New Living Translation

Hebrew Study Bible

1When David was an old man, he appointed his son Solomon to be king over Israel.

1וְדָוִ֥יד זָקֵ֖ן וְשָׂבַ֣ע יָמִ֑ים וַיַּמְלֵ֛ךְ אֶת־ שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

2David summoned all the leaders of Israel, together with the priests and Levites.

2וַיֶּאֱסֹף֙ אֶת־ כָּל־ שָׂרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְהַלְוִיִּֽם׃

3All the Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted, and the total came to 38,000.

3וַיִּסָּֽפְרוּ֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִבֶּ֛ן שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה וַיְהִ֨י מִסְפָּרָ֤ם לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם֙ לִגְבָרִ֔ים שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁמוֹנָ֖ה אָֽלֶף׃

4Then David said, “From all the Levites, 24,000 will supervise the work at the Temple of the LORD. Another 6,000 will serve as officials and judges.

4מֵאֵ֗לֶּה לְנַצֵּ֙חַ֙ עַל־ מְלֶ֣אכֶת בֵּית־ יְהוָ֔ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְאַרְבָּעָ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וְשֹׁטְרִ֥ים וְשֹׁפְטִ֖ים שֵׁ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִֽים׃

5Another 4,000 will work as gatekeepers, and 4,000 will praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have made.”

5וְאַרְבַּ֥עַת אֲלָפִ֖ים שֹׁעֲרִ֑ים וְאַרְבַּ֤עַת אֲלָפִים֙ מְהַֽלְלִ֣ים לַיהוָ֔ה בַּכֵּלִ֕ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְהַלֵּֽל׃

6Then David divided the Levites into divisions named after the clans descended from the three sons of Levi—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The Gershonites

6וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥ם דָּוִ֖יד מַחְלְק֑וֹת ס לִבְנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י לְגֵרְשׁ֖וֹן קְהָ֥ת וּמְרָרִֽי׃ ס

7The Gershonite family units were defined by their lines of descent from Libni and Shimei, the sons of Gershon.

7לַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י לַעְדָּ֥ן וְשִׁמְעִֽי׃ ס

8Three of the descendants of Libni were Jehiel (the family leader), Zetham, and Joel.

8בְּנֵ֣י לַעְדָּ֗ן הָרֹ֧אשׁ יְחִיאֵ֛ל וְזֵתָ֥ם וְיוֹאֵ֖ל שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס

9These were the leaders of the family of Libni. Three of the descendants of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran.

9בְּנֵ֣י שִׁמְעִ֗י [שלמות] (שְׁלוֹמִ֧ית) וַחֲזִיאֵ֛ל וְהָרָ֖ן שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה אֵ֛לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֥י הָאָב֖וֹת לְלַעְדָּֽן׃ ס

10Four other descendants of Shimei were Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah.

10וּבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְעִ֔י יַ֣חַת זִינָ֔א וִיע֖וּשׁ וּבְרִיעָ֑ה אֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵי־ שִׁמְעִ֖י אַרְבָּעָֽה׃

11Jahath was the family leader, and Ziza was next. Jeush and Beriah were counted as a single family because neither had many sons. The Kohathites

11וַֽיְהִי־ יַ֣חַת הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְזִיזָ֖ה הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וִיע֤וּשׁ וּבְרִיעָה֙ לֹֽא־ הִרְבּ֣וּ בָנִ֔ים וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ לְבֵ֣ית אָ֔ב לִפְקֻדָּ֖ה אֶחָֽת׃ ס

12Four of the descendants of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

12בְּנֵ֣י קְהָ֗ת עַמְרָ֥ם יִצְהָ֛ר חֶבְר֥וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֖ל אַרְבָּעָֽה׃ ס

13The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart to dedicate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices in the LORD’s presence, to serve the LORD, and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.

13בְּנֵ֥י עַמְרָ֖ם אַהֲרֹ֣ן וּמֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבָּדֵ֣ל אַהֲרֹ֡ן לְֽהַקְדִּישׁוֹ֩ קֹ֨דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֤ים הֽוּא־ וּבָנָיו֙ עַד־ עוֹלָ֔ם לְהַקְטִיר֩ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהוָ֧ה לְשָׁרְת֛וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֥ךְ בִּשְׁמ֖וֹ עַד־ עוֹלָֽם׃

14As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were included with the tribe of Levi.

14וּמֹשֶׁ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים בָּנָ֕יו יִקָּרְא֖וּ עַל־ שֵׁ֥בֶט הַלֵּוִֽי׃

15The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.

15בְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה גֵּרְשֹׁ֖ם וֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃

16The descendants of Gershom included Shebuel, the family leader.

16בְּנֵ֥י גֵרְשׁ֖וֹם שְׁבוּאֵ֥ל הָרֹֽאשׁ׃

17Eliezer had only one son, Rehabiah, the family leader. Rehabiah had numerous descendants.

17וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־ אֱלִיעֶ֖זֶר רְחַבְיָ֣ה הָרֹ֑אשׁ וְלֹא־ הָיָ֤ה לֶאֱלִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ בָּנִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וּבְנֵ֥י רְחַבְיָ֖ה רָב֥וּ לְמָֽעְלָה׃

18The descendants of Izhar included Shelomith, the family leader.

18בְּנֵ֥י יִצְהָ֖ר שְׁלֹמִ֥ית הָרֹֽאשׁ׃ ס

19The descendants of Hebron included Jeriah (the family leader), Amariah (the second), Jahaziel (the third), and Jekameam (the fourth).

19בְּנֵ֖י חֶבְר֑וֹן יְרִיָּ֤הוּ הָרֹאשׁ֙ אֲמַרְיָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֔י יַחֲזִיאֵל֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י וִֽיקַמְעָ֖ם הָרְבִיעִֽי׃

20The descendants of Uzziel included Micah (the family leader) and Isshiah (the second). The Merarites

20בְּנֵ֖י עֻזִּיאֵ֑ל מִיכָ֣ה הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְיִשִּׁיָּ֖ה הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃ ס

21The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.

21בְּנֵ֤י מְרָרִי֙ מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֔י בְּנֵ֥י מַחְלִ֖י אֶלְעָזָ֥ר וְקִֽישׁ׃

22Eleazar died with no sons, only daughters. His daughters married their cousins, the sons of Kish.

22וַיָּ֙מָת֙ אֶלְעָזָ֔ר וְלֹא־ הָ֥יוּ ל֛וֹ בָּנִ֖ים כִּ֣י אִם־ בָּנ֑וֹת וַיִּשָּׂא֥וּם בְּנֵי־ קִ֖ישׁ אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃

23Three of the descendants of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

23בְּנֵ֣י מוּשִׁ֗י מַחְלִ֥י וְעֵ֛דֶר וִירֵמ֖וֹת שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃

24These were the descendants of Levi by clans, the leaders of their family groups, registered carefully by name. Each had to be twenty years old or older to qualify for service in the house of the LORD.

24אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵֽי־ לֵוִי֩ לְבֵ֨ית אֲבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם רָאשֵׁ֧י הָאָב֣וֹת לִפְקוּדֵיהֶ֗ם בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שֵׁמוֹת֙ לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם עֹשֵׂה֙ הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָֽעְלָה׃

25For David said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given us peace, and he will always live in Jerusalem.

25כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר דָּוִ֔יד הֵנִ֛יחַ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְעַמּ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם עַד־ לְעוֹלָֽם׃

26Now the Levites will no longer need to carry the Tabernacle and its furnishings from place to place.”

26וְגַ֖ם לַלְוִיִּ֑ם אֵין־ לָשֵׂ֧את אֶת־ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן וְאֶת־ כָּל־ כֵּלָ֖יו לַעֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃

27In accordance with David’s final instructions, all the Levites twenty years old or older were registered for service.

27כִּ֣י בְדִבְרֵ֤י דָוִיד֙ הָאַ֣חֲרֹנִ֔ים הֵ֖מָּה מִסְפַּ֣ר בְּנֵי־ לֵוִ֑י מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּלְמָֽעְלָה׃

28The work of the Levites was to assist the priests, the descendants of Aaron, as they served at the house of the LORD. They also took care of the courtyards and side rooms, helped perform the ceremonies of purification, and served in many other ways in the house of God.

28כִּ֣י מַעֲמָדָ֞ם לְיַד־ בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֗ן לַעֲבֹדַת֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה עַל־ הַחֲצֵרוֹת֙ וְעַל־ הַלְּשָׁכ֔וֹת וְעַֽל־ טָהֳרַ֖ת לְכָל־ קֹ֑דֶשׁ וּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֔ה עֲבֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

29They were in charge of the sacred bread that was set out on the table, the choice flour for the grain offerings, the wafers made without yeast, the cakes cooked in olive oil, and the other mixed breads. They were also responsible to check all the weights and measures.

29וּלְלֶ֨חֶם הַֽמַּעֲרֶ֜כֶת וּלְסֹ֤לֶת לְמִנְחָה֙ וְלִרְקִיקֵ֣י הַמַּצּ֔וֹת וְלַֽמַּחֲבַ֖ת וְלַמֻּרְבָּ֑כֶת וּלְכָל־ מְשׂוּרָ֖ה וּמִדָּֽה׃

30And each morning and evening they stood before the LORD to sing songs of thanks and praise to him.

30וְלַעֲמֹד֙ בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֔קֶר לְהֹד֥וֹת וּלְהַלֵּ֖ל לַיהוָ֑ה וְכֵ֖ן לָעָֽרֶב׃

31They assisted with the burnt offerings that were presented to the LORD on Sabbath days, at new moon celebrations, and at all the appointed festivals. The required number of Levites served in the LORD’s presence at all times, following all the procedures they had been given.

31וּלְכֹ֨ל הַעֲל֤וֹת עֹלוֹת֙ לַיהוָ֔ה לַשַּׁבָּת֔וֹת לֶחֳדָשִׁ֖ים וְלַמֹּעֲדִ֑ים בְּמִסְפָּ֨ר כְּמִשְׁפָּ֧ט עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם תָּמִ֖יד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

32And so, under the supervision of the priests, the Levites watched over the Tabernacle and the Temple and faithfully carried out their duties of service at the house of the LORD.

32וְשָׁמְר֞וּ אֶת־ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת אֹֽהֶל־ מוֹעֵ֗ד וְאֵת֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ וּמִשְׁמֶ֕רֶת בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֲחֵיהֶ֑ם לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ פ

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.