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

When David was an old man, he made his son Solomon king of Israel.

2 A nd he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

He gathered together all the leaders of Israel, the religious leaders, and the Levites.

3 N ow the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand.

The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and older. Their number was 38, 000.

4 O f these, twenty-four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the Lord, six thousand were officers and judges,

Of these, 24, 000 were to watch over the work of the Lord’s house. There were 6, 000 who were leaders and men who were to judge.

5 f our thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments, “which I made,” said David, “for giving praise.”

There were 4, 000 gate-keepers. And 4, 000 were praising the Lord with the things for playing music that David had made.

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

David divided them into groups by the sons of Levi, Gershon and Kohath and Merari.

7 O f the Gershonites: Laadan and Shimei.

The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei.

8 T he sons of Laadan: the first Jehiel, then Zetham and Joel—three in all.

The sons of Ladan were Jehiel the first, then Zetham and Joel, three in all.

9 T he sons of Shimei: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Laadan.

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

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

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

11 J ahath was the first and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; therefore they were assigned as one father’s house.

Jahath was the first, and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were numbered together as one father’s house.

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

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

13 T he sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was set apart, he and his sons forever, that he should sanctify the most holy things, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister to Him, and to give the blessing in His name forever.

The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart for holy work, he and his sons forever. They were to burn special perfume before the Lord, and do His work. And they were to pray for good to come to the people in the Lord’s name forever.

14 N ow the sons of Moses the man of God were reckoned to the tribe of Levi.

But the names of the sons of Moses the man of God were among the family of Levi.

15 T he sons of Moses were Gershon and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.

16 O f the sons of Gershon, Shebuel was the first.

The son of Gershom was Shebuel the leader.

17 O f the descendants of Eliezer, Rehabiah was the first. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the leader. Eliezer had no other sons. But Rehabiah had many sons.

18 O f the sons of Izhar, Shelomith was the first.

The son of Izhar was Shelomith the leader.

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

The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jehaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

20 O f the sons of Uzziel, Michah was the first and Jesshiah the second.

The sons of Uzziel were Micah the first, and Isshiah the second.

21 T he sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.

The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.

22 A nd Eleazar died, and had no sons, but only daughters; and their brethren, the sons of Kish, took them as wives.

Eleazar died and had no sons, only daughters. Their brothers the sons of Kish married them.

23 T he sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.

The three sons of Mushi were Mahli and Eder and Jeremoth.

24 T hese were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses—the heads of the fathers’ houses as they were counted individually by the number of their names, who did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of twenty years and above.

These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses. They were the heads of the fathers’ houses of those whose names were numbered from twenty years old and older. They were to do the work of the Lord’s house.

25 F or David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever”;

For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given peace to his people. And He lives in Jerusalem forever.

26 a nd also to the Levites, “They shall no longer carry the tabernacle, or any of the articles for its service.”

The Levites do not need to carry the meeting tent and all the parts for its work any longer.”

27 F or by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above;

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

28 b ecause their duty was to help the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts and in the chambers, in the purifying of all holy things and the work of the service of the house of God,

He said, “Their duties are to help Aaron’s sons with the work of the Lord’s house, in the open spaces and in the rooms. They are to make clean all the holy things, and do any work needed to be done in the house of God.

29 b oth with the showbread and the fine flour for the grain offering, with the unleavened cakes and what is baked in the pan, with what is mixed and with all kinds of measures and sizes;

They are to take care of the holy bread, the fine flour for a grain gift, and the bread without yeast. They are to take care of what is baked, and what is well mixed, of all the right amounts.

30 t o stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening;

They are to stand every morning and evening to thank and praise the Lord.

31 a nd at every presentation of a burnt offering to the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the set feasts, by number according to the ordinance governing them, regularly before the Lord;

And they are to give all the burnt gifts to the Lord on the Days of Rest, the new moons, and the special days. They are to do this before the Lord all the time, by the number set by the Law.

32 a nd that they should attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, the needs of the holy place, and the needs of the sons of Aaron their brethren in the work of the house of the Lord.

In this way they are to take care of the meeting tent, the holy place, and help their brothers the sons of Aaron, for the work of the Lord’s house.