23:7 The Gershonites included Ladan and Shimei.
23:8 The sons of Ladan:
Jehiel the oldest, Zetham, and Joel – three in all.
23:9 The sons of Shimei:
Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran – three in all.
These were the leaders of the family of Ladan.
23:10 The sons of Shimei:
Jahath, Zina, 1 Jeush, and Beriah. These were Shimei’s sons – four in all. 2 23:11 Jahath was the oldest and Zizah the second oldest. Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were considered one family with one responsibility.
23:12 The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel – four in all.
23:13 The sons of Amram:
Aaron and Moses.
Aaron and his descendants were chosen on a permanent basis to consecrate the most holy items, to offer sacrifices before the Lord, to serve him, and to praise his name. 3 23:14 The descendants of Moses the man of God were considered Levites. 4
23:15 The sons of Moses:
Gershom and Eliezer.
23:16 The son 5 of Gershom:
Shebuel 6 the oldest.
23:17 The son of Eliezer was 7 Rehabiah, the oldest. Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many descendants.
23:18 The son 8 of Izhar:
Shelomith the oldest.
23:19 The sons of Hebron:
Jeriah the oldest, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
23:20 The sons of Uzziel:
Micah the oldest, and Isshiah the second.
23:21 The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
The sons of Mahli:
Eleazar and Kish.
23:22 Eleazar died without having sons; he had only daughters. The sons of Kish, their cousins, married them. 9
23:23 The sons of Mushi:
Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth – three in all.
1 tc The MT reads “Zina” here and “Zizah” in v. 11. One Hebrew
2 sn Verses 8-10 are confusing. Two different lists of Shimei’s sons appear. In between these lists is the statement “these were the leaders of the family of Ladan,” suggesting that the list just before this includes the sons of Ladan, not Shimei. But verse 8 already lists Ladan’s sons. Apparently the text as it stands is a conflation of differing traditions.
3 tn Heb “and Aaron was set apart to consecrate it, the most holy things, he and his sons, permanently, to sacrifice before the
4 tn Heb “and Moses the man of God, his sons were called to the tribe of Levi.”
5 tn The Hebrew text has the plural “sons,” but only one name appears after this. The attached phrase “the oldest” might indicate that Shebuel was not Gershom’s only son, but note v. 17.
6 tc The LXX reads Σουβαηλ (Soubahl) here, a reading followed by NAB, NIV, NCV, CEV (“Shubael”); cf. 24:20.
7 tn The Hebrew text has “the sons of Eliezer were,” but only one name appears after this in the verse, and we are specifically told that Eliezer had no other sons.
8 tn The Hebrew text has the plural “sons,” but only one name appears after this. The attached phrase “the oldest” might indicate that Shelomith was not Izhar’s only son, but note v. 17.
9 tn Heb “the sons of Kish, their brothers [i.e., relatives/cousins] lifted them up.” For other uses of נָאָשׂ (na’as, “lift up”) in the sense of “marry,” see BDB 671 s.v. Qal.3.d.