1 Chronicles 6 Cross References - NSB

⁶⁵ From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns. ⁶⁶ Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim. ⁶⁷ In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer, ⁶⁸ Jokmeam, Beth Horon, ⁶⁹ Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands. ⁷⁰ And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans. ⁷¹ The Gershonites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands, ⁷² from the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh, Daberath, ⁷³ Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands; ⁷⁴ from the tribe of Asher they received Mashal, Abdon, ⁷⁵ Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands; ⁷⁶ and from the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands. ⁷⁷ The Merarites (the rest of the Levites)) received the following: From the tribe of Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands, ⁷⁸ from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho they received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, ⁷⁹ Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands; ⁸⁰ and from the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, ⁸¹ Heshbon with its pastureland, and Jazer with its pastureland. ¹ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. ² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. ³ The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ⁴ Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas the father of Abishua, ⁵ Abishua the father of Bukki, Bukki the father of Uzzi, ⁶ Uzzi the father of Zerahiah, Zerahiah the father of Meraioth, ⁷ Meraioth the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub, ⁸ Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Ahimaaz, ⁹ Ahimaaz the father of Azariah, Azariah the father of Johanan, ¹⁰ Johanan was the father of Azariah. It was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem), ¹¹ Azariah the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub, ¹² Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Shallum, ¹³ Shallum the father of Hilkiah, Hilkiah the father of Azariah, ¹⁴ Azariah the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah the father of Jehozadak. ¹⁵ Jehozadak was deported when Jehovah sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁶ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. ¹⁷ These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁸ The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. ¹⁹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers: ²⁰ Of Gershon: Libni his son, Jehath his son, Zimmah his son, ²¹ Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son and Jeatherai his son. ²² The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, ²³ Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, ²⁴ Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son and Shaul his son. ²⁵ The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth, ²⁶ Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, ²⁷ Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son and Samuel his son. ²⁸ The sons of Samuel: Joel the firstborn and Abijah the second son. ²⁹ The descendants of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, ³⁰ Shimea his son, Haggiah his son and Asaiah his son. ³¹ These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of Jehovah after the ark came to rest there. ³² They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them. ³³ Here are the men who served, together with their sons: From the Kohathites: Heman, the musician, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, ³⁴ the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, ³⁵ the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, ³⁶ the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, ³⁷ the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, ³⁸ the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; ³⁹ and Heman’s associate Asaph, who served at his right hand: Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea, ⁴⁰ the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malkijah, ⁴¹ the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, ⁴² the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, ⁴³ the son of Jahath, the son of Gershon, the son of Levi; ⁴⁴ and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand: Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, ⁴⁵ the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, ⁴⁶ the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, ⁴⁷ the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. ⁴⁸ Their fellow Levites was assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God. ⁴⁹ But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. ⁵⁰ These were the descendants of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, ⁵¹ Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, ⁵² Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, ⁵³ Zadok his son and Ahimaaz his son. ⁵⁴ These were the locations of their settlements allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them): ⁵⁵ They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands. ⁵⁶ But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. ⁵⁷ So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, ⁵⁸ Hilen, Debir, ⁵⁹ Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands. ⁶⁰ And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. These towns, which were distributed among the Kohathite clans, were thirteen in all. ⁶¹ The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh. ⁶² The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan. ⁶³ The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun. ⁶⁴ So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns and their pasturelands.

¹⁶ These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps: twelve leaders according to their tribes.

² When he saw them, Jacob said: »This is God’s camp!« He named that place Mahanaim.

¹⁸ Jacob traveled safely from Paddan-aram to the city of Shechem in Canaan. He camped within sight of the city.

⁴ So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings. He buried them under the oak (big) tree near Shechem.

¹¹ The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

⁴ The baby’s sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

⁷ His sister asked her: »Shall I go and call a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for you?«

²² She bore a son, and he called his name Gershom. For he said: »I have been a stranger in a strange land.«

¹³ But Moses said: »Please, Jehovah, send the message by whomever you will.«

¹⁶ These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. Levi lived one hundred and thirty-seven years. ¹⁷ The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. ¹⁸ The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived one hundred and thirty-three years. ¹⁹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. ²⁰ Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived one hundred and thirty-seven years. ²¹ The sons of Izhar: Korah and Nepheg and Zichri.

²¹ The sons of Izhar: Korah and Nepheg and Zichri. ²² The sons of Uzziel: Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri. ²³ Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

²³ Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ²⁴ The sons of Korah: Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.

²⁴ The sons of Korah: Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. ²⁵ Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites according to their families.

²⁰ The prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women, danced with tambourines, and followed her.

¹ Jehovah said to Moses: »You and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders come up the mountain to me and worship at a distance.

¹ »Build the altar with acacia wood. It should be seven and one half feet square and four and one half feet tall. ² »Place a horn at each of its four corners. The four horns and the altar must be made out of one piece of wood covered with copper. ³ »Make all the utensils for it out of copper: pots for taking away the altar’s ashes, also shovels, bowls, forks, and incense burners. ⁴ »Make a grate for it out of copper mesh. Make a copper ring for each of the four corners of the grate. ⁵ »Place the grate under the ledge of the altar so that it comes halfway up the altar. ⁶ »Prepare poles out of acacia wood for the altar. Cover them with copper. ⁷ »The poles should be put through the rings on both sides of the altar and used to carry it. ⁸ »Make the altar out of boards so that it is hollow inside. It must be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

¹ Jehovah continued: »Bring your brother Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar to you from all the Israelites. They will serve me as priests.

³³ »They shall eat those things used for their atonement and their ordination and consecration. A layman shall not eat them, because they are holy.

³⁶ »Offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement each day. Purify the altar when you make atonement for it. Anoint it to consecrate it. ³⁷ »Make atonement for the altar and consecrate it for seven days. Then the altar shall be most holy, and whatever touches the altar shall be holy.

¹ »Build an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense. ² »Make it eighteen inches square and thirty-six inches high. The horns that extend out of it and the altar should be made out of one piece of wood. ³ »Cover it all with pure gold, the top, the sides, and the horns. Put a gold molding around it. ⁴ »Make two gold rings. Place them below the molding on opposite sides to hold the poles for carrying it. ⁵ »Make the poles out of acacia wood. Cover them with gold. ⁶ »Place the altar in front of the canopy that hangs over the ark containing the words of my covenant I will meet with you there in front of the throne of mercy that is on the ark. ⁷ »Aaron must burn sweet incense on this altar every morning when he takes care of the lamps.

¹⁰ »Once a year Aaron must make atonement with Jehovah by putting blood on its horns. Once a year for generations to come blood from the offering must be placed on the altar to make atonement with Jehovah. It is most holy to Jehovah.« ¹¹ Jehovah again spoke to Moses: ¹² »When you take a census of the people of Israel, each man is to pay me a price for his life. This to insure that no disaster will come on him while the census is being taken. ¹³ »Everyone included in the census must pay the required amount of money. It should be weighed according to the official standard. Everyone must pay this as an offering to me. ¹⁴ »Every man being counted in the census who is twenty years old or older is to pay me this amount. ¹⁵ »The rich man is not to pay more. The poor man is not to pay less, when they pay this amount for their lives. ¹⁶ »Collect this money from the people of Israel and spend it for the upkeep of the tent of meeting. This tax will be the payment for their lives. I will remember to protect them.«

¹ This is the list of Aaron and Moses’ descendants when Jehovah spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. ² The names of Aaron’s sons are Nadab (firstborn), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ³ These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. ⁴ Nadab and Abihu died in Jehovah’s presence because they offered unauthorized fire in his presence in the Desert of Sinai. They had no children. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

⁴ Nadab and Abihu died in Jehovah’s presence because they offered unauthorized fire in his presence in the Desert of Sinai. They had no children. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

¹⁷ Gershon, Kohath, and Merari were the sons of Levi. ¹⁸ Libni and Shimei were the sons of Gershon. Their families were named after them. ¹⁹ Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel were the sons of Kohath. Their families were named after them. ²⁰ Mahli and Mushi were the sons of Merari. Their families were named after them. These were the households of Levite families. ²¹ To Gershon belonged the families descended from Libni and Shimei. These were the families descended from Gershon.

³² The leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those who carried out the duties in the Holy Place. ³³ The clan of Merari was composed of the families of Mahli and Mushi.

³³ The clan of Merari was composed of the families of Mahli and Mushi. ³⁴ The total number of males one month old or older that were enrolled was six thousand two hundred. ³⁵ This clan was to camp on the north side of the Tent, with Zuriel son of Abihail as leader of the clan. ³⁶ It was the duty of the Merarites to be in charge of the framework of the inner tent, the crossbars, posts, sockets, and all the equipment. They took care of these things.

⁴² The Merarites were registered by families and households.

⁵ »‘Slaughter the bull in Jehovah’s presence. Aaron's sons, the priests, will offer the blood. They will throw it against all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

⁷ »‘The sons of the priest Aaron will start a fire on the altar and lay the wood on the fire. ⁸ »‘Aaron's sons, the priests, will also lay the pieces, the head, and the fat on top of the wood burning on the altar. ⁹ »‘Wash the internal organs and legs. The priest will then burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah.

²⁰ »He will do the same thing with this bull that he did with the bull used as the offering for sin. So the priest will pay compensation for the wrong and make peace with Jehovah for the people. They will be forgiven.

¹ Jehovah continued to speak to Moses: ² »Bring Aaron and his sons, the priests' clothes, the anointing oil, the bull that will be the offered for sin, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread. ³ »Gather the entire congregation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.« ⁴ Moses did as Jehovah commanded him. All the people gathered (assembled) at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ⁵ Moses announced to the congregation: »Jehovah has commanded that this is what you must do!« ⁶ Moses had Aaron and his sons come forward. Then he washed them with water. ⁷ He clothed Aaron with the embroidered tunic and tied the sash around him. He also dressed him in the linen robe that is worn with the ephod. He fastened the ephod to it. ⁸ Then he placed the breastplate on him and he placed the Urim and Thummim. ⁹ He put the turban on Aaron’s head and fastened the gold medallion, the holy crown, to the front of the turban as Jehovah had commanded Moses. ¹⁰ Moses took the anointing oil to anoint the tent and everything in it and dedicate them.

¹ Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu each took an incense burner. They put burning coals and incense in it. Then in Jehovah’s presence they offered this unauthorized fire.

¹² Moses spoke to Aaron and his two remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. He said: »Take the grain offering that is left over from the food offered to Jehovah. Bake unleavened bread with it and eat it beside the altar. This is because this offering is very holy.

¹⁶ Moses asked about the goat for the sin offering and learned that it had already been burned. This made him angry with Eleazar and Ithamar. He demanded:

¹ Jehovah gave Moses these instructions for Aaron's sons, the priests: »Touching a dead body will make you unclean. So do not go near a dead relative, ² except for your mother, father, son, daughter, brother, ³ or an unmarried sister, who has no husband to take care of her. ⁴ »As the head of your people, you should never become unclean. That would make you unholy. ⁵ »You should never mourn by shaving bald spots on your heads, shaving the edges of your beards, or slashing your bodies. ⁶ »Be God's holy men. Do not dishonor the name of your God. Be holy because you bring sacrifices by fire to Jehovah. It is the food (bread) of your God. ⁷ »Never marry prostitutes, those who have lost their virginity, or divorced women because a priest is God's holy man. ⁸ »Be holy because you offer the food of your God. Be holy because I, Jehovah, am holy. I set you apart as holy. ⁹ »When a priest's daughter dishonors herself by becoming a prostitute, she dishonors her father. She must be burned. ¹⁰ »The priest who is anointed with oil and wears the chief priest's clothes is chief over his brothers. He must never mourn by leaving his hair uncombed or by tearing his clothes. ¹¹ »He must not go near any dead bodies or become unclean, even for his father or mother. ¹² »He must not leave the holy tent of his God. If he does, he will be dishonoring it, because he is dedicated with the anointing oil of his God. I am Jehovah. ¹³ »The anointed priest should marry a virgin. ¹⁴ »He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, a woman who has lost her virginity, or a prostitute. He may only marry a virgin from his own people. ¹⁵ »He must not dishonor his children among his people because I, Jehovah, set him apart as holy.« ¹⁶ Jehovah spoke to Moses: ¹⁷ »Tell Aaron: ‘If any of your descendants, now or in future generations, has a physical defect, he must never bring food to offer to God. ¹⁸ »‘No one who has a physical defect may ever come near the altar. That means anyone who is blind or lame, who has a disfigured face, a deformity, ¹⁹ or a crippled hand or foot, ²⁰ who is a hunchback or dwarf, who has defective sight, skin diseases, or crushed testicles. ²¹ »‘If a descendant of the priest Aaron has a physical defect, he must never bring sacrifices by fire to Jehovah. He has a defect. He must never bring food to offer to God. ²² »‘He may eat the food of his God, what is holy and what is very holy.

⁸ He gave four wagons and eight oxen to the Merarites for the work they had to do under the direction of Ithamar, son of the priest Aaron.

⁵ Jehovah said to Moses: ⁶ »Separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites. Make them clean. ⁷ »This is what you must do to make them clean: Sprinkle them with water to take away their sins. Make them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes. Then they will be clean. ⁸ »They must take a young bull and the grain offering of flour mixed with olive oil that is offered with it. You must take a second young bull as an offering for sin. ⁹ »Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting. Assemble the whole congregation of Israel. ¹⁰ »Then bring the Levites into Jehovah’s presence, and the Israelites will place their hands on them. ¹¹ »Aaron will present the Levites to Jehovah as an offering from the Israelites. Then they will be ready to do Jehovah’s work. ¹² »The Levites will place their hands on the heads of the young bulls. Sacrifice one of them as an offering for sin and the other one as a burnt offering to Jehovah. These sacrifices will pay compensation for wrongdoing and make peace with Jehovah for the Levites. ¹³ »Make the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and present them as an offering to Jehovah. ¹⁴ »In this way you will separate the Levites from the other Israelites. The Levites will be mine. ¹⁵ »Once you have made them clean and presented them as an offering, the Levites may come and do their work at the tent of meeting. ¹⁶ »They will be the only Israelites given to me. I have taken them to be mine as substitutes for every firstborn male offspring of the Israelites. ¹⁷ »When I killed all the first-born in Egypt, I consecrated as my own the oldest son of each Israelite family and the first-born of every animal. ¹⁸ »I am now taking the Levites instead of all the first-born of the Israelites. ¹⁹ »I assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons, as a gift from the Israelites. They are to work in the tent for the people of Israel and to protect the Israelites from the disaster that would strike them if they came too near the Holy Place.« ²⁰ Moses, Aaron, and all the people of Israel dedicated the Levites, as Jehovah commanded Moses. ²¹ So the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes. Aaron dedicated them as a special gift to Jehovah. He also performed the ritual of purification for them. ²² The people did everything Jehovah commanded Moses concerning the Levites. Thus the Levites were qualified to work in the tent under Aaron and his sons. ²³ Jehovah said to Moses: ²⁴ »From the age of twenty-five each Levite shall perform his duties in the tent of my presence, ²⁵ »They must retire from active service when they are fifty years old. ²⁶ »They may assist the other Levites in their duties at the tent of meeting. But they may not do any regular work. This is how you will handle the Levites’ duties.«

¹⁷ Then the tent would be taken down. The clans of Gershon and Merari carried it.

²⁵ »The priest will perform the ritual of purification for the congregation. They will be forgiven since the mistake was unintentional and they brought their sin offering as a food offering to Jehovah

¹ Korah son of Izhar, Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth dared to challenge Moses. Korah was a descendant of Kohath and Levi. Dathan, Abiram, and On were descendants of Reuben. ² These four men were joined by two hundred and fifty Israelite men, well known leaders of the congregation. The assembly chose them. ³ They came together to confront Moses and Aaron. They said: »You have gone far enough! Everyone in the whole congregation is holy. Jehovah is among them. Why do you set yourselves above Jehovah’s assembly?« ⁴ When Moses heard this, he bowed with his face touching the ground. ⁵ Then he said to Korah and all his followers: »In the morning Jehovah will show who belongs to him, who is holy. He will have that person come near him. Only the person Jehovah chooses will be allowed to come near him. ⁶ »Korah, you and all your followers must do this tomorrow: Take incense burners, ⁷ »Put burning coals and incense in them in Jehovah’s presence. Jehovah will choose the man who is holy. You have gone far enough!« ⁸ Moses also said to Korah: »Listen, you sons of Levi! ⁹ »Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel? Jehovah has brought you near to do the work for his tent and stand in front of the community to serve them.

⁹ »Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel? Jehovah has brought you near to do the work for his tent and stand in front of the community to serve them. ¹⁰ »He brought you and all the other Levites near. But now you demand to be priests.

¹⁰ »He brought you and all the other Levites near. But now you demand to be priests. ¹¹ »You and all your followers have joined forces against Jehovah! Who is Aaron that you should complain about him?« ¹² Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab. But they said: »We will not come! ¹³ »Is it not enough that you brought us out of a land flowing with milk and honey only to kill us in the desert? Do you also have to order us around? ¹⁴ »You have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us any fields and vineyards to own. Do you think you can still pull the wool over our eyes? We will not come.« ¹⁵ Moses became angry and said to Jehovah: »Do not accept their offering. I have not taken anything from them, not even a donkey. And I have not mistreated any of them.« ¹⁶ Moses said to Korah: »Tomorrow you and all your followers must come into Jehovah’s presence. Aaron will also be there with you.

¹⁶ Moses said to Korah: »Tomorrow you and all your followers must come into Jehovah’s presence. Aaron will also be there with you. ¹⁷ »Each man will take his incense burner and put incense in it. They will offer all two hundred and fifty incense burners to Jehovah. Then you and Aaron offer your incense burners.« ¹⁸ So each man took his incense burner. He put burning coals and incense in it and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹⁹ Korah assembled all his followers who opposed Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. The glory of Jehovah appeared to the entire group. ²⁰ Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron: ²¹ »Move away from these men. I will destroy them instantly.« ²² Immediately, they bowed with their faces touching the ground and said: »O God, you are the God who gives the breath of life to everyone! If one man sins, will you be angry with the entire congregation?« ²³ Then Jehovah said to Moses: ²⁴ »Tell the congregation: ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’« ²⁵ Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ He said to the congregation: »Move away from the tents of these wicked men. Do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you’ll be swept away because of all their sins.«

³¹ »‘You and your households may eat it anywhere. This is because it is the wages you receive for your work at the tent of meeting. ³² »‘When you contribute the best part, you will not suffer the consequences of any sin. You will not be dishonoring the holy offerings given by the Israelites, and you will not die.’«

²⁶ »Remove Aaron’s priestly robes and put them on Eleazar. Aaron is going to die there.« ²⁷ Moses did what Jehovah commanded. They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the entire congregation. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s priestly robes and put them on Eleazar. There on the top of the mountain Aaron died, and Moses and Eleazar came back down.

²⁵ The Israelites settled in the Amorite towns. They settled in the capital city of Heshbon with its surrounding villages.

³² Moses sent some men to explore the town of Jazer. Some time later, the Israelites captured the villages surrounding it and forced out the Amorites who lived there.

²² Moses did as Jehovah commanded him. He had Joshua stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation.

⁶ Moses sent them off to war. There were one thousand men from each tribe along with Phinehas, son of the priest Eleazar. Phinehas took with him the holy articles and the trumpets for the fanfare.

¹⁰ They burned the cities where the Midianites lived and all their settlements.

¹ The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a large number of livestock. They saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead was indeed a place suitable for livestock.

³ »Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,

³⁷ The tribe of Reuben rebuilt the cities of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,

¹ Jehovah spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River across from Jericho. He said: ² »Tell the Israelites to give the Levites some cities from their own property. They must also give the Levites the pastureland around those cities. ³ »The Levites will have cities to live in and pastureland for their cattle, the flocks they own, and any other animals they have. ⁴ »The land around the cities that you give the Levites will extend fifteen hundred feet from the city wall. ⁵ »Outside the city measure off three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand feet on the south side, three thousand feet on the west side, and three thousand feet on the north side, with the city in the center. This will be their pastureland around the city. ⁶ »Six of the cities you give the Levites will be cities of refuge. You must allow murderers to escape to these cities. In addition, you must also give the Levites forty-two other cities. ⁷ »You will give a total of forty-eight cities with pastureland to the Levites. ⁸ »The cities you give the Levites from the property of the other Israelites must be given based on the amount of land each tribe owns. Take more cities from larger tribes and fewer from smaller tribes.«

¹³ »There will be six cities you select as places of refuge. ¹⁴ »Three will be on the east side of the Jordan River and three in Canaan. ¹⁵ »These six cities will be places of refuge for Israelites, foreigners, and strangers among you. Anyone who unintentionally kills another person may flee to these cities.

⁴ After he killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who lived at Astaroth in Edrei:

²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram came out and were standing at the entrances to their tents with their wives and children. ²⁸ Moses said: »This is how you will know that Jehovah sent me to do all these things and that it wasn’t my idea: ²⁹ »If these men die a natural death like all other people Jehovah has not sent me. ³⁰ »But if Jehovah does something totally new, if the ground opens up, swallows them and everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive to their graves; then you will know that these men have treated Jehovah with contempt.« ³¹ When he finished speaking, the ground under them split, ³² and the earth opened up to swallow them, their families, the followers of Korah, and all their property. ³³ They went down alive to their graves with everything that belonged to them. The ground covered them. They disappeared from the assembly. ³⁴ All the Israelites around them ran away when they heard their screams. They thought the ground would swallow them, also. ³⁵ Fire came from Jehovah and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

¹ Jehovah said to Aaron: »You, your sons, and your family will be responsible for any sins against the holy place. You and your sons will also be responsible for any sins you commit when you work as priests. ² »Bring the other Levites from your ancestor’s tribe to join you and help you and your sons serve in front of the tent of the words of my promise. ³ »They are to fulfill their duties to you and their responsibilities for the tent. However they must not have any contact with sacred objects in the Holy Place or with the altar. If they do, both they and you will be put to death. ⁴ »They are to work with you and fulfill their responsibilities for all the service in the tent. No unqualified person may work with you. ⁵ »You and your sons alone must fulfill the responsibilities for the Holy Place and the altar. That way my anger will not again break out against the people of Israel. ⁶ »I chose the other Levites from among the Israelites to help you. They are a gift given to Jehovah to do the necessary work at the tent of meeting. ⁷ »Only you and your sons may do the work of priests, everything done at the altar and under the canopy. This is my gift to you: You may serve me as priests. Anyone else who comes near the holy place to do this work must die.« ⁸ Jehovah said to Aaron: »I have placed you in charge of all the contributions given to me. I have given you and your descendants all the holy gifts from the Israelites as your share. These contributions will be yours from generation to generation. ⁹ »That part of the most holy offerings that is not burned belongs to you. It may come from a grain offering, an offering for sin, or a guilt offering. Whatever is brought to me, as a most holy offering will belong to you and your sons. ¹⁰ »Eat it in a most holy place. Any male may eat it. You must consider it holy. ¹¹ »The contributions that come as gifts taken from the offerings presented by the Israelites are also yours. I give these to you, your sons, and your daughters. They will be yours from generation to generation. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat them. ¹² »I also give you the first of the produce they give Jehovah. It is the best of all the olive oil and the best of the new wine and fresh grain. ¹³ »The first of all produce harvested in their land that they bring to Jehovah are yours. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat it. ¹⁴ »Anything in Israel that is claimed by Jehovah is yours. ¹⁵ »Every firstborn male, human or animal that is brought to Jehovah is yours. But you must buy back every firstborn son and the firstborn male of any unclean animal. ¹⁶ »When they are one month old, you must buy them back at the fixed price of two ounces of silver using the standard weight of the holy place. ¹⁷ »You must never buy back a firstborn bull, sheep, or goat. They are holy. Throw the blood from these animals against the altar. Burn the fat as an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah. ¹⁸ »The meat is yours, like the breast and the right thigh that are presented. ¹⁹ »I have given you, your sons, and your daughters all the holy contributions which the Israelites offer to Jehovah. These contributions will be yours from generation to generation. It is an everlasting promise of salt in Jehovah’s presence for you and your descendants.« ²⁰ Jehovah said to Aaron: »You will have no land or property of your own as the other Israelites will have. I am your possession and your property among the Israelites. ²¹ »I have given the Levites one-tenth of every Israelite’s income. This is in return for the work they do at the tent of meeting. ²² »The other Israelites must never again come near the tent of meeting. Otherwise, they will suffer the consequences of their sin and die. ²³ »Only the Levites will do the work at the tent of meeting. They are responsible for their own sins. This is a long lasting law for future generations. They will own no property, as the other Israelites will. ²⁴ »Instead, I will give the Levites what the Israelites contribute to Jehovah, one-tenth of the Israelites’ income. This is why I said about them: They will own no property as the other Israelites do.« ²⁵ Jehovah said to Moses: ²⁶ »Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘You will take one-tenth of the Israelites’ income that I am giving you as your property. When you do, you must contribute one-tenth of that income as your contribution to Jehovah. ²⁷ »‘Your contribution will be considered to be grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. ²⁸ »‘You will also contribute one-tenth of your income to Jehovah out of all that you receive from the Israelites’ income. You will give Jehovah’s contribution to the priest Aaron. ²⁹ »‘Out of all the gifts you receive, you must contribute the best and holiest parts to Jehovah.’ ³⁰ »Also tell them: ‘When you contribute the best part, your contribution will be considered to be produce from the threshing floor or winepress.

⁶ One of the Israelite men brought a Midianite woman to his brothers. He did this right in front of Moses and the entire congregation of Israel while they were crying at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁷ Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of the priest Aaron, saw this. He left the assembly and grabbed a spear in his hand. ⁸ He went into the tent after the Israelite man. He drove the spear through the man and into the woman’s body. Because of this, the plague that the Israelites were experiencing stopped. ⁹ Twenty-four thousand people died from that plague. ¹⁰ Jehovah continued speaking to Moses: ¹¹ Jehovah said to Moses: »Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of the priest Aaron, turned my fury away from the Israelites. Since he stood up for me, I did not have to stand up for myself and destroy them.

¹³ »My promise is that he and his descendants will be priests for a very long time because he stood up for his God. He made peace with Jehovah for the Israelites.«

¹⁰ The ground opened up and swallowed them along with Korah. They and their followers died when the fire consumed the two hundred and fifty men. This was a warning. ¹¹ The descendants of Korah did not die.

⁵⁷ The families descended from Levi were listed as the family of Gershon, the family of Kohath, and the family of Merari.

⁵⁷ The families descended from Levi were listed as the family of Gershon, the family of Kohath, and the family of Merari. ⁵⁸ These were the families of Levi: the Libnite family, the Hebronite family, the Mahlite family, the Mushite family, and the Korahite family. Kohath was the ancestor of Amram.

²⁴ Moses continued: »Cross over the Arnon River. I will help you defeat Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon and his country. Possess his land and engage him in battle.

⁴¹ Moses set aside three cities on the east side of the Jordan. ⁴² Those who unintentionally killed someone whom they had never hated could flee to one of these cities and save their lives. ⁴³ The cities were Bezer on the desert plateau for the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead for the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan for the tribe of Manasseh.

⁴³ The cities were Bezer on the desert plateau for the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead for the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan for the tribe of Manasseh.

⁵ Moses the servant of Jehovah died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Jehovah.

¹ Moses the servant of Jehovah (YHWH) died. After his death Jehovah spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying:

¹ »The Levitical priests including the entire tribe of Levi will receive no land or property of their own like the rest of the Israelites. They will eat what has been sacrificed to Jehovah. These sacrifices will be what they receive. ² »They are to own no land, as the other tribes do. Their inheritance is the privilege of being Jehovah’s priests, as Jehovah told them. ³ »When cattle or sheep are sacrificed, the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jaw, and the stomach. ⁴ »They are to receive the first share of the grain, wine, olive oil, and wool. ⁵ »Jehovah chose from all your tribes the tribe of Levi to serve him and his sons as priests forever. ⁶ »Any Levite who wants to may come from any town in Israel to the one place of worship. ⁷ »He may serve there, as a priest of Jehovah his God, like the other Levites who are serving there. ⁸ »He is to receive the same amount of food as the other priests. He may keep everything his family sends him.

¹⁰ »and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.

³ Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piram king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying:

¹¹ As they fled from Israel, and were going down to Beth-horon, Jehovah cast down great stones from heaven upon them all the way to Azekah and they died. In fact hailstones killed more than the children of Israel killed using their swords. ¹² Joshua spoke to Jehovah the day when Jehovah delivered the Amorites to the children of Israel. He said in sight of Israel: »Sun, stand still upon Gibeon; and Moon, stand still in the valley of Ajalon.«

²⁹ Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel went with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah:

³⁸ Joshua and all Israel returned with him to Debir and fought against it:

¹² The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; ¹³ The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;

²² The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;

²⁵ Their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is near Rabbah; ²⁶ From Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;

¹³ Joshua blessed Caleb the son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron for an inheritance.

¹⁰ The border circled Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah:

¹³ To Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.

⁴² Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,

⁴⁸ In the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, ⁴⁹ Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,

⁵¹ Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:

³ It goes down westward to the coast of Japhleti, to the coast of Beth-horon the nether, and to Gezer: ending at the sea.

⁵ The border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar, to Beth-horon the upper;

¹⁰ They did not drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day, and have become forced laborers.

¹¹ Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.

²⁴ Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:

²⁶ Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-libnath;

³⁷ Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-hazor,

⁷ So, on the west side of the Jordan River they set aside Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim and Hebron, in the hill country of Judah.

⁷ So, on the west side of the Jordan River they set aside Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim and Hebron, in the hill country of Judah. ⁸ East of the Jordan, on the desert plateau east of Jericho, they chose Bezer in the territory of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, in the territory of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, in the territory of Manasseh.

⁸ East of the Jordan, on the desert plateau east of Jericho, they chose Bezer in the territory of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, in the territory of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, in the territory of Manasseh. ⁹ These were the cities of refuge chosen for all the people of Israel and for any foreigner living among them. Any who killed a person accidentally could find protection there from the one looking for revenge. They could not be killed unless they had first received a public trial.

³ So in accordance with Jehovah’s command the people of Israel gave the Levites cities and pasturelands out of their own territories.

³ So in accordance with Jehovah’s command the people of Israel gave the Levites cities and pasturelands out of their own territories. ⁴ The families of the Levite clan of Kohath were the first to be assigned cities. The families who were descended from Aaron the priest were assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

⁴ The families of the Levite clan of Kohath were the first to be assigned cities. The families who were descended from Aaron the priest were assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. ⁵ The rest of the clan of Kohath was assigned ten cities from the territories of Ephraim, Dan, and West Manasseh.

⁵ The rest of the clan of Kohath was assigned ten cities from the territories of Ephraim, Dan, and West Manasseh. ⁶ The clan of Gershon was assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh in Bashan. ⁷ The families of the clan of Merari were assigned twelve cities from the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

⁷ The families of the clan of Merari were assigned twelve cities from the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. ⁸ By drawing lots, the people of Israel assigned these cities and their pasturelands to the Levites, as Jehovah commanded through Moses.

¹⁰ These were given to the descendants of Aaron who were of the clan of Kohath and who were descended from Levi. Their assignment was the first to be made. ¹¹ They were given the city of Arba. Arba was Anak’s father. Arba is now called Hebron. It is in the hill country of Judah, along with the pastureland surrounding it. ¹² The fields that were in the city and its towns had already been given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. ¹³ In addition to Hebron, one of the cities of refuge, the following cities were assigned to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Libnah,

¹³ In addition to Hebron, one of the cities of refuge, the following cities were assigned to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Libnah, ¹⁴ Jattir, Eshtemoa, ¹⁵ Holon, Debir, ¹⁶ Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, with their pasturelands: nine cities from the tribes of Judah and Simeon. ¹⁷ From the territory of Benjamin they were given four cities: Gibeon, Geba, ¹⁸ Anathoth, and Almon, with their pasturelands. ¹⁹ Thirteen cities in all, with pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron. ²⁰ The other families of the Levite clan of Kohath were assigned some cities from the territory of Ephraim. ²¹ They were given four cities: Shechem and its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, one of the cities of refuge, Gezer,

²¹ They were given four cities: Shechem and its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, one of the cities of refuge, Gezer, ²² Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, with their pasturelands.

²² Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, with their pasturelands. ²³ From the territory of Dan they were given four cities: Eltekeh, Gibbethon, ²⁴ Aijalon, and Gathrimmon, with pasturelands.

²⁴ Aijalon, and Gathrimmon, with pasturelands. ²⁵ From the territory of West Manasseh they were given two cities: Taanach and Gathrimmon, with pasturelands.

²⁵ From the territory of West Manasseh they were given two cities: Taanach and Gathrimmon, with pasturelands.

²⁵ From the territory of West Manasseh they were given two cities: Taanach and Gathrimmon, with pasturelands. ²⁶ These families of the clan of Kohath received ten cities in all, with pasturelands. ²⁷ Another group of Levites, the clan of Gershon, received from the territory of East Manasseh two cities: Golan in Bashan, one of the cities of refuge, and Beeshterah, with pasturelands.

²⁷ Another group of Levites, the clan of Gershon, received from the territory of East Manasseh two cities: Golan in Bashan, one of the cities of refuge, and Beeshterah, with pasturelands. ²⁸ From the territory of Issachar they received four cities: Kishion, Daberath,

²⁸ From the territory of Issachar they received four cities: Kishion, Daberath, ²⁹ Jarmuth, and Engannim, with pasturelands.

²⁹ Jarmuth, and Engannim, with pasturelands. ³⁰ From the territory of Asher they received four cities: Mishal, Abdon,

³⁰ From the territory of Asher they received four cities: Mishal, Abdon, ³¹ Helkath, and Rehob, with pasturelands.

³¹ Helkath, and Rehob, with pasturelands. ³² From the territory of Naphtali they received three cities: Kedesh in Galilee, with pasture lands, one of the cities of refuge, Hammoth-Dor, and Kartan, with pasturelands.

³² From the territory of Naphtali they received three cities: Kedesh in Galilee, with pasture lands, one of the cities of refuge, Hammoth-Dor, and Kartan, with pasturelands. ³³ The families of the clan of Gershon received a total of thirteen cities with pasturelands. ³⁴ The rest of the Levites, the clan of Merari, received from the territory of Zebulun four cities: Jokneam, Kartah,

³⁴ The rest of the Levites, the clan of Merari, received from the territory of Zebulun four cities: Jokneam, Kartah, ³⁵ Dimnah, and Nahalal, with pasturelands.

³⁵ Dimnah, and Nahalal, with pasturelands. ³⁶ From the territory of Reuben they received four cities: Bezer, Jahaz,

³⁶ From the territory of Reuben they received four cities: Bezer, Jahaz, ³⁷ Kedemoth, and Mephaath, with pasturelands.

³⁷ Kedemoth, and Mephaath, with pasturelands. ³⁸ From the tribe of Gad they received four cities: Ramoth in Gilead, with pasturelands, one of the cities of refuge, Mahanaim,

³⁸ From the tribe of Gad they received four cities: Ramoth in Gilead, with pasturelands, one of the cities of refuge, Mahanaim, ³⁹ Heshbon, and Jazer, with pasturelands.

³⁹ Heshbon, and Jazer, with pasturelands.

³⁹ Heshbon, and Jazer, with pasturelands. ⁴⁰ The clan of Merari was assigned a total of twelve cities. ⁴¹ From the land that the people of Israel possessed, a total of forty-eight cities, with the pasturelands around them, was given to the Levites. ⁴² Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it.

¹³ Then the people of Israel sent Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, to the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh in the land of Gilead.

³⁰ Phinehas the priest and the ten leading men of the community with him, the heads of families of the western tribes, heard what the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh had to say, and they were satisfied. ³¹ Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, said to them: »We know that Jehovah is with us. You have not rebelled against him. So you have saved the people of Israel from Jehovah’s punishment.« ³² Phinehas and the leaders left the people of Reuben and Gad in the land of Gilead and went back to Canaan, to the people of Israel, and reported to them.

³³ Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, the town in the hill country of Ephraim that had been given to his son Phinehas.

²⁰ They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had promised and he expelled the three sons of Anak.

⁶ She sent for Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him: »Has Jehovah the God of Israel commanded, saying: ‘Go and deploy troops at mount Tabor. Take ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

⁹ She said: »I will surely go with you. Never the less there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking. For Jehovah will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.« Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

²⁸ The people asked Jehovah: »Should we go to battle against our brothers the Benjaminites again, or should we cease?« Jehovah answered: »Fight. Tomorrow I will give you victory over them.«

¹ There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite of the mountains of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph an Ephraimite.

¹⁹ The next morning Elkanah and his family got up early. After worshiping Jehovah, they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with his wife Hannah and Jehovah answered her prayer. ²⁰ So it was that she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel. She explained: »I asked Jehovah for him.«

²⁰ So it was that she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel. She explained: »I asked Jehovah for him.«

¹² The cows went straight ahead to Bethshemesh. They went on the highway lowing as they went. They did not turn aside to the right or to the left. And the lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Bethshemesh. ¹³ The people of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. They looked up and saw the ark. They rejoiced to see it. ¹⁴ The cart came to the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there. There was a great stone. They cut the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to Jehovah. ¹⁵ The Levites removed the cart the Ark of Jehovah and the box that contained the gold objects. They put them on the large rock. The people of Bethshemesh presented burnt offerings and sacrifices to Jehovah that day. ¹⁶ After the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they went back to Ekron that same day. ¹⁷ The Philistines sent the five gold tumors to Jehovah as a gift (guilt offering) to pay for their sins. They included one for each of the cities of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. ¹⁸ They also sent gold mice, one for each of the cities ruled by the five Philistine kings, both the fortified towns and the villages without walls. The large rock in the field of Joshua of Bethshemesh, on which they placed the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant, is still there as a witness to what happened. ¹⁹ Some of the men of Bethshemesh looked inside the Ark. Jehovah killed seventy of them. This made the people of Bethshemesh very sad.

² The name of his firstborn son was Joel. He named his second son Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

²⁸ »So I am dedicating (giving) (granting) him to Jehovah. As long as he lives, he will belong to Jehovah.« Then they worshiped Jehovah there.

³⁵ »‘I will choose a priest who will be faithful to me and do everything I desire him to do. I will give him descendants, who will always serve in the presence of my anointed ones forever.

³ Jonathan defeated the Philistine troops at Geba. The Philistines heard about it. With the sounding of the trumpet throughout the land, Saul announced: »Let the Hebrews listen!«

¹⁸ Another company turned to the road to Beth Horon. Another turned onto the road toward the region that overlooks the valley of Zeboim and the desert.

¹⁷ The men carrying the Ark set it in its place inside the tent David put up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in Jehovah’s presence.

¹⁷ Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abiathar the son of Ahimelech, were the priests. Seraiah was the secretary.

²⁴ Zadok the priest was there. He had Levites there carrying the sacred Ark of God. They set it down and did not pick it up again until all the people left the city. The priest Abiathar was there too. ²⁵ The king said to Zadok: »Take the Ark of the Covenant back to the city. If Jehovah is pleased with me he will let me come back to see it and the place where it stays. ²⁶ »Let him do to me what he wishes if he is not pleased with me.« ²⁷ He also said to Zadok: »You are a seer, are you? Take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan and go back to the city in peace.

²⁷ He also said to Zadok: »You are a seer, are you? Take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan and go back to the city in peace.

³⁵ »Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. You can tell them everything you hear in the palace. ³⁶ »Have them send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what you hear.«

³² Barzillai was a very old man. He was eighty years old. He was very rich. He supplied the king with food while he was staying at Mahanaim.

¹⁵ Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar: »Ahithophel advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do one thing. But I advised them to do something else.

¹⁵ Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar: »Ahithophel advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do one thing. But I advised them to do something else. ¹⁶ »Quickly send messengers to tell David: ‘Do not rest tonight in the river crossings in the desert. Make sure you cross the river. Otherwise Your Majesty and all the troops with him will be wiped out.’« ¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They could not risk being seen coming into the city. A servant girl was to go and tell them. They were to go and tell King David.

¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They could not risk being seen coming into the city. A servant girl was to go and tell them. They were to go and tell King David.

²⁰ Absalom’s officials came to the house and asked the woman: »Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?« She answered: »They crossed the river. The men looked for them but could not find them. So they returned to Jerusalem.«

²⁴ David went to the town of Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan River with the army of Israel.

²⁷ David went to the town of Mahanaim. Shobi son of Nahash came from Rabbah in Ammon, Machir son of Ammiel came from Lo-Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite came from Rogelim.

¹⁹ Ahimaaz son of Zadok said: »Joab let me run and tell King David that Jehovah rescued him from his enemies.«

²² Ahimaaz spoke to Joab again: »No matter what happens, I still want to run. The Ethiopian has already left.« Joab said: »Why should you run? You will not get a reward for the news you have!«

²⁷ The watchman said: »It appears the first one runs like Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son. He’s a good man,« the king said. »He must be coming with good news.« ²⁸ Ahimaaz approached the king, greeted him, and bowed down in front of him. Ahimaaz said: »May Jehovah your God be praised. He has handed over the men who rebelled against Your Majesty.« ²⁹ »Is the young man Absalom all right?« The king asked. Ahimaaz answered: »I saw a lot of confusion when Joab sent me away. I did not know what it meant.«

²⁵ Sheva was the court secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.

⁸ But the priest Zadok, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the prophet Nathan, Shimei, Rei, and David's thirty special guards did not join Adonijah.

²⁶ »But he did not invite Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon or me.

³⁴ Zadok and Nathan are to anoint him as king of Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout: Long live King Solomon!

⁴⁴ »The king sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites with him. They placed him on the king's mule.

²⁶ The king spoke to Abiathar the priest: »Go to your fields at Anathoth. You deserve death. But I will not put you to death now, because you carried the Ark of Jehovah God before David my father. You were with him in all his troubles.«

³⁵ The king made Benaiah commander of the army in Joab's place and put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.

⁶ Then the priests carried the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the cherubim (angel). ⁷ Their outstretched wings covered the box and the poles it was carried by. ⁸ The ends of the poles could be seen by anyone standing directly in front of the Most Holy Place, but from nowhere else. ⁹ There was nothing inside the Ark of the Covenant except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when Jehovah made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were coming from Egypt. ¹⁰ As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud. ¹¹ It shined with the dazzling light of Jehovah’s presence. They could not go back in to perform their duties. ¹² Solomon prayed: »Jehovah, you have placed the sun in the sky, yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness. ¹³ »Now I have built a majestic temple for you, a place for you to live in for a very long time.«

⁴ Commander of the army: Benaiah son of Jehoiada. Priests: Zadok and Abiathar.

¹² Baana son of Ahilud: the cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and all the region near Beth Shan, near the town of Zarethan, south of the town of Jezreel, as far as the city of Abel Meholah and the city of Jokmeam.

¹ Solomon began work on the Temple. It was four hundred and eighty years after the people of Israel left Egypt, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the second month, the month of Ziv. ² The Temple Solomon built was ninety feet long, thirty feet wide, and forty-five feet high inside. ³ The entrance room was fifteen feet deep and thirty feet wide. It was as wide as the sanctuary. ⁴ He made windows for the Temple. Their openings were narrower on the outside than on the inside. ⁵ A third-story annex, seven and one half feet high, was built against the outside walls. It was on the sides and the back of the Temple. ⁶ Each room in the lowest story was seven and one half feet wide. The middle story was nine feet wide. The top story was ten and one half feet wide. The Temple wall on each floor was thinner than on the floor below, so that the rooms could rest on the wall without having their beams built into it. ⁷ The stones with which the Temple was built were prepared at the quarry. That way there was no noise made by hammers, axes, or any other iron tools as the Temple was built.

¹⁶ The king of Egypt attacked Gezer and captured it. They killed its inhabitants and set fire to the city. He gave it as a wedding present to his daughter when she married Solomon.

³ Ahab asked his officials: »Why have we not done anything to get back Ramoth in Gilead from the king of Syria? It is ours!« ⁴ Ahab asked Jehoshaphat: »Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?« »I am ready when you are,« Jehoshaphat answered. »And so are my soldiers and my cavalry.« ⁵ »First let us inquire of Jehovah.« ⁶ So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them: »Should I attack Ramoth, or not?« They answered: »Attack, Jehovah will give you victory.« ⁷ Jehoshaphat asked: »Is there another prophet through whom we can consult Jehovah?« ⁸ Ahab answered: »There is one more, Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, always something bad.« »The king should not say such things!« Jehoshaphat replied. ⁹ Then Ahab called a court official and told him to get Micaiah at once. ¹⁰ They dressed in their royal robes and sat on their thrones at the threshing place near the gate of Samaria. The two kings listened to all the prophets prophesy in front of them. ¹¹ One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab: »Jehovah says: ‘With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them.’« ¹² All the other prophets said the same thing: »March against Ramoth and you will win,« they said. »Jehovah will give you victory.« ¹³ The messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him: »All the other prophets have prophesied success for the king. You had better do the same.« ¹⁴ Micaiah answered: »By the living God Jehovah I promise that I will say what he tells me to say!« ¹⁵ He appeared before King Ahab. The king asked him: »Micaiah, should King Jehoshaphat and I go and attack Ramoth, or not?« »Attack!« Micaiah answered. »You will win. Jehovah will give you victory.« ¹⁶ But Ahab replied: »Tell the truth when you speak to me in the name of Jehovah! How many times do I have to tell you that?« ¹⁷ Micaiah answered: »I can see the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd.« Jehovah said: »These men have no leader. Let them go home in peace.« ¹⁸ Israel’s king said to Jehoshaphat: »Did I not say to you, He will prophesy about me? It is always something bad!« ¹⁹ Micaiah continued: »Now listen to what Jehovah says! I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne in heaven, with all his angels standing beside him.« ²⁰ Jehovah asked: »Who will deceive Ahab so that he will go and be killed at Ramoth? Some of the angels said one thing, and others said something else, ²¹ until a spirit stepped forward, approached Jehovah,« and said: »I will deceive him.« ²² »How will you deceive him?« Jehovah asked. The spirit replied: »I will make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies.« Jehovah said: »Go and deceive him. You will succeed.« ²³ Micaiah concluded: This is what has happened. Jehovah made these prophets of yours lie to you. He has decreed that you will meet with disaster! ²⁴ The prophet Zedekiah went to Micaiah and slapped his face. He asked: »Since when did Jehovah’s spirit leave me and speak to you?« ²⁵ »You will see when you go into an inner chamber to hide.« Micaiah replied. ²⁶ The king of Israel said: »Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon, the ruler of the town, and to Joash, the king's son. ²⁷ »‘Tell them: ‘It is the king's order that this man is to be put in prison and given prison food till I come again in peace.’« ²⁸ Micaiah said: If you come back at all in peace, Jehovah has not sent his word by me.

¹ Elisha the prophet called one of the young prophets and said to him: »Prepare to go to Ramoth in Gilead. Take this jar of olive oil with you.

²⁷ Jehovah had not said that the name of Israel was to be taken away from the earth. So he gave them a savior in Jeroboam, the son of Joash.

⁴ »Go to Hilkiah the high priest. Let him count the money brought into the Temple of Jehovah that the keepers of the door gathered from the people.

¹² The king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said: ¹³ »Go inquire of Jehovah on my behalf and for the people. This is concerning the words in this book that has been found. Jehovah’s fierce anger is directed towards us because our ancestors did not obey the things in this book or do everything written in it.« ¹⁴ So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas. Shallum was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem.

¹⁸ The captain of the guard took the high priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three doorkeepers.

²¹ The king of Babylon executed them at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So the people of Judah were captives when they left their land.

¹⁷ The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. One of Mered’s wives gave birth to Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

³² Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan five towns

⁶⁶ Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim. ⁶⁷ In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer, ⁶⁸ Jokmeam, Beth Horon, ⁶⁹ Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands. ⁷⁰ And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans. ⁷¹ The Gershonites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands, ⁷² from the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh, Daberath, ⁷³ Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands;

⁷³ Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands; ⁷⁴ from the tribe of Asher they received Mashal, Abdon, ⁷⁵ Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands; ⁷⁶ and from the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands. ⁷⁷ The Merarites (the rest of the Levites)) received the following: From the tribe of Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands, ⁷⁸ from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho they received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, ⁷⁹ Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands; ⁸⁰ and from the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, ⁸¹ Heshbon with its pastureland, and Jazer with its pastureland.

⁶ These were the descendants of Ehud, who were heads of families of those living in Geba and were deported to Manahath:

¹ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

¹ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. ² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. ³ The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

³ The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ⁴ Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas the father of Abishua,

⁴ Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas the father of Abishua, ⁵ Abishua the father of Bukki, Bukki the father of Uzzi,

⁵ Abishua the father of Bukki, Bukki the father of Uzzi, ⁶ Uzzi the father of Zerahiah, Zerahiah the father of Meraioth,

⁶ Uzzi the father of Zerahiah, Zerahiah the father of Meraioth, ⁷ Meraioth the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub, ⁸ Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Ahimaaz,

⁸ Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Ahimaaz, ⁹ Ahimaaz the father of Azariah, Azariah the father of Johanan, ¹⁰ Johanan was the father of Azariah. It was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem),

¹⁶ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

¹⁶ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. ¹⁷ These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁸ The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. ¹⁹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers: ²⁰ Of Gershon: Libni his son, Jehath his son, Zimmah his son,

²⁸ The sons of Samuel: Joel the firstborn and Abijah the second son.

³³ Here are the men who served, together with their sons: From the Kohathites: Heman, the musician, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,

³⁵ the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,

³⁵ the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, ³⁶ the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,

⁴³ the son of Jahath, the son of Gershon, the son of Levi;

⁵⁰ These were the descendants of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,

⁵⁷ So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, ⁵⁸ Hilen, Debir, ⁵⁹ Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands. ⁶⁰ And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. These towns, which were distributed among the Kohathite clans, were thirteen in all.

¹¹ Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God;

²⁰ In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was in charge of the gatekeepers, and Jehovah was with him.

³³ Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.

²⁸ This also included Zadok, a young warrior, with twenty-two members of his family who were all officers.

¹⁶ David told the Levite leaders to appoint some of their brothers to serve as musicians. They were expected to play music on harps, lyres, and cymbals to produce joyful music for singing. ¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his relatives they appointed Asaph Berechiah’s son. From their own relatives, Merari’s descendants, they appointed Ethan son of Kushaiah.

¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his relatives they appointed Asaph Berechiah’s son. From their own relatives, Merari’s descendants, they appointed Ethan son of Kushaiah.

¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his relatives they appointed Asaph Berechiah’s son. From their own relatives, Merari’s descendants, they appointed Ethan son of Kushaiah. ¹⁸ In addition, they appointed their relatives from the second division: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah. Obed Edom and Jeiel were appointed gatekeepers.

¹⁸ In addition, they appointed their relatives from the second division: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah. Obed Edom and Jeiel were appointed gatekeepers. ¹⁹ The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play bronze cymbals.

¹⁹ The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play bronze cymbals.

¹⁹ The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play bronze cymbals. ²⁰ Zechariah, Jaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were appointed to play harps tuned according to alamoth. ²¹ Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were appointed to play lyres and to conduct the eighth. ²² Chenaniah, a Levite leader, instructed others how to sing prophetic songs because he was skilled at it.

²⁵ Thus David, the leaders of Israel, and the army’s commanders joyfully went to get the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant from Obed Edom’s house.

¹ The men carrying the ark set it inside the tent David had put up for it. They presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God’s presence.

⁴ David appointed some Levites to serve in front of Jehovah’s Ark by offering prayers, thanks, and praise to Jehovah the God of Israel. ⁵ Asaph was the head. Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel with harps and lyres. Asaph played the cymbals. ⁶ The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel played trumpets all the time in front of the Ark of God’s covenant. ⁷ For the first time David entrusted Asaph and his relatives with the task of singing songs of thanks to Jehovah:

² He also gathered all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites.

⁹ Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve.

⁹ Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve. ¹⁰ the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁰ the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹¹ the fourth to Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹¹ the fourth to Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹² the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹² the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹³ the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹³ the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁴ the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁴ the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁵ the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁵ the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁶ the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁶ the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁷ the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁷ the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁸ the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁸ the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ¹⁹ the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

¹⁹ the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁰ for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁰ for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²¹ for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²¹ for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²² for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²² for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²³ for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²³ for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁴ for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁴ for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁵ for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁵ for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁶ for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

²⁶ for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁷ for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁸ for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ²⁹ for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ³⁰ for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; ³¹ for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve.

¹ The divisions of the gatekeepers: From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.

¹ Solomon began to build Jehovah’s Temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. That is where Jehovah appeared to his father David. David had prepared the site on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

⁴ The entrance hall in front of the main room was thirty feet wide (the same as the width of the temple) and thirty feet high. He covered its inside walls with pure gold.

³⁷ David left Asaph and his relatives to serve continually in front of the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant, as the daily work required. ³⁸ David also left Obed Edom and sixty-eight of his relatives to serve there. Obed Edom Jeduthun’s son and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. ³⁹ David left Zadok and his priestly relatives to serve in Jehovah’s Tent at the place of worship in Gibeon. ⁴⁰ They were ordered to sacrifice burnt offerings to Jehovah. This happened on the altar of burnt offerings continually, morning and evening, as written in the Law of Jehovah that he gave Israel. ⁴¹ With Zadok and his relatives were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of the Levites who had been selected. They were chosen by name, to give thanks to Jehovah by singing, because His mercy endures forever. ⁴² Also, Heman and Jeduthun played trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments that accompany sacred songs. Jeduthun’s sons were stationed at the gate.

⁶ David divided the Levites into groups corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. ⁷ Belonging to the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

¹² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel, four in all. ¹³ The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants from generation to generation, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before Jehovah, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name as long as they live.

¹⁶ The descendants of Gershom: Shubael was the first.

²¹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

²⁸ The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the Temple of Jehovah: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the House of God.

¹ The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows: Aaron’s sons were Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

¹ The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows: Aaron’s sons were Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ² Nadab and Abihu died before their father died, and neither had any children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. ³ David, Eleazar’s descendant Zadok, and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech divided Aaron’s descendants into groups for service.

³ David, Eleazar’s descendant Zadok, and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech divided Aaron’s descendants into groups for service. ⁴ Since Eleazar’s descendants had more men who were family heads than Ithamar’s descendants, they were divided so that Eleazar’s descendants had sixteen family leaders and Ithamar’s descendants had eight family leaders. ⁵ Both groups were divided impartially by drawing lots so that there were officers for the holy place and officers for God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants. ⁶ The scribe Shemaiah was a son of Nethanel and a descendant of Levi. Shemaiah recorded their names in the presence of the king, the princes, the priest Zadok, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. One family was chosen for Eleazar, another for Ithamar.

²⁶ The following men were leaders from Levi’s descendants from Merari: Mahli, Mushi, and Merari’s son Jaaziah,

³¹ They drew lots as their relatives, Aaron’s descendants, had done. They drew them in front of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the leaders of the families of the priests and Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same way as those of the youngest.

¹ David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was:

¹ David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was:

¹ David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was:

¹ David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was: ² Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king.

² Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king.

² Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king.

² Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. ³ Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Jehovah.

³ Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Jehovah.

³ Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Jehovah.

³ Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Jehovah. ⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.

⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.

⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. ⁵ All these the sons of Heman the king’s seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman.

⁵ All these the sons of Heman the king’s seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman.

⁵ All these the sons of Heman the king’s seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. ⁶ All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman under the direction of the king.

⁶ All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman under the direction of the king.

⁶ All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman under the direction of the king. ⁷ Their number who were trained in singing to Jehovah, with their relatives, all who were skillful, two hundred eighty-eight.

⁷ Their number who were trained in singing to Jehovah, with their relatives, all who were skillful, two hundred eighty-eight. ⁸ They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil.

⁸ They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil.

¹² All the Levites who were musicians: Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, their sons, and their relatives were dressed in fine linen and stood east of the altar with cymbals, harps, and lyres. With the musicians were one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets. When the priests left the holy place,

¹⁴ Then Jehovah’s Spirit came to Jahaziel. He was the son of Zechariah, grandson of Benaiah, great-grandson of Jeiel, whose father was Mattaniah, a Levite descended from Asaph.

¹⁷ Azariah the priest went in after him with eighty of Jehovah’s courageous priests. ¹⁸ They opposed King Uzziah. They said to him: »Uzziah, you have no right to burn incense as an offering to Jehovah. That right belongs to the priests, Aaron’s descendants, who have been given the holy task of burning incense. Get out of the holy place because you have been unfaithful. Jehovah God will not honor you for this.« ¹⁹ Uzziah held an incense burner in his hand. He became angry. As his anger with the priests grew, a skin disease broke out on his forehead. This happened in front of the priests in Jehovah’s Temple as Uzziah was at the incense altar. ²⁰ When the chief priest Azariah and all the priests turned toward him, a skin disease was on his forehead. They rushed him away. Uzziah was in a hurry to get out because Jehovah had inflicted him with the disease.

¹³ From Elizaphan’s descendants were Shimri and Jeiel. From Asaph’s descendants were Zechariah and Mattaniah. ¹⁴ From Heman’s descendants were Jehiel and Shimei. From Jeduthun’s descendants were Shemaiah and Uzziel.

²⁵ The king followed the instructions Jehovah gave to King David through Gad, the king’s prophet, and through the prophet Nathan. He stationed Levites in the Temple, with harps and cymbals, ²⁶ and instruments like those that King David used. The priests also stood there with trumpets. ²⁷ Hezekiah gave the order for the burnt offering to be presented. The offering began and the people sang praise to Jehovah. The musicians began to play the trumpets and all the other instruments. ²⁸ Everyone there joined in worship. The singing and the rest of the music continued until all the sacrifices were burned. ²⁹ King Hezekiah and all the people knelt down and worshiped God. ³⁰ The king and the leaders of the nation told the Levites to sing to Jehovah the songs of praise that were written by David and by Asaph the prophet. So everyone sang with great joy as they knelt and worshiped God.

³⁰ The king and the leaders of the nation told the Levites to sing to Jehovah the songs of praise that were written by David and by Asaph the prophet. So everyone sang with great joy as they knelt and worshiped God.

² Hezekiah assigned the priests and the Levites to divisions. Each priest or Levite was put in a division based on the service he performed. The services included: sacrificing burnt offerings, sacrificing fellowship offerings, serving, giving thanks, or praising within the gates of Jehovah’s camp.

¹⁴ At the time they brought out the money that had been deposited in Jehovah’s Temple, the priest Hilkiah found the book of Jehovah’s Law written by Moses. ¹⁵ Hilkiah told the scribe Shaphan: »I have found the book of the Law in Jehovah’s Temple.« Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. ¹⁶ Shaphan took the book to the king and reported: »We are doing everything you told us to do. ¹⁷ »We took the money that was donated in Jehovah’s Temple and gave it to the supervisors and the workmen.« ¹⁸ The scribe Shaphan told the king: »The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.« Shaphan read it to the king. ¹⁹ As soon as the king heard what the Law said, he tore his clothes in distress. ²⁰ Then the king gave an order to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said:

⁸ Josiah’s officials also voluntarily gave some of their animals to the people, the priests, and the Levites as sacrifices. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, who were the officials in charge of the Temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred sheep and lambs and three hundred bulls to sacrifice during the Passover celebration.

¹⁵ The following musicians of the Levite clan of Asaph were in the places assigned to them by King David’s instructions: Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, the king’s prophet. The guards at the Temple gates did not need to leave their posts, because the other Levites prepared the Passover for them.

¹⁷ So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He did not spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him. ¹⁸ He brought to Babylon each of the utensils from God’s temple, the treasures from Jehovah’s Temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. ¹⁹ He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. ²⁰ The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners. They served as slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation. ²¹ This fulfilled the word of Jehovah that was spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept Sabbath until seventy years were complete.

⁴¹ The music-makers: the children of Asaph, a hundred and twenty-eight.

¹⁰ When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of Jehovah, the priests, dressed in their robes, took their places with horns, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with brass instruments, to give praise to Jehovah in the way ordered by David, king of Israel.

¹⁰ When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of Jehovah, the priests, dressed in their robes, took their places with horns, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with brass instruments, to give praise to Jehovah in the way ordered by David, king of Israel. ¹¹ They praised Jehovah and thanked him, saying: »He is good; his loving kindness to Israel is for all generations.« All the people gave a joyful cry. They praised Jehovah because the foundation of Jehovah’s house was in place.

² Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, went to work building the house of God at Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, helping them.

¹⁸ They put the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their order, for the worship of God at Jerusalem. This is recorded in the book of Moses.

¹ Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

¹ Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, ² The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, ³ The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

³ The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, ⁴ The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, ⁵ The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

² Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush;

³³ On the fourth day, the silver and the gold and the vessels were measured out by weight in the house of our God into the hands of Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the priest; and with him was Eleazar, the son of Phinehas; and with them were Jozabad, the son of Jeshua, and Obadiah, the son of Binnui, the Levites.

²² »You gave them kingdoms and peoples, making distribution to them in every part of the land. They took for their heritage the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan.

¹¹ Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God,

¹⁷ And Mattaniah, the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who had to give the first note of the song of praise in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers, and Abda, the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

¹⁷ And Mattaniah, the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who had to give the first note of the song of praise in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers, and Abda, the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. ¹⁸ All the Levites in the holy town were two hundred and eighty-four. ¹⁹ In addition the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers who kept watch at the gates, were a hundred and seventy-two. ²⁰ And the rest of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, in all the towns of Judah, every one in his heritage. ²¹ But the Nethinim were living in the Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim. ²² The overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the music-makers, who was over the business of the house of God.

²² The overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the music-makers, who was over the business of the house of God. ²³ There was an order from the king about them and a regular amount for the music-makers, for their needs day by day.

²⁷ When the time came for the wall of Jerusalem to be made holy, they sent for the Levites out of all their places to come to Jerusalem, to keep the feast with joy, and with praise and melody, with brass and corded instruments of music. ²⁸ The sons of the music-makers came together from the lowland round about Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites,

³⁵ Some of the priests' sons with wind instruments; Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph,

⁴⁵ They kept the watch of their God, and were responsible for making things clean. So did the music-makers and the gatekeepers, as David and Solomon his son ordered it. ⁴⁶ For in the days of David and Asaph in the past, there was a master of the music, and songs of blessing and praise to God.

⁴⁶ For in the days of David and Asaph in the past, there was a master of the music, and songs of blessing and praise to God. ⁴⁷ All Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave what the music-makers and the gatekeepers deeded day by day. They made the offerings holy for the Levites; and the Levites did the same for the sons of Aaron.

⁴⁴ The music-makers: the children of Asaph, a hundred and forty-eight.

²⁴ to be gracious to him and say: ‘Spare him from going down to the pit. I have found a ransom for him!’

¹ ([Sons of Korah]) As the deer desires the water brooks, so I desire you, O God.

¹ ([Sons of Korah]) O God, we have heard with our ears and our fathers told us about the work that you did in their days, in the days of old.

¹ Beautiful words fill my mind and stir my heart, as I compose this song for the king. Like the pen of a skilful writer (copyist) my tongue is ready with a poem.

¹ ([Sons of Korah]) Listen to this, all you people. Open your ears, all who live in the world.

¹ ([Asaph]) The Almighty Divine One, God of Gods, Jehovah has spoken. He has summoned the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets.

²⁴ O God, Your festival processions can be seen by everyone. They are the processions for my God, my king, into the holy place. ²⁵ The singers are in front. The musicians are behind them. The young women beating tambourines are between them.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) God is truly good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) God, why have you rejected us forever? Why do you smoke with anger against the sheep of your pasture?

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your name is near and men declare your wondrous works.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) God is known in Judah. His name is great in Israel.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and he listened to me.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) Listen, O my people, to my law. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) O God, the nations have invaded the land that belongs to you. They have dishonored (defiled) your holy temple. They have left Jerusalem in ruins.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) Oh, give ear (listen), Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!

¹ ([Sons of Korah]) O Jehovah, God of my salvation I cry out to you day and night.

¹ ([Psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite]) I will sing of the loving kindness of Jehovah forever. With my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) Sing for joy to God our strength. Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.

¹ ([Psalm of Asaph]) God stands in the congregation of the mighty. He pronounces judgment among the god-like ones: (John 10:35)

¹ O God, do not keep silent. Do not keep silent and do not be still, O God.

¹ ([Psalm of Korah]) How lovely are your dwelling places, O Jehovah of Hosts!

¹ ([Psalm of Korah]) You favored your land, O Jehovah. You restored the prosperity of Jacob.

³⁰ Phinehas stood between God and the people, and the plague was stopped. ³¹ Because of this, Phinehas was considered righteous forever, throughout every generation.

⁸ O Jehovah, arise, and come to your resting place with the ark of your power.

¹⁴ This will be my resting place forever. Here I will sit enthroned because I want Zion.

¹ Bless Jehovah all you servants of Jehovah. You who serve by night in the house of Jehovah! ² Lift up your hands in holiness and bless Jehovah.

¹ Praise Jehovah! Praise the name of Jehovah. Praise him you servants of Jehovah. ² You who stand in the house of Jehovah, in the courtyard of the house of our God, ³ Praise Jehovah for Jehovah is good! Sing praises to his name for it is delightful (pleasant).

⁴ »Your neck is as a tower of ivory. Your eyes like the fish pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim. Your nose is as the tower of Lebanon that looks toward Damascus.

³⁰ Cry out, O Daughter of Gallim! Listen and pay attention, O Laishah! Poor afflicted Anathoth!

¹ The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah. He was one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

²³ »I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth. It will be a year of punishment. There will be no survivors.«

¹² Jeremiah wanted to leave Jerusalem and go to the territory of Benjamin to take possession of his property there among the people.

⁹ Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylon the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him.

¹² On the tenth day of the fifth month of Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the guard and an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ¹³ He burned down Jehovah’s Temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem. Every important building was burned down. ¹⁴ The entire Babylonian army that was with the captain of the guard tore down the walls around Jerusalem. ¹⁵ Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, captured the few people left in the city, those who surrendered to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population.

¹³ »At Beth Shemesh he will break the monuments in Egypt and burn down the temples of Egypt's gods.«’«

²⁸ These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar took captive: In his seventh year as king, he took three thousand and twenty-three Jews.

¹⁵ »‘But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of my sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me. They shall stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the Lord Jehovah.

⁴ »I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

¹ It was the second year that Darius was king of Persia. Jehovah spoke through Haggai the prophet in the sixth month, on the first day of the month. The message was delivered to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and to the High Priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.

¹² Governor Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest and all the people who returned from the exile in Babylon did what Jehovah God told them to do. They were afraid and obeyed Jehovah’s messenger, Haggai the prophet.

¹⁴ Jehovah inspired everyone to work on the Temple. That included: Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah; Joshua, the High Priest, and all the people who had returned from the exile. They worked on the house of Jehovah of Hosts, their God.

² »Speak to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying:

¹¹ »Take silver and gold and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

²⁷ The congregation gathered and reported all God had done with them how he had opened the door of faith to the nations.

¹⁸ I will not dare to speak of any of those things that Christ has not accomplished through me. I will lead the nations to obey God in word and deed.

¹¹ If perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the Law, what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, instead of one named after the order of Aaron? ¹² The priesthood was changed, and therefore it is necessary to also change the Law. ¹³ The one about whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. ¹⁴ It is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.