The Divisions of the Levites
When David was old and full of years, he installed his son Solomon as king over Israel. 1Ch 29:281Ch 28:51Ki 1:33-391Ch 29:22-251Ki 1:11Ki 1:30Gen 25:8Gen 35:29 Then he gathered all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. 1Ch 13:11Ch 28:12Ch 34:29-30Jos 23:2Jos 24:1
The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000. 1Ch 23:24Num 4:2-49 “Of these,” said David, 1 “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges, 2Ch 19:8Deu 16:181Ch 23:28-321Ch 26:20-271Ch 26:29-311Ch 6:481Ch 9:28-32Act 20:28 4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.” 2Ch 29:25-262Ch 8:14Amo 6:5Psa 87:71Ch 15:16-241Ch 16:381Ch 16:41-421Ch 25:1-7
Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: 1Ch 6:12Ch 8:141Ch 6:162Ch 29:25Ezr 6:181Ch 24:11Ch 26:12Ch 31:2
Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
The Gershonites
(Numbers 3:21–26; Numbers 4:21–28)
The Gershonites: Ladan 2and Shimei. 1Ch 26:211Ch 15:71Ch 6:17-20Exo 6:17
The sons of Ladan: Jehiel 3the first, Zetham, and Joel—three in all. 1Ch 15:111Ch 15:17-181Ch 15:20-211Ch 15:71Ch 6:33-34
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: 4 Jahath, Zina, 5 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 Kohathites
(Numbers 3:27–32; Numbers 4:1–20)
The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all. Exo 6:181Ch 6:2Num 26:58Num 3:27
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. Deu 21:5Exo 6:201Sa 2:28Exo 30:6-101Ch 6:32Ch 26:18-21Act 13:2Exo 28:1-14 As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. Deu 33:11Ch 26:23-25Psa 90:1
The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. Exo 18:3-4Exo 2:22Exo 4:20
The descendants of Gershom: Shebuel was the first. 1Ch 26:241Ch 24:201Ch 25:20
The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer did not have any other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous. 1Ch 26:25
The sons of Izhar: Shelomith was the first. 1Ch 24:221Ch 26:26
The sons of Hebron: Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 1Ch 24:231Ch 15:91Ch 23:12
The sons of Uzziel: Micah was the first and Isshiah the second.
The Merarites
(Numbers 3:33–37; Numbers 4:29–33)
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. Exo 6:191Ch 23:61Ch 24:26-301Ch 6:201Ch 6:30
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. 1Ch 24:28Num 36:6-8
The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth 6—three in all. 1Ch 24:30
Levite Duties Revised
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. 1Ch 23:3Num 10:17Num 10:21Num 4:3Ezr 3:8Num 8:241Ch 23:27Num 1:18
For David had said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to His people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever. 1Ch 22:182Sa 7:11Psa 132:13-142Sa 7:1Psa 135:21Zec 8:32Co 6:16Col 2:9 So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.” Num 4:5Num 7:9Num 4:15Deu 10:8Num 4:49
For according to the final instructions of David, the Levites twenty years of age or older were counted, 1Ch 23:241Ch 23:32Sa 23:1Psa 72:20 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, 2Ch 31:112Ch 35:11-142Ch 35:3-6Neh 13:91Ch 18:171Ch 23:41Ch 28:131Ch 9:28-29 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. Lev 19:35-36Exo 25:30Lev 2:4-7Lev 24:5-9Lev 6:20-231Ch 9:29-341Ki 7:482Ch 13:11
They were also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise in the evening. Psa 92:1-31Ch 9:33Ezr 3:10-111Ch 16:37-421Ch 25:1-71Ch 6:31-332Ch 29:25-282Ch 31:2 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. Isa 1:13-14Lev 23:1-17Lev 23:24Lev 23:39Num 10:10Num 28:1-29Psa 81:1-4 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. Num 1:53Num 3:38Num 3:6-91Ch 9:271Ki 8:4