Revised Standard Version RSV
The Message Bible MSG
1 When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
1
When David got to be an old man, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
2 David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites.
2
At the same time he brought together all the leaders of Israel, the priests, and the Levites.
3 The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was thirty-eight thousand men.
3
The Levites thirty years and older were counted; the total was 38,000.
4 "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
4
David sorted them into work groups: "24,000 are in charge of administering worship in the sanctuary; 6,000 are officials and judges
5 four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand shall offer praises to the LORD with the instruments which I have made for praise."
5
4,000 are security guards; and 4,000 are to serve in the orchestra, praising God with instruments that I have provided for praise."
6 And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merar'i.
6
David then divided the Levites into groupings named after the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 The sons of Gersham were Ladan and Shim'e-i.
7
The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
8 The sons of Ladan: Jehi'el the chief, and Zetham, and Jo'el, three.
8
The three sons of Ladan: Jehiel, Zetham, and Joel.
9 The sons of Shim'e-i: Shelo'moth, Ha'zi-el, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers' houses of Ladan.
9
The three sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, all heads of the families of Ladan.
10 And the sons of Shim'e-i: Jahath, Zina, and Je'ush, and Beri'ah. These four were the sons of Shim'e-i.
10
The four sons of Shimei: Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah.
11 Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Je'ush and Beri'ah had not many sons, therefore they became a father's house in one reckoning.
11
Jahath came first, followed by Ziza. Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons so they were counted as one family with one task.
12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uz'ziel, four.
12
The four sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things, that he and his sons for ever should burn incense before the LORD, and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name for ever.
13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was especially ordained to work in the Holy of Holies, to burn incense before God, to serve God and bless his Name always. This was a permanent appointment for Aaron and his sons.
14 But the sons of Moses the man of God were named among the tribe of Levi
14
Moses and his sons were counted in the tribe of Levi
15 The sons of Moses: Gershom and Elie'zer.
15
The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
16 The sons of Gershom: Sheb'uel the chief.
16
Shubael was the first son of Gershom.
17 The sons of Elie'zer: Rehabi'ah the chief; Elie'zer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabi'ah were very many.
17
Rehabiah was the first and only son of Eliezer; but though Eliezer had no other sons, Rehabiah had many sons.
18 The sons of Izhar: Shelo'mith the chief.
18
Shelomith was the first son of Izhar.
19 The sons of Hebron: Jeri'ah the chief, Amari'ah the second, Jaha'ziel the third, and Jekame'am the fourth
19
Hebron had four sons: Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam
20 The sons of Uz'ziel: Micah the chief and Isshi'ah the second.
20
Uzziel had two sons: Micah and Isshiah.
21 The sons of Merar'i: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Elea'zar and Kish
21
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish
22 Elea'zar died having no sons, but only daughters; their kinsmen, the sons of Kish, married them.
22
Eleazar died without any sons, only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married the daughters.
23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jer'emoth, three.
23
Mushi had three sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
24 These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses, the heads of fathers' houses as they were registered 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.
24
These are the sons of Levi twenty years and older, divided up according to families and heads of families and listed in the work groups that took care of the worship in the sanctuary of God.
25 For David said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given peace to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem for ever.
25
David said, "Now that the God of Israel has given rest to his people and made Jerusalem his permanent home,
26 And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service" --
26
the Levites no longer have to carry the Tabernacle and all the furniture required for the work of worship."
27 for by the last words of David these were the number of the Levites from twenty years old and upward--
27
These last words of David referred only to Levites twenty years old and above.
28 "but their duty shall be to assist the sons 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;
28
From now on the assigned work of the Levites was to assist Aaron's sons in the work of worship in God's house: maintain courtyards and closets, keep the furniture and utensils of worship clean, take care of any extra work needed in the work of worship,
29 to assist also with the showbread, the flour for the cereal offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and all measures of quantity or size.
29
and provide bread for the table and flour for the Meal Offerings and the unraised wafers - all baking and mixing, all measuring and weighing.
30 And they shall stand every morning, thanking and praising the LORD, and likewise at evening,
30
Also they were to be present for morning prayers, thanking and praising God, for evening prayers,
31 and whenever burnt offerings are offered to the LORD on sabbaths, new moons, and feast days, according to the number required of them, continually before the LORD.
31
and at the service of Whole-Burnt-Offerings to God on Sabbath, at New Moons, and at all festivals. They were on regular duty to serve God according to their assignment and the required number.
32 Thus they shall keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and shall attend the sons of Aaron, their brethren, for the service of the house of the LORD."
32
In short, the Levites, with the sons of Aaron as their companions in the ministry of holy worship, were responsible for everything that had to do with worship: the place and times and ordering of worship.