1 Chronicles 23:2-12

2 David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites.

3 The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was thirty-eight thousand men.

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

5 four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand shall offer praises to the LORD with the instruments which I have made for praise."

6 And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merar'i.

7 The sons of Gersham were Ladan and Shim'e-i.

8 The sons of Ladan: Jehi'el the chief, and Zetham, and Jo'el, three.

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.

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.

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.

12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uz'ziel, four.

1 Chronicles 23:2-12 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.