When David was old and full of years , he installed his son Solomon as king - over Israel.
Then he gathered - all the leaders of Israel , as well as the priests and Levites.
The Levites thirty years of age ... or older were counted , and the total number of men was 38,000 {} ... ... -.
“ Of these,” (said David,) “24,000 ... ... are to oversee - the work of the house of the LORD , 6,000 {} ... are to be officers and Judges - ,
4,000 {} ... are to be gatekeepers , and 4,000 ... are to praise the LORD with the instruments - I have made for giving praise. ”
Then David divided (the Levites) into divisions according to the sons of Levi : Gershom , Kohath , and Merari.
The Gershonites : Ladan and Shimei.
The sons of Ladan : Jehiel the first , Zetham , and Joel - — three (in all).
The sons of Shimei : Shelomoth , Haziel , and Haran — three (in all). These (were) the heads of the families of Ladan.
And the sons of Shimei : Jahath , Zina , Jeush , and Beriah. These (were) the sons of Shimei — four (in all).
Jahath was the first and Zizah was the second ; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons , so they were counted as one family ... and received a single assignment.
The sons of Kohath : Amram , Izhar , Hebron , and Uzziel — four (in all).
The sons of Amram : Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever ... to consecrate the most holy things ... , ... to burn incense before the LORD , to minister before Him , and to pronounce blessings in His name forever ....
As for Moses the man of God , his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
The sons of Moses : Gershom and Eliezer.
The descendants of Gershom : Shebuel was the first.
The descendants of Eliezer : Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer did not have any other sons , but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.
The sons of Izhar : Shelomith (was) the first.
The sons of Hebron : Jeriah (was) the first , Amariah the second , Jahaziel the third , and Jekameam the fourth.
The sons of Uzziel : Micah - (was) the first and Isshiah the second.
The sons of Merari : Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli : Eleazar and Kish.
Eleazar died without having (any) sons ; he had only ... daughters. Their cousins , the sons of Kish , married them.
The sons of Mushi : Mahli , Eder , and Jeremoth — three (in all).
These were the descendants of Levi by their families ... — the heads of families , registered ... individually by name — those twenty years of age ... or older who worked ... in the service of the house of the LORD.
For David had said , “ The LORD , the God of Israel , has given rest to His people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever ....
So now the Levites no longer need to carry - the tabernacle - or any of the articles for its service. ”
For according to the final ... instructions of David , the Levites ... twenty years of age ... or older were counted ,
but their duty was to assist the descendants of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD , being responsible for the courts ... and chambers , ... the purification of all the holy things , and the work of the service of the house of God ,
as well as for the rows of the showbread , the fine flour for the grain offering , the wafers of unleavened bread , the baking , the mixing , and all measurements of quantity and size.
They were also to stand every morning ... to give thanks and praise to the LORD , and likewise in the evening.
Whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on the Sabbaths , New Moons , and appointed feasts , they were to serve regularly before the LORD in the Numbers - prescribed for them.
So (the Levites) were to carry out - the responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting and ... the Holy Place , and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron , the service of the house of the LORD.