Study Desk

They were assigned by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.

The secretary, Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king and the officers, the priest Zadok, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites. One ancestral family was taken for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar.

These had their assigned duties for service when they entered the Lord’s temple, according to their regulations, which they received from their ancestor Aaron, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

As for the rest of Levi’s sons:

All these sons of Heman, the king’s seer, were given by the promises of God to exalt him, for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

All these men were under their own fathers’ authority for the music in the Lord’s temple, with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the king’s authority.

They numbered 288 together with their relatives who were all trained and skillful in music for the Lord.

They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.

The first lot for Asaph fell to Joseph, his sons, and his relatives— 12

All of these were among the sons of Obed-edom with their sons and relatives; they were capable men with strength for the work—sixty-two from Obed-edom.

These divisions of the gatekeepers, under their leading men, had duties for ministering in the Lord’s temple, just as their relatives did.

They cast lots for each temple gate according to their ancestral families, young and old alike.

The lot for the east gate fell to Shelemiah. They also cast lots for his son Zechariah, an insightful counselor, and his lot came out for the north gate.

Obed-edom’s was the south gate, and his sons’ lot was for the storehouses;

it was the west gate and the gate of Shallecheth on the ascending highway for Shuppim and Hosah.

As for the court on the west, there were four at the highway and two at the court.

They dedicated part of the plunder from their battles for the repair of the Lord’s temple.

From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, had assigned duties in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and for the service of the king.

Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division, for the first month; 24,000 were in his division.

He was a descendant of Perez and chief of all the army commanders for the first month.