¶ So when David was old and full of days, he made² Solomon his son king over Israel.

And he gathered³ together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

Now the Levites⁴ were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight⁵ thousand.

Of which, twenty⁶ and four thousand were to set forward⁷ the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges⁸:

Moreover four thousand were porters⁹; and four thousand praised¹⁰ the LORD with the instruments¹¹ which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

And David divided¹³ them into courses¹⁴ among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon¹⁵, Kohath, and Merari.

Of the Gershonites¹⁷ were, Laadan¹⁸, and Shimei.

The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel²⁰, and Zetham, and Joel²¹, three.

The sons of Shimei; Shelomith²², and Haziel²³, and Haran²⁴, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

¶ And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina²⁵, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah²⁷ the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons²⁸; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house.

The sons of Kohath²⁹; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

The sons³⁰ of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated³¹, that he should sanctify³² the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense³³ before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless³⁴ in his name for ever.

Now concerning Moses the man³⁵ of God, his sons³⁶ were named of the tribe of Levi.

The sons of Moses were, Gershom³⁷, and Eliezer.

Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel³⁸ was the chief.

And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief⁴⁰. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many⁴¹.

Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith⁴² the chief.

Of the sons of Hebron⁴⁴; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

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

The sons of Merari⁴⁵; Mahli⁴⁶, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.

And Eleazar died, and had no sons⁴⁸, but daughters: and their brethren⁴⁹ the sons of Kish took them.

The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth⁵⁰, three.

¶ These were the sons of Levi⁵² after the house⁵³ of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls⁵⁴, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age⁵⁵ of twenty⁵⁶ years and upward.

For David said, The LORD⁵⁷ God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem⁵⁸ for ever:

And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry⁵⁹ the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

For by the last⁶⁰ words of David the Levites were numbered⁶¹ from twenty years old and above:

Because their office was to wait⁶² on the sons of Aaron for the service⁶³ of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying⁶⁴ of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

Both for the shewbread⁶⁵, and for the fine flour⁶⁶ for meat offering, and for the unleavened⁶⁷ cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan⁶⁸, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

¶ And to stand⁶⁹ every morning⁷⁰ to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths⁷¹, in the new moons, and on the set feasts⁷², by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:

And that they should keep⁷³ the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons⁷⁴ of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.