1 Chronicles 23:1-6

1 When David was an old man, he appointed his son Solomon to be king over Israel.

2 David summoned all the leaders of Israel, together with the priests and Levites.

3 All the Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted, and the total came to 38,000.

4 Then David said, “From all the Levites, 24,000 will supervise the work at the Temple of the LORD . Another 6,000 will serve as officials and judges.

5 Another 4,000 will work as gatekeepers, and 4,000 will praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have made.”

6 Then David divided the Levites into divisions named after the clans descended from the three sons of Levi—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

1 Chronicles 23:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 23

In this chapter David makes Solomon king, 1Ch 23:1, calls together the princes, priests, and Levites, numbers the latter, and assigns them their proper work, 1Ch 23:2-5, divides them into three classes, 1Ch 23:6-23, when the number of them was taken from twenty years of age, and upwards; the reasons of which are given, partly from the rest the land enjoyed, and partly from the several branches of their work and office in the temple, 1Ch 23:24-32.