And all the firstborn males, by the number of the names from a month old and upward, totaled 22,273.

So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers presented by those who had been burned up, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar.

From all your gifts you must offer up every raised offering due ¹  the Lord, from all the best of it, and the holiest part of it.’ ² 

And you may ¹  eat it in any place, you and your household, because it is your wages for your service in the tent of meeting.

However, Moses ¹  did not assign land as an inheritance ²  to the Levites; their inheritance ³  is the sacrificial offerings ⁴  made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed ⁵  them.

Serving beside him was his fellow Levite Asaph, ¹  son of Berechiah, son of Shimea,

Serving beside them were their fellow Levites, the descendants of Merari, led by ¹  Ethan, son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch,

They were allotted as cities ¹  of refuge Shechem and its pasturelands (in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer and its pasturelands,

Within the territory of the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan River east of Jericho: ¹  Bezer in the desert and its pasturelands, Jahzah and its pasturelands,

So David did not move the ark to the City of David; ¹  he left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

David ¹  left Asaph and his colleagues there before the ark of the Lord’s covenant to serve before the ark regularly and fulfill each day’s requirements, ² 

including Obed-Edom and sixty-eight colleagues. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were gatekeepers.

and whenever burnt sacrifices were offered to the Lord on the Sabbath and at new moon festivals and assemblies. A designated number were to serve before the Lord regularly in accordance with regulations. ¹ 

These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had assigned responsibilities, like their relatives, as they served in the Lord’s temple.

(Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy items of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.)

My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to serve in his presence and offer sacrifices.” ¹ 

They assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves. Then they went in to purify the Lord’s temple, just as the king had ordered, in accordance with the word ¹  of the Lord.

Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you so that my covenant ¹  may continue to be with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all.

You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law; ¹  you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,” ²  says the Lord who rules over all.

For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and then goes out into the sewer.” ¹  (This means all foods are clean.) ²