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The Book of 1 Chronicles Chapters 21-26

Aug 10

16 min read

Chapter 21


1And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

2And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

3And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

4Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

5And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.

6But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

7And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.

8And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

9And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,

10Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

11So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee

12Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

13And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

14So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.

15And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

16And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

17And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

18Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

19And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.

20And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

21And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

22Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.

23And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.

24And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.

25So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.

26And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

27And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

28At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.

29For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.

30But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.


Chapter 22


1Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.

2And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

3And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;

4Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

5And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

6Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.

7And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:

8But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

9Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.

10He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

11Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.

12Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.

13Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

14Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

15Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.

16Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.

17David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

18Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.

19Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.


Chapter 23


1So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

2And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

3Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

4Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:

5Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

6And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.

8The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

9The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

10And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

11And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house.

12The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

13The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.

14Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.

15The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.

16Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.

17And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

18Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

19Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

20Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah the first, and Jesiah the second.

21The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.

22And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.

23The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

24These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

25For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:

26And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

27For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:

28Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

29Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

30And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

31And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:

32And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.


Chapter 24


1Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

2But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.

3And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.

4And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.

5Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

6And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

7Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

8The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

9The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

10The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

11The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,

12The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

13The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

14The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

15The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,

16The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,

17The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,

18The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.

19These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

20And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.

21Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.

22Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.

23And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

24Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.

25The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.

26The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno.

27The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.

28Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.

29Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.

30The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.

31These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren.


Chapter 25


1Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:

2Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king.

3Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD.

4Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:

5All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

6All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.

7So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.

8And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.

9Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve:

10The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

11The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

12The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

13The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

14The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

15The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

16The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

17The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

18The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

19The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

20The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

21The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

22The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

23The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

24The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

25The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

26The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

27The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

28The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

29The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

30The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

31The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.


Chapter 26


1Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.

2And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

3Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.

4Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,

5Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.

6Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.

7The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.

8All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.

9And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.

10Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;)

11Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.

12Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the LORD.

13And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.

14And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.

15To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.

16To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.

17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.

18At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.

19These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.

20And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.

21As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli.

22The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the LORD.

23Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:

24And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures.

25And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.

26Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated.

27Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD.

28And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren.

29Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.

30And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the LORD, and in the service of the king.

31Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead.

32And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.

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