for praise.”

6Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

6And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

7The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei.

8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the first, Zetham, and Joel—three in all.

8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

9The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.

9The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Ladan.

10And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.

10And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, and Jeush and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

11Jahath was the first and Zizah was the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were counted as one family and received a single assignment.

11Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, therefore they became counted as a single father’s house.

12The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.

12The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.

13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to dedicate the most holy things, that he and his sons forever should make offerings before the LORD and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name forever.

14As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

14But the sons of Moses the man of God were named among the tribe of Levi.

15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16The descendants of Gershom: Shebuel was the first.

16The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.

17The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer did not have any other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.

17The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah the chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

18The sons of Izhar: Shelomith was the first.

18The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.

19The sons of Hebron: Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

19The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

20The sons of Uzziel: Micah was the first and Isshiah the second.

20The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief and Isshiah the second.

21The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

21The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

22Eleazar died without having any sons; he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

22Eleazar died having no sons, but only daughters; their kinsmen, the sons of Kish, married them.

23The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.

23The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

24These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families, registered individually by name—those twenty years of age or older who worked in the service of the house of the LORD.

24These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses, the heads of fathers’ houses as they were listed according to the number of the names of the individuals from twenty years old and upward who were to do the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

25For David had said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to His people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever.

25For David said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.

26So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”

26And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service.”

27For according to the final instructions of David, the Levites twenty years of age or older were counted,

27For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward.

28but their duty was to assist the descendants of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD, being responsible for the courts and chambers, the purification of all the holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God,

28For their duty was to assist the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God.

29as well as for the rows of the showbread, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.

29Their duty was also to assist with the showbread, the flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and all measures of quantity or size.

30They were also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise in the evening.

30And they were to stand every morning, thanking and praising the LORD, and likewise at evening,

31Whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts, they were to serve regularly before the LORD in the numbers prescribed for them.

31and whenever burnt offerings were offered to the LORD on Sabbaths, new moons, and feast days, according to the number required of them, regularly before the LORD.

32So the Levites were to carry out the responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting and the Holy Place, and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron, the service of the house of the LORD.

32Thus they were to keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and to attend the sons of Aaron, their brothers, for the service of the house of the LORD.

The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.