1Chroniques (NAB) 17

17 1 After David had taken up residence in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, "See, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD dwells under tentcloth."2 Nathan replied to David, "Do, therefore, whatever you desire, for God is with you."
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But that same night the word of God came to Nathan:4 "Go and tell my servant David, Thus says the LORD: It is not you who are to build a house for me to dwell in.5 For I have never dwelt in a house, from the time when I led Israel onward, even to this day, but I have been lodging in tent or pavilion6 as long as I have wandered about with all of Israel. Did I ever say a word to any of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to guide my people, such as, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'
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Therefore, tell my servant David, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you might become ruler over my people Israel.8 I was with you wherever you went, and I cut down all your enemies before you. I will make your name great like that of the greatest on the earth.9 I will assign a place for my people Israel and I will plant them in it to dwell there henceforth undisturbed; nor shall wicked men ever again oppress them, as they did at first,10 and during all the time when I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that I, the LORD, will build you a house;11 so that when your days have been completed and you must join your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you who will be one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.12 He it is who shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.13 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me, and I will not withdraw my favor from him as I withdrew it from him who preceded you;14 but I will maintain him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be firmly established forever."15 All these words and this whole vision Nathan related exactly to David.


David's Prayer

16 Then David came in and sat in the LORD'S presence, saying: "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me as far as I have come?17 And yet, even this you now consider too little, O God! For you have made a promise regarding your servant's family reaching into the distant future, and you have looked on me as henceforth the most notable of men, O LORD God.18 What more can David say to you? You know your servant.19 O LORD, for your servant's sake and in keeping with your purpose, you have done this great thing.20 O LORD, there is no one like you and there is no God but you, just as we have always understood.21 "Is there, like your people Israel, whom you redeemed from Egypt, another nation on earth whom a god went to redeem as his people? You won for yourself a name for great and awesome deeds by driving out the nations before your people.22 You made your people Israel your own forever, and you, O LORD, became their God.23 Therefore, O LORD, may the promise that you have uttered concerning your servant and his house remain firm forever. Bring about what you have promised,24 that your renown as LORD of hosts, God of Israel, may be great and abide forever, while the house of David, your servant, is established in your presence.25 "Because you, O my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house, your servant has made bold to pray before you.26 Since you, O LORD, are truly God and have promised this good thing to your servant,27 and since you have deigned to bless the house of your servant, so that it will remain forever-- since it is you, O LORD, who blessed it, it is blessed forever."


David's Kingdom Established and Extended

18 1 After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them; and he took Gath and its towns away from the control of the Philistines.
2
He also defeated Moab, and the Moabites became his subjects, paying tribute.
3
David then defeated Hadadezer, king of Zobah toward Hamath, when the latter was on his way to set up his victory stele at the river Euphrates.4 David took from him twenty thousand foot soldiers, one thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen. Of the chariot horses, David hamstrung all but one hundred.
5
The Arameans of Damascus came to the aid of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, but David also slew twenty-two thousand of their men.6 Then David set up garrisons in the Damascus region of Aram, and the Arameans became his subjects, paying tribute. Thus the LORD made David victorious in all his campaigns.7 David took the golden shields that were carried by Hadadezer's attendants and brought them to Jerusalem.8 He likewise took away from Tibhath and Cun, cities of Hadadezer, large quantities of bronze, which Solomon later used to make the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.
9
When Tou, king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, king of Zobah,10 he sent his son Hadoram to wish King David well and to congratulate him on having waged a victorious war against Hadadezer; for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. He also sent David gold, silver and bronze utensils of every sort.11 These also King David consecrated to the LORD along with all the silver and gold that he had taken from the nations: from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.
12
Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, also slew eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.13 He set up garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David's subjects. Thus the LORD made David victorious in all his campaigns.


David's Administration

14 David reigned over all Israel and dispensed justice and right to all his people.15 Joab, son of Zeruiah, was in command of the army; Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was herald;16 Zadok, son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, were priests; Shavsha was scribe; 17 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were the chief assistants to the king.


Defeat of the Ammonites and Arameans

19 1 Afterward Nahash, king of the Ammonites, died and his son succeeded him as king.2 David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun, the son of Nahash, for his father treated me with kindness." Therefore he sent envoys to him to comfort him over the death of his father. But when David's servants had entered the land of the Ammonites to comfort Hanun,3 the Ammonite princes said to Hanun, "Do you think David is doing this-- sending you these consolers-- to honor your father? Have not his servants rather come to you to explore the land, spying it out for its overthrow?"4 Thereupon Hanun seized David's servants and had them shaved and their garments cut off half-way at the hips. Then he sent them away.5 When David was informed of what had happened to his men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men had been greatly disgraced. "Remain at Jericho," the king told them, "until your beards have grown again; and then you may come back here."
6
When the Ammonites realized that they had put themselves in bad odor with David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram Naharaim, from Aram-maacah, and from Zobah.7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots along with the king of Maacah and his army, who came and encamped before Medeba. The Ammonites also assembled from their cities and came out for war.8 When David heard of this, he sent Joab and his whole army of warriors against them.9 The Ammonites marched out and lined up for a battle at the gate of the city, while the kings who had come to their help remained apart in the open field.
10
When Joab saw that there was a battle line both in front of and behind him, he chose some of the best fighters among the Israelites and set them in array against the Arameans;11 the rest of the army, which he placed under the command of his brother Abishai, then lined up to oppose the Ammonites.12 And he said: "If the Arameans prove too strong for me, you must come to my help; and if the Ammonites prove too strong for you, I will save you.13 Hold steadfast and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; then may the LORD do what seems best to him."14 Joab therefore advanced with his men to engage the Arameans in battle; but they fled before him.15 And when the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they also took to flight before his brother Abishai, and reentered the city. Joab then returned to Jerusalem.
16
Seeing themselves vanquished by Israel, the Arameans sent messengers to bring out the Arameans from the other side of the River, with Shophach, the general of Hadadezer's army, at their head.17 When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan, and met them. With the army of David drawn up to fight the Arameans, they gave battle.18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David slew seven thousand of their chariot fighters and forty thousand of their foot soldiers; he also killed Shophach, the general of the army.19 When the vassals of Hadadezer saw themselves vanquished by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. After this, the Arameans refused to come to the aid of the Ammonites.


Siege and Capture of Rabbah

20 1 At the beginning of the following year, the time when kings go to war, Joab led the army out in force, laid waste the land of the Ammonites, and went on to besiege Rabbah, while David himself remained in Jerusalem. When Joab had attacked Rabbah and destroyed it,2 David took the crown of Milcom from the idol's head. It was found to weigh a talent of gold; and it contained precious stones, which David wore on his own head. He also brought out a great amount of booty from the city.3 He deported the people of the city and set them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. Thus David dealt with all the cities of the Ammonites. Then he and his whole army returned to Jerusalem.


Exploits against the Philistines

4 Afterward there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gezer. At that time, Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Sippai, one of the descendants of the Raphaim, and the Philistines were subdued.
5
Once again there was war with the Philistines, and Elhanan, the son of Jair, slew Lahmi, the brother of Goliath of Gath, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's heddle-bar.
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In still another battle, at Gath, they encountered a giant, also a descendant of the Raphaim, who had six fingers to each hand and six toes to each foot; twenty-four in all.7 He defied Israel, and Jonathan, the son of Shimea, David's brother, slew him.
8
These were the descendants of the Raphaim of Gath who died at the hands of David and his servants.


The Census and Plague

21 1 A satan rose up against Israel, and he enticed David into taking a census of Israel. Therefore David said, "This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of holocausts for Israel." 2 David therefore said to Joab and to the other generals of the army, "Go, find out the number of the Israelites from Beer-sheba to Dan, and report back to me that I may know their number."3 But Joab replied: "May the LORD increase his people a hundredfold! My lord king, are not all of them my lord's subjects? Why does my lord seek to do this thing? Why will he bring guilt upon Israel?"4 However, the king's command prevailed over Joab, who departed and traversed all of Israel, and then returned to Jerusalem.5 Joab reported the result of the census to David: of men capable of wielding a sword, there were in all Israel one million one hundred thousand, and in Judah four hundred and seventy thousand.6 Levi and Benjamin, however, he did not include in the census, for the king's command was repugnant to Joab.
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This command displeased God, who began to punish Israel.8 Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly in doing this thing. Take away your servant's guilt, for I have acted very foolishly."
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Then the LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer, in these words:10 "Go, tell David: Thus says the LORD: I offer you three alternatives; choose one of them, and I will inflict it on you."11 Accordingly, Gad went to David and said to him; "Thus says the LORD: Decide now-- 12 will it be three years of famine; or three months of fleeing your enemies, with the sword of your foes ever at your back; or three days of the LORD'S own sword, a pestilence in the land, with the LORD'S destroying angel in every part of Israel? Therefore choose: What answer am I to give him who sent me?"13 Then David said to Gad: "I am in dire straits. But I prefer to fall into the hand of the LORD, whose mercy is very great, than into the hands of men."
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Therefore the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel died.15 God also sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem; but as he was on the point of destroying it, the LORD saw and decided against the calamity, and said to the destroying angel, "Enough now! Stay your hand!"The angel of the LORD was then standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.16 When David raised his eyes, he saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, with a naked sword in his hand stretched out against Jerusalem. David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, prostrated themselves face to the ground,17 and David prayed to God: "Was it not I who ordered the census of the people? I am the one who sinned, I did this wicked thing. But these sheep, what have they done? O LORD, my God, strike me and my father's family, but do not afflict your people with this plague!"


David's Altar and Sacrifice

18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to tell David to go up and erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.19 David went up at Gad's command, given in the name of the LORD.20 While Ornan was threshing wheat, he turned around and saw the king, and his four sons who were with him, without recognizing them.21 But as David came on toward him, he looked up and saw that it was David. Then he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David, his face to the ground.22 David said to Ornan: "Sell me the ground of this threshing floor, that I may build on it an altar to the LORD. Sell it to me at its full price, that the plague may be stayed from the people."23 But Ornan said to David: "Take it as your own, and let my lord the king do what seems best to him. See, I also give you the oxen for the holocausts, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the cereal offering. I give it all to you."24 But King David replied to Ornan: "No! I will buy it from you properly, at its full price. I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer up holocausts that cost me nothing."25 So David paid Ornan six hundred shekels of gold for the place. 26 David then built an altar there to the LORD, and offered up holocausts and peace offerings. When he called upon the LORD, he answered him by sending down fire from heaven upon the altar of holocausts.
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Then the LORD gave orders to the angel to return his sword to its sheath.


The Place Chosen for the Temple

28 Once David saw that the LORD had heard him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he continued to offer sacrifices there.29 The Dwelling of the LORD, which Moses had built in the desert, and the altar of holocausts were at that time on the high place at Gibeon.30 But David could not go there to worship God, for he was fearful of the sword of the angel of the LORD.


22 1


David Prepares to Build the Temple

2 David then ordered that all the aliens who lived in the land of Israel be brought together, and he appointed them stonecutters to hew out stone blocks for building the house of God. 3 He also laid up large stores of iron to make nails for the doors of the gates, and clamps, together with so much bronze that it could not be weighed,4 and cedar trees without number. The Sidonians and Tyrians brought great stores of cedar logs to David,5 who said: "My son Solomon is young and immature; but the house that is to be built for the LORD must be made so magnificent that it will be renowned and glorious in all countries. Therefore I will make preparations for it." Thus before his death David laid up materials in abundance.


David's Charge to Solomon and the Leaders

6 Then he called for his son Solomon and commanded him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.
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David said to Solomon: "My son, it was my purpose to build a house myself for the honor of the LORD, my God.8 But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood, and you have waged great wars. You may not build a house in my honor, because you have shed too much blood upon the earth in my sight.9 However, a son is to be born to you. He will be a peaceful man, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. For Solomon shall be his name, and in his time I will bestow peace and tranquillity on Israel. 10 It is he who shall build a house in my honor; he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him, and I will establish the throne of his kingship over Israel forever.'
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Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has said you shall.12 May the LORD give you prudence and discernment when he brings you to rule over Israel, so that you keep the law of the LORD, your God.13 Only then shall you succeed, if you are careful to observe the precepts and decrees which the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be brave and steadfast; do not fear or lose heart.14 See, with great effort I have laid up for the house of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron in such great quantities that they cannot be weighed. I have also stored up wood and stones, to which you must add. 15 Moreover, you have available an unlimited supply of workmen, stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and every kind of craftsman16 skilled in gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Set to work, therefore, and the LORD be with you!"
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David also commanded all of Israel's leaders to help his son Solomon:18 "Is not the LORD your God with you? Has he not given you rest on every side? Indeed, he has delivered the occupants of the land into my power, and the land is subdued before the LORD and his people.19 Therefore, devote your hearts and souls to seeking the LORD your God. Proceed to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and God's sacred vessels may be brought into the house built in honor of the LORD."


Families of the Levites and Their Functions

23 1 When David had grown old and was near the end of his days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.2 He then gathered together all the leaders of Israel, together with the priests and the Levites.3 The Levites thirty years old and above were counted, and their total number was found to be thirty-eight thousand men.4 Of these, twenty-four thousand were to direct the service of the house of the LORD, six thousand were to be officials and judges,5 four thousand were to be gatekeepers, and four thousand were to praise the LORD with the instruments which David had devised for praise.6 David divided them into classes according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7
To the Gershonites belonged Ladan and Shimei.8 The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, then Zetham and Joel; three in all.9 The sons of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran; three. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.10 The sons of Shimei were Jahath, Zizah, Jeush, and Beriah; these were the sons of Shimei, four in all.11 Jahath was the chief and Zizah was second to him; but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons, and therefore they were classed as a single family, fulfilling a single office.
12
The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; four in all.13 The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to be consecrated as most holy, he and his sons forever, to offer sacrifice before the LORD, to minister to him, and to bless his name forever.14 As for Moses, however, the man of God, his sons were counted as part of the tribe of Levi.15 The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.16 The sons of Gershom: Shubael the chief.17 The sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah the chief-- Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.18 The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.19 The sons of Hebron: Jeriah, the chief, Amariah, the second, Jahaziel, the third, and Jekameam, the fourth.20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah, the chief, and Isshiah, the second.
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The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.22 Eleazar died leaving no sons, only daughters; the sons of Kish, their kinsmen, married them.23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth; three in all.
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These were the sons of Levi according to their ancestral houses, the family heads as they were enrolled one by one according to their names. They performed the work of the service of the house of the LORD from twenty years of age upward,25 David said: "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and has taken up his dwelling in Jerusalem.26 Henceforth the Levites need not carry the Dwelling or any of its furnishings or equipment.27 for David's final orders were to enlist the Levites from the time they were twenty years old.28 Rather, their duty shall be to assist the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the LORD, having charge of the courts, the chambers, and the preservation of everything holy: they shall take part in the service of the house of God.29 They shall also have charge of the showbread, of the fine flour for the cereal offering, of the wafers of unleavened bread, and of the baking and mixing, and of all measures of quantity and size.30 They must be present every morning to offer thanks and to praise the LORD, and likewise in the evening;31 and at every offering of holocausts to the LORD on sabbaths, new moons, and feast days, in such numbers as are prescribed, they must always be present before the LORD.32 They shall observe what is prescribed for them concerning the meeting tent, the sanctuary, and the sons of Aaron, their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD."


Divisions of the Priests

24 1 The descendants of Aaron also were divided into classes. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.2 Nadab and Abihu died before their father, leaving no sons; therefore only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
3
David, with Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and Ahimelech, a descendant of Ithamar, assigned the functions for the priestly service.4 But since the descendants of Eleazar were found to be more numerous than those of Ithamar, the former were divided into sixteen groups, and the latter into eight groups, each under its family head.5 Their functions were assigned impartially by lot, for there were officers of the holy place, and officers of the divine presence, descended both from Eleazar and from Ithamar.6 The scribe Shemaiah, son of Nethanel, a Levite, made a record of it in the presence of the king, and of the leaders, of Zadok the priest, and of Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, and of the heads of the ancestral houses of the priests and of the Levites, listing two successive family groups from Eleazar before each one from Ithamar.
7
The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Ishbaal,14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,18 the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
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This was the appointed order of their service when they functioned in the house of the LORD in keeping with the precepts given them by Aaron, their father, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded him.


Other Levites

20 Of the remaining Levites, there were Shubael, of the descendants of Amram, and Jehdeiah, of the descendants of Shubael;21 Isshiah, the chief, of the descendants of Rehabiah;22 Shelomith of the Izharites, and Jahath of the descendants of Shelomith.23 The descendants of Hebron were Jeriah, the chief, Amariah, the second, Jahaziel, the third, Jekameam, the fourth.24 The descendants of Uzziel were Micah; Shamir, of the descendants of Micah;25 Isshiah, the brother of Micah; and Zechariah, a descendant of Isshiah.26 The descendants of Merari were Mahli, Mushi, and the descendants of his son Uzziah.27 The descendants of Merari through his son Uzziah: Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.28 Descendants of Mahli were Eleazar, who had no sons,29 and Jerahmeel, of the descendants of Kish.
30
The descendants of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the descendants of the Levites according to their ancestral houses.31 They too, in the same manner as their relatives, the descendants of Aaron, cast lots in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the priestly and levitical families; the more important family did so in the same way as the less important one.


The Temple Musicians

25 1 David and the leaders of the liturgical cult set apart for service the descendants of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, as singers of inspired songs to the accompaniment of lyres and harps and cymbals.This is the list of those who performed this service:
2
Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who sang inspired songs under the guidance of the king. 3 Of Jeduthun, these sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah; six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who sang inspired songs to the accompaniment of a lyre, to give thanks and praise to the LORD.4 Of Heman, these sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.5 All these were the sons of Heman, the king's seer in divine matters; to enhance his prestige, God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6
All these, whether of Asaph, Jeduthun, or Heman, were under their fathers' direction in the singing in the house of the LORD to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres, serving in the house of God, under the guidance of the king.7 Their number, together with that of their brethren who were trained in singing to the LORD, all of them skilled men, was two hundred and eighty-eight.
8
They cast lots for their functions equally, young and old, master and pupil alike.9 The first lot fell to Asaph, the family of Joseph; he and his sons and his brethren were twelve. Gedaliah was the second; he and his brethren and his sons were twelve.10 The third was Zaccur, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.11 The fourth fell to Izri, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.12 The fifth was Nethaniah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.13 The sixth was Bukkiah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.14 The seventh was Jesarelah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.15 The eighth was Jeshaiah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.16 The ninth was Mattaniah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.17 The tenth was Shimei, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.18 The eleventh was Uzziel, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.19 The twelfth fell to Hashabiah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.20 The thirteenth was Shubael, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.21 The fourteenth was Mattithiah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.22 The fifteenth fell to Jeremoth, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.23 The sixteenth fell to Hananiah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.24 The seventeenth fell to Joshbekashah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.25 The eighteenth fell to Hanani, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.26 The nineteenth fell to Mallothi, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.27 The twentieth fell to Eliathah, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.28 The twenty-first fell to Hothir, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.29 The twenty-second fell to Giddalti, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.30 The twenty-third fell to Mahazioth, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.31 The twenty-fourth fell to Romamti-ezer, his sons, and his brethren: twelve.


The Gatekeepers

26 1 As for the classes of gatekeepers. Of the Korahites was Meshelemiah, the son of Kore, one of the sons of Abiasaph.2 Meshelemiah's sons: Zechariah, the first-born, Jediael, the second son, Zebadiah, the third, Jathniel, the fourth,3 Elam, the fifth, Jehohanan, the sixth, Eliehoenai, the seventh.4 Obed-edom's sons: Shemaiah, the first-born, Jehozabad, a second son, Joah, the third, Sachar, the fourth, Nethanel, the fifth,5 Ammiel, the sixth, Issachar, the seventh, Peullethai, the eighth, for God blessed him.6 To his son Shemaiah were born sons who ruled over their family, for they were warriors.7 The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; also his brethren who were men of might, Elihu and Semachiah.8 All these were the sons of Obed-edom, who, together with their sons and their brethren, were mighty men, fit for the service. Of Obed-edom, sixty-two.9 Of Meshelemiah, eighteen sons and brethren, mighty men.10 Hosah, a descendant of Merari, had these sons: Shimri, the chief (for though he was not the first-born, his father made him chief),11 Hilkiah, the second son, Tebaliah, the third, Zechariah, the fourth. All the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.
12
To these classes of gatekeepers, under their chief men, were assigned watches in the service of the house of the LORD, for each group in the same way.13 They cast lots for each gate, the small and the large families alike.
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When the lot was cast for the east side, it fell to Meshelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a prudent counselor, and the north side fell to his lot.15 To Obed-edom fell the south side, and to his sons the storehouse.16 To Hosah fell the west side with the Shallecheth gate at the ascending highway. For each family, watches were established.17 On the east, six watched each day, on the north, four each day, on the south, four each day, and at the storehouse they were two and two;18 as for the large building on the west, there were four at the highway and two at the large building.
19
These were the classes of the gatekeepers, descendants of Kore and Merari.


The Treasurers, Officers, and Judges

20 Their brother Levites superintended the stores for the house of God and the stores of votive offerings.21 Among the descendants of Ladan the Gershonite, the family heads were descendants of Jehiel: the descendants of Jehiel,22 Zetham and his brother Joel, who superintended the treasures of the house of the LORD.23 From the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites,24 Shubael, son of Gershon, son of Moses, was chief superintendent over the treasures.25 His associate pertained to Eliezer, whose son was Rehabiah, whose son was Jeshaiah, whose son was Joram, whose son was Zichri, whose son was Shelomith.26 This Shelomith and his brethren superintended all the stores of the votive offerings dedicated by King David, the heads of the families, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the commanders of the army,27 from the booty they had taken in the wars, for the enhancement of the house of the LORD.28 Also, whatever Samuel the seer, Saul, son of Kish, Abner, son of Ner, Joab, son of Zeruiah, and all others had consecrated, was under the charge of Shelomith and his brethren.
29
Among the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were in charge of Israel's civil affairs as officials and judges.30 Among the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, one thousand seven hundred police officers, had the administration of Israel on the western side of the Jordan in all the work of the LORD and in the service of the king.31 Among the Hebronites, Jerijah was their chief according to their family records. In the fortieth year of David's reign search was made, and there were found among them outstanding officers at Jazer of Gilead.32 His brethren were also police officers, two thousand seven hundred heads of families. King David appointed them to the administration of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in everything pertaining to God and to the king.


The Military Divisions


1Chroniques (NAB) 17