I Chronicles 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.

I Chronicles 23

¹And David is old, and satisfied with days, and causeth his son Solomon to reign over Israel,

²and gathereth all the heads of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites;

³and the Levites are numbered from a son of thirty years and upward, and their number, by their polls, is of mighty men thirty and eight thousand.

⁴Of these to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah are twenty and four thousand, and officers and judges six thousand,

⁵and four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand giving praise to Jehovah, `with instruments that I made for praising,' saith David.

⁶And David distributeth them into courses: Of the sons of Levi: of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

⁷Of the Gershonite: Laadan and Shimei.

⁸Sons of Laadan: the head is Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

⁹Sons of Shimei are Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three; these are heads of the fathers of Laadan.

¹⁰And sons of Shimei are Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah; these are sons of Shimei, four.

¹¹And Jahath is the head, and Zizah the second, and Jeush and Beriah have not multiplied sons, and they become the house of a father by one numbering.

¹²Sons of Kohath are Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

¹³Sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron is separated for his sanctifying the holy of holies, he and his sonsunto the age, to make perfume before Jehovah, to serve Him, and to bless in His nameunto the age.

¹⁴As to Moses, the man of God, his sons are called after the tribe of Levi.

¹⁵Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

¹⁶Sons of Gershom: Shebuel the head.

¹⁷And sons of Eliezer are Rehabiah the head, and Eliezer had no other sons, and the sons of Rehabiah have multiplied exceedingly.

¹⁸Sons of Izhar: Shelomith the head.

¹⁹Sons of Hebron: Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²⁰Sons of Uzziel: Micah the head, and Ishshiah, the second.

²¹Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

²²And Eleazar dieth, and he had no sons, but daughters, and sons of Kish their brethren take them.

²³Sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth, three.

²⁴These are sons of Levi, by the house of their fathers, heads of the fathers, by their appointments, in the number of names, by their polls, doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from a son of twenty years and upward,

²⁵for David said, `Jehovah, God of Israel, hath given rest to His people, and He doth tabernacle in Jerusalem unto the age;'

²⁶and also of the Levites, `None are to bear the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service;'

²⁷for by the last words of David they took the number of the sons of Levi from a son of twenty years and upward,

²⁸for their station is at the side of the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of Jehovah, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the cleansing of every holy thing, and the work of the service of the house of God,

²⁹and for the bread of the arrangement, and for fine flour for present, and for the thin unleavened cakes, and for the work of the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all liquid measure and solid measure;

³⁰and to stand, morning by morning, to give thanks, and to give praise to Jehovah, and so at evening;

³¹and for all the burnt-offeringsburnt-offerings to Jehovah for sabbaths, for new moons, and for appointed seasons, by number, according to the ordinance upon them continually, before Jehovah.

³²And they have kept the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, for the service of the house of Jehovah.

I Chronicles 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.

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.

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:

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:

I Chronicles 23:1

KJV

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

YLT

And David is old, and satisfied with days, and causeth his son Solomon to reign over Israel,

KJV

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

YLT

and gathereth all the heads of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites;

KJV

Now 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.

YLT

and the Levites are numbered from a son of thirty years and upward, and their number, by their polls, is of mighty men thirty and eight thousand.

KJV

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

YLT

Of these to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah are twenty and four thousand, and officers and judges six thousand,

KJV

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

YLT

and four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand giving praise to Jehovah, `with instruments that I made for praising,' saith David.

KJV

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

YLT

And David distributeth them into courses: Of the sons of Levi: of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

KJV

Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.

YLT

Of the Gershonite: Laadan and Shimei.

KJV

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

YLT

Sons of Laadan: the head is Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

KJV

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

YLT

Sons of Shimei are Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three; these are heads of the fathers of Laadan.

KJV

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

YLT

And sons of Shimei are Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah; these are sons of Shimei, four.

KJV

And 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.

YLT

And Jahath is the head, and Zizah the second, and Jeush and Beriah have not multiplied sons, and they become the house of a father by one numbering.

KJV

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

YLT

Sons of Kohath are Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

KJV

The 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.

YLT

Sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron is separated for his sanctifying the holy of holies, he and his sonsunto the age, to make perfume before Jehovah, to serve Him, and to bless in His nameunto the age.

KJV

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

YLT

As to Moses, the man of God, his sons are called after the tribe of Levi.

KJV

The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.

YLT

Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

KJV

Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.

YLT

Sons of Gershom: Shebuel the head.

KJV

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

YLT

And sons of Eliezer are Rehabiah the head, and Eliezer had no other sons, and the sons of Rehabiah have multiplied exceedingly.

KJV

Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

YLT

Sons of Izhar: Shelomith the head.

KJV

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

YLT

Sons of Hebron: Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

KJV

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

YLT

Sons of Uzziel: Micah the head, and Ishshiah, the second.

KJV

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

YLT

Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

KJV

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

YLT

And Eleazar dieth, and he had no sons, but daughters, and sons of Kish their brethren take them.

KJV

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

YLT

Sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth, three.

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.

YLT

These are sons of Levi, by the house of their fathers, heads of the fathers, by their appointments, in the number of names, by their polls, doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from a son of twenty years and upward,

KJV

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

YLT

for David said, `Jehovah, God of Israel, hath given rest to His people, and He doth tabernacle in Jerusalem unto the age;'

KJV

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

YLT

and also of the Levites, `None are to bear the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service;'

KJV

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

YLT

for by the last words of David they took the number of the sons of Levi from a son of twenty years and upward,

KJV

Because 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;

YLT

for their station is at the side of the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of Jehovah, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the cleansing of every holy thing, and the work of the service of the house of God,

KJV

Both 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;

YLT

and for the bread of the arrangement, and for fine flour for present, and for the thin unleavened cakes, and for the work of the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all liquid measure and solid measure;

KJV

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

YLT

and to stand, morning by morning, to give thanks, and to give praise to Jehovah, and so at evening;

KJV

And 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:

YLT

and for all the burnt-offeringsburnt-offerings to Jehovah for sabbaths, for new moons, and for appointed seasons, by number, according to the ordinance upon them continually, before Jehovah.

KJV

And 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.

YLT

And they have kept the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, for the service of the house of Jehovah.

Understanding King James Version vs Young's Literal Translation in I Chronicles 23

King James Version (KJV)

The classic 1611 English translation known for its majestic prose and literary influence. Ideal for traditional study and memorization thanks to its formal style. A foundational English Bible used for centuries.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

An extremely literal, word-for-word translation that preserves original verb tenses and phrasing. Best for close study and comparing structures from the source languages. The English can feel rigid, but it’s very useful for detailed analysis.

You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of I Chronicles 23 in the King James Version and Young's Literal Translation. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.