1 Chronicles23
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Now David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel.
2And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
3And the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.
4Of these, twenty and four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of Jehovah; and six thousand were officers and judges;
5and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised Jehovah with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.
6And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
9The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Ladan.
10And the sons of Shimei: 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 became a fathers’ house in one reckoning.
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 Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, for ever.
14But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
16The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.
17And the sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
18The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.
19The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
20The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah 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 only: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them to wife.
23The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
24These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those of them that were counted, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from twenty years old and upward.
25For David said, Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath given rest unto his people; and he dwelleth in Jerusalem for ever:
26and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the tabernacle and all the vessels of it for the service thereof.
27For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and upward.
28For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God;
29for the showbread also, and for the fine flour for a meal-offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all manner of measure and size;
30and to stand every morning to thank and praise Jehovah, and likewise at even;
31and to offer all burnt-offerings unto Jehovah, on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, in number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before Jehovah;
32and that they should keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, for the service of the house of Jehovah.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Chronicles 23.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David declares Solomon his successor. (1–23). The office of the Levites. (24–32).
vv1-23
David, having given charge concerning the building of the temple, settles the method of the temple service, and orders the officers of it. When those of the same family were employed together, it would engage them to love and assist one another.
vv24-32
Now the people of Israel were so many, there should be more employed in the temple service, that every Israelite who brought an offering might find a Levite ready to help him. When more work is to be done, it is pity but there should be more workmen. A new heart, a spiritual mind, which delights greatly in God's commandments, and can find a refreshing feast in his ordinances, forms the great distinction between the true Christian and all other men in the world. To the spiritual man every service will yield satisfaction. He will be ever abounding in the work of the Lord; being never so happy as when employed for such a good Master, in so pleasant a service. He will not regard whether he is called to take the lead, or to keep the charge of others who are placed over him. May we seek and serve the Lord uprightly, and leave all the rest to his disposal, by faith in his word.
Key Words
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
זָקֵן: to be old
שָׂבַע: to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively)
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
מָלַךְ: to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel
שְׁלֹמֹה: Shelomah, David's successor
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אָסַף: to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
Cross References
1 Chronicles 23The Mosaic standard age of thirty for Levites entering service, here modified under David.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Confirms David established the musical instruments by divine commandment through God's prophets.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic allusion identifying David as the historical inventor of musical instruments for praise.
Supported by JFB
The explicit priestly mandate given to Aaron and his descendants to bless the people in God's name.
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament fulfillment of the Aaronite priestly duty of burning incense daily before the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explains the transition from the thirty-year age threshold down to twenty years old.
Supported by JFB
Reflected in Moses' title 'man of God', whose sons were numbered with the common Levites.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates the law of inheritance for daughters when there were no male heirs.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Original Mosaic assignment of Levites to assist the priests (sons of Aaron) in their work.
Supported by JFB
The Mosaic law regarding the preparation and ordering of the showbread in the tabernacle.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Detailed historical narrative of David making Solomon king at the end of his life.
Supported by JFB
David gathering Israel's leaders to announce royal succession and structural arrangements for worship.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrast between carrying the tabernacle in the wilderness and its stationary resting place.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Shebuel (or Shubael) as the chief officer over the treasures.
Supported by JFB