1 Chronicles Chapter 24

The Sections of the Priesthood

A. The twenty four divisions of the priesthood

1. The sons of Aaron and what became of them

1 Chronicles 24:1-6
“Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. And Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children, therefore Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests. Then David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to the schedule of their service. There were more leaders found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus they were divided. Among the sons of Eleazar were sixteen heads of their fathers houses, and eight heads of their fathers houses among the sons of Ithamar. Thus they were divided by lot, one group as another, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of the house of God, from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar. And the scribe, Shemaiah the son of Nethanel, one of the Levites, wrote them down before the king, the leaders, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers houses of the priests and Levites, one father’s house taken for Eleazar and one for Ithamar.”

The Chronicler begins by recounting the four sons of Aaron, who formed the original priestly family of Israel. Nadab and Abihu died before their father because they approached the Lord with “strange fire,” an act of irreverence and disobedience recorded in Leviticus 10:1-2, where God consumed them in judgment. Their early deaths left no descendants, therefore the priesthood continued through Aaron’s remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. This set the foundation for the priestly order that David would later organize.

David, working alongside Zadok from the line of Eleazar and Ahimelech from the line of Ithamar, divided the priests into ordered groupings so they could serve by rotation. Because more leading households were found among the sons of Eleazar than among the sons of Ithamar, they were divided accordingly into sixteen and eight respective houses. These divisions were determined impartially by casting lots, ensuring fairness and divine oversight. The lots were cast with the presence of the king, the leaders, the priests, and the heads of the fathers houses. The scribe Shemaiah recorded everything to preserve accuracy. The equal representation of the two priestly lines demonstrated unity and impartiality in the administration of the sanctuary. This act of organization set the pattern for temple service for generations to come.

Nadab and Abihu’s fate stands as a reminder that those who minister before a holy God must do so with reverence and obedience. Their deaths illustrate the seriousness of priestly responsibility. Yet, through Eleazar and Ithamar, God preserved the priesthood, and through David’s reforms, God structured it for greater effectiveness in the permanent temple that Solomon would build.

2. The priesthood is divided by lot into twenty four sections

1 Chronicles 24:7-19
“Now the first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel, the twenty first to Jachin, the twenty second to Gamul, the twenty third to Delaiah, the twenty fourth to Maaziah. This was the schedule of their service for coming into the house of the Lord according to their ordinance by the hand of Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.”

This passage provides the full list of the twenty four priestly divisions. Each division, determined by lot, received a specific order that governed when they would serve in the temple. By David’s time, the number of priests had grown dramatically. Without organized rotations, chaos or favoritism would have undermined the sacredness of temple worship. David’s system ensured that every priestly household received equal opportunity to minister before the Lord.

The twenty four divisions later became the basis for Israel’s annual calendar of priestly service. As Selman notes, later Jewish practice arranged the twenty four courses across a lunar calendar of forty eight weeks, with each course serving one week at a time and repeating twice a year. Historical evidence shows that after the Babylonian exile, not all of David’s original courses survived. Payne points out that when Israel returned from captivity in 527 B.C., only four courses were present, and even when twenty two were restored by 520 B.C., only half traced their lineage back to the Davidic organization.

The system David established proved so enduring that it still existed in modified form in New Testament times. The Gospel of Luke mentions the division of Abijah in Luke 1:5, the very same eighth division listed in this chapter. This confirms the long lasting impact of David’s administrative reforms. What David established for the sake of order in worship continued for centuries and even shaped the world into which Jesus Christ was born.

The divisions of the priesthood reflect God’s desire for structure, faithfulness, and fairness in His worship. Every priest had his appointed time to serve, and no one could exalt himself above the others. All ministered under the ordinance given by Aaron their father as the Lord God of Israel commanded. The order established by God ensured that His house was served with reverence, diligence, and unity.

B. The Rest of the Sons of Levi

1. A list of the remaining sons of Levi

1 Chronicles 24:20-30
“And the rest of the sons of Levi, of the sons of Amram, Shubael, of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. Concerning Rehabiah, of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah. Of the Izharites, Shelomoth, of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. Of the sons of Hebron, Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. Of the sons of Uzziel, Michah, of the sons of Michah, Shamir. The brother of Michah, Isshiah, of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi, the son of Jaaziah, Beno. The sons of Merari by Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. Of Mahli, Eleazar, who had no sons. Of Kish, the son of Kish, Jerahmeel. Also the sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers houses.”

After listing the priestly divisions, the Chronicler continues by recording the remaining sons of Levi who were not part of the priesthood. These Levites came from various branches of the family tree, including descendants of Amram who were not part of the household of Moses and Aaron. Amram’s line included Shubael and his son Jehdeiah. Rehabiah’s line continued through Isshiah, who was recognized as the first. The descendants of Izhar are represented through Shelomoth and his son Jahath. From the family of Hebron came Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam. The sons of Uzziel included Michah and his son Shamir, as well as Michah’s brother Isshiah, whose son was Zechariah.

The Chronicler then records the Merarite branches. Merari had two sons, Mahli and Mushi, and through their line came Jaaziah and his sons Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. Mahli had a son named Eleazar who died without sons, leaving no direct heirs. The descendants of Kish appear through Jerahmeel. Mushi’s line included Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. Every name is preserved so that each family would receive its rightful place in temple service. This long list of names reinforces the orderliness of God’s design for worship. No Levite was forgotten and no branch of the family was overlooked. Each had a defined role. The Levites who were not priests still contributed significantly to the functioning of the temple through music, administration, preparation of offerings, maintenance work, and service in the courts. Their labor was essential to the spiritual life of the nation.

The Chronicler closes the section by stating that these listings represent the sons of the Levites according to their fathers houses. This final phrase emphasizes that the organization was genealogical and God ordained. Israel’s worship structure rested upon divinely appointed family lines that traced back to the sons of Levi.

2. How their lots were chosen

1 Chronicles 24:31
“These also cast lots just as their brothers the sons of Aaron did, in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers houses of the priests and Levites. The chief fathers did just as their younger brethren.”

The remaining Levites were assigned their duties by casting lots in the same manner as the priestly divisions. This ensured fairness and divine sovereignty in their assignments. The lots were cast in the presence of King David, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers houses. The presence of both political and spiritual leadership underscored the seriousness and sacredness of the process. It also confirmed that every assignment came under the authority of both the king and the priesthood and ultimately under the direction of God.

Poole notes that the lots of the older and younger households were mixed together without distinction. The order of service was determined by the drawing of lots, not by seniority, experience, family size, or dignity. This prevented envy or rivalry and placed all ministry assignments in the sovereign hands of God. Even a younger or smaller family could receive the first rotation if the lot fell to them. The service of God was not governed by human rank but by divine appointment.

Morgan highlights the wisdom of this arrangement. The mixing of older and younger men in service ensured a natural blending of the steadiness and experience of age with the energy and passion of youth. In the highest form of national worship, both maturity and strength were needed. This combination kept the service vibrant, balanced, and spiritually powerful.

Through these details, Scripture teaches that every role in God’s house is important and that divine order, humility, and unity must prevail. The Levites served under God’s sovereign arrangement, contributing to a worship system that prepared the nation for the glory of the coming temple.