34 Bible Verses about Levites

After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half district of Keilah, in his district.

Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch corresponding with watch.

Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chiefs of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.

Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?

And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

And Moses spoke unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the grain offering that remains of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of meeting they shall eat it.

Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.

And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

Therefore Levi has no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD your God promised him.

And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he has no part nor inheritance with you.

But you must eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite that is within your gates: and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all that you put your hands unto. Take heed to yourself that you forsake not the Levite as long as you live upon the earth.

And the Levite that is within your gates; you shall not forsake him; for he has no part nor inheritance with you. At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates: And the Levite, (because he has no part nor inheritance with you,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

Now on the fourth day were the silver and the gold and the articles weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;

And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you hasten the matter. But the Levites hastened it not.

And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.

And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.

And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth, and of his brethren.

The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, as his inheritance. Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he has said unto them. And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two jowls, and the stomach. read more.
The firstfruit also of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, shall you give him. For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons forever. And if a Levite come from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose; Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD. They shall have equal portions to eat, besides that which comes of the sale of his family possessions.

Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the stores, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who ministered.

But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as a heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When you take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. Thus you also shall offer a heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which you receive of the children of Israel; and you shall give thereof the LORD'S heave offering to Aaron the priest. read more.
Out of all your gifts you shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. Therefore you shall say unto them, When you have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the winepress. And you shall eat it in every place, you and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of meeting. And you shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have offered from it the best of it: neither shall you pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest you die.

And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari moved forward, bearing the tabernacle.

And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari. And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred. And the head of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the north. read more.
And under the appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the utensils thereof, and all that pertains to them, And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

And this is the task of their burdens, according to all their service in the tabernacle of meeting; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, And the pillars round about the court, and their sockets, and their pegs, and their cords, with all their furnishings, and with all their service: and by name you shall reckon the objects of the charge of their burdens. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, who were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall no longer be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel,

They shall teach Jacob your judgments, and Israel your law: they shall put incense before you, and whole burnt sacrifice upon your altar.

And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who is the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. read more.
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet wine, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be you grieved; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be you grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. And on the second day were gathered together the heads of the fathers' houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.

But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.

But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only you shall not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:

And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shall you number them. And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. read more.
And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers. Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites. Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred. The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle on the west. And the head of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof. And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. And the head of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be head over the leaders of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary. Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari. And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred. And the head of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the north. And under the appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the utensils thereof, and all that pertains to them, And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords. But those that encamp before the tabernacle on the east, even before the tabernacle of meeting eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary to meet the needs of the children of Israel; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. All that were numbered of the Levites, who Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.

Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.

And these are they that were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites. These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram. And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bore to Levi in Egypt: and she bore unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister. read more.
And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered unholy fire before the LORD. And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them has the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever.

And these are they that were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites. These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram. And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bore to Levi in Egypt: and she bore unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister. read more.
And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered unholy fire before the LORD. And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only you shall not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: read more.
But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle moves forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be encamped, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their armies. But the Levites shall encamp round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall perform his duties, and the duties of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and serve the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle. read more.
And you shall give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that opens the womb among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal: mine shall they be: I am the LORD. And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shall you number them. And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle moves forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be encamped, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their armies. read more.
But the Levites shall encamp round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall perform his duties, and the duties of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and serve the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle. read more.
And you shall give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites. Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred. The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle on the west. read more.
And the head of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof. And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. And the head of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be head over the leaders of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary. Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari. And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred. And the head of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the north. And under the appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the utensils thereof, and all that pertains to them, And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. read more.
This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, about the most holy things: And when the camp moves forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of testimony with it: And shall put thereon the covering of badger skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in its poles. And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover them: and the showbread shall be on it: And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badger skins, and shall put in its poles. And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its wick trimmers, and its trays, and all the oil vessels thereof, with which they minister unto it: And they shall put it and all the utensils thereof within a covering of badger skins, and shall put it upon a carrying beam. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badger skins, and shall put in its poles: And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badger skins, and shall put them on a carrying beam: And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it: And they shall put upon it all its utensils, with which they minister about it, even the fire pans, the forks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badger skins, and put in its poles. And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, as the camp is to move forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting.

And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Cut not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: read more.
But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shall you number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and to carry burdens: And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of meeting, its covering, and the covering of the badger skins that is on it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve. At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and you shall appoint unto them the task of all their burdens. This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting: and their work shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shall you number them, every one that enters into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting. And this is the task of their burdens, according to all their service in the tabernacle of meeting; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, And the pillars round about the court, and their sockets, and their pegs, and their cords, with all their furnishings, and with all their service: and by name you shall reckon the objects of the charge of their burdens. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of meeting: And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of meeting, Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD. And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of meeting, Even those that were numbered of them by their families, were three thousand and two hundred. These are those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families, and by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of meeting, Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons performed the outside duties over Israel, as officers and judges.

Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat appoint some of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the heads of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem. And he charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. And whatsoever cause shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so bring wrath upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and you shall not trespass. read more.
And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king's matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the LORD shall be with the good.

And you shall come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall show you the sentence of judgment:

And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the heads of the Levites, had the oversight of the outside business of the house of God.

Of which, twenty and four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to oversee the work of the house of the LORD.

From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.

From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shall you number them, every one that enters into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of meeting,

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, This is what pertains to the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of meeting: And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: read more.
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do unto the Levites regarding their duties.

The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four. The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight. The children of the gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine. read more.
The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, The children of Hagab, the children of Shamlai, the children of Hanan, The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, The children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephisim, The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda, The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the children of Ami. All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. And these were they who went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harhsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not prove their father's house, and their descent, whether they were of Israel: The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai; who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name: These sought their listing among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as defiled, excluded from the priesthood. And the governor said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till a priest could consult with Urim and with Thummim.

And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

Then I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, leading men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinim, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; read more.
And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty; Also of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were registered by name.

The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four. The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight. The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight. read more.
The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon, The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai, The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim, The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon. All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. And these were they who went up also from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not prove their father's house, nor their descendants, whether they were of Israel. The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two. And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite as his wife, and was called after their name. These sought their registration among those that were enrolled by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as defiled, put from the priesthood. And the governor said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till a priest could consult with Urim and Thummim. The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, Besides their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women. Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five: Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty donkeys. And some of the heads of the fathers' houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury a thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty priests' garments. And some of the heads of the fathers' houses gave to the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand and two hundred minas of silver. And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand minas of silver, and threescore and seven priests' garments. So the priests, and the Levites, and the gatekeepers, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

And the LORD said unto Aaron, You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear the iniquity in connection with the sanctuary: and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity in connection with your priesthood.

And you shall gird them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and put the turbans on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.

And take unto you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

But those that encamp before the tabernacle on the east, even before the tabernacle of meeting eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary to meet the needs of the children of Israel; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.

And it came to pass, that the next day Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was sprouted, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

And you shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, says the LORD of hosts. My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear with which he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed your word, and kept your covenant. They shall teach Jacob your judgments, and Israel your law: they shall put incense before you, and whole burnt sacrifice upon your altar.

And they lodged round about the house of God, because the responsibility was upon them, and the opening of it every morning belonged to them. And certain of them had the charge of the serving vessels, that they should bring them in and out by count. Some of them also were appointed to oversee the furnishings, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices.

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. Of which, twenty and four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges: read more.
Moreover four thousand were gatekeepers; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, for praise. And David divided them into divisions among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Of the Gershonites were, Ladan, and Shimei. The sons of Ladan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three. The sons of Shimei; Shelomoth, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers' houses of Ladan. And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, as one father's house. The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to give the blessing in his name forever. Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi. The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer. Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief. And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief. Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the first, and Issiah the second. The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish. And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them. The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three. These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses; even the heads of their fathers' houses, as they were counted individually by the number of their names, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward. For David said, The LORD God of Israel has given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever: And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof. For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above: Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God; Both for the showbread, and for the fine flour for meal offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is mixed with all kinds of measures and sizes; And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at evening; And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to that required of them, continually before the LORD: And that they should attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, and the needs of the holy place, and the needs of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

Then I separated twelve of the leaders of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the articles, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered: I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver articles worth a hundred talents, and of gold a hundred talents; read more.
Also twenty bowls of gold, worth a thousand darics; and two vessels of fine polished bronze, as precious as gold. And I said unto them, You are holy unto the LORD; the articles are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. Watch, and keep them, until you weigh them before the leaders of the priests and the Levites, and heads of the fathers' houses of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD. So the priests and the Levites took the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the articles, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God. Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. Now on the fourth day were the silver and the gold and the articles weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites; With the number and weight of everything: and all the weight was recorded at that time.

And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Neither shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to burn grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.

And the Levites who have gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, who went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up my hand against them, says the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity. read more.
And they shall not come near unto me, to serve the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed. But I will make them to keep charge of the house, for all its service, and for all that shall be done in it.

And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that opens the womb among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and animal: on the day that I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of meeting.

And you shall take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel. And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. And all the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen. read more.
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.

Thus shall you separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only you shall not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: read more.
But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle moves forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be encamped, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their armies. But the Levites shall encamp round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari moved forward, bearing the tabernacle.

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers. read more.
Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites. Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred. The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle on the west. And the head of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shall you number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and to carry burdens: And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of meeting, its covering, and the covering of the badger skins that is on it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, read more.
And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.

But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle moves forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be encamped, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their armies. read more.
But the Levites shall encamp round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

Then the tabernacle of meeting shall move forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they move forward, every man in his place by their standards.

The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle on the west. And the head of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of meeting. read more.
And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof. And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. And the head of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be head over the leaders of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary. Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari. And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred. And the head of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the north.

But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as a heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and you shall give also unto the Levites pasture lands for the cities round about them. And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle, and for their livestock, and for all their animals. And the pasture lands of the cities, which you shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits all around. read more.
And you shall measure from outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the pasture lands for the cities. And among the cities which you shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which you shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee there: and to them you shall add forty and two cities. So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall you give with their pasture lands. And the cities which you shall give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many you shall give many; but from them that have few you shall give few: every one shall give from his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inherits.

At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them has the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever.

And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams. And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the leader of the music with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

And these are the singers, heads of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free from other service: for they were employed in that work day and night.

And they lodged round about the house of God, because the responsibility was upon them, and the opening of it every morning belonged to them.

And outside the inner gate were the chambers for the singers in the inner court, one at the side of the north gate; facing toward the south: one at the side of the east gate facing toward the north.

And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get you to Anathoth, unto your own fields; for you are worthy of death: but I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because you have been afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.

They shall have equal portions to eat, besides that which comes of the sale of his family possessions.

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. Of which, twenty and four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to oversee the work of the house of the LORD. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to oversee the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah: And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeuel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah: And of the sons of Heman; Jehuel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel. read more.
And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron. Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the vestibule of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all its utensils, and the showbread table, with all its utensils. Moreover all the utensils, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD. Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD. So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar. And they brought forth the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with lyres, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. And all the congregation worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had finished offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshiped. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now you have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings. And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep. But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings: therefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. And he set the priests in their duties, and encouraged them for the service of the house of the LORD, And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, who were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall no longer be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel, read more.
And prepare yourselves according to your fathers' houses, according to your divisions, according to the writings of David king of Israel, and according to the writings of Solomon his son. And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the families of the Levites. So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. And Josiah gave to the people, from the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king's possessions. And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chiefs of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their places, and the Levites in their divisions, according to the king's commandment. And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites skinned them. And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen. And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the other holy offerings boiled they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them quickly among all the lay people. And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busy in the offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the gatekeepers waited at every gate; they did not need to depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them. So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah. And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. And there was no passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their territories. For the Levites left their pastures lands and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: And he ordained himself priests for the high places, and for the goat idols, and for the calf idols which he had made. read more.
And after that, out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

Have you not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made yourselves priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, who minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their service: And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but you have forsaken him.

Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil unto the storehouse. read more.
And I made treasurers over the storehouse, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their duty was to distribute unto their brethren.

And two divisions of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king. And you shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that comes within the ranks, let him be slain: and be you with the king as he goes out and as he comes in. And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. read more.
And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD. And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.

And the Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else comes into the house, he shall be put to death: but you be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out.

Now when these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, in regard to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken of their daughters as wives for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy race has mixed itself with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass.

Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the gatekeepers; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. read more.
And the head of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be head over the leaders of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, about the most holy things: read more.
And when the camp moves forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of testimony with it: And shall put thereon the covering of badger skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in its poles. And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover them: and the showbread shall be on it: And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badger skins, and shall put in its poles. And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its wick trimmers, and its trays, and all the oil vessels thereof, with which they minister unto it: And they shall put it and all the utensils thereof within a covering of badger skins, and shall put it upon a carrying beam. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badger skins, and shall put in its poles: And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badger skins, and shall put them on a carrying beam: And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it: And they shall put upon it all its utensils, with which they minister about it, even the fire pans, the forks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badger skins, and put in its poles. And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, as the camp is to move forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting.

And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them in front of mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.

These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:

And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of meeting.

And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come near unto the sanctuary.

And you shall give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be head over the leaders of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with him.

And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

Cut not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

And of the children of Israel's half, you shall take one out of fifty, of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all manner of animals, and give them unto the Levites, who have charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.

And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that fought, (Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep, And thirty and six thousand cattle, read more.
And thirty thousand donkeys and five hundred, And sixteen thousand persons;) Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of persons and of animals, and gave them unto the Levites, who have charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; read more.
The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

And opposite the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in width: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the width ten thousand. And they shall not sell any of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD.

Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God; Both for the showbread, and for the fine flour for meal offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is mixed with all kinds of measures and sizes;

Besides their males enrolled by genealogy, from three years old and upward, even unto everyone that enters into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their work according to their divisions; And to the priests enrolled by genealogy according to their fathers' house, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their work by their divisions; And to all enrolled by genealogy, their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness:

For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were purified, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. And the children of Israel, who had come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

Nevertheless the cities of the Levites, and the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time. And if a man purchases a house from the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall be released in the year of jubilee: for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. But the field of the common lands of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.

And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. read more.
The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name, Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot. And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the pasture lands round about it. But the fields of the city, and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with its pasture lands, And Jattir with its pasture lands, and Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, And Holon with its pasture lands, and Debir with its pasture lands, And Ain with its pasture lands, and Juttah with its pasture lands, and Bethshemesh with its pasture lands; nine cities out of those two tribes. And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands, Anathoth with its pasture lands, and Almon with its pasture lands; four cities. All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands. And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites who remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim. For they gave them Shechem with its pasture lands in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with its pasture lands, And Kibzaim with its pasture lands, and Bethhoron with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands, Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gathrimmon with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its pasture lands, and Gathrimmon with its pasture lands; two cities. All the cities were ten with their pasture lands for the families of the children of Kohath that remained. And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with its pasture lands; two cities. And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, Jarmuth with its pasture lands, Engannim with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, Helkath with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with its pasture lands, and Kartan with its pasture lands; three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their pasture lands. And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands, and Kartah with its pasture lands, Dimnah with its pasture lands, Nahalal with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its pasture lands, and Jahaz with its pasture lands, Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with its pasture lands, Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands; four cities in all. So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, who were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.

And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the stores, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who ministered.

And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, every day their portion: and they set apart holy things for the Levites; and the Levites set them apart for the children of Aaron.

And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, read more.
Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. The leaders of the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, And Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim, Baanah. And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.

From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of meeting,

Both for the showbread, and for the fine flour for meal offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is mixed with all kinds of measures and sizes;

Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shall you do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then let them take a young bullock with its grain offering, even fine flour mixed with oil, and another young bullock shall you take for a sin offering. read more.
And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting: and you shall gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: And you shall bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and you shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. And you shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. Thus shall you separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of meeting: and you shall cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and animal: on the day that I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come near unto the sanctuary. And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel to them. And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.

And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to invoke, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had built them villages round about Jerusalem.

And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting: and their work shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings: therefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

Yet you are just in all that is brought upon us; for you have done right, but we have done wickedly:

Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and lyres and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endures forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;

Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and lyres and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endures forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;