34 Bible Verses about Levites

After him the Levites repaired; Rehum son of Bani, and next to him Hashabiah, commander of half of the district of Keilah, repaired his district.

Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brothers opposite them, to praise and to give thanks by the command of David the man of God, section alongside section.

Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jehozabad, commanders of the Levites, contributed to the Levites five thousand Passover [lambs] and five hundred bulls.

"Why did you not eat the sin offering on the sanctuary's site, because it [is] {a most holy thing}? And he gave it to you to remove the community's guilt, to make atonement for them {before} Yahweh.

And Aaron and his sons will eat the meat of the ram and the bread that [is] in the basket at the entrance of the tent of assembly.

Then Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "[As for] the remaining [parts], take the remainder [of] the grain offering from Yahweh's offerings made by fire and eat it, [the] unleavened bread, beside the altar, because it [is] {a most holy thing}.

And Aaron and his sons must eat the remainder of it; they must eat it [as] unleavened bread in a holy place--in the tent of assembly's courtyard they must eat it.

Every male among the priests may eat it; it must be eaten in a holy place; it [is] {a most holy thing}.

The ones counted were twenty-three thousand, every male from {a month old} and above, because they were not counted in the midst of the {Israelites} since no inheritance was given to them in the midst of the {Israelites}.

Therefore {there was not} for Levi an allotment or an inheritance [along] with his brothers; [rather] Yahweh [is] his inheritance [just] as Yahweh your God {promised} to him.

And you shall rejoice {before} Yahweh your God, you and your sons and your daughters and your slaves and your slave women and the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, because there is not for him a plot of ground and an inheritance with you.

But only {before} Yahweh your God you shall eat it, at the place that Yahweh your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter and your slave and your slave woman and the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, and you must rejoice {before} your God {in all your undertakings}. {Take care} so that you do not neglect the Levite all [of] your days on your land.

And [as to] the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, you shall not neglect him, because there is not a plot of ground for him and an inheritance [along] with you. "At the end of three years you shall bring out all [of] the tithe of your yield for that year, and you shall store [it] in your {towns}. And [so] the Levite may come, because there is no plot of ground for him or an inheritance with you, and the alien [also may come] and the orphan and the widow that [are] in your {towns}, and {they may eat their fill}, so that Yahweh your God may bless you in all [of] the work of your hand that you undertake."

On the fourth day, the silver, gold, and vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of priest Meremoth, the son of Uriah, and with him Eleazar son of Phinehas. With them were the Levites, Jehozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.

So he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and gather money from all Israel to strengthen the house of your God sufficiently year by year. Now you yourselves must hasten to the matter." But the Levites did not act with haste.

And they came to Hilkiah the high priest and gave the money that was brought for the house of God, which the Levites, the guardians of the threshold, had gathered from the hand of Manasseh, Ephraim, and from the whole remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And whoever had [precious] stones gave [them] to the treasury of the house of Yahweh under the authority 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--all the dedicated gifts [were] under the hand of Shelomith and his brothers.

"And there shall not be for the Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, a plot of ground and an inheritance with Israel, [rather] they may eat an offering made by fire [as] their inheritance, for Yahweh. And there shall not be for them an inheritance [of land] in the midst of his brothers; [rather] Yahweh is his inheritance, [just] as he {promised} to them. Now this shall be the share of the priest from the people, from {those who sacrifice the sacrifice}, [whether it is] an ox, sheep, or goat, and they shall give the priest the shoulder and the jawbones and the stomach. read more.
The firstfruits of your grain, your wine, and your olive oil and the firstfruits of the fleece of your sheep you shall give to him. For Yahweh your God has chosen him from [among] all your tribes to stand to minister in the name of Yahweh, he and his sons {forever}. And if a Levite comes from one of your {towns} from {anywhere in Israel} where he is residing, {he may come whenever he desires}, to the place that Yahweh will choose, and he may minister in the name of Yahweh his God, [just] like all his brothers, {the Levites who stand there} {before} Yahweh. They shall eat {equal portions}, apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.

Only the tribe of Levites Moses did not give an inheritance; the offerings made by fire to Yahweh the God of Israel [are] their inheritance, just as he promised to them.

On that day men were appointed for the storehouse rooms, the offerings, the first fruits, and the tithes, in order to gather in them from the fields of the cities the requirements of the law for the priests and Levites; for the joy of Judah [was] upon the priests and Levites standing there.

because the tithes of the {Israelites} that are {offered} to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, 'They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites}.'"

"You will speak to the Levites and say to them, 'When you receive the tithe from the {Israelites} that I have given to you from them for your inheritance, {you will present} a contribution from it to Yahweh, a tithe from a tithe. Your contribution will be credited to you like the grain from the threshing floor and like the produce from the press. So {you will present} your own contribution to Yahweh from all your tithes that you receive from the {Israelites}; from it you will give the contribution of Yahweh to Aaron the priest. read more.
From all your gifts {you will present} every contribution of Yahweh, from all its fat, the part [that is] sacred.' You will say to them, 'When {you are presenting} its fat, the rest will be credited to the Levites like a yield of the threshing floor and like a yield from the press. You may eat it anywhere, you and your household, because it [is] a wage in return for your service in the tent of assembly. You will not bear any sin because {you have presented} its fat; you will not defile the holy objects of the {Israelites}, or you will die.'"

The tabernacle was taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, the bearers of the tabernacle, set out.

and four utility carts and eight cattle he gave to the descendants of Merari {according to their required service}, {under the authority of} Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These [are] the clans of the Levites according to {their families}.

{To Merari belonged} the clan of Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these [are] the clans of Merari. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] six thousand two hundred. [The] leader of {the family} according to the clans of Merari [is] Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north. read more.
The responsibility of the sons of Merari [was] the supervision of the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its vessels and all its service, and the pillars around the courtyard, and their bases, pegs, and cords.

And this [is] the responsibility of {those who are to carry}, all their work in the tent of assembly: the frames of the tabernacle and its bars, pillars, and bases, and the pillars of the courtyard all around, and their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their vessels and for all their work. You will appoint by name the vessels that they [are] responsible to carry. This [is] the work of the clan of the descendants of Merari, for all their work in the tent of assembly {under the direction} of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."

And he said to the Levites who [were] teaching all Israel, who were sanctified to Yahweh, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. There is no [need] to carry it on [your] shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God and his people Israel.

They taught your regulations to Jacob, and your law to Israel; they placed incense smoke {before you}, and whole burnt offerings on your altar.

and with them the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah; and with them the priests Elisham and Joram. And they taught in Judah, and the scroll of the law of Yahweh [was] with them when they went around in all the cities of Judah, and they taught the people.

And Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites {who were skilled at service} to Yahweh. So they ate the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and giving thanks to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were teaching the people from the law while the people were in their places. So they read the book from the law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that they could understand the reading. Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all of the people, "This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn nor weep." For all of the people wept when they heard the words of the law. read more.
Then he said to them, "Go, eat festive food and drink sweet drinks, and send a share to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our lord. Do not be grieved because the joy of Yahweh is your refuge." So the Levites silenced all of the people, saying, "Silence, for this day is holy. Do not be grieved." All of the people went to eat, to drink, to send a share, and to have great joy because they understood the words that they had made known to them. On the second day the heads of the {families} of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered together to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law.

The Levites were not counted in the midst of the {Israelites}, just as Yahweh commanded Moses.

The Levites from their ancestors' tribe were not mustered in their midst. And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "You will not muster the tribe of Levi, and you will not {take a census of} them in the midst of the {Israelites}.

Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying, "Muster the descendants of Levi according to {their families}, according to their clans. You will count every male from {one month} and above." So Moses mustered them according to the {command of Yahweh}, just as he commanded. read more.
These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath according to their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These [are] the clans of the Levites according to {their families}. {To Gershon belonged} the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these [are] the clans of the Gershonites. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] seven thousand five hundred. The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, and the leader of {the family} of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. And the responsibility of the descendants of Gershon in the tent of assembly [is] the tabernacle, and the tent covering it and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of the assembly, and the hangings of the courtyard and the curtain of the doorway of the courtyard that [is] around the tabernacle and the altar, and its ten cords, all of its use. {To Kohath belonged} the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan [of] the Uzzielites; these [were] the clans of the Kohathites. According to [the] number of every male from {one month} and above [there were] eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. The leader of {his family} according to the clans of the Kohathites [is] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Their responsibility [was] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use. The {chief of the leaders} of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [who had] oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. {To Merari belonged} the clan of Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these [are] the clans of Merari. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] six thousand two hundred. [The] leader of {the family} according to the clans of Merari [is] Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north. The responsibility of the sons of Merari [was] the supervision of the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its vessels and all its service, and the pillars around the courtyard, and their bases, pegs, and cords. Those encamped before the tabernacle to the east--before the tent of assembly to the east--[were] Moses and Aaron and his sons; they will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary {for the Israelites}; and the stranger who approaches will be put to death. All those counted from the Levites whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to {the word of Yahweh}, according to their clans, every male from {one month} and above [were] twenty-two thousand.

"{Take a census} of the descendants of Kohath from the midst of the descendants of Levi, according to their clans and {their families}, from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly.

These [are] the ones counted of the Levites according to their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites. These [are] the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. Kohath fathered Amram. The name of the wife of Amram [was] Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whose [mother] bore her for Levi in Egypt; she bore to Amram: Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam. read more.
To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died when they presented strange fire {before} Yahweh. The ones counted were twenty-three thousand, every male from {a month old} and above, because they were not counted in the midst of the {Israelites} since no inheritance was given to them in the midst of the {Israelites}.

At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to stand {before} Yahweh, to serve him and to bless [the people] in his name until this day.

Then David ordered [that] none except the Levites should carry the ark of God, for Yahweh had chosen them to carry the ark of Yahweh and to serve him forever.

These [are] the ones counted of the Levites according to their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites. These [are] the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. Kohath fathered Amram. The name of the wife of Amram [was] Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whose [mother] bore her for Levi in Egypt; she bore to Amram: Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam. read more.
To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died when they presented strange fire {before} Yahweh. The ones counted were twenty-three thousand, every male from {a month old} and above, because they were not counted in the midst of the {Israelites} since no inheritance was given to them in the midst of the {Israelites}.

The Levites from their ancestors' tribe were not mustered in their midst. And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "You will not muster the tribe of Levi, and you will not {take a census of} them in the midst of the {Israelites}. read more.
You will {appoint} them over the tabernacle of the testimony, over all its vessels, and over all that belongs to it. They will carry the tabernacle and all its vessels, and they will care for it; and they will camp around the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will {take it down}, and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger that approaches [it] will be put to death. The {Israelites} will encamp, each in their own camp, and each by their own banner according to their divisions. But the Levites will encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, and there will not be wrath on the community of the {Israelites}; and the Levites will keep the requirements of the tabernacle of the testimony." And the {Israelites} did thus; they did everything that Yahweh commanded Moses.

"Bring near the tribe of Levi, and {set the tribe} {before Aaron} the priest, and they will minister to him. They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the {Israelites}, to do the work of the tabernacle. read more.
You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they [are] surely assigned to him from among the {Israelites}. But you will count Aaron and his descendants; they will keep their priesthood, and the stranger who approaches will be put to death." Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "I [myself] receive the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} in the place of all [the] firstborn of [the] offspring of the womb from the {Israelites}. The Levites will be mine because all [the] firstborn [are] mine; on the day of my killing all [the] firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all [the] firstborn in Israel, {both humankind and animal}; they will be mine. I am Yahweh." Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying, "Muster the descendants of Levi according to {their families}, according to their clans. You will count every male from {one month} and above." So Moses mustered them according to the {command of Yahweh}, just as he commanded.

You will {appoint} them over the tabernacle of the testimony, over all its vessels, and over all that belongs to it. They will carry the tabernacle and all its vessels, and they will care for it; and they will camp around the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will {take it down}, and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger that approaches [it] will be put to death. The {Israelites} will encamp, each in their own camp, and each by their own banner according to their divisions. read more.
But the Levites will encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, and there will not be wrath on the community of the {Israelites}; and the Levites will keep the requirements of the tabernacle of the testimony."

"Bring near the tribe of Levi, and {set the tribe} {before Aaron} the priest, and they will minister to him. They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the {Israelites}, to do the work of the tabernacle. read more.
You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they [are] surely assigned to him from among the {Israelites}.

{To Gershon belonged} the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these [are] the clans of the Gershonites. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] seven thousand five hundred. The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, read more.
and the leader of {the family} of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. And the responsibility of the descendants of Gershon in the tent of assembly [is] the tabernacle, and the tent covering it and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of the assembly, and the hangings of the courtyard and the curtain of the doorway of the courtyard that [is] around the tabernacle and the altar, and its ten cords, all of its use. {To Kohath belonged} the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan [of] the Uzzielites; these [were] the clans of the Kohathites. According to [the] number of every male from {one month} and above [there were] eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. The leader of {his family} according to the clans of the Kohathites [is] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Their responsibility [was] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use. The {chief of the leaders} of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [who had] oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. {To Merari belonged} the clan of Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these [are] the clans of Merari. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] six thousand two hundred. [The] leader of {the family} according to the clans of Merari [is] Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north. The responsibility of the sons of Merari [was] the supervision of the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its vessels and all its service, and the pillars around the courtyard, and their bases, pegs, and cords.

Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "{Take a census} of the descendants of Kohath from the midst of the descendants of Levi, according to their clans and {their families}, from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly. read more.
This [is] the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary: When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony. They will put on it a covering of {fine leather}, and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles. And over the table of the presence they will spread [out] a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes, and libation bowls, and the pitchers of the libation; and the bread of continuity will be on it. They will spread over it a scarlet cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of {fine leather}, and they will place its poles. They will take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light source, its lamps, a pair of its tongs, its small pans, and all the vessels of its oil with which they attend to it. They will put it and all its vessels inside a covering of {fine leather} and put it on the carrying frame. Over the altar of gold they will spread a blue cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of {fine leather} and place its poles. They will take all the vessels of the cultic service with which they serve in the sanctuary and put [them] on a blue cloth, and they will cover them with a covering of {fine leather}; and they will put [them] on the carrying frame. They will remove the fat-soaked ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it; they will put on it all the vessels with which they serve, the fire pans, forks, shovels, and bowls--all the vessels of the altar. They will spread on it a covering of {fine leather}; and they will place its poles. And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry [these], but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These [are] the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly.

Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "You must not cut off the tribe of the clan of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites. Do this to them and they will live and not die when they come near the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go and appoint them, each one to his task and burden. read more.
But they must not go and look {for a moment} at the holy objects." Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "{Take a census} of the descendants of Gershon also, according to {their families} and clans, from {those twenty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to help to do the work of the tent of assembly. This [is] the work of the clans of the Gershonites: to serve and to carry. They will carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of assembly [and] its covering and the covering of {fine leather}, which {is on top of it}, and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of assembly, and the curtains of the courtyard, and the covering for the doorway of the gate of the courtyard, which [is] all around on the tabernacle and altar, and their cords and all the vessels of their work; and all that is done to them they will do. And all the work of the descendants of the Gershonites will be at {the command} of Aaron and his sons, for all they [are to] carry and for all their work, and you will appoint to them responsibility for all they [are to] carry. This [is] the work of the clan of the descendants of the Gershonites in the tent of assembly, and their responsibility [lies] {under the direction} of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. "[For] the descendants of Merari according to their clans, according to {their families}, you will muster them; from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to do the work of the tent of assembly. And this [is] the responsibility of {those who are to carry}, all their work in the tent of assembly: the frames of the tabernacle and its bars, pillars, and bases, and the pillars of the courtyard all around, and their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their vessels and for all their work. You will appoint by name the vessels that they [are] responsible to carry. This [is] the work of the clan of the descendants of Merari, for all their work in the tent of assembly {under the direction} of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest." And Moses and Aaron mustered the leaders of the community according to the house of {their families}, from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; everyone who comes to the service to work in the tent of assembly, the {ones counted} were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. These [were] those counted of the clans of the Kohathites, everyone who served in the tent of assembly whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to {the command} of Yahweh by the hand of Moses. And the descendants of Gershon counted according to their clans and according to {their families}, from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to work in the tent of assembly; the {ones counted}, according to their clans, according to {their families}, were two thousand six hundred and thirty. These [were] those counted of the clans of the descendants of Gershon, everyone who serves in the tent of assembly whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to {the command} of Yahweh. Those counted of the clans of the descendants of Merari according to their clans, according to {their families}, from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to work in the tent of assembly, the {ones counted}, according to their clans, were three thousand two hundred. These [were] those counted of the clans of the descendants of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to {the command} of Yahweh by the hand of Moses. All those counted of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and all the leaders of Israel mustered according to their clans, according to {their families}, from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do [the] work of the service carrying in the tent of assembly, the {ones counted} were eighty thousand five hundred and eighty. According to {the command} of Yahweh by the hand of Moses {they were mustered}, each man according to his service and according to their service and according to their burden; and so they were counted by him just as Yahweh commanded Moses.

For the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons [were appointed] to the duties outside of Israel as officials and as judges.

Moreover, Jehoshaphat appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites and the priests and heads of the {families} of Israel as judges and to decide legal disputes for Yahweh. And they sat [in] Jerusalem. And he commanded them, saying, "Thus you must do in the fear of Yahweh in faithfulness and with a whole heart. Any legal dispute that comes before you from your brothers who live in their cities concerning bloodguilt, law, commandment, statutes, and justice, you must warn them, so that they do not incur guilt before Yahweh, and that wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you must do that you do not incur guilt. read more.
And behold, Amariah the chief priest [is] over you in all matters of the word of Yahweh, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all matters of the king, and the Levites [shall be] before you [as] officials. Be strong and do [well]! May Yahweh be with the upright."

then you shall go to the priests and the Levites and to the judge who will be [in office] in those days, and you shall enquire, and they shall announce to you {the verdict}.

and Shabbethai and Jehozabad, leaders over the work of the Levites outside of the house of God;

Of these, [David said,] "Twenty-four thousand [are] to direct the work of the house of Yahweh, along with six thousand judges and officials

In the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak began [their work], and the remainder of their brothers the priests and the Levites and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem. They appointed the Levites {from twenty years and older} to direct the work of the house of Yahweh.

from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly.

from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to do the work of the tent of assembly.

from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do [the] work of the service carrying in the tent of assembly,

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "This [is] what is for the Levites: {those twenty-five years old} and above will come to help [with the] service in the work of the tent of assembly; and {those fifty years old} will return from the service of the work and will serve no longer. read more.
They can attend their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep [their] responsibilities, but they will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levities and their responsibilities."

The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the descendants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight. The descendants of the gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai; in total one hundred and thirty-nine. read more.
The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shamlai, the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephisim, the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha. The descendants of Solomon's servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, the descendants of Jaalah, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami. All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two. Now these were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their fathers' household and their descent, if they were from Israel: the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two. And from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). These sought their record in the genealogy [records], but they were not found, and {were excluded from the priesthood as unclean}. The governor said to them that they could not eat from the holy food of the sanctuary until there was present a priest for the Urim and Thummim.

Some of the {Israelites}, some priests and Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

And I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were family heads, and for Jehoiarib and Elnathan who were wise. I sent them to Iddo, the head of the place called Casiphia, and I placed in their mouths what words to say to Iddo and his brothers the temple servants in Casiphia, to send to us ministers for the house of our God. With the good hand of our God before us, they brought us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel--Sherebiah and his sons and brothers, eighteen [in total]. read more.
Also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah, the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty [in total]. And from the temple servants, whom David and [his] officials had set up to serve the Levites, two hundred and twenty [in total]. All of them were registered by name.

The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, [namely] of Kadmiel of the descendants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight. read more.
The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagaba, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephushesim, the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, the descendants of Bazlith, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha. The descendants of Solomon's servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants of Amon. All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two. These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel: the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, the descendants of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. And from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken as a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). These sought their record among those enrolled in the genealogy, but it was not found there, so they were excluded as unclean from the priesthood. So the governor said to them that they could not eat the most holy food until a priest could come with Urim and Thummim. All of the assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their servants and female slaves--these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And the male and female singers were two hundred and forty-five, [there were] four hundred and thirty-five camels and six thousand seven hundred and twenty male donkeys. Now some from the heads of the {families} gave to the work. The governor gave to the storehouse one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly tunics. Now some of the heads of the {families} gave to the storehouse of the work twenty thousand gold darics and two thousand two hundred silver minas. And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly tunics. So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their cities. When the seventh month came, the {Israelites} [were] in their cities.

Yahweh said to Aaron, "You, your sons, and your family with you will bear the guilt of the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you will bear the guilt of your priesthood.

And you will gird Aaron and his sons [with] sashes and wrap headdresses on them. And priesthood will be theirs as a lasting rule, and {you will ordain Aaron and his sons.}

"And bring near to you Aaron, your brother, and his sons with him from the midst of the {Israelites} to serve as priests for me--Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron.

Those encamped before the tabernacle to the east--before the tent of assembly to the east--[were] Moses and Aaron and his sons; they will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary {for the Israelites}; and the stranger who approaches will be put to death.

Then the next day, Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi blossomed and put forth a flower and produced blossoms, and it produced almonds.

"Then you will know that I have sent to you this command, that my covenant with Levi {continues}," says Yahweh of hosts. "My covenant with him was [one of] life and peace, and I gave them to him. [This required] reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe {before} my name.

And Moses stood at the entrance of the camp, and he said, "Whoever [is] for Yahweh, to me." And all the sons of Levi were gathered to him. And he said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Put each his sword on his side. Go {back and forth} from gate to gate in the camp, and kill, each his brother and each his friend and each his close relative.'" And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and from the people on that day about three thousand persons fell.

The [one] saying of his father and of his mother, 'I have not regarded them,' and his brothers he [did] not acknowledge, and his children [he did] not know, but [rather] they observed your word, and your covenant they kept. They taught your regulations to Jacob, and your law to Israel; they placed incense smoke {before you}, and whole burnt offerings on your altar.

And they lodged all around the house of God, for upon them [was] a responsibility. And {they had charge of opening [the house of God] every morning}. And some of them [were] over the utensils of the service, for {they count them} [when] they are brought in and {they count them} [when] they are brought out. And some of them were appointed over the objects, over the objects of the sanctuary, and over the wheat flour and the wine, the olive oil, the frankincense, and the spices.

And he assembled all the commanders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. And the Levites thirty years old and above were counted, and their number according to their head count for the men [was] thirty-eight thousand. Of these, [David said,] "Twenty-four thousand [are] to direct the work of the house of Yahweh, along with six thousand judges and officials read more.
four thousand gatekeepers, [and] four thousand offering praise with the instruments that I have made for praise." And David organized them [in] divisions according to the sons of Levi: to Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. For the Gershonites [were] Ladan and Shimei. The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief and Zetham and Joel, three. The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These [were] the heads of the {families} of Ladan. And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah; these four [were] the sons of Shimei. And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons. They were enrolled as one for the house of a father. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things. He and his sons [were] to burn offerings forever before Yahweh to serve him and to bless in his name forever. But Moses the man of God [and] his sons were reckoned among the tribe of Levi The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. And the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah, the head. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief. The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief and Isshiah the second. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish And Eleazar died, and he did not have sons, but only daughters. And the sons of Kish, their relatives, married them. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three. These [were] the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, the heads of the {families}, according to their enrollment, by the number of the names, according to their head count, [who were to] do the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and above. For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. And also, the Levites do not [need] to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service." For by the last words of David, they [are] the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above. For their station [was] {to assist} the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of Yahweh, over the courtyards, over the chambers, and over the cleansing of all the sanctified objects, and [with] the work of the service of the house of God, and with the rows of bread, the flour, the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and for all the amounts and measurements. And [they were] to stand {every morning}, thanking and praising Yahweh, and likewise in the evening, and for every burnt offering offered to Yahweh, on Sabbaths, on new moon festivals, and at the appointed feasts, according to the customary number {required of them}, regularly before Yahweh. And they shall keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly, the responsibility of the sanctified objects, and the responsibility of the sons of Aaron, their brothers, to serve the house of Yahweh.

I set apart twelve of the official priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them. Then I weighed out to them silver and gold and the vessels, the offering of the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his commanders, and all of Israel who was present offered. I weighed out into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, one hundred vessels of silver, one hundred talents of gold, read more.
twenty gold bowls worth one thousand darics, and two vessels of good polished bronze as precious as gold. And I said to them, "You are holy to Yahweh and the vessels are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, God of your ancestors. Guard and look after [them] until you weigh [them] before the chief priests, the Levites, and the heads of the {families} of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chamber of the house of Yahweh." So the priests and Levites took over the weighed silver, gold, and the vessels to bring to Jerusalem for the house of our God. On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the river of Ahava to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushing on the way. We came to Jerusalem and remained there three days. On the fourth day, the silver, gold, and vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of priest Meremoth, the son of Uriah, and with him Eleazar son of Phinehas. With them were the Levites, Jehozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. The amount and weight of all the weighed [items] was recorded at that time.

He will sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the children of Levi, and he will refine them like gold and like silver, and they will present to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.

And for the priests, a man from the Levites [who] offers burnt offerings and [who] burns grain offerings and [who] brings sacrifices will not be cut off {before me} {forever}.'"

{But} the Levites who removed themselves from me {at the going astray of Israel}, who went astray from me [and went] after their idols, as a result they will bear their guilt. Then they will be in my sanctuary, [those] serving [in] my sanctuary, [as] sentries at the gates of the temple and [as] [those] serving the temple; they will slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they will stand {before them} to serve them, {because} they used to serve them {before} their idols and they were for the house of Israel [like] a stumbling block of iniquity. Therefore {I swore} concerning them," {declares} the Lord Yahweh, "[that] they will bear their iniquity. read more.
And they shall not approach me to serve as priest for me and to come near to all of my holy objects, {to the most holy objects}, and they will bear their disgrace and [the results of] their detestable things they have done. And I will appoint them [as] the keepers of the responsibility of the temple, for all of its work and {everything} which will be done in it.

"I [myself] receive the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} in the place of all [the] firstborn of [the] offspring of the womb from the {Israelites}. The Levites will be mine

For they [are] given to me exclusively from the midst of the {Israelites}. I have taken them for myself in place of [the] firstborn of every womb, every firstborn from the {Israelites}. For every firstborn among the {Israelites} [is] mine, both humankind and animal. On the day I destroyed every firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me, and I have taken the Levites in the place of every firstborn among the {Israelites}.

Look, I myself have chosen your brothers the Levites from the midst of the children. They are a gift to you given from Yahweh to perform the work of the tent of assembly.

And you will receive the Levites for me--I [am] Yahweh--in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the animals among the {Israelites}." So Moses mustered all the firstborn among the {Israelites} just as Yahweh commanded him. And all [the] firstborn males among the number of names from {one month} and above, the {ones counted}, [were] twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three. read more.
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Receive the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I [am] Yahweh.

"And you will separate the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites}, and the Levites will be for me.

The Levites from their ancestors' tribe were not mustered in their midst. And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "You will not muster the tribe of Levi, and you will not {take a census of} them in the midst of the {Israelites}. read more.
You will {appoint} them over the tabernacle of the testimony, over all its vessels, and over all that belongs to it. They will carry the tabernacle and all its vessels, and they will care for it; and they will camp around the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will {take it down}, and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger that approaches [it] will be put to death. The {Israelites} will encamp, each in their own camp, and each by their own banner according to their divisions. But the Levites will encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, and there will not be wrath on the community of the {Israelites}; and the Levites will keep the requirements of the tabernacle of the testimony." And the {Israelites} did thus; they did everything that Yahweh commanded Moses.

From the Levites: four thousand six hundred.

The tabernacle was taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, the bearers of the tabernacle, set out.

And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath according to their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These [are] the clans of the Levites according to {their families}. read more.
{To Gershon belonged} the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these [are] the clans of the Gershonites. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] seven thousand five hundred. The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, and the leader of {the family} of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. And the responsibility of the descendants of Gershon in the tent of assembly [is] the tabernacle, and the tent covering it and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of the assembly, and the hangings of the courtyard and the curtain of the doorway of the courtyard that [is] around the tabernacle and the altar, and its ten cords, all of its use.

from {those twenty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to help to do the work of the tent of assembly. This [is] the work of the clans of the Gershonites: to serve and to carry. They will carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of assembly [and] its covering and the covering of {fine leather}, which {is on top of it}, and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of assembly, read more.
and the curtains of the courtyard, and the covering for the doorway of the gate of the courtyard, which [is] all around on the tabernacle and altar, and their cords and all the vessels of their work; and all that is done to them they will do.

You will {appoint} them over the tabernacle of the testimony, over all its vessels, and over all that belongs to it. They will carry the tabernacle and all its vessels, and they will care for it; and they will camp around the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will {take it down}, and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger that approaches [it] will be put to death. The {Israelites} will encamp, each in their own camp, and each by their own banner according to their divisions. read more.
But the Levites will encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, and there will not be wrath on the community of the {Israelites}; and the Levites will keep the requirements of the tabernacle of the testimony."

"The tent of assembly the camp of the Levites will set out in the midst of the camps; they will set out just as they encamped, {each according to their standards}.

The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, and the leader of {the family} of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. And the responsibility of the descendants of Gershon in the tent of assembly [is] the tabernacle, and the tent covering it and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of the assembly, read more.
and the hangings of the courtyard and the curtain of the doorway of the courtyard that [is] around the tabernacle and the altar, and its ten cords, all of its use. {To Kohath belonged} the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan [of] the Uzzielites; these [were] the clans of the Kohathites. According to [the] number of every male from {one month} and above [there were] eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. The leader of {his family} according to the clans of the Kohathites [is] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Their responsibility [was] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use. The {chief of the leaders} of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [who had] oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. {To Merari belonged} the clan of Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these [are] the clans of Merari. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] six thousand two hundred. [The] leader of {the family} according to the clans of Merari [is] Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north.

because the tithes of the {Israelites} that are {offered} to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, 'They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites}.'"

"Command the {Israelites} that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their property cities to live in; and you will give to the Levites pastureland all around the cities. The cities will be theirs to live in, and their pasturelands will be for their domestic animals, for their possessions, and their animals. "The pasturelands of the cities that you will give to the Levites [will extend] from the wall of the city to [a distance of] a thousand cubits all around. read more.
You will measure outside the city the eastern edge two thousand cubits, for the southern edge two thousand cubits, for the western edge two thousand cubits, and for the northern edge two thousand cubits, with the city in the middle; this will be for them the pasturelands of the cities. "All the cities that you will give the Levites will be six cities of refuge, to which the killer can flee; in addition to them you will give forty-two cities. All the cities that you will give to the Levites will be forty-eight cities, them with their pasturelands. And the cities that you will give from the property of the {Israelites}, you will take more from the larger group and less from the smaller group; each of them will give according to the portion of their inheritance according to the portion that he inherits."

At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to stand {before} Yahweh, to serve him and to bless [the people] in his name until this day.

Then David ordered [that] none except the Levites should carry the ark of God, for Yahweh had chosen them to carry the ark of Yahweh and to serve him forever.

And it happened [that] when God helped the Levites carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen; so also all the Levites who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the chief of the singing. And David wore a linen ephod.

Do this to them and they will live and not die when they come near the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go and appoint them, each one to his task and burden. But they must not go and look {for a moment} at the holy objects."

Now these [were] the singers; the heads of the {families} of the Levites [were] in the chambers free from other service, for day and night [they were] over them on the service.

And they lodged all around the house of God, for upon them [was] a responsibility. And {they had charge of opening [the house of God] every morning}.

And on the outside of the inner gate, [there were] chambers for singers in the inner courtyard, which [was] to the side of the north gate, and their faces {were to the south} [with respect to one], [and] on the side of the east gate [one] facing to the north.

To Abiathar the priest, the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your field, for {you deserve to die}, but on this day I will not kill you, for you carried the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father, and because you endured hardship in all the hardship that my father endured."

They shall eat {equal portions}, apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.

And he assembled all the commanders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. And the Levites thirty years old and above were counted, and their number according to their head count for the men [was] thirty-eight thousand. Of these, [David said,] "Twenty-four thousand [are] to direct the work of the house of Yahweh, along with six thousand judges and officials

In the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak began [their work], and the remainder of their brothers the priests and the Levites and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem. They appointed the Levites {from twenty years and older} to direct the work of the house of Yahweh. And Jeshua [with] his sons and brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons--the sons of Judah--together directed the workers in the house of God, [along with] the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers the Levites.

Then the Levites arose--Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the Kohathites; and Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel from the Merarites; and Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah, from the Gershonites. And from the descendants of Elizaphan: Shimri and Jeiel; and from the descendants of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah; and from the descendants of Heman: Jeiel and Shimei; and from the descendants of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel-- read more.
and they gathered their brothers and sanctified themselves, and they went in according to the command of the king because of the words of Yahweh, to purify the house of Yahweh. And the priests went into the inner [part] of the house of Yahweh to purify [it]. And they brought out all the impurity that they found in the temple of Yahweh [out] to the courtyard of the house of Yahweh. And the Levites took [them] to bring [them] outside to the Wadi Kidron. And they began to sanctify themselves on the first day of the first month. And on the eighth day of the month they came to the portico of Yahweh. And they sanctified the house of Yahweh for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. And they went into the inner [part] to King Hezekiah and said, "We have cleansed all the house of Yahweh: the altar of burnt offering, all its objects, the table of the rows [of bread] and all its objects, and all the objects that King Ahaz discarded in his reign when he sinned, we have prepared and sanctified. Look, they [are] before the altar of Yahweh." Then King Hezekiah rose early and gathered the officials of the city, and he went up to the house of Yahweh. And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a purification offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer [them] on the altar of Yahweh. And they slaughtered the cattle, and the priests received the blood and threw it toward the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and threw the blood toward the altar, and then they slaughtered the lambs and threw the blood toward the altar. Then they brought the goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid hands upon them. And the priest killed them and offered their blood against the altar to make atonement for all Israel, for the king had commanded the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel. And he stood the Levites [in] the house of Yahweh with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the command of David and Gad, the seer of the king, and Nathan the prophet, for the command [was] by the hand of Yahweh by the hand of his prophets. When the Levites stood with the objects of David and the priests with the trumpets, Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And at the time the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began, and also the trumpets, at the hands of [the] instruments of David king of Israel. Then all the assembly bowed down, and the song was sung, and the trumpeters trumpeted--all [together] until the end of the burnt offering. And when the offering was finished, the king and all who were found with him knelt down and bowed themselves. Then King Hezekiah and the princes commanded the Levites to praise Yahweh with the words of David and Asaph the seer. So they offered praise with joy, and they bowed down and worshiped. Then Hezekiah answered and said, "Now {you have consecrated yourselves} to Yahweh. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of Yahweh!" And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all [who were] willing in heart [brought] burnt offerings. And the number of burnt offerings that the assembly brought was seventy cattle, one hundred rams, two hundred lambs--all these [were] to offer to Yahweh. And the consecrated offerings of cattle [were] six hundred cattle and three thousand sheep. But the priests were too few, and they were not able to offer all the burnt offerings, so their brothers, the Levites, strengthened them to finish the work, and until the [rest of] the priests consecrated themselves. (For the Levites [were] {more conscientious} to sanctify themselves than the priests.) And beside the many burnt offerings [was] the fat of the peace offerings and the libations for the burnt offerings. So the service of the house of Yahweh was established. And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had established with the people, for the matter happened suddenly.

Josiah kept the Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem. And they slaughtered the Passover [sacrifice] on the fourteenth day of the first month. And he set the priests at their posts and encouraged them in the service of the house of Yahweh. And he said to the Levites who [were] teaching all Israel, who were sanctified to Yahweh, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. There is no [need] to carry it on [your] shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God and his people Israel. read more.
And prepare yourselves according to {your families}, according to your working groups, according to the decree of David king of Israel and according to the decree of Solomon his son. And stand in the sanctuary according to the clans of {your families} for your brothers, the {lay people}, and a part of the {family} of the Levites. And slaughter the Passover [lamb] and consecrate yourself and prepare for your brothers to do according to the word of Yahweh by the hand of Moses. Then Josiah provided for the {lay people} sheep, lambs, and young goats, all for the Passover for all who were found [there], to the sum of thirty thousand, along with three thousand bulls. These [were] the possession of the king. And his officials contributed a freewill offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, commanders of the house of God, gave to the priests two thousand six hundred Passover [lambs] and three hundred bulls. Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jehozabad, commanders of the Levites, contributed to the Levites five thousand Passover [lambs] and five hundred bulls. And when the work had been completed, the priests stood at their positions and the Levites in their working groups according to the command of the king. And they slaughtered the Passover [lamb], and the priests sprinkled [the blood] from their hand, and the Levites flayed [the sacrifices]. And they set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the clans of the {families} for the {lay people}, to offer to Yahweh according to what is written in the scroll of Moses. And thus they did with the bulls. Then they roasted the Passover [lamb] in the fire according to the ordinance. And they boiled the holy offerings in pots, in kettles, and in dishes and brought it quickly to the {lay people}. And afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, [were busy] with offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night. So the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. And the singers, the descendants of Asaph, [were] at their stations according to the decree of David and Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, the seer of the king. And the gatekeepers [were] at {each gate}. They did not need to depart from their service, for their brothers the Levites had made preparations for them. So all the service of Yahweh was prepared on that day to keep the Passover and to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar of Yahweh, according to the command of King Josiah. And the Israelites who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days. And there was no Passover like it kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. And none of the kings of Israel kept a Passover like that which Josiah and the priests and the Levites, and all of Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, kept.

Now the priests and the Levites who [were] throughout all Israel took their stand with him from all their territories. For the Levites left their pasturelands and their property and came to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to Yahweh. And he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the bull calves that he had made. read more.
Then after them, from all the tribes of Israel, those who set their heart to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to offer to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, secure for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

Did you not drive out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, the Levites? Have you [not] made for yourselves priests like all the peoples of the lands? All who come {to be consecrated for priestly service} with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of [what is] not a god. But as for us, Yahweh [is] our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests serving Yahweh [are] the sons of Aaron, the Levites, according to their service. They offer burnt offerings to Yahweh {every morning} and {every evening}, sweet spices of incense, and the rows of bread upon the pure table. And the golden lampstand with its lamps [they] keep kindled {every evening}, for we are keeping the requirement of Yahweh our God, but you yourselves have forsaken him.

Bring the whole tithe to {the storehouse}, so that there will be food in my house, and test me please in this," says Yahweh of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour forth for you {an overflowing blessing}.

And then I came to learn that the food of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, the doers of the work, had gone back each to his field. So I quarreled with the prefects, and I said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them and set them at their station. So all of Judah brought the tithe of grain, new wine, and olive oil into the storehouses. read more.
I appointed as treasurer over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah from the Levites, and as their hand Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered faithful. [The responsibility given] to them was to distribute to their brothers.

Two of the units among you, all {who go on duty on the Sabbath}, guard the post of the temple of Yahweh for the king. You must surround the king all about, each with his weapon in his hand; whoever comes to the ranks must be killed. Be with the king {wherever he goes}." So the commanders of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and each took his men {who went off duty on the Sabbath} and those {who came on duty on the Sabbath}, and they came to Jehoiada the priest. read more.
Then the priest gave to the commanders of the hundreds spears and small round shields which [were] King David's, which [were] in the temple of Yahweh. So the royal runners stood, each [with] his weapons in his hand, from the side of the temple to the south up to the side of the temple on the north, around the altar and around the temple, about the king all around.

And the Levites shall surround the king all around, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever comes into the house shall be put to death. You shall be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out."

After finishing these things the officials approached me saying, "The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated from the people of the lands with their detestable things, and from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. For they have taken from their daughters for themselves and their sons. So the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the officials and prefects were foremost in this sin.

From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

{To Kohath belonged} the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan [of] the Uzzielites; these [were] the clans of the Kohathites. According to [the] number of every male from {one month} and above [there were] eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. read more.
The leader of {his family} according to the clans of the Kohathites [is] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Their responsibility [was] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use. The {chief of the leaders} of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [who had] oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.

"{Take a census} of the descendants of Kohath from the midst of the descendants of Levi, according to their clans and {their families}, from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly. This [is] the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary: read more.
When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony. They will put on it a covering of {fine leather}, and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles. And over the table of the presence they will spread [out] a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes, and libation bowls, and the pitchers of the libation; and the bread of continuity will be on it. They will spread over it a scarlet cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of {fine leather}, and they will place its poles. They will take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light source, its lamps, a pair of its tongs, its small pans, and all the vessels of its oil with which they attend to it. They will put it and all its vessels inside a covering of {fine leather} and put it on the carrying frame. Over the altar of gold they will spread a blue cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of {fine leather} and place its poles. They will take all the vessels of the cultic service with which they serve in the sanctuary and put [them] on a blue cloth, and they will cover them with a covering of {fine leather}; and they will put [them] on the carrying frame. They will remove the fat-soaked ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it; they will put on it all the vessels with which they serve, the fire pans, forks, shovels, and bowls--all the vessels of the altar. They will spread on it a covering of {fine leather}; and they will place its poles. And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry [these], but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These [are] the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly.

Then all Israel, {foreigner as well as native}, with the elders, officials, and judges stood {on either side} of the ark before the priests and the Levites, who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. Half of them [stood] in front of Mount Gerizim, and the other half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses Yahweh's servant had commanded before to bless the people of Israel.

"These [tribes] shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people {when you cross} the Jordan: Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Joseph and Benjamin.

Look, I myself have chosen your brothers the Levites from the midst of the children. They are a gift to you given from Yahweh to perform the work of the tent of assembly.

And I have given the Levites; they are given to Aaron and his sons from the midst of the {Israelites} to do the work of the {Israelites} in the tent of the assembly and to make atonement for the {Israelites}, so a plague will not be among the {Israelites} when the {Israelites} come near the sanctuary."

You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they [are] surely assigned to him from among the {Israelites}.

The {chief of the leaders} of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [who had] oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the leader over them {in time past}; Yahweh [was] with him.

{To Kohath belonged} the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan [of] the Uzzielites; these [were] the clans of the Kohathites.

"You must not cut off the tribe of the clan of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites. Do this to them and they will live and not die when they come near the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go and appoint them, each one to his task and burden. But they must not go and look {for a moment} at the holy objects."

From half of the {Israelites}, take one [share] drawn by lot from the fifty from the humans, from the cattle, from the male donkeys, from the flock, from all the domestic animals, and give them to the Levities who keep the responsibilities of the tabernacle of Yahweh."

From the half of the {Israelites}, which Moses divided from the men who were fighting, the half that belonged to the community was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred from the flock, and thirty-six thousand cattle, read more.
and thirty thousand five hundred male donkeys, and sixteen thousand humans. From the half that belonged to the {Israelites}, Moses took one share drawn by lot out of every fifty humans and domestic animals, and he gave them to the Levites, who keep the responsibility of the tabernacle of Yahweh, just as Yahweh commanded Moses.

" 'I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, and they will look to me whom they pierced, and they shall mourn over him, as one wails over an only child, and they will grieve bitterly over him as [one] grieves bitterly over a firstborn. On that day the wailing will be great in Jerusalem, like the wailing for Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. And the land shall mourn, {each clan by itself}; the clan of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the clan of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; read more.
the clan of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the clan of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves;

And the Levites {alongside} the territory of the priests [shall have] twenty-five thousand [cubits] [in] length and in width ten thousand [cubits], its {full length}, twenty-five thousand [cubits] and its [full width], ten thousand [cubits]. And they shall not sell [any part] from it, and shall not exchange, and shall not transfer the best of the land, for [it is] holy to Yahweh.

For their station [was] {to assist} the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of Yahweh, over the courtyards, over the chambers, and over the cleansing of all the sanctified objects, and [with] the work of the service of the house of God, and with the rows of bread, the flour, the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and for all the amounts and measurements.

besides their enrollment by genealogy, to males from three years old and upward, to all who came into the house of Yahweh, {as each day required} for their service in their posts according to their working groups. And the enrollment of the priests [was] according to the house of their fathers, and the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, according to their posts by their working groups. And [they were] enrolled with all their little ones, their wives, their sons, and their daughters for the whole assembly because of their faithfulness. And they sanctified themselves in holiness.

For the priests and Levites together had consecrated themselves; all of them were clean. And they slaughtered the Passover sacrifice for all of the returned exiles, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. The {Israelites} who returned from the exile and all those who separated themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the earth to seek Yahweh the God of Israel, ate.

" 'As for the cities of the Levites, [that is], the houses in their property's cities, it shall be {a lasting redemption} for the Levites. And whatever [anyone] redeems from the Levites then must go out [of the buyer's hand] in the Jubilee, [including] a house's selling {in his city's property}, because the houses in the cities of the Levites [are] their property in the midst of the {Israelites}. But a field of their cities' pastureland must not be sold, because {it is their property for all time}.

The allotment {fell} for the families of the Kohathites. The descendants of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, {received} by lot thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. The remaining descendants of Kohath [received] by lot ten cities from the families of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The descendants of Gershon [received] by lot thirteen cities from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. read more.
The descendants of the Merarites according to their families [received] twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. The {Israelites} gave to the Levites these cities and their pastureland by lot, just as Yahweh commanded through the hand of Moses. They gave these cities, which are [here] mentioned by name, from the tribe of the families of Judah and from the tribe of the families of Simeon; and they were for the descendants of Aaron, from the families of the Kohathites, from the descendants of Levi, because the first lot was theirs. And they gave to them Kiriath Arba, [Arba being] the father of Anak (that [is], Hebron), in the hill country of Judah and the pasturelands surrounding it. But the field of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property. To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge [for] the killer, and its pasturelands, Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir and its pasturelands, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands, Holon and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands, Ain and its pasturelands, Juttah and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands; nine cities from these two tribes. From the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its pasturelands, Geba and its pasturelands, Anathoth and its pasturelands, Almon and its pasturelands; four cities. All the cities of the descendants of Aaron the priests, thirteen cities and their pasturelands. For the families of the descendants of Kohath, the remaining Levites of the descendants of Kohath, they [received] the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim. They gave them Shechem, the city of refuge [for] the killer, and its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer and its pasturelands, Kibzaim and its pasturelands, and Beth-horon and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its pasturelands, Gibbethon and its pasturelands, Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon and its pasturelands; four cities. From the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its pasturelands and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands; two cities. All the cities and their pasturelands for the remaining families of the descendants of Kohath [were] ten. To the descendants of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, and Eshtarah and its pasturelands; two cities. From the tribe of Issachar, Kishion and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands, Jarmuth and its pasturelands, En Gannim and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands, Helkath and its pasturelands, Rehob and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, Hammoth Dor and its pasturelands, and Kartan and its pasturelands; three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families [were] thirteen cities and their pasturelands. To the families of the descendants of Merarite, the remaining Levites, from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and its pasturelands, Kartah and its pasturelands, Dimnah and its pasturelands, and Nahalal and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its pasturelands, Jahaz and its pasturelands, Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, Mahanaim and its pasturelands, Heshbon and its pasturelands, and Jazer and its pasturelands; four cities [in] all. All [these were] the cities of the descendants of Merarite according to their families, the remaining families of the Levites; their allotment was twelve cities.

On that day men were appointed for the storehouse rooms, the offerings, the first fruits, and the tithes, in order to gather in them from the fields of the cities the requirements of the law for the priests and Levites; for the joy of Judah [was] upon the priests and Levites standing there.

So all of Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily food portions of the singers and gatekeepers. And they set apart [that which was for] the Levites, and the Levites set apart [that which was for] the descendants of Aaron.

And the Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, read more.
Zaccur, Shereiah, Shebanaih, Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. The heads of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim, Baanah. "The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to [observe] the law of God--their wives, their sons, their daughters, and all who know and understand--

from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly.

from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do [the] work of the service carrying in the tent of assembly,

and with the rows of bread, the flour, the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and for all the amounts and measurements.

"Take the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} and purify them. So you will do to them, to purify them: sprinkle on them waters of purification, and {they will shave their whole body} and wash their garments. And they will take a {young bull} and its grain offering of finely milled flour mixed with oil, and you will take a second {young bull} as a sin offering. read more.
You will bring the Levites {before} the tent of assembly, and you will summon the entire community of the {Israelites}. And you will bring the Levites {before Yahweh}, and the {Israelites} will lay their hands on the Levites, and {Aaron will offer} the Levites [as] a wave offering {before Yahweh} from the {Israelites}, and they will do the work of Yahweh. And the Levites will lay their hands on the head of the one bull and offer [it] as a sin offering and the other one as a burnt offering to Yahweh, to make atonement for the Levites. And you will present the Levites {before} Aaron and {before} his sons, and he {will offer} them [as] a wave offering to Yahweh. "And you will separate the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites}, and the Levites will be for me. And after this the Levites will come to serve [at] the tent of assembly, and you will purify them, and you {will offer} them [as] a wave offering. For they [are] given to me exclusively from the midst of the {Israelites}. I have taken them for myself in place of [the] firstborn of every womb, every firstborn from the {Israelites}. For every firstborn among the {Israelites} [is] mine, both humankind and animal. On the day I destroyed every firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me, and I have taken the Levites in the place of every firstborn among the {Israelites}. And I have given the Levites; they are given to Aaron and his sons from the midst of the {Israelites} to do the work of the {Israelites} in the tent of the assembly and to make atonement for the {Israelites}, so a plague will not be among the {Israelites} when the {Israelites} come near the sanctuary." And Moses and Aaron and the entire community of the {Israelites} did to the Levites; everything that Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the {Israelites} did to them. And the Levites purified themselves, and they washed their garments, and {Aaron offered them} [as] a wave offering {before Yahweh}; and Aaron made atonement for them to purify them.

Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of Yahweh, to invoke, thank, and praise Yahweh the God of Israel.

from Beth Gilgal, from the field of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers built for themselves villages all around Jerusalem.

These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

This [is] the work of the clan of the descendants of the Gershonites in the tent of assembly, and their responsibility [lies] {under the direction} of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

This [is] the work of the clan of the descendants of Merari, for all their work in the tent of assembly {under the direction} of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."

from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand,

But the priests were too few, and they were not able to offer all the burnt offerings, so their brothers, the Levites, strengthened them to finish the work, and until the [rest of] the priests consecrated themselves. (For the Levites [were] {more conscientious} to sanctify themselves than the priests.)

You are righteous in everything that has come on us, for you dealt faithfully, and we have acted wickedly.

and all the Levitical singers--Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, their sons, their brothers, dressed [in] fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and stringed instruments--[they] were standing to the east of the altar. And with them outside [were] one hundred and twenty priests [who were] trumpet blowers. And it was the primary [duty] of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard [with] one voice, to praise and give thanks to Yahweh. And when a sound from the trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments of song was raised to Yahweh--for he [is] good, because his loyal love [is] everlasting--then the house, the house of Yahweh, was filled with a cloud.

and all the Levitical singers--Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, their sons, their brothers, dressed [in] fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and stringed instruments--[they] were standing to the east of the altar. And with them outside [were] one hundred and twenty priests [who were] trumpet blowers. And it was the primary [duty] of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard [with] one voice, to praise and give thanks to Yahweh. And when a sound from the trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments of song was raised to Yahweh--for he [is] good, because his loyal love [is] everlasting--then the house, the house of Yahweh, was filled with a cloud.