34 Bible Verses about Levites

After him restored the Levites, Rehum, the son of Bani. Next unto him Hashabiah, prince of half the region of Keilah, restored in his part.

Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,

The heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua, the son of Kadmiel, and their brethren before them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the statute of David, the man of God, keeping each one their ward.

Conaniah, likewise, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, princes of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the sacrifices of the passover five thousand sheep, and five hundred oxen.

Why have ye not eaten of the atonement for sin in the holy place? For it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, that they may be reconciled before the LORD.

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

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

And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat; without leaven it shall be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the testimony they shall eat it.

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

And those that were numbered of them were twenty-three thousand, all males from a month old and upward; for they were not numbered among the sons of Israel because no inheritance was to be given them among the sons of Israel.

Therefore, Levi had no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God said unto him.)

and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye and your sons and your daughters and your menslaves and your maidslaves and the Levite that is within your gates because he has no part nor inheritance with you.

But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall have chosen, thou and thy son and thy daughter and thy manslave and thy maidslave and the Levite that is within thy gates; and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all the work of thy hands. Keep thyself that thou not forsake the Levite in all thy days upon thy land.

And thou shalt not forsake the Levite that dwells within thy gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with thee. At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year and shalt lay it up within thy gates. And the Levite, who has no part nor inheritance with thee, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within thy gates, shall come and shall eat and be satisfied, that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thy hands which thou doest.

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

And he gathered together the priests and the Levites and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and be diligent in this matter. However the Levites were not diligent.

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

And each one gave the precious stones that they had to the treasure of the house of the LORD, into the hand of Jehiel, the Gershonite.

Likewise, all that Samuel, the seer, and Saul, the son of Kish, and Abner, the son of Ner, and Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and all that anyone had dedicated; it was under the hand of Shelomith and of his brethren.

The priests the Levites and all the tribe of Levi shall have no part nor shall they inherit with Israel; they shall eat of the offerings on fire unto the LORD and of his inheritance. Therefore, shall they have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as he has said unto them. And this shall be the right of the priest from the people, from those that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; they shall give unto the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the maw. read more.
The firstfruits also of thy grain, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstfruits of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him; for the LORD thy God has chosen him out of all thy tribes to stand to minister unto the name of the LORD, him and his sons all the days. And when a Levite comes from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and comes with all the desire of his soul unto the place which the LORD shall choose, then he shall minister unto the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do who stand there before the LORD. They shall have like portions to eat besides that which comes of the sale of his patrimony.

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

And at that time men were appointed over the chambers of the treasures, of the offerings, of the firstfruits, and of the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the legal portions for the priests and the Levites; for the joy of Judah was upon the priests and the Levites that served.

For unto the Levites I have given the tithes of the sons of Israel as inheritance, which they shall offer unto the LORD as offerings; therefore, I have said unto them, Among the sons of Israel they shall possess no inheritance.

Thus shalt thou speak unto the Levites and say unto them, When ye take the tithes from the sons of Israel which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall present a tithe of the tithes as an offering unto the LORD. And ye shall count your offering as though it were the grain of the threshingfloor and as the fullness of the winepress. Thus ye also shall offer an offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye shall have received of the sons of Israel; and ye shall give of them an offering unto the LORD, to Aaron the priest. read more.
Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every offering unto the LORD, of all the best thereof ye shall offer the portion that is to be dedicated. Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye offer the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the fruit of the threshingfloor and as the fruit of the winepress. And ye shall eat it in any place, ye and your family; for it is your reward for your ministry in the tabernacle of the testimony. And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have offered from it the best of it; and ye shall not pollute the holy things of the sons of Israel, and ye shall not die.

And the tabernacle was already taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.

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

And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the houses of their fathers.

Of Merari was the family of Mahli and the family of Mushi; these are the families of Merari. And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred; and the prince of the house of the father of the families of Merari, Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle to the Aquilon. read more.
And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof and the pillars thereof and the sockets thereof and all the instruments thereof, with all its service, and the pillars of the court round about and their sockets and their stakes and their cords.

And this shall be the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the testimony: the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof and the pillars thereof and sockets thereof, and the pillars of the court round about and their sockets and their stakes and their cords with all their instruments and with all their service; and ye shall number by name the vessels of the charge of their burden. This shall be the service of the families of the sons of Merari for all their ministry, in the tabernacle of the testimony, under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

and said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, who were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, built, that ye not carry it any longer upon your shoulders; serve now the LORD your God and his people Israel

They shall teach Jacob thy judgments and Israel thy law; they shall put incense before thy nostrils and a perfect sacrifice upon thine altar.

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

And Hezekiah spoke unto the heart of all the Levites that had good understanding to serve the LORD, and they ate the sacrifices of the feast for seven days, offering sacrifices of peace and giving thanks unto the LORD God of their fathers.

And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, Levites, caused the people to be silent that they might understand the law; and the people were in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God clearly and paid attention, and understood the reading. And Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites that caused the people to be attentive, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. read more.
Then he said unto them, Go, eat the fat, and drink sweet wine, and send portions unto those who have nothing prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord, and not sad; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites caused all the people to be silent, saying, Be silent, for the day is holy; neither be ye sad. And all the people went to eat and to drink and to send portions and to rejoice with great joy because they had understood the words that were taught unto them. And on the next day the princes of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together unto Ezra, the scribe, to understand the words of the law.

But the Levites were not numbered among the sons of Israel, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

But the Levites according to the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the sons of Israel;

The LORD also spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, Number the sons of Levi by the houses of their fathers, by their families; thou shalt number every male from a month old and upward. And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. read more.
And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the houses of their fathers. Of Gershon was the family of Libni and the family of Shimei; these are the families of Gershon. Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, those that were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred. The families of Gershon shall pitch behind the tabernacle to the west; and the prince of the house of the father of the Gershonites, Eliasaph, son of Lael. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the testimony shall be the tabernacle and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and the hangings of the court and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof. And of Kohath was the family of Amram and the family of Izehar and the family of Hebron and the family of Uzziel; these are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle towards the Negev; and the prince of the house of the father of the families of Kohath, Elizaphan, son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark and the table and the lampstand and the altars and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the veil, with all its service. And Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be principal over the princes of the Levites and have the oversight of those that keep the charge of the sanctuary. Of Merari was the family of Mahli and the family of Mushi; these are the families of Merari. And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred; and the prince of the house of the father of the families of Merari, Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle to the Aquilon. And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof and the pillars thereof and the sockets thereof and all the instruments thereof, with all its service, and the pillars of the court round about and their sockets and their stakes and their cords. And those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, before the tabernacle of the testimony towards the sunrise, shall be Moses and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the sons of Israel; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron, according to the word of the LORD, numbered by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the houses of their fathers, from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony.

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

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

Then David said, The ark of God should not be brought except by the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister unto him perpetually.

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

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

Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron, the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his commandment and the commandment of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the testimony, to minister in the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the testimony and the charge of the sons of Israel, to minister in the service of the tabernacle. read more.
And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons; they are completely given unto him out of the sons of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons that they shall guard their priesthood; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the firstborn that open the womb among the sons of Israel; therefore the Levites shall be mine; because all the firstborn are mine; from the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both of men and of animals; they shall be mine: I am the LORD. The LORD also spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, Number the sons of Levi by the houses of their fathers, by their families; thou shalt number every male from a month old and upward. And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

But thou shalt place the Levites in the tabernacle of the testimony and over all the vessels thereof and over all things that belong to it; they shall bear the tabernacle and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister in it and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle departs, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. And the sons of Israel shall pitch their tents, each man by his own camp and each man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. read more.
But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of the testimony that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the sons of Israel; and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.

Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron, the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his commandment and the commandment of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the testimony, to minister in the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the testimony and the charge of the sons of Israel, to minister in the service of the tabernacle. read more.
And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons; they are completely given unto him out of the sons of Israel.

Of Gershon was the family of Libni and the family of Shimei; these are the families of Gershon. Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, those that were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred. The families of Gershon shall pitch behind the tabernacle to the west; read more.
and the prince of the house of the father of the Gershonites, Eliasaph, son of Lael. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the testimony shall be the tabernacle and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and the hangings of the court and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof. And of Kohath was the family of Amram and the family of Izehar and the family of Hebron and the family of Uzziel; these are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle towards the Negev; and the prince of the house of the father of the families of Kohath, Elizaphan, son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark and the table and the lampstand and the altars and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the veil, with all its service. And Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be principal over the princes of the Levites and have the oversight of those that keep the charge of the sanctuary. Of Merari was the family of Mahli and the family of Mushi; these are the families of Merari. And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred; and the prince of the house of the father of the families of Merari, Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle to the Aquilon. And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof and the pillars thereof and the sockets thereof and all the instruments thereof, with all its service, and the pillars of the court round about and their sockets and their stakes and their cords.

And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the houses of their fathers, from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony. read more.
This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the testimony, in the holy of holies: When the camp is to be moved, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of testimony with it and shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins and shall spread over it a cloth entirely of blue and shall put in the staves thereof. And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue and put thereon the dishes and the spoons and the bowls and covers to cover withal; and the continual bread shall be thereon. And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins and shall put in the staves thereof. And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover the lampstand of the light and its lamps and its tongs and its snuffdishes and all the oil vessels thereof with which they minister unto it; and they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins and shall put it upon a bar. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins and shall put in the staves thereof; and they shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they minister in the sanctuary and put them in a cloth of blue and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins and shall put them on a bar. And they shall take away the ashes with the burnt fat from the altar and spread a purple cloth thereon and they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof with which they minister about it: the censers, the fleshhooks, the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins and put in the staves of it. And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp is to set forward, after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it, but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the testimony.

And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Ye shall not cut off the tribe of the families of Kohath from among the Levites, but thus do unto them that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the holy of holies: Aaron and his sons shall come and place each one of them in his ministry and to his burden. read more.
They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them, all that enter in to the host to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony. This shall be the service of the families of Gershon, to minister and to bear burdens: They shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of the testimony, its covering, and the covering of badgers' skins that is over it above and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the testimony and the hangings of the court and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords and all the instruments of their service and all that is made for them; so shall they serve. According to the word of Aaron and his sons shall be all the ministry of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens and in all their service; and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens. This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the testimony, and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the houses of their fathers. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, all that enters into the host, to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony. And this shall be the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the testimony: the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof and the pillars thereof and sockets thereof, and the pillars of the court round about and their sockets and their stakes and their cords with all their instruments and with all their service; and ye shall number by name the vessels of the charge of their burden. This shall be the service of the families of the sons of Merari for all their ministry, in the tabernacle of the testimony, under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. So Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation numbered the sons of Kohath after their families and after the houses of their fathers, from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to minister in the tabernacle of the testimony. And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. These were the numbered of the families of Kohath, all that minister in the tabernacle of the testimony, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families and by the houses of their fathers, from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to minister in the tabernacle of the testimony, those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the houses of their fathers, were two thousand six hundred and thirty. These were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, all that minister in the tabernacle of the testimony, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD. And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the houses of their fathers, from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to minister in the tabernacle of the testimony, those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand two hundred. These were those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel numbered, after their families and after the houses of their fathers, from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered in to serve in the service and to bear a burden in the tabernacle of the testimony, those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand five hundred and eighty. As the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, they were numbered, each one according to his ministry and according to his burden; thus were they numbered of Moses, as the LORD commanded him.

Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were governors and judges over Israel.

Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat placed some of the Levites and of the priests and of the heads of the fathers of Israel for the judgment of the LORD and for controversies. And they returned to Jerusalem. And he charged them, saying, Ye shall proceed thus in the fear of the LORD, in truth and with a perfect heart. In whatever case that shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes or rights, ye shall warn them lest they become guilty against the LORD so that wrath will not come upon you and upon your brethren. Doing thus, ye shall not be guilty. read more.
Behold, Amariah, the high priest, who shall be over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, prince of the house of Judah, for all the king's matters; and the Levites who shall be teachers before you. Take courage and do, for the LORD shall be with the good.

and thou shalt come unto the priests, the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days and enquire, and they shall show thee the word of judgment.

and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the principals of the Levites, overseers of the exterior work of the house of God.

Of which, twenty-four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD, and six thousand were officers and judges;

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

from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony.

From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, all that enters into the host, to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony.

from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered in to serve in the service and to bear a burden in the tabernacle of the testimony,

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, This regarding the Levites from twenty-five years old and upward, they shall go in to serve in the host of the tabernacle of the testimony. And from the age of fifty years they shall return from their ministry unto the host and shall never serve again, read more.
but shall serve with their brethren in the tabernacle of the testimony, to stand guard, even though they do not serve in the ministry. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and of Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight. The sons of the porters: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, in all one hundred and thirty-nine. read more.
The Nethinims: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, the sons of Asnah, the sons of Mehunim, the sons of Nephusim, the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Thamah, the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha. The sons of Solomon's slaves: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Peruda, the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, the sons of Ami. All the Nethinims and the sons of Solomon's slaves, were three hundred and ninety-two. And these were those which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they could not show their father's house and their seed, whether they were of Israel. The sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two. And of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of Barzillai; who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was called after their name. These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore, they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood. And the Tirshatha said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy things until there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.

And there went up some of the sons of Israel and of the priests and the Levites and the singers and the porters and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, the king.

Then I commissioned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, principals, also Joiarib and Elnathan, men of understanding; and I sent them unto Iddo, the captain at the place of Casiphia, and I put words in their mouth that they should speak unto Iddo and to his brethren, the Nethinims, at the place of Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; read more.
and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty; also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the ministry of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the sons of Hodevah, seventy-four. The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. The porters: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight. read more.
The Nethinims: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hashupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon, the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Phaseah, the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephishesim, the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Tamah, the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha. The sons of Solomon's slaves: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, the sons of Amon. All the Nethinims, and the sons of Solomon's slaves, were three hundred and ninety-two. And these were they which came up also from Telmelah, Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel. The sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. And of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of Barzillai, who took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name. These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore, were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. And the Tirshatha said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy things until there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. The whole congregation united as one man was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, not counting their menslaves and their maidslaves, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred and forty-five men and women singers. Their horses, seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five: Their camels, four hundred and thirty-five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. And some of the princes of the families gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave for the treasure one thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priests' garments. And the princes of the families gave for the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand two hundred pounds of silver. And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand pounds of silver and sixty-seven priests' garments. So the priests and the Levites and the porters and the singers and those of the people and the Nethinims and all Israel dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.

And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.

And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and bind the tiaras on them; and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute; and thou shalt fill the hands Aaron and his sons.

And cause Aaron, thy brother, to come unto thee with his sons, from among the sons of Israel, that they may be my priests, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

And those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, before the tabernacle of the testimony towards the sunrise, shall be Moses and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the sons of Israel; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.

And it came to pass that on the next day Moses went into the tabernacle of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron of the house of Levi had budded and blossomed and brought forth open flowers and yielded almonds.

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

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

who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen them; neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor know his own children; therefore, they shall keep thy word and guard thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments and Israel thy law; they shall put incense before thy nostrils and a perfect sacrifice upon thine altar.

And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them. And certain of them had the charge of the vessels of ministry, that they should account for them when they were brought in and out. Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels and all the instruments of the sanctuary and the fine flour and the wine and the oil and the frankincense and the spices.

And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand. Of which, twenty-four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD, and six thousand were officers and judges; read more.
moreover, four thousand were porters, and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which David had made to praise therewith. And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Gershon: Laadan and Shimei. The sons of Laadan: Jehiel, the first, Zetham and Joel, three. The sons of Shimei: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan. And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. And Jahath was the first, and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not multiply in many sons; therefore, they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was separated, that he should be dedicated to the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him and to bless in his name for ever. And the sons of Moses, the man of God, were counted in the tribe of Levi. The sons of Moses were Gershon and Eliezer. Of the sons of Gershon, Shebuel was the chief. And the son of Eliezer was Rehabiah, the chief. 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 first, Amariah, the second, Jahaziel, the third, and Jekameam, the fourth. The sons of Uzziel: Michah, the first, and Jesiah, the second. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. And Eleazar died and had no sons, but daughters and their brethren, the sons of Kish, took them as wives. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three. These are the sons of Levi after the houses of their fathers, even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did work in the ministry of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward. For David said, The LORD God of Israel has given rest unto his people, and he shall dwell in Jerusalem for ever. And also unto the Levites, they shall no longer carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for its ministry. For by the last words of David, the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above. And their station was at the hand of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and in the work of the ministry of the house of God, both for the showbread and for the fine flour for the sacrifice and for the unleavened cakes and for that which is baked in the pan and for that which is fried and for all manner of measure and size, and to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise in the evening; and to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons and solemnities, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD. And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony and the charge of the holy place and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, in the ministry of the house of the LORD.

Then I separated twelve of the principals of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, and weighed unto them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God, which the king and his counsellors and his princes and all those that were of Israel had offered. I weighed, therefore, unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver and silver vessels of one hundred talents and of gold one hundred talents; read more.
also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams, and two vessels of clean brass, precious as gold. And I said unto them, Ye are holiness unto the LORD; the vessels are holiness also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the princes of the priests and the Levites and of the princes of the fathers of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD. The priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and of the gold and of the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God. And we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and of such as lay in wait by the way. And we came to Jerusalem and abode there three days. Now on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the priest; and with him was Eleazar, the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad, the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah, the son of Binnui, Levites; by number and by weight of each one; and all the weight was written at that time.

And he shall sit to refine and to purify the silver: for he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

neither shall the priests the Levites lack a man before me to offer burnt offerings and to kindle grain offerings and to do sacrifice continually.

And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, gatekeepers at the gates of the house, and servants in the house; they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to serve them. Because they served them before their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore I have lifted up my hand regarding them, said the Lord GOD, that they shall bear their iniquity. read more.
And they shall not come near unto me, to serve me as priests, nor to come near to any of my holy things, to my most holy things: but they shall bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house for all the service thereof and for all that shall be done therein.

Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the firstborn that open the womb among the sons of Israel; therefore the Levites shall be mine;

For they are completely given unto me from among the sons of Israel, instead of each one that opens the womb; instead of the firstborn of all the sons of Israel, I have taken them for myself. For all the firstborn of the sons of Israel are mine, both of man and of animals; from the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the sons of Israel.

For behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the sons of Israel, given unto you as a gift of the LORD, to serve in the ministry of the tabernacle of the testimony.

And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the animals of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the animals of the sons of Israel. And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the sons of Israel. And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three. read more.
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the animals of the Levites instead of their animals, and the Levites shall be mine; I am the LORD.

And thou shalt separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine.

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

Of the sons of Levi four thousand six hundred.

And the tabernacle was already taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.

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

from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them, all that enter in to the host to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony. This shall be the service of the families of Gershon, to minister and to bear burdens: They shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of the testimony, its covering, and the covering of badgers' skins that is over it above and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the testimony read more.
and the hangings of the court and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords and all the instruments of their service and all that is made for them; so shall they serve.

But thou shalt place the Levites in the tabernacle of the testimony and over all the vessels thereof and over all things that belong to it; they shall bear the tabernacle and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister in it and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle departs, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. And the sons of Israel shall pitch their tents, each man by his own camp and each man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. read more.
But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of the testimony that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the sons of Israel; and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.

Then shall set forward the tabernacle of the testimony, the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps, in the manner that they encamp, so shall they set forward, each one in his place by their standards.

The families of Gershon shall pitch behind the tabernacle to the west; and the prince of the house of the father of the Gershonites, Eliasaph, son of Lael. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the testimony shall be the tabernacle and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, read more.
and the hangings of the court and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof. And of Kohath was the family of Amram and the family of Izehar and the family of Hebron and the family of Uzziel; these are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle towards the Negev; and the prince of the house of the father of the families of Kohath, Elizaphan, son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark and the table and the lampstand and the altars and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the veil, with all its service. And Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be principal over the princes of the Levites and have the oversight of those that keep the charge of the sanctuary. Of Merari was the family of Mahli and the family of Mushi; these are the families of Merari. And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred; and the prince of the house of the father of the families of Merari, Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle to the Aquilon.

For unto the Levites I have given the tithes of the sons of Israel as inheritance, which they shall offer unto the LORD as offerings; therefore, I have said unto them, Among the sons of Israel they shall possess no inheritance.

Command the sons of Israel that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in, and ye shall give also unto the Levites the suburbs of those cities round about them. And they shall have the cities to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their animals and for their substance and for all their beasts. And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. read more.
Then ye shall measure from outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the side of the Negev two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint so that the manslayer may flee there; and in addition to them ye shall give them forty-two cities. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, the cities with their suburbs. And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the sons of Israel; from those that have much ye shall give many; but from those that have few ye shall give few, each one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his possession which he inherited.

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

Then David said, The ark of God should not be brought except by the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister unto him perpetually.

And with God helping the Levites that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams. And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and also all the Levites that bore the ark and the singers and Chenaniah, the prince of the prophecy of the singers. David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

but thus do unto them that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the holy of holies: Aaron and his sons shall come and place each one of them in his ministry and to his burden. They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

And of these there were singers, princes of the fathers of the Levites, who remained in the chambers free from other work; for they were employed in that work day and night.

And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them.

And outside the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and they faced toward the south, one at the side of the east gate facing toward the north.

And unto Abiathar, the priest, the king said, Go to Anathoth, unto thine own inheritance, for thou art worthy of death; but I will not put thee to death today because thou didst bare the ark of the Lord GOD before David, my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

They shall have like portions to eat besides that which comes of the sale of his patrimony.

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

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

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

Moreover, Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. And he set the priests in their charges and confirmed them in the ministry of the house of the LORD and said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, who were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, built, that ye not carry it any longer upon your shoulders; serve now the LORD your God and his people Israel read more.
and prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David, king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon, his son. And stand in the sanctuary according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren, the people, and after the division of the families of the Levites. So kill the passover and sanctify yourselves and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks; these were of the king's substance. And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand six hundred sheep and three hundred oxen. Conaniah, likewise, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, princes of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the sacrifices of the passover five thousand sheep, and five hundred oxen. So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites, likewise, in their courses, according to the king's commandment. And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood taken from the hands of the Levites who flayed them. And they took away part of the animals that they had for the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, for them to offer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And they did, likewise, with the oxen. And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance, but that which had been sanctified, they cooked in pots and in caldrons and in pans and divided them speedily among all the people. And afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were occupied in the sacrifice of the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore, the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. Likewise, the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their place, according to the commandment of David and Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, the king's seer; and the porters waited at every gate; it was not necessary for them to depart from their ministry, for their brethren, the Levites, prepared for them. So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover and to sacrifice the burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of King Josiah. And the sons of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time and the solemn feast of unleavened bread for seven days. And there was no passover like unto that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel, the prophet; neither did any of the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests and the Levites and all Judah and Israel that were present, together with all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

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

Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the peoples of other lands, so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may become a priest of those that are not gods. But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business; and they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and aromatic incense, and they place the showbread upon the clean table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but ye have forsaken him.

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

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

And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king. And ye shall compass the king round about, each man with his weapons in his hand; and he that comes within these orders shall be slain. Ye must be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in. And the captains over the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada, the priest, commanded; and each man took his men that were to come in on the sabbath with those that should go out on the sabbath and came to Jehoiada, the priest. read more.
And the priest gave the captains over hundreds King David's spears and shields that were in the house of the LORD. And the guard stood, each man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the house to the left corner of the house, next to the altar and the house.

And the Levites shall compass the king round about, each one shall have his weapons in his hand; and whoever else comes into the house shall be put to death; and ye shall be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.

Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites, doing according to their abominations, for they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and the holy seed is mingled with the peoples of the lands; and the hand of the princes and of the governors has been foremost in this trespass.

And of the sons of the Levites; Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. And of the singers; Eliashib; and of the porters; Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

And of Kohath was the family of Amram and the family of Izehar and the family of Hebron and the family of Uzziel; these are the families of the Kohathites. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle towards the Negev; read more.
and the prince of the house of the father of the families of Kohath, Elizaphan, son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark and the table and the lampstand and the altars and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the veil, with all its service. And Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be principal over the princes of the Levites and have the oversight of those that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the houses of their fathers, from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony. This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the testimony, in the holy of holies: read more.
When the camp is to be moved, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of testimony with it and shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins and shall spread over it a cloth entirely of blue and shall put in the staves thereof. And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue and put thereon the dishes and the spoons and the bowls and covers to cover withal; and the continual bread shall be thereon. And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins and shall put in the staves thereof. And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover the lampstand of the light and its lamps and its tongs and its snuffdishes and all the oil vessels thereof with which they minister unto it; and they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins and shall put it upon a bar. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins and shall put in the staves thereof; and they shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they minister in the sanctuary and put them in a cloth of blue and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins and shall put them on a bar. And they shall take away the ashes with the burnt fat from the altar and spread a purple cloth thereon and they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof with which they minister about it: the censers, the fleshhooks, the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins and put in the staves of it. And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp is to set forward, after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it, but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the testimony.

And all Israel and their elders and officers and their judges stood on one side and on the other near the ark, before the priests the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the strangers, as well as the natural born among them, half of them over against Mount Gerizim and half of them over against Mount Ebal, as Moses, the slave of the LORD, had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.

These shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people when ye have passed the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

For behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the sons of Israel, given unto you as a gift of the LORD, to serve in the ministry of the tabernacle of the testimony.

And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, that they may serve the ministry of the sons of Israel in the tabernacle of the testimony and reconcile the sons of Israel, that there be no plague in the sons of Israel when the sons of Israel come near unto the sanctuary.

And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons; they are completely given unto him out of the sons of Israel.

And Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be principal over the princes of the Levites and have the oversight of those that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

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

And of Kohath was the family of Amram and the family of Izehar and the family of Hebron and the family of Uzziel; these are the families of the Kohathites.

Ye shall not cut off the tribe of the families of Kohath from among the Levites, but thus do unto them that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the holy of holies: Aaron and his sons shall come and place each one of them in his ministry and to his burden. They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

And of the half belonging to the sons of Israel, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of animals and give them unto the Levites, who keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.

And of the half pertaining to the sons of Israel, which Moses divided from the men that had gone to war, (now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep and thirty-six thousand oxen read more.
and thirty thousand five hundred asses and sixteen thousand persons) of the half, therefore of the sons of Israel, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, who kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of prayer, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn over him as one mourns for his only son, afflicting themselves over him as one afflicts himself over his firstborn. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, each family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; read more.
the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

And the portion of the Levites, shall be in front the border of the priests, of twenty-five thousand reeds in length, and of ten thousand in breadth; all the length shall be twenty-five thousand, and the breadth ten thousand. They shall not sell of it, neither exchange nor transpose the firstfruits of the land; for it is consecrated unto the LORD.

And their station was at the hand of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and in the work of the ministry of the house of God, both for the showbread and for the fine flour for the sacrifice and for the unleavened cakes and for that which is baked in the pan and for that which is fried and for all manner of measure and size,

Besides that which is counted for the males from three years old and upward, unto all that entered into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their ministry in their charges according to their courses; both to those numbered among the priests by the house of their fathers and among the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses; and likewise unto those of their generation with all their little ones, their wives, and their sons and daughters, through all the congregation, for in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness.

For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the sons of the captivity and for their brethren, the priests, and for themselves. And the sons of Israel who had returned out of captivity and all those who had separated themselves unto them from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate

Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites and the houses of the cities of their possession, the Levites may redeem at any time. And if a man makes a purchase from the Levites, then the house that was sold and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubilee; for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the sons of Israel. But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold, for it is their perpetual possession.

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

And at that time men were appointed over the chambers of the treasures, of the offerings, of the firstfruits, and of the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the legal portions for the priests and the Levites; for the joy of Judah was upon the priests and the Levites that served.

And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, each thing in its day; and they sanctified them unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the sons of Aaron.

And the Levites: both Jeshua, the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; and their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, read more.
Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Bani, Beninu. The heads of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur, Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hosea, Hananiah, Hashub, Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim, Baanah. And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all those that had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge and having understanding;

from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony.

from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered in to serve in the service and to bear a burden in the tabernacle of the testimony,

both for the showbread and for the fine flour for the sacrifice and for the unleavened cakes and for that which is baked in the pan and for that which is fried and for all manner of measure and size,

Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of atonement for sin upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and be clean. Then let them take a young bullock with his present, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou offer as sin. read more.
And thou shalt offer the Levites before the tabernacle of the testimony, and thou shalt gather the whole congregation of the sons of Israel together; and thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD, and the sons of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites; and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for a wave offering of the sons of Israel, and they shall serve in the ministry of the LORD. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks; and thou shalt offer the one as the sin, and the other as a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to reconcile the Levites. And thou shalt cause the Levites to present themselves before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. And thou shalt separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine. Thus shall the Levites go in to minister in the tabernacle of the testimony; and thou shalt cleanse them and wave them for an offering. For they are completely given unto me from among the sons of Israel, instead of each one that opens the womb; instead of the firstborn of all the sons of Israel, I have taken them for myself. For all the firstborn of the sons of Israel are mine, both of man and of animals; from the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the sons of Israel. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, that they may serve the ministry of the sons of Israel in the tabernacle of the testimony and reconcile the sons of Israel, that there be no plague in the sons of Israel when the sons of Israel come near unto the sanctuary. And Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the sons of Israel did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the sons of Israel unto them. And the sin was removed from the Levites, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them for a wave offering before the LORD; and Aaron reconciled them to cleanse them.

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

also from the house of Gilgal and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages round about Jerusalem.

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

This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the testimony, and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

This shall be the service of the families of the sons of Merari for all their ministry, in the tabernacle of the testimony, under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

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

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

Howbeit thou art just in all that has come upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly;

and the Levite singers, all of those of Asaph, those of Heman, and those of Jeduthun, together with their sons and their brethren, being clothed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets). And they sounded the trumpets and sang with one voice, all together as one man praising and thanking the LORD, when they lifted up their voice with trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, when they praised the LORD, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endures for ever; and the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD,

and the Levite singers, all of those of Asaph, those of Heman, and those of Jeduthun, together with their sons and their brethren, being clothed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets). And they sounded the trumpets and sang with one voice, all together as one man praising and thanking the LORD, when they lifted up their voice with trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, when they praised the LORD, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endures for ever; and the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD,