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1 Chronicles 23:24

in 1 Chronicles 23

These 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 verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Twenty 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

after the house of their fathers

on 1 Chronicles 23:24-27

The chapter states its own theology plainly: David lowers the service age from thirty to twenty because the Lord God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, and the Levites shall no more carry the tabernacle. The change is structural, not sentimental. Carrying gear on the march required a man's full strength, so Numbers 4 began the count at thirty; standing service in a settled house needs no such threshold, so David's last recorded ordinance opens the office at twenty and multiplies the hands available for a permanent temple.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

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 & Brown

1802–1910

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.
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 words

Every 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.

  • 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.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Numbers 10:17Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting it.5 works1 Chronicles 23:3The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.5 worksNumbers 10:21Then the Kohathites set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.5 worksNumbers 4:3men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.4 works2 Chronicles 31:17and to the priests enrolled according to their families in the genealogy, as well as to the Levites twenty years of age or older, according to their duties and divisions.4 worksEzra 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 the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years of age or older to supervise the construction of the house of the LORD.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Numbers 8:24“This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years of age or older shall enter to perform the service in the work at the Tent of Meeting.3 works1 Chronicles 23:27For according to the final instructions of David, the Levites twenty years of age or older were counted,3 worksNumbers 4:35everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.3 worksNumbers 3:15“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”2 worksNumbers 1:22From the sons of Simeon, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,2 worksNumbers 1:18and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation and recorded their ancestry by clans and families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years of age or older,2 worksNumbers 4:34–49So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Kohathites by their clans and families,2 worksNumbers 2:32These are the Israelites, numbered according to their families. The total of those counted in the camps, by their divisions, was 603,550.2 worksNumbers 3:20And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.2 worksNumbers 3:47you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.2 worksNumbers 1:2–4“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.2 works1 Chronicles 26:32Among Jerijah’s relatives there were 2,700 capable men who were heads of families. King David appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and to the affairs of the king.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 10:21

    Then 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.

  • Through

    Numbers 4:3

    men 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,

  • Through

    Ezra 3:8

    In 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,

  • Through

    Numbers 10:17

    Then 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…

About 1 Chronicles

Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 1 Chronicles 23 →

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.

Read on in 1 Chronicles 23 →