1 Chronicles 23

King James Version

Full text for 1 Chronicles Chapter 23

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

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

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.

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:

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

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

7Of the Gershonites [were], Laadan, and Shimei.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

18Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

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

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

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

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

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

24¶ These [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.

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

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

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

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;

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;

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

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:

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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King David, in his old age, appointed Solomon as king and meticulously organized the Levites for their service in the future temple. He numbered them, assigning specific roles such as assisting in the house of the Lord, serving as officers, porters, and musicians. A significant change in their service age from thirty to twenty years old was instituted, reflecting their new, settled duties in Jerusalem.

Medium Summary

Upon becoming old, King David established Solomon as his successor and began the systematic organization of the Levites for the future temple. He numbered all Levites from thirty years old and upward, totaling thirty-eight thousand, and divided them into specific roles: twenty-four thousand for direct temple work, six thousand as officers and judges, four thousand as porters, and four thousand as musicians. The chapter details the genealogies of the three main Levitical families—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari—tracing their descendants. Notably, Aaron's line among the Kohathites was set apart for the priesthood, while Moses' sons were counted among the general Levites. A crucial update to their service was made, lowering the age of eligibility from thirty to twenty years, as their role shifted from carrying the Tabernacle to assisting the priests in the permanent temple in Jerusalem, performing various duties from preparing offerings to daily praise.

Long Summary

As King David approached the end of his reign, he made his son Solomon king over Israel and undertook the significant task of organizing the Levites for their service in the forthcoming house of the Lord. He gathered the princes, priests, and Levites, initiating a census of the Levites from thirty years of age and upward, which totaled thirty-eight thousand men. David then meticulously assigned these Levites to various functions: twenty-four thousand were designated for the direct work of the temple, six thousand were appointed as officers and judges, four thousand served as porters, and another four thousand were dedicated to praising the Lord with musical instruments. The Levites were subsequently divided into courses according to their ancestral lines from Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The chapter provides detailed genealogies for each of these three divisions, listing the prominent families and their chiefs. Within the Kohathite lineage, special mention is made of Amram's sons, Aaron and Moses; Aaron and his descendants were perpetually separated for the most holy priestly duties, including burning incense and blessing in the Lord's name, while Moses' sons were counted among the Levites. A pivotal change in Levitical service was then declared by David: their age of eligibility for service was lowered from thirty to twenty years. This adjustment was made because the Lord had given rest to Israel, signifying that the Levites would no longer need to carry the Tabernacle and its vessels. Their new, settled responsibilities included assisting the sons of Aaron in the temple courts and chambers, purifying holy things, preparing various offerings such as shewbread and fine flour, and standing daily to thank and praise the Lord. Furthermore, they were charged with offering burnt sacrifices on Sabbaths, new moons, and set feasts, and generally overseeing the charge of the Tabernacle and the holy place, supporting the priests in the service of the house of the Lord.

Core Concepts

  • Levitical OrganizationKing David systematically numbered and arranged the Levites, categorizing them by age and specific duties to prepare for their roles in the future temple.
  • Shifting Levitical DutiesThe Levites' responsibilities transitioned from carrying the Tabernacle during Israel's wanderings to assisting priests in the permanent temple in Jerusalem, reflecting a new era of rest.
  • Age of Service AdjustmentThe minimum age for Levitical service was lowered from thirty years to twenty years by David's decree, acknowledging their less physically demanding, settled roles in the temple.
  • Genealogical RecordThe chapter provides detailed lists of the descendants of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the three sons of Levi, establishing the lineage and structure of the Levitical families.
  • Distinction of Aaron's LineAaron's descendants were uniquely separated for the priesthood and the most holy duties, such as burning incense and blessing, while Moses' sons remained within the general Levitical service.
  • Temple PreparationDavid's proactive efforts to establish order and assign specific roles among the Levites ensured the proper and continuous functioning of worship services in the forthcoming house of the Lord.
  • Praise and WorshipA significant portion of the Levites, four thousand, were specifically designated for praising the Lord with musical instruments, highlighting the integral role of music in temple service.