The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 So all Israel was listed by their families; and, truly, they are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel. And Judah was taken away as prisoners to Babylon because of their sin.
1
All the people of Israel were listed according to their families, and this information was recorded in [The Book of the Kings of Israel.] The people of Judah had been deported to Babylon as punishment for their sins.
2 Now the first to take up their heritage in their towns were: Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim.
2
The first to return to their property in the cities included Israelite citizens, priests, Levites, and Temple workers.
3 And in Jerusalem there were living some of the sons of Judah, and of Benjamin, and of Ephraim and Manasseh;
3
People from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh went to live in Jerusalem.
4 Uthai, the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the sons of Perez, the son of Judah.
4
There were 690 families of the tribe of Judah who lived in Jerusalem. The descendants of Judah's son Perez had as their leader Uthai, the son of Ammihud and grandson of Omri. His other ancestors included Imri and Bani. The descendants of Judah's son Shelah had as their leader Asaiah, who was the head of his family. The descendants of Judah's son Zerah had Jeuel as their leader.
5 And of the Shilonites: Asaiah the oldest, and his sons.
6 And of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brothers, six hundred and ninety.
7 And of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu, the son of Meshullam, Judah, the son of Hassenuah,
7
The following members of the tribe of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem: Sallu son of Meshullam, who was the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah Ibneiah son of Jeroham Elah, the son of Uzzi and grandson of Michri Meshullam son of Shephatiah, who was the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah
8 And Ibneiah, the son of Jeroham, and Elah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;
9 And their brothers, in the list of their generations, nine hundred and fifty-six. All these men were heads of families, listed by the names of their fathers.
9
There were 956 families of this tribe living there. All the men named above were heads of families.
10 And of the priests: Jedaiah and Jehoiarib and Jachin
10
The following priests lived in Jerusalem: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin Azariah son of Hilkiah (the chief official in the Temple), whose ancestors included Meshullam, Zadok, Meraioth, and Ahitub Adaiah son of Jeroham, whose ancestors included Pashhur and Malchijah Maasai son of Adiel, whose ancestors included Jahzerah, Meshullam, Meshillemith, and Immer
11 And Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;
12 And Adaiah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai, the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;
13 And their brothers, heads of their families, a thousand and seven hundred and sixty: able men, doing the work of the house of God.
13
The priests who were heads of families totaled 1,760. They were experts in all the work carried on in the Temple.
14 And of the Levites: Shemaiah, the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
14
The following Levites lived in Jerusalem: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, whose ancestors included Azrikam and Hashabiah, of the clan of Merari Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal Mattaniah son of Mica, whose ancestors included Zichri and Asaph Obadiah son of Shemaiah, whose ancestors included Galal and Jeduthun Berechiah, the son of Asa and grandson of Elkanah, who lived in the territory that belonged to the town of Netophah
15 And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah, the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph;
16 And Obadiah, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah, the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who were living in the small towns of the Netophathites.
17 And the door-keepers: Shallum and Akkub and Talmon and Ahiman and their brothers: Shallum was the chief.
17
The following Temple guards lived in Jerusalem: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, and Ahiman. Shallum was their leader.
18 Up till then they had been at the king's door to the east. They were door-keepers for the tents of the sons of Levi.
18
Down to that time members of their clans had been stationed at the eastern entrance to the King's Gate. Formerly they had stood guard at the gates to the camps of the Levites.
19 And Shallum, the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his family, the Korahites, were responsible for everything which had to be done in connection with the order of worship, keepers of the doors of the Tent; their fathers had had the care of the tents of the Lord, being keepers of the doorway.
19
Shallum, the son of Kore and grandson of Ebiasaph, together with his fellow members of the clan of Korah, was responsible for guarding the entrance to the Tent of the Lord's presence, just as their ancestors had been when they were in charge of the Lord's camp.
20 In the past Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, had been ruler over them; may the Lord be with him!
20
Phinehas son of Eleazar - may the Lord be with him! - had supervised them at one time.
21 Zechariah, the son of Meshelemiah, was keeper of the door of the Tent of meeting.
21
Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was also a guard at the entrance to the Tent of the Lord's presence.
22 There were two hundred and twelve whose business it was to keep the doorway. These were listed by families in the country places where they were living, whom David and Samuel the seer put in their responsible positions.
22
In all, 212 men were chosen as guards for the entrances and gates. They were registered according to the villages where they lived. It was King David and the prophet Samuel who had put their ancestors in these responsible positions.
23 So they and their sons had the care of the doors of the house of the Lord, the house of the Tent, as watchers.
23
They and their descendants continued to guard the gates to the Temple.
24 There were keepers of the doors on the four sides, to the east, west, north, and south.
24
There was a gate facing in each direction, north, south, east, and west, and each had a chief guard.
25 And their brothers, in the country places where they were living, were to come in every seven days to be with them from time to time.
25
These guards were assisted by their relatives, who lived in the villages and who had to take turns at guard duty for seven days at a time.
26 For the four chief door-keepers, who were Levites, had a special position, looking after the rooms and the store-houses of the house of God.
26
The four chief guards were Levites and had the final responsibility. They were also responsible for the rooms in the Temple and for the supplies kept there.
27 Their sleeping-rooms were round the house of God, for they had the care of it, and were responsible for opening it morning by morning.
27
They lived near the Temple, because it was their duty to guard it and to open the gates every morning.
28 Certain of them had the care of the vessels used in worship, to keep an account of them when they came in and when they were taken out again.
28
Other Levites were responsible for the utensils used in worship. They checked them out and checked them back in every time they were used.
29 And some of them were responsible for the holy things and for the vessels of the holy place, and the meal and the wine and the oil and the perfume and the spices.
29
Others were in charge of the other sacred equipment, and of the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices.
30 And some of the sons of the priests were responsible for crushing the spices.
30
But the responsibility for mixing the spices belonged to the priests.
31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the oldest son of Shallum the Korahite, was responsible for cooking the flat cakes.
31
A Levite named Mattithiah, oldest son of Shallum, of the clan of Korah, was responsible for preparing the baked offerings.
32 And some of their brothers, sons of the Kohathites, were responsible for the holy bread which was put in order before the Lord, to get it ready every Sabbath.
32
Members of the clan of Kohath were responsible for preparing the sacred bread for the Temple every Sabbath.
33 And these were those who had the ordering of the music and songs, heads of families of the Levites, who were living in the rooms, and were free from other work, for their work went on day and night.
33
Some Levite families were responsible for the Temple music. The heads of these families lived in some of the Temple buildings and were free from other duties, because they were on call day and night.
34 These were heads of families of the Levites in their generations, chief men; they were living at Jerusalem.
34
The men named above were heads of Levite families, according to their ancestral lines. They were the leaders who lived in Jerusalem.
35 And in Gibeon was living the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife's name was Maacah;
35
Jeiel founded the city of Gibeon and settled there. His wife was named Maacah.
36 And Abdon his oldest son, and Zur and Kish and Baal and Ner and Nadab
36
His oldest son was Abdon, and his other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
37 And Gedor and Ahio and Zechariah and Mikloth
37
Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth,
38 Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They were living with their brothers in Jerusalem opposite their brothers.
38
the father of Shimeah. Their descendants lived in Jerusalem near other families of their clan.
39 And Ner was the father of Kish; and Kish was the father of Saul; and Saul was the father of Jonathan and Malchi-shua and Abinadab and Eshbaal.
39
Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul. Saul had four sons: Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
40 And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal was the father of Micah.
40
Jonathan was the father of Meribbaal, who was the father of Micah.
41 And the sons of Micah: Pithon and Melech and Tahrea and Ahaz.
41
Micah had four sons: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
42 And Ahaz was the father of Jarah; and Jarah was the father of Alemeth and Azmaveth and Zimri; and Zimri was the father of Moza.
42
Ahaz was the father of Jarah, who was the father of three sons: Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza,
43 And Moza was the father of Binea; and Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.
43
Moza the father of Binea, Binea of Rephaiah, Rephaiah of Eleasah, and Eleasah of Azel.
44 And Azel had five sons, whose names are: Azrikam, his oldest son, and Ishmael and Sheariah and Obadiah and Hanan: these were the sons of Azel.
44
Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.