1 Chronicles 23: David makes Solomon king and sets the Levites in order
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What happens?
David, old and full of days, makes his son Solomon king over Israel and gathers the leaders, the priests and the Levites. The Levites from thirty years old are counted, thirty-eight thousand, and David sets them to oversee the work of the house, to judge, to guard the gates and to praise Yahweh. Then he divides them by the sons of Levi (Gershon, Kohath and Merari) and lists their fathers' houses, and tells what the Levites are to do, now that the tabernacle no longer has to be carried.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words of his own in this chapter. David speaks in verses 4 and 5, telling how the counted Levites are to serve, and again in verses 25 and 26, where he says that Yahweh has given his people rest and lives in Jerusalem forever. Those are David's words and are not in gold. The rest of the chapter is the narrator's lists and description. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
In plain English: David was old and full of days, and he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
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2He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
In plain English: He gathered all the leaders (this Bible: princes) of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
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3The Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand.
In plain English: The Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward. Their number, man by man (literally: by their skulls), was thirty-eight thousand.
Good to know: The text gives two starting ages for the Levites. Here they are counted "from thirty years old and upward", thirty-eight thousand. Verses 24 and 27 say "from twenty years old and upward", and verse 27 says this was by David's last words. says "from thirty years old" and says "from twenty-five years old". The text does not explain how these fit together.
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4David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of Yahweh’s house, six thousand were officers and judges,
In plain English: David said, "Of these, twenty-four thousand are to oversee the work of Yahweh's house, and six thousand are officers and judges,
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5four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”
In plain English: and four thousand are gatekeepers, and four thousand are to praise Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise."
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6David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
In plain English: David divided them into divisions by the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
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7Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
In plain English: Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
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8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, Zetham, and Joel, three.
In plain English: The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, Zetham and Joel, three.
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9The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan.
In plain English: The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers' houses (this Bible: households) of Ladan.
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10The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
In plain English: The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
Good to know: Verse 9 and this verse each list "the sons of Shimei", three and then four. The text does not say whether they are one Shimei or two. Verse 9 ends by calling its three "the heads of the fathers' houses of Ladan"; this verse ends "These four were the sons of Shimei".
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11Jahath 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.
In plain English: Jahath was the chief and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they became one fathers' house, counted as one group (literally: in one reckoning).
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12The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
In plain English: The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel, four.
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13The 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.
In plain English: The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart (this Bible: separated) to consecrate the most holy things (literally: the holy of holies), he and his sons forever, to burn incense before Yahweh, to serve him, and to bless in his name forever.
The Hebrew words: "The most holy things" is word for word "the holy of holies": qodesh qodashim. The dictionary gives qodesh as "a sacred place or thing". "Serve" is sharat, which the dictionary gives as "to attend as a menial or worshipper".
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14But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
In plain English: But Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
Good to know: The text says only that the sons of Moses "were named among the tribe of Levi". It does not give them the work of Aaron's sons in verse 13.
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15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
In plain English: The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
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16The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.
In plain English: The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.
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17The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
In plain English: The son (literally: sons) of Eliezer was Rehabiah the chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
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18The son of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.
In plain English: The sons of Izhar (this Bible: The son of Izhar): Shelomith the chief.
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19The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
In plain English: The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth.
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20The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second.
In plain English: The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief and Isshiah the second.
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21The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
In plain English: The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
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22Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only; and their relatives, the sons of Kish, took them as wives.
In plain English: Eleazar died and had no sons, only daughters, and their relatives (literally: brothers), the sons of Kish, took them as wives.
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23The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
In plain English: The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jeremoth, three.
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24These 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.
In plain English: These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses, the heads of the fathers' houses, counted by the number of names, man by man (literally: by their skulls), who did the work of the service of Yahweh's house, from twenty years old and upward.
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25For David said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.
In plain English: For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he has settled in Jerusalem forever.
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26Also the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service.”
In plain English: Also, the Levites no longer have to carry the tabernacle and all its articles for its service."
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27For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were counted, from twenty years old and upward.
In plain English: For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were counted, from twenty years old and upward.
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28For their duty was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of Yahweh’s house—in the courts, in the rooms, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of God’s house;
In plain English: For their place (literally: their standing) was at the side of the sons of Aaron, for the service of Yahweh's house: over the courts and over the rooms, and over the purifying of every holy thing, and the work of the service of God's house,
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29for 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;
In plain English: and for the bread of the row (this Bible: the show bread), and for the fine flour for a grain offering (this Bible: meal offering), the unleavened wafers, the baking pan and the mixed dough, and for every measure of quantity and size,
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30and to stand every morning to thank and praise Yahweh, and likewise in the evening;
In plain English: and to stand every morning to give thanks and praise Yahweh, and the same in the evening,
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31and 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;
In plain English: and for every offering up of burnt offerings to Yahweh on the Sabbaths, on the new moons and on the appointed feasts, by number, according to the ordinance for them, continually before Yahweh,
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32and 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 plain English: and so they kept the duty of the Tent of Meeting, the duty of the holy place, and the duty of the sons of Aaron their relatives (literally: brothers), for the service of Yahweh's house.
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