1 A nd to the sons of Aaron their courses: sons of Aaron Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar,

These were the family groups of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

2 a nd Nadab dieth, and Abihu, in the presence of their father, and they had no sons, and Eleazar and Ithamar act as priests.

Nadab and Abihu died before their father died. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar became the religious leaders.

3 A nd David distributeth them, and Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their office in their service;

With the help of Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, David divided them by their given duties.

4 a nd there are found of the sons of Eleazar more for heads of the mighty men than of the sons of Ithamar; and they distribute them: Of the sons of Eleazar, heads for a house of fathers, sixteen; and of the sons of Ithamar, for a house of their fathers, eight.

More leaders were found from the sons of Eleazar than the sons of Ithamar. So they were divided in this way. There were sixteen heads of families of the sons of Eleazar. And there were eight heads of families of the sons of Ithamar.

5 A nd they distribute them, by lots, one with another, for princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, have been of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

They were divided by drawing names, all alike. For there were leaders of the holy place and leaders of God, from both the sons of Eleazar and Ithamar.

6 A nd Shemaiah son of Nethaneel the scribe, of the Levites, writeth them before the king and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and heads of the fathers, for priests and for Levites: one house of a father being taken possession of for Eleazar, and one being taken possession of for Ithamar.

The writer Shemaiah, the Levite son of Nethanel, wrote down their names. He wrote them in front of the king, the princes, Zadok the religious leader, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the families of the religious leaders and of the Levites. One family was taken for Eleazar, and one for Ithamar.

7 A nd the first lot goeth out for Jehoiarib, for Jedaiah the second,

The first name drawn was Jehoiarib, the second Jedaiah,

8 f or Harim the third, for Seorim the fourth,

the third Harim, the fourth Seorim,

9 f or Malchijah the fifth, for Mijamin the sixth,

the fifth Malchijah, the sixth Mijamin.

10 f or Hakkoz the seventh, for Abijah the eighth,

The seventh name was Hakkoz, the eighth Abijah,

11 f or Jeshuah the ninth, for Shecaniah the tenth,

the ninth Jeshua, the tenth Shecaniah,

12 f or Eliashib the eleventh, for Jakim the twelfth,

the eleventh Eliashib, the twelfth Jakim.

13 f or Huppah the thirteenth, for Jeshebeab the fourteenth,

The thirteenth name was Huppah, the fourteenth Jeshebeab,

14 f or Bilgah the fifteenth, for Immer the sixteenth,

the fifteenth Bilgah, the sixteenth Immer.

15 f or Hezir the seventeenth, for Aphses the eighteenth,

The seventeenth name was Hezir, the eighteenth Happizzez,

16 f or Pethahiah the nineteenth, for Jehezekel the twentieth,

the nineteenth Pethahiah, the twentieth Jehezkel.

17 f or Jachin the one and twentieth, for Gamul the two and twentieth,

The twenty-first name was Jachin, the twenty-second Gamul,

18 f or Delaiah the three and twentieth, for Maaziah the four and twentieth.

the twenty-third Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth Maaziah.

19 T hese their appointments for their service, to come in to the house of Jehovah, according to their ordinance by the hand of Aaron their father, as Jehovah God of Israel, commanded them.

This was the way they were to come on duty to work in the Lord’s house. It was a rule given to them through their father Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had told him.

20 A nd for the sons of Levi who are left: for sons of Amram, Shubael; for sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.

The rest of the sons of Levi were Shubael of the sons of Amram, Jehdeiah of the sons of Shubael,

21 F or Rehabiah: for sons of Rehabiah, the head Ishshiah.

and Isshiah was the first of the sons of Rehabiah.

22 F or the Izharite: Shelomoth; for sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.

There was Shelomoth of the Izharites, and Jahath of the sons of Shelomoth.

23 A nd sons of Jeriah: Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

Of the sons of Hebron, there were Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

24 S ons of Uzziel: Michah; for sons of Michah: Shamir.

There was Micah of the sons of Uzziel, and Shamir of the sons of Micah.

25 A brother of Michah Ishshiah; for sons of Ishshiah: Zechariah;

The brother of Micah was Isshiah. There was Zechariah of the sons of Isshiah.

26 s ons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Jaaziah: Beno;

The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. Jaaziah’s son was Beno.

27 s ons of Merari: of Jaaziah: Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.

The sons of Merari by Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri.

28 F or Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons;

His son by Mahli was Eleazar, who had no sons.

29 f or Kish: sons of Kish: Jerahmeel.

His son by Kish was Jerahmeel.

30 A nd sons of Mushi Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth; these sons of the Levites, for the house of their fathers,

And the sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites by their families.

31 a nd they cast, they also, lots over-against their brethren the sons of Aaron, before David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and heads of the fathers, for priests and for Levites; the chief father over-against his younger brother.

The head of each family and his younger brother drew names just as their brothers the sons of Aaron did. They drew them in front of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the religious leaders and of the Levites.