1 Chronicles

So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

1David was very old and had lived many years. He made his son Solomon the king of Israel.

2And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

2David called together all the leaders of Israel. He also called the priests and the Levites. Levites were the family group who helped at God's house.

3Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

3The Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted. There were 38,000 men in all.

4Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:

4David said, "24,000 of them will lead the work at the LORD's house. 6,000 will be officers and judges.

5Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

54,000 will guard the gates. And 4,000 will praise the LORD with the instruments I made for praising him."

Note"Porters" in the old English means gatekeepers, not people who carry bags.

6And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

6David split the Levites into groups by the sons of Levi. Their names were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.

7The family of Gershon had two branches. They came from Laadan and Shimei.

8The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

8Laadan had three sons. Jehiel was the oldest, then Zetham and Joel.

9The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

9Shimei had three sons: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran. These men led the families of Laadan.

10And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

10Another Shimei had four sons. They were Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah.

11And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father’s house.

11Jahath was first and Zizah was second. Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons. So they were counted as one family with one job.

12The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

12Kohath had four sons. They were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

13The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.

13Amram had two sons, Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his sons were chosen for a special job forever. They cared for the most holy things and burned sweet-smelling incense before the LORD. They served him and blessed people in his name.

14Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.

14Moses was a man of God. His sons were counted as part of the family group of Levi.

15The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.

15Moses had two sons. Their names were Gershom and Eliezer.

16Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.

16Gershom's sons included Shebuel. He was the oldest one.

17And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

17Eliezer's oldest son was Rehabiah. Eliezer had no other sons. But Rehabiah had very many sons.

18Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

18Izhar's sons included Shelomith. He was the oldest one.

19Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

19Hebron had four sons. Jeriah was first, Amariah second, Jahaziel third, and Jekameam fourth.

20Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the first, and Jesiah the second.

20Uzziel had two sons. Micah was first and Jesiah was second.

21The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.

21Merari had two sons, Mahli and Mushi. Mahli had two sons, Eleazar and Kish.

22And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.

22Eleazar died with no sons. He had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

23The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

23Mushi had three sons. They were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth.

24These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

24These were the families of Levi, listed by their family leaders. Each man's name was written down. They were twenty years old or older. They did the work at the LORD's house.

25For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:

25David had said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given his people rest. He has come to live in Jerusalem forever.

26And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

26So the Levites do not need to carry the tent anymore. They do not need to carry its tools for worship either."

NoteThe tent was the traveling worship tent Israel used before the temple was built. Once the people settled in Jerusalem, it no longer had to be moved.

27For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:

27In David's last instructions, he said to count the Levites. He counted the ones twenty years old and older.

28Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

28Their job was to help Aaron's family at the LORD's house. They cared for the yards and the rooms. They washed and cleaned all the holy things. They did the work of God's house.

29Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

29They cared for the special bread set out before God. They handled the fine flour for grain gifts. They made thin bread with no yeast. They baked and mixed the food. They checked that every amount and size was right.

Note"Meat offering" in the old English means a gift of grain, not meat. "Unleavened" bread is flat bread made without yeast.

30And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

30Every morning they stood up to thank and praise the LORD. They did the same thing every evening.

31And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:

31They helped when burnt gifts were given to the LORD. This happened on rest days, new moon days, and feast days. The right number of them served the LORD all the time.

32And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

32So the Levites took care of the special tent and the holy place. They helped Aaron's family, their relatives, with the work at the LORD's house.