The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NRSVUE. Switch to the NRSVUE to read along with the audio.
The Groups of the Priests
24 These were the groups of Aaron’s sons: Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. 3 David, with the help of Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and Ahimelech, a descendant of Ithamar, separated their family groups into two different groups. Each group had certain duties. 4 There were more leaders from Eleazar’s family than from Ithamar’s—sixteen leaders from Eleazar’s family and eight leaders from Ithamar’s family. 5 Men were chosen from Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s families by throwing lots. Some men from each family were chosen to be in charge of the Holy Place, and some were chosen to serve as priests.
6 Shemaiah son of Nethanel, from the tribe of Levi, was the secretary. He recorded the names of those descendants in front of King David, the officers, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the families of the priests and Levites. The work was divided by lots among the families of Eleazar and Ithamar. The following men with their groups were chosen.
7 The first one chosen was Jehoiarib. The second was Jedaiah. 8 The third was Harim. The fourth was Seorim. 9 The fifth was Malkijah. The sixth was Mijamin. 10 The seventh was Hakkoz. The eighth was Abijah. 11 The ninth was Jeshua. The tenth was Shecaniah. 12 The eleventh was Eliashib. The twelfth was Jakim. 13 The thirteenth was Huppah. The fourteenth was Jeshebeab. 14 The fifteenth was Bilgah. The sixteenth was Immer. 15 The seventeenth was Hezir. The eighteenth was Happizzez. 16 The nineteenth was Pethahiah. The twentieth was Jehezkel. 17 The twenty-first was Jakin. The twenty-second was Gamul. 18 The twenty-third was Delaiah. The twenty-fourth was Maaziah.
19 These were the groups chosen to serve in the Temple of the Lord. They obeyed the rules given them by Aaron, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.
The Other Levites
20 These are the names of the rest of Levi’s descendants:
Shubael was a descendant of Amram, and Jehdeiah was a descendant of Shubael.
21 Isshiah was the first son of Rehabiah.
22 From the Izhar family group, there was Shelomoth, and Jahath was a descendant of Shelomoth.
23 Hebron’s first son was Jeriah, Amariah was his second, Jahaziel was his third, and Jekameam was his fourth.
24 Uzziel’s son was Micah. Micah’s son was Shamir. 25 Micah’s brother was Isshiah, and Isshiah’s son was Zechariah.
26 Merari’s descendants were Mahli and Mushi. Merari’s son was Jaaziah. 27 Jaaziah son of Merari had sons named Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. 28 Mahli’s son was Eleazar, but Eleazar did not have any sons.
29 Kish’s son was Jerahmeel.
30 Mushi’s sons were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These are the Levites, listed by their families. 31 They were chosen for special jobs by throwing lots in front of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, the leaders of the families of the priests, and the Levites. They did this just as their relatives, the priests, Aaron’s descendants, had done. The families of the oldest brother and the youngest brother were treated the same.
The Music Groups
25 David and the commanders of the army chose some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to preach and play harps, lyres, and cymbals. Here is a list of the men who served in this way:
2 Asaph’s sons who served were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. King David chose Asaph to preach, and Asaph directed his sons.
3 Jeduthun’s sons who served were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. There were six of them, and Jeduthun directed them. He preached and used a harp to give thanks and praise to the Lord.
4 Heman’s sons who served were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 All these were sons of Heman, David’s seer. God promised to make Heman strong, so Heman had many sons. God gave him fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 Heman directed all his sons in making music for the Temple of the Lord with cymbals, lyres, and harps; that was their way of serving in the Temple of God. King David was in charge of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. 7 These men and their relatives were trained and skilled in making music for the Lord. There were two hundred eighty-eight of them. 8 Everyone threw lots to choose the time his family was to serve at the Temple. The young and the old, the teacher and the student, had to throw lots.
9 First, the lot fell to Joseph, from the family of Asaph.
Second, twelve men were chosen from Gedaliah, his sons and relatives.
10 Third, twelve men were chosen from Zaccur, his sons and relatives.
11 Fourth, twelve men were chosen from Izri, his sons and relatives.
12 Fifth, twelve men were chosen from Nethaniah, his sons and relatives.
13 Sixth, twelve men were chosen from Bukkiah, his sons and relatives.
14 Seventh, twelve men were chosen from Jesarelah, his sons and relatives.
15 Eighth, twelve men were chosen from Jeshaiah, his sons and relatives.
16 Ninth, twelve men were chosen from Mattaniah, his sons and relatives.
17 Tenth, twelve men were chosen from Shimei, his sons and relatives.
18 Eleventh, twelve men were chosen from Azarel, his sons and relatives.
19 Twelfth, twelve men were chosen from Hashabiah, his sons and relatives.
20 Thirteenth, twelve men were chosen from Shubael, his sons and relatives.
21 Fourteenth, twelve men were chosen from Mattithiah, his sons and relatives.
22 Fifteenth, twelve men were chosen from Jerimoth, his sons and relatives.
23 Sixteenth, twelve men were chosen from Hananiah, his sons and relatives.
24 Seventeenth, twelve men were chosen from Joshbekashah, his sons and relatives.
25 Eighteenth, twelve men were chosen from Hanani, his sons and relatives.
26 Nineteenth, twelve men were chosen from Mallothi, his sons and relatives.
27 Twentieth, twelve men were chosen from Eliathah, his sons and relatives.
28 Twenty-first, twelve men were chosen from Hothir, his sons and relatives.
29 Twenty-second, twelve men were chosen from Giddalti, his sons and relatives.
30 Twenty-third, twelve men were chosen from Mahazioth, his sons and relatives.
31 Twenty-fourth, twelve men were chosen from Romamti-Ezer, his sons and relatives.
The Gatekeepers
26 These are the groups of the gatekeepers. From the family of Korah, there was Meshelemiah son of Kore, who was from Asaph’s family. 2 Meshelemiah had sons. Zechariah was his first son, Jediael was second, Zebadiah was third, Jathniel was fourth, 3 Elam was fifth, Jehohanan was sixth, and Eliehoenai was seventh.
4 Obed-Edom had sons. Shemaiah was his first son, Jehozabad was second, Joah was third, Sacar was fourth, Nethanel was fifth, 5 Ammiel was sixth, Issachar was seventh, and Peullethai was eighth. God blessed Obed-Edom with children.
6 Obed-Edom’s son Shemaiah also had sons. They were leaders in their father’s family because they were capable men. 7 Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, Elihu, and Semakiah. Elihu, and Semakiah were skilled workers. 8 All these were Obed-Edom’s descendants. They and their sons and relatives were capable men and strong workers. Obed-Edom had sixty-two descendants in all.
9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives who were skilled workers. In all, there were eighteen.
10 From the Merari family, Hosah had sons. Shimri was chosen to be in charge. Although he was not the oldest son, his father chose him to be in charge. 11 Hilkiah was his second son, Tabaliah was third, and Zechariah was fourth. In all, Hosah had thirteen sons and relatives.
The Example of Abraham
4 So what can we say that Abraham,[a] the father of our people, learned about faith? 2 If Abraham was made right by the things he did, he had a reason to brag. But this is not God’s view, 3 because the Scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.”[b]
4 When people work, their pay is not given as a gift, but as something earned. 5 But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him, who makes even evil people right in his sight. Then God accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him. 6 David said the same thing. He said that people are truly blessed when God, without paying attention to their deeds, makes people right with himself.
7 “Blessed are they
whose sins are forgiven,
whose wrongs are pardoned.
8 Blessed is the person
whom the Lord does not consider guilty.” Psalm 32:1–2
9 Is this blessing only for those who are circumcised or also for those who are not circumcised? We have already said that God accepted Abraham’s faith and that faith made him right with God. 10 So how did this happen? Did God accept Abraham before or after he was circumcised? It was before his circumcision. 11 Abraham was circumcised to show that he was right with God through faith before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the father of all those who believe but are not circumcised; he is the father of all believers who are accepted as being right with God. 12 And Abraham is also the father of those who have been circumcised and who live following the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
A Prayer for God to Be Near
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
13 How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever?
How long will you hide from me?
2 How long must I worry
and feel sad in my heart all day?
How long will my enemy win over me?
3 Lord, look at me.
Answer me, my God;
tell me, or I will die.
4 Otherwise my enemy will say, “I have won!”
Those against me will rejoice that I’ve been defeated.
5 I trust in your love.
My heart is happy because you saved me.
6 I sing to the Lord
because he has taken care of me.
15 Lazy people sleep a lot,
and idle people will go hungry.
16 Those who obey the commands protect themselves,
but those who are careless will die.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.