Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 When David had grown old after a long life, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
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When David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
2 He then gathered together all Israel's leaders along with the priests and the Levites.
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David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites.
3 When the Levites were counted, the head count of every male 30 and older totaled 38,000.
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The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were counted, and the total was thirty-eight thousand.
4 Of these, there were 24,000 to supervise the work on the LORD's temple, 6,000 officers and judges,
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"Twenty-four thousand of these," David said, "shall have charge of the work in the house of the Lord, six thousand shall be officers and judges
5 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 praising the LORD with instruments made for offering praise.
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four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand shall offer praises to the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praise."
6 Then David divided them into three groups named after Levi's family members: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
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And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 The Gershonites included Ladan and Shimei.
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The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei.
8 Ladan's family: Jehiel the first, Zetham, and Joel—three in all.
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The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, Zetham, and Joel, three.
9 Jehiel's family: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the households of Ladan.
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The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of families of Ladan.
10 Shimei's family: Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were Shimei's family:
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And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
11 Jahath was the first, and Ziza the second; since Jeush and Beriah didn't have many children, they became a single household.
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Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were enrolled as a single family.
12 Kohath's family: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.
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The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
13 Amram's family: Aaron and Moses. Aaron, together with his sons, was set apart to make the holiest objects holy, to make offerings before the LORD, to serve him, and to give blessings in his name forever.
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The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things, so that he and his sons forever should make offerings before the Lord, and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name forever;
14 As for Moses the man of God, his sons were considered to be Levites.
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but as for Moses the man of God, his sons were to be reckoned among the tribe of Levi
15 Moses' family: Gershom and Eliezer.
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The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
16 Gershom's family: Shebuel the first.
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The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.
17 Eliezer's family: Rehabiah the first; Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many children.
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The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah the chief; Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.
18 Izhar's family: Shelomoth the first.
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The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.
19 Hebron's family: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
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The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth
20 Uzziel's family: Micah the first and Isshiah the second.
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The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief and Isshiah the second.
21 Merari's family: Mahli and Mushi. Mahli's family: Eleazar and Kish.
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The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish
22 Eleazar died without sons, but he did have daughters who married their relatives from Kish's family.
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Eleazar died having no sons, but only daughters; their kindred, the sons of Kish, married them.
23 Mushi's family: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.
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The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
24 These were the members of Levi's family according to their households. The household heads were registered, along with a listing of the names of each person 20 years old and above who carried out assigned tasks in the LORD's temple.
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These were the sons of Levi by their ancestral houses, the heads of families as they were enrolled according to the number of the names of the individuals from twenty years old and upward who were to do the work for the service of the house of the Lord.
25 David said, "Since the LORD, Israel's God, has given his people peace and has made his home in Jerusalem forever,
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For David said, "The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he resides in Jerusalem forever.
26 the Levites need no longer carry the dwelling or any of the equipment used in its service."
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And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service"—
27 David's last instructions were to count the Levites 20 years old and above.
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for according to the last words of David these were the number of the Levites from twenty years old and upward—
28 Their assignment was to be at the side of the Aaronites to serve in the LORD's temple, maintaining the courtyards and side rooms and cleansing all of the holy objects and doing whatever was needed in the service of God's temple.
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"but their duty shall be to assist the descendants of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God;
29 They were responsible for the stacks of bread, the fine flour for grain offerings, the wafers of unleavened bread, the cakes made on the griddle, the offering mixed with oil, as well as all the measuring.
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to assist also with the rows of bread, the choice flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and all measures of quantity or size.
30 They were to be present every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and to do the same every evening.
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And they shall stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord, and likewise at evening,
31 Whenever entirely burned offerings were offered to the LORD for the sabbaths, the new moons, and festivals, a designated number were to serve in the LORD's presence continuously.
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and whenever burnt offerings are offered to the Lord on sabbaths, new moons, and appointed festivals, according to the number required of them, regularly before the Lord.
32 In this way they were to observe the instructions for the meeting tent, the instructions for the sanctuary, and the instructions for Aaron's family and relatives about serving in the LORD's temple.
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Thus they shall keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and shall attend the descendants of Aaron, their kindred, for the service of the house of the Lord."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.