1 Chronicles 23

1 Chronicles 23:1

2. Divisions and Duties of the Levites (Chaps. 23-26)23:1-3 Near the end of David’s reign, a census was taken of the Levites from the age of thirty years and above, the age at which they could begin their active service. 23:4, 5 The thirty-eight thousand men were then divided into four general groups: twenty-four thousand overseers in the temple, six thousand . . . officers and judges, four thousand . . . gatekeepers, and four thousand musicians and singers to worship continually before the LORD. These instructions were divinely inspired and communicated to David through his prophets (2Ch_29:25). 23:6-24 In verses 6-23, the Levitical genealogies are given again: the Gershonites (vv. 7-11), Kohathites (vv. 12-20) (including Moses and Aaron, the most famous Levites of all), and Merarites (vv. 21-23). Certain priestly functions had been committed exclusively to Aaron . . . and his sons forever (v. 13). Burning incense, ministry to the Lord in the holy place and Holy of Holies (for the high priest alone), and blessing in the name of Jehovah (Num_6:23-27) were reserved for the priests. 23:25-27 Next the duties of the Levites are spelled out. They would no longer carry the tabernacle and its furniture as they had been commanded by Moses, since the temple would be a permanent house for God. David, with his last words, lowered the minimum age to twenty years old and above because more manpower would be needed in the service of the temple. 23:28-32 The 6000 judges were probably dispersed throughout Israel while the other Levites served in relation to the temple. The 24,000 overseers of the work in the temple were to attend to the needs of the priests in the duties enumerated in verses 28-32.