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1 Chronicles

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1 Chronicles 23

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

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

Commentary · verse 1

David must have known he was not going to live much longer so he made Solomon king in his stead.

2And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

3And the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

2And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

3Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

Commentary · verses 2-3

David gathered the princes of Israel along with priests and 38,000 Levites from thirty years old and up.

4Of these, twenty and four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of Jehovah; and six thousand were officers and judges; 5and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised Jehovah with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

6And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

4Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:

5Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

6And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Commentary · verses 4-6

David divided the 38,000 Levites according to their clan of Levi:

  • Gershon: they were responsible for the care of the skins that covered the tabernacle.
  • Kohath: they were responsible for the care of the furniture of the tabernacle (Ark, tables, menorah, etc.).
  • Merari: they were responsible for the care of the structural aspects of the tabernacle (pillars, boards, etc.).

7Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

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

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

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

11And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they became a fathers’ house in one reckoning.

7Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.

8The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

9The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

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

11And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father’s house.

Commentary · verses 7-11

The Gershonite family units were defined.

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

13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, for ever, to burn incense before Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, for ever.

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

15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.

17And the sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

18The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.

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

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

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

13The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.

14Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.

15The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.

16Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.

17And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

18Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

19Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

20Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah the first, and Jesiah the second.

Commentary · verses 12-20

The Kohathite family units were defined. Notice, Moses was mentioned among these.

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

22And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them to wife.

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

21The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.

22And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.

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

Commentary · verses 21-23

The Merarite family units were defined.

Commentary · verses 24-32

Verses 24-32: David changed the duties of the Levites.

24These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those of them that were counted, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from twenty years old and upward.

25For David said, Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath given rest unto his people; and he dwelleth in Jerusalem for ever: 26and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the tabernacle and all the vessels of it for the service thereof.

24These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

25For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:

26And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

Commentary · verse 26

David made the Levites aware there no longer being a need for them to carry the tabernacle and the vessels. There would be a temple to hold these things.

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

28For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God; 29for the showbread 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 manner of measure and size; 30and to stand every morning to thank and praise Jehovah, and likewise at even; 31and to offer all burnt-offerings unto Jehovah, on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, in number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before Jehovah; 32and that they should keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, for the service of the house of Jehovah.

27For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:

28Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

29Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

30And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

31And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:

32And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

Commentary · verse 32

The Levites had to transition. Their work would be different now that the tabernacle would not move.

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