1 Chronicles 24
About 1 ChroniclesWritten by AI
1 Chronicles retells Israel's story for people who had come home from exile in Babylon and were asking whether God was still with them. It covers ground you have already read in Samuel, but from a different angle, with a special interest in David, the temple, the priests and Levites, and worship. The author is unnamed; Jewish tradition credits Ezra, and many scholars speak more cautiously of the Chronicler, writing perhaps in the 400s BC. 1 and 2 Chronicles were first one book.
It begins with nine chapters of genealogies, from Adam to the families who resettled Jerusalem, quietly showing that Israel's story is unbroken. Then it moves quickly past Saul to David: his rise, the ark brought to Jerusalem, God's covenant, and his careful preparations for a temple his son Solomon will build.
Watch for what is emphasized and what is left out, and for the note of worship running through it all: “everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.”
Before you read 1 Chronicles 24Written by AI
The priests, descendants of Aaron, are divided by lot into twenty-four divisions that take turns serving. It may read like a duty roster, which it is. But watch for the eighth division, Abijah: centuries later, Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, served in the temple as part of that division (Luke 1:5).
Twenty-Four Divisions of Priests
These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
With the help of Eleazar’s descendant Zadok and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech, David divided them according to the offices of their service. Since more leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than those of Ithamar, they were divided accordingly. There were sixteen heads of families from the descendants of Eleazar and eight from the descendants of Ithamar.
Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.
The scribe, Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officers: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites—one family being taken from Eleazar, and then one from Ithamar.
The first lot fell to Jehoiarib,
the second to Jedaiah,
the third to Harim,
the fourth to Seorim,
the fifth to Malchijah,
the sixth to Mijamin,
the seventh to Hakkoz,
the eighth to Abijah,
the ninth to Jeshua,
the tenth to Shecaniah,
the eleventh to Eliashib,
the twelfth to Jakim,
the thirteenth to Huppah,
the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
the fifteenth to Bilgah,
the sixteenth to Immer,
the seventeenth to Hezir,
the eighteenth to Happizzez,
the nineteenth to Pethahiah,
the twentieth to Jehezkel,
the twenty-first to Jachin,
the twenty-second to Gamul,
the twenty-third to Delaiah,
and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
This was their appointed order for service when they entered the house of the LORD, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their forefather Aaron, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
The Rest of the Levites
Now these were the rest of the descendants of Levi:
From the sons of Amram: Shubael;
from the sons of Shubael: Jehdeiah.
As for Rehabiah, from his sons: The first was Isshiah.
From the Izharites: Shelomoth;
from the sons of Shelomoth: Jahath.
From the sons of Hebron: Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
From the sons of Uzziel: Micah;
from the sons of Micah: Shamir.
The brother of Micah: Isshiah;
from the sons of Isshiah: Zechariah.
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.
The son of Jaaziah: Beno.
The descendants of Merari from Jaaziah: Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
From Kish: Jerahmeel the son of Kish.
And the sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These were the sons of the Levites, according to their families. As their brothers the descendants of Aaron did, they also cast lots in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the priests and Levites—the family heads and their younger brothers alike.