1 Chronicles 23

1 Chronicles 23 describes David’s preparation for the temple service as he nears the end of his reign. He organizes the Levites into divisions for various tasks related to worship, reflecting his deep concern for the proper worship of God. This chapter also highlights the roles of the Levites and their responsibilities in service to the temple.

1 Chronicles 23:1 (NKJV)
1 So when David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.

David, recognizing the end of his reign, ensures a smooth transition of leadership by appointing Solomon as king. This act underscores David’s intention to secure both political and spiritual continuity, especially as Solomon would build the temple that David had long desired but was not permitted by God to build.

1 Chronicles 23:2-5 (NKJV)
2 And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand.
4 Of these, twenty-four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the Lord, six thousand were officers and judges,
5 four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments, “which I made,” said David, “for giving praise.”

David organizes the Levites into specific groups, assigning various roles to them. The Levites' duties are divided into caring for the temple, serving as officers and judges, guarding the temple, and offering praise through music. This systematic organization reveals David's careful planning for temple service and the importance he places on worship and justice within Israel’s religious life.

1 Chronicles 23:6-11 (NKJV)
6 Also David separated them into divisions among the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 Of the Gershonites: Laadan and Shimei.
8 The sons of Laadan: the first Jehiel, then Zetham and Joel—three in all.
9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Laadan.
10 And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.
11 Jahath was the first and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; therefore they were assigned as one father’s house.

David further organizes the Levites by family divisions, specifically those descending from Levi’s sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. These verses provide detailed genealogies of the Gershonites, showing David's careful attention to lineage and structure. This orderliness ensured that each family knew their specific responsibilities in temple service.

1 Chronicles 23:12-20 (NKJV)
12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all.
13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was set apart, he and his sons forever, that he should sanctify the most holy things, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister to Him, and to give the blessing in His name forever.
14 Now the sons of Moses the man of God were reckoned to the tribe of Levi.
15 The sons of Moses were Gershon and Eliezer.
16 Of the sons of Gershon, Shebuel was the first.
17 Of the sons of Eliezer, Rehabiah was the first. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
18 Of the sons of Izhar, Shelomith was the first.
19 Of the sons of Hebron, Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
20 Of the sons of Uzziel, Michah was the first and Jesshiah the second.

The genealogy of the Kohathites emphasizes the special role of Aaron and his descendants in priestly duties, such as sanctifying the most holy things and offering incense. Moses’ descendants were included in the tribe of Levi, though Aaron’s line held the primary priesthood role. This highlights the division of labor among the Levites and the sacred duties designated to the priestly family of Aaron.

1 Chronicles 23:21-23 (NKJV)
21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.
22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but only daughters; and their brethren, the sons of Kish, took them as wives.
23 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.

The descendants of Merari are detailed here, including the unique situation of Eleazar, who had no sons but only daughters. This necessitated that the daughters marry within the family, maintaining the inheritance and service within the clan of Merari. The preservation of lineage and responsibility within the Levites was a significant concern for the temple service.

1 Chronicles 23:24-27 (NKJV)
24 These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses—the heads of the fathers’ houses as they were counted individually by the number of their names, who did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of twenty years and above.
25 For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever”;
26 and also to the Levites, “They shall no longer carry the tabernacle, or any of the articles for its service.”
27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above.

David reduces the minimum age for Levite service from thirty to twenty years old, reflecting the changing nature of their duties. Since Israel now had a permanent place of worship in Jerusalem, there was no longer a need for the Levites to carry the tabernacle. Their focus shifted to maintaining the temple and supporting the spiritual life of Israel, in line with the rest God had given His people.

1 Chronicles 23:28-32 (NKJV)
28 Because their duty was to help the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts and in the chambers, in the purifying of all holy things and the work of the service of the house of God,
29 both with the showbread and the fine flour for the grain offering, with the unleavened cakes and what is baked in the pan, with what is mixed and with all kinds of measures and sizes;
30 to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening;
31 and at every presentation of a burnt offering to the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the set feasts, by number according to the ordinance governing them, regularly before the Lord;
32 and that they should attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, the needs of the holy place, and the needs of the sons of Aaron their brethren in the work of the house of the Lord.

The duties of the Levites are comprehensively outlined here, showing their role in assisting the priests with the temple service, maintaining the holy things, and leading the people in worship. They were responsible for preparing offerings, managing various aspects of temple worship, and ensuring the daily and special festival rituals were conducted. These verses highlight the sacred and organized system of worship established in Israel.