The Divisions of the Levites

1  וְדָוִ֥יד (And David) זָקֵ֖ן (was old) וְשָׂבַ֣ע (and was full) יָמִ֑ים (of days), וַיַּמְלֵ֛ךְ (and he made king) אֶת־ (-) שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה (Solomon) בְנ֖וֹ (his son) עַל־ (over) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Israel). 2  וַיֶּאֱסֹף֙ (And he gathered together) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) שָׂרֵ֣י (the heads) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים (and the priests), וְהַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (and the Levites).

3  וַיִּסָּֽפְרוּ֙ (And were numbered) הַלְוִיִּ֔ם (the Levites) מִבֶּ֛ן (from a son) שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים (of thirty) שָׁנָ֖ה (years) וָמָ֑עְלָה (and above), וַיְהִ֨י (and was) מִסְפָּרָ֤ם (the number) לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם֙ (by their heads) לִגְבָרִ֔ים (of mighty men) שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים (thirty) וּשְׁמוֹנָ֖ה (and eight) אָֽלֶף׃ (thousand).

4  מֵאֵ֗לֶּה (From these) לְנַצֵּ֙חַ֙ (to preside) עַל־ (over) מְלֶ֣אכֶת (the work) בֵּית־ (of the house) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH), עֶשְׂרִ֥ים (were twenty) וְאַרְבָּעָ֖ה (and four) אָ֑לֶף (thousand); וְשֹׁטְרִ֥ים (and officers) וְשֹׁפְטִ֖ים (and judges), שֵׁ֥שֶׁת (six) אֲלָפִֽים׃ (thousand). 5  וְאַרְבַּ֥עַת (And four) אֲלָפִ֖ים (thousand) שֹׁעֲרִ֑ים (gatekeepers), וְאַרְבַּ֤עַת (and four) אֲלָפִים֙ (thousand) מְהַֽלְלִ֣ים (giving praise) לַיהוָ֔ה (to YHWH) בַּכֵּלִ֕ים (with instruments) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) עָשִׂ֖יתִי (I have made) לְהַלֵּֽל׃ (for giving praise).

6  וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥ם (And separated them) דָּוִ֖יד (David) מַחְלְק֑וֹתס (into divisions) לִבְנֵ֣י (among the sons) לֵוִ֔י (of Levi):

לְגֵרְשׁ֖וֹן (Gershon), קְהָ֥ת (Kohath), וּמְרָרִֽי׃ס (and Merari).

The Gershonites
(Numbers 3:21–26; Numbers 4:21–28)

7  לַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י (Of the Gershonite): לַעְדָּ֥ן (Ladan) וְשִׁמְעִֽי׃ס (and Shimei).

8  בְּנֵ֣י (The sons) לַעְדָּ֗ן (of Ladan): הָרֹ֧אשׁ (The first) יְחִיאֵ֛ל (Jehiel), וְזֵתָ֥ם (and Zetham), וְיוֹאֵ֖ל (and Joel)— שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ס (three).

9  בְּנֵ֣י (The sons) שִׁמְעִ֗י (of Shimei): שְׁלֹמוֹת (Shelomith), וַחֲזִיאֵ֛ל (and Haziel), וְהָרָ֖ן (and Haran)— שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה (three). אֵ֛לֶּה (These were) רָאשֵׁ֥י (the heads) הָאָב֖וֹת (of the fathers) לְלַעְדָּֽן׃ס (of Ladan).

10  וּבְנֵ֣י (And the sons) שִׁמְעִ֔י (of Shimei): יַ֣חַת (Jahath), זִינָ֔א (Zina), וִיע֖וּשׁ (and Jeush), וּבְרִיעָ֑ה (and Beriah). אֵ֥לֶּה (These) בְנֵי־ (were the sons) שִׁמְעִ֖י (of Shimei)— אַרְבָּעָֽה׃ (four). 11  וַֽיְהִי־ (And was) יַ֣חַת (Jahath) הָרֹ֔אשׁ (the head), וְזִיזָ֖ה (and Zizah) הַשֵּׁנִ֑י (the second). וִיע֤וּשׁ (And Jeush) וּבְרִיעָה֙ (and Beriah) לֹֽא־ (not) הִרְבּ֣וּ (did have many) בָנִ֔ים (sons), וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ (and they were) לְבֵ֣ית (to a house) אָ֔ב (of a father) לִפְקֻדָּ֖ה (in assignment) אֶחָֽת׃ס (one).

The Kohathites
(Numbers 3:27–32; Numbers 4:1–20)

12  בְּנֵ֣י (The sons) קְהָ֗ת (of Kohath): עַמְרָ֥ם (Amram), יִצְהָ֛ר (Izhar), חֶבְר֥וֹן (Hebron), וְעֻזִּיאֵ֖ל (and Uzziel)— אַרְבָּעָֽה׃ס (four).

13  בְּנֵ֥י (The sons) עַמְרָ֖ם (of Amram): אַהֲרֹ֣ן (Aaron) וּמֹשֶׁ֑ה (and Moses). וַיִּבָּדֵ֣ל (And was set apart) אַהֲרֹ֡ן (Aaron) לְֽהַקְדִּישׁוֹ֩ (for his sanctifying) קֹ֨דֶשׁ (the holy) קָֽדָשִׁ֤ים (of holies), הֽוּא־ (he) וּבָנָיו֙ (and his sons) עַד־ (even to) עוֹלָ֔ם (forever), לְהַקְטִיר֩ (to burn incense) לִפְנֵ֨י (before the face of) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH), לְשָׁרְת֛וֹ (to minister for him), וּלְבָרֵ֥ךְ (and to give the blessing) בִּשְׁמ֖וֹ (in His name) עַד־ (even to) עוֹלָֽם׃ (forever). 14  וּמֹשֶׁ֖ה (And Moses) אִ֣ישׁ (the man) הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (of God)— בָּנָ֕יו (his sons) יִקָּרְא֖וּ (were reckoned) עַל־ (to) שֵׁ֥בֶט (the tribe) הַלֵּוִֽי׃ (of Levi).

15  בְּנֵ֣י (The sons) מֹשֶׁ֔ה (of Moses): גֵּרְשֹׁ֖ם (Gershom) וֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃ (and Eliezer).

16  בְּנֵ֥י (The sons) גֵרְשׁ֖וֹם (of Gershom): שְׁבוּאֵ֥ל (Shebuel was) הָרֹֽאשׁ׃ (the first).

17  וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ (And was) בְנֵי־ (of the sons) אֱלִיעֶ֖זֶר (of Eliezer): רְחַבְיָ֣ה (Rehabiah) הָרֹ֑אשׁ (the first). וְלֹא־ (And not) הָיָ֤ה (had) לֶאֱלִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ (Eliezer) בָּנִ֣ים (sons) אֲחֵרִ֔ים (other), וּבְנֵ֥י (and the sons) רְחַבְיָ֖ה (of Rehabiah) רָב֥וּ (multiplied) לְמָֽעְלָה׃ (exceedingly).

18  בְּנֵ֥י (The sons) יִצְהָ֖ר (of Izhar): שְׁלֹמִ֥ית (Shelomith) הָרֹֽאשׁ׃ס (the first).

19  בְּנֵ֖י (Of the sons) חֶבְר֑וֹן (of Hebron); יְרִיָּ֤הוּ (Jeriah) הָרֹאשׁ֙ (the first), אֲמַרְיָ֣ה (Amariah) הַשֵּׁנִ֔י (the second), יַחֲזִיאֵל֙ (Jahaziel) הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י (the third), וִֽיקַמְעָ֖ם (and Jekameam) הָרְבִיעִֽי׃ (the fourth).

20  בְּנֵ֖י (Of the sons) עֻזִּיאֵ֑ל (of Uzziel); מִיכָ֣ה (Micah) הָרֹ֔אשׁ (the first), וְיִשִּׁיָּ֖ה (and Isshiah) הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃ס (the second).

The Merarites
(Numbers 3:33–37; Numbers 4:29–33)

21  בְּנֵ֤י (The sons) מְרָרִי֙ (of Merari): מַחְלִ֣י (Mahli) וּמוּשִׁ֔י (and Mushi).

בְּנֵ֥י (The sons) מַחְלִ֖י (of Mahli): אֶלְעָזָ֥ר (Eleazar), וְקִֽישׁ׃ (and Kish). 22  וַיָּ֙מָת֙ (And died) אֶלְעָזָ֔ר (Eleazar) וְלֹא־ (and not) הָ֥יוּ (there were) ל֛וֹ (unto him) בָּנִ֖ים (sons), כִּ֣י (but) אִם־ (only) בָּנ֑וֹת (daughters). וַיִּשָּׂא֥וּם (And lifted them) בְּנֵי־ (the sons) קִ֖ישׁ (of Kish) אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃ (their brothers).

23  בְּנֵ֣י (The sons) מוּשִׁ֗י (of Mushi): מַחְלִ֥י (Mahli), וְעֵ֛דֶר (and Eder), וִירֵמ֖וֹת (and Jeremoth)— שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ (three).

Levite Duties Revised

24  אֵ֣לֶּה (These were) בְנֵֽי־ (the sons) לֵוִי֩ (of Levi) לְבֵ֨ית (by the houses) אֲבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם (of their fathers), רָאשֵׁ֧י (heads) הָאָב֣וֹת (of the fathers) לִפְקוּדֵיהֶ֗ם (by their appointments) בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר (in the number) שֵׁמוֹת֙ (of names) לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם (by their polls), עֹשֵׂה֙ (who did) הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה (the work) לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת (for the service) בֵּ֣ית (of the house) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH), מִבֶּ֛ן (from a son) עֶשְׂרִ֥ים (of twenty) שָׁנָ֖ה (years) וָמָֽעְלָה׃ (and above).

25  כִּ֚י (For) אָמַ֣ר (said) דָּוִ֔יד (David), הֵנִ֛יחַ (Has given rest) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵֽי־ (God) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel) לְעַמּ֑וֹ (to His people), וַיִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן (that they may dwell) בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (in Jerusalem) עַד־ (even to) לְעוֹלָֽם׃ (forever). 26  וְגַ֖ם (And also) לַלְוִיִּ֑ם (of the Levites), אֵין־ (No longer) לָשֵׂ֧את (they shall carry) אֶת־ (-) הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן (the tabernacle) וְאֶת־ (or) כָּל־ (any) כֵּלָ֖יו (of its articles) לַעֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃ (for its service).

27  כִּ֣י (For) בְדִבְרֵ֤י (by words) דָוִיד֙ (of David) הָאַ֣חֲרֹנִ֔ים (the last), הֵ֖מָּה (they) מִסְפַּ֣ר (were numbering) בְּנֵי־ (the sons) לֵוִ֑י (of Levi) מִבֶּ֛ן (from a son) עֶשְׂרִ֥ים (of twenty) שָׁנָ֖ה (years) וּלְמָֽעְלָה׃ (and above). 28  כִּ֣י (For) מַעֲמָדָ֞ם (their duty was) לְיַד־ (at the hand) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) אַהֲרֹ֗ן (of Aaron) לַעֲבֹדַת֙ (in the service) בֵּ֣ית (of the house) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH), עַל־ (in) הַחֲצֵרוֹת֙ (the courts), וְעַל־ (and in) הַלְּשָׁכ֔וֹת (the chambers), וְעַֽל־ (and in) טָהֳרַ֖ת (the purifying) לְכָל־ (of every) קֹ֑דֶשׁ (holy thing), וּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֔ה (and the work) עֲבֹדַ֖ת (of the service) בֵּ֥ית (of the house) הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ (of God), 29  וּלְלֶ֨חֶם (and for the bread) הַֽמַּעֲרֶ֜כֶת (of the arrangement) וּלְסֹ֤לֶת (and the fine flour) לְמִנְחָה֙ (for the present), וְלִרְקִיקֵ֣י (and with cakes) הַמַּצּ֔וֹת (the unleavened) וְלַֽמַּחֲבַ֖ת (and for the pan), וְלַמֻּרְבָּ֑כֶת (and with what is mixed), וּלְכָל־ (and with all kinds) מְשׂוּרָ֖ה (of measures) וּמִדָּֽה׃ (and sizes), 30  וְלַעֲמֹד֙ (and to stand) בַּבֹּ֣קֶר (morning) בַּבֹּ֔קֶר (by morning) לְהֹד֥וֹת (to thank) וּלְהַלֵּ֖ל (and to give praise) לַיהוָ֑ה (to YHWH), וְכֵ֖ן (and likewise) לָעָֽרֶב׃ (at the evening), 31  וּלְכֹ֨ל (and at every) הַעֲל֤וֹת (presentation) עֹלוֹת֙ (of burnt offerings) לַיהוָ֔ה (to YHWH) לַשַּׁבָּת֔וֹת (on the Sabbaths) לֶחֳדָשִׁ֖ים (and on the New Moons) וְלַמֹּעֲדִ֑ים (and for the appointed times), בְּמִסְפָּ֨ר (by number) כְּמִשְׁפָּ֧ט (according to the ordinance) עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם (upon then) תָּמִ֖יד (continually) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the face of) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH). 32  וְשָׁמְר֞וּ (And they were to keep) אֶת־ (-) מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת (the charge) אֹֽהֶל־ (of the Tent) מוֹעֵ֗ד (of Meeting), וְאֵת֙ (and) מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת (the charge) הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ (of the sanctuary) וּמִשְׁמֶ֕רֶת (and the charge) בְּנֵ֥י (of the sons) אַהֲרֹ֖ן (of Aaron) אֲחֵיהֶ֑ם (their brothers) לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת (in the work) בֵּ֥ית (of the house) יְהוָֽה׃פ (of YHWH).