1 Chronicles 23:1-6

David appoints the Levites

1 When David had grown old after a long life, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.

2 He then gathered together all Israel's leaders along with the priests and the Levites.

3 When the Levites were counted, the head count of every male 30 and older totaled 38,000.

4 Of these, there were 24,000 to supervise the work on the LORD's temple, 6,000 officers and judges,

5 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 praising the LORD with instruments made for offering praise.

6 Then David divided them into three groups named after Levi's family members: 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX, Vulg; MT I made