1 So when David was old and satisfied with days, (cp. Abraham [Gen. 25:8], and Isaac [Gen. 35:29]. David born in 990 B.C. Now in his 70th year) he made Solomon his son king over Israel. (During his lifetime. This was a common practice in those days; and the co-regent kings explain many chronological problems)
2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.
T W1 23:3- 26:28. Sacred. W2 26:29-27:34. Civil.
W1 X 23:3-5. The dedicated tribe.
Y 23:6. Division. Courses of the priests.
Z p1 23:7-11. Gershonites.
p2 23:12-20. Kohathites.
p3 23:21-23. Merarites.
A 23:24-32. The service of the house.
Z P4 24:1-19. Sons of Aaron.
p5 24:20-31. Sons of Levi.
p6 25:1-31. Sons of Asaph.
Y 26:1-25. Division. Porters and treasurers.
X 26:26-28. The dedicated things.
3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: (according to Num. 4:3,23,35,47. Changed to 25 years by Yehovah [Num. 8:24]; and, by David's "last words", to 20 years [v.27]. Cp. Ezra 3:8) and their number by their polls, strong man by strong man, was thirty and eight thousand.
4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of the Lord; and six thousand were officers and judges:
5 Moreover four thousand were porters; (in ch. 26 we have the 93 chiefs. The 212 in 9:22 pertained to the Tabernacle, not the Temple [9:31]) and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments "which I made," said David, "to praise therewith."
6 And David divided them into classes among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.
8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
9 The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.
10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house.
12 The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
13 The sons of Amram; (cp. Ex. 6:20) Aaron and Moses: (see Ex. 6:20)and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify 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.
14 Now concerning Moses the man of the [true] God, (See Ps. 90 [title]) his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.
15 The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.
16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the head. (See Judg. 18:30. The Chald. paraphrase asserts that this name "Shebuel" [which means "he returned to 'El, the true God"]was given to Jonathan after he returned to the fear of the Lord)
17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.
19 Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the head and Jesiah the second.
21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.
22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren (or kinsmen) the sons of Kish took them. (i.e by lot)
23 The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
24 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of twenty years and upward. (see v.3. According to David's "last words".)
25 For David said, "The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:
26 And also to the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof."
27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:
28 Because their station was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts, and over the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;
29 And for the shew-bread, and for the fine flour for meal offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; (The standards were committed to the Levites. Honesty in dealing in part of true religion. Cp. Lev. 19:35. Deut. 25:15. Prov. 11:1; 16:11; 20:23. Mic. 6:11. If this be so in the secular sphere, how much more in sacred things.)
30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even:
31 And to offer up all burnt sacrifices to the Lord in the sabbaths, in the new moons, (God didn't set these. See Lev. 23) and on the set feasts, (cp. Num. 28 and 29) by number, according to the order commanded to them, continually before the Lord:
32 And that they should keep the charge of the tent of the congregation, (cp. Gen. 26:5. Num. 18:3-5) and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the Lord.