1 N ow David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

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

2 H e gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

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

3 T he Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand.

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

4 D avid said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of Yahweh’s house, 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 doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made 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 D avid divided them into divisions according to 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: Ladan and Shimei.

The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei.

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

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

9 T he sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan.

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

10 T he sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the 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 chief, and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah didn’t have many sons; therefore they became a fathers’ house in one reckoning.

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.

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

13 T he sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, forever, to burn incense before Yahweh, to minister to him, and to bless 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 B ut as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among 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: Gershom and Eliezer.

The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.

16 T he sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.

The son of Gershom was Shebuel the leader.

17 T he sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief; 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 T he sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.

The son of Izhar was Shelomith the leader.

19 T he sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, 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 T he sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second.

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

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

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

22 E leazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brothers 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: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

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

24 T hese were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those who were counted individually, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of Yahweh’s house, from twenty years old and upward.

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, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells 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 lso the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels 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 sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and upward.

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

28 F or their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of Yahweh’s house, in the courts, and in the rooms, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of God’s house;

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 f or the show bread also, and for the fine flour for a meal offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all measurements of quantity and size;

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 a nd to stand every morning to thank and praise Yahweh, and likewise in the evening;

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

31 a nd to offer all burnt offerings to Yahweh, on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, in number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before Yahweh;

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 keep the duty of the Tent of Meeting, the duty of the holy place, and the duty of the sons of Aaron their brothers, for the service of Yahweh’s house.

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.