1 Chronicles 23:3

3 He took a census of all the male Levites aged thirty or older. The total was thirty-eight thousand.

1 Chronicles 23:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 23:3

Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years, and
upward
So they were numbered in the days of Moses, and by his order, and so they were now at first; though afterwards there was a new reckoning of them, ( 1 Chronicles 23:24 )

and their number by their posts;
or, according to their heads:

man by man, was thirty and eight thousand;
which vastly exceeds the number in the times of Moses; see ( Numbers 4:47 Numbers 4:48 ) , but then those above fifty years of age were not numbered, as they now might; since their work in the temple would be much more easy, no burdens to carry, as the ark, the vessels

1 Chronicles 23:3 In-Context

1 When David was very old, he made his son Solomon king of Israel.

2 King David brought together all the Israelite leaders and all the priests and Levites.

3 He took a census of all the male Levites aged thirty or older. The total was thirty-eight thousand.

4 The king assigned twenty-four thousand to administer the work of the Temple, six thousand to keep records and decide disputes

5 four thousand to do guard duty, and four thousand to praise the Lord, using the musical instruments provided by the king for this purpose.