1 Chronicles 23:24
in 1 Chronicles 23These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families, registered individually by name—those twenty years of age or older who worked in the service of the house of the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those of them that were counted, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from twenty years old and upward.
KJV
These 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.
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 23
Commentary
7 notes on this verseTwenty years and upward - It appears that this was a different ordinance from that mentioned 1Ch 23:3. At first he appointed the Levites to serve from thirty years and upward; now from twenty years. These were David’s last orders; see 1Ch 23:27. They should begin at an earlier age, and continue later. This was not a very painful task; the ark being now fixed, and the Levites very numerous, there could be no drudgery.
This site's exposition
the descendants of Levi by their families
on 1 Chronicles 23:24-27
David lowers the service age from thirty to twenty because “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to His people”. The Levites “no longer need to carry the tabernacle”. Carrying gear on the march required a man's full strength, so Numbers 4 began the count at thirty.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. 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 L ORD , to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:96%@v12-13
And the reason why they were now sooner admitted to service than they had been formerly, is given in the next verses because now their work was more easy, being wholly discharged from that burdensome work of carrying the tabernacle.
These were the sons of Levi, after the house of their fathers,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The number of thirty-eight thousand Levites, exclusive of priests, was doubtless more than sufficient for the ordinary service of the tabernacle. But this pious king thought that it would contribute to the glory of the Lord to employ as many officers in his divine service as possible.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
From the age of twenty years - The Levites had hitherto not entered upon their regular functions until the age of thirty 1Ch 23:3. Certain lighter duties were by the Law imposed on them at the age of twenty-five Num 8:24; but it was not until they were five years older that they became liable to the full service of the sanctuary. David appears now to have made a change. By his “last words” 1Ch 23:27 the time for the Levites to enter on the full duties of their office was advanced from thirty to twenty years. This change was based upon the lighter character of the labors imposed on them now that the ark had ceased to be carried from place to place and obtained a permanent habitation 1Ch 23:26. The limit of age continued in after times where David had fixed it (see Ezr 3:8).
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵ֣לֶּה | ʾeleh | these | H428 → | 746 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [were] [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לֵוִי֩ | levi | Levi | H3878 → | 59 times |
| לְבֵ֨ית | leveit | to [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אֲבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם | ʾavoteihem | ancestors their | H1 → | 1212 times |
| רָאשֵׁ֧י | rashei | [the] chiefs of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| הָאָב֣וֹת | haavot | the fathers | H1 → | 1212 times |
| לִפְקוּדֵיהֶ֗ם | lifkudeihem | to [men] enrolled their | H6485 → | 303 times |
| בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר | bemispar | by number of | H4557 → | 134 times |
| שֵׁמוֹת֙ | shemot | names | H8034 → | 864 times |
| לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם | legulgelotam | to skulls their | H1538 → | 12 times |
| עֹשֵׂה֙ | ʾoseh | doer[s] of | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה | hamelakhah | the work | H4399 → | 167 times |
| לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת | laavodat | of [the] service of | H5656 → | 145 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מִבֶּ֛ן | miben | from a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| עֶשְׂרִ֥ים | ʾesrim | twenty | H6242 → | 315 times |
| שָׁנָ֖ה | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| וָמָֽעְלָה׃ | vamaelah | and up -wards | H4605 → | 140 times |
אֵ֣לֶּהthese
ʾelehH428 →746 times
בְנֵֽי־[were] [the] descendants of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
לֵוִי֩Levi
leviH3878 →59 times
לְבֵ֨יתto [the] house of
leveitH1004 →2046 times
אֲבֹתֵיהֶ֜םancestors their
ʾavoteihemH1 →1212 times
רָאשֵׁ֧י[the] chiefs of
rasheiH7218 →599 times
הָאָב֣וֹתthe fathers
haavotH1 →1212 times
לִפְקוּדֵיהֶ֗םto [men] enrolled their
lifkudeihemH6485 →303 times
בְּמִסְפַּ֤רby number of
bemisparH4557 →134 times
שֵׁמוֹת֙names
shemotH8034 →864 times
לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔םto skulls their
legulgelotamH1538 →12 times
עֹשֵׂה֙doer[s] of
ʾosehH6213 →2628 times
הַמְּלָאכָ֔הthe work
hamelakhahH4399 →167 times
לַעֲבֹדַ֖תof [the] service of
laavodatH5656 →145 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מִבֶּ֛ןfrom a son of
mibenH1121 →4930 times
עֶשְׂרִ֥יםtwenty
ʾesrimH6242 →315 times
שָׁנָ֖הyear[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
וָמָֽעְלָה׃and up -wards
vamaelahH4605 →140 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 10:21Then the Kohathites set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.
it leads to
- Numbers 10:17
Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting it.
- Numbers 4:4–16
This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.
- Numbers 10:17
Through
Numbers 4:3men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
it leads to
- Numbers 4:23
from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
- Luke 3:23
Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- Numbers 4:23
Through
Ezra 3:8In the second month of the second year after they had arrived at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates including…
it leads to
- Ezra 4:3
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the…
- 1 Chronicles 23:4
“Of these,” said David, “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges,
- Ezra 4:3
Through
Numbers 10:17Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting it.
it leads to
- Numbers 7:6–8
So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites.
- Numbers 1:51
Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must…
- Numbers 7:6–8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Chronicles
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.