1 Kwakati Dafite atjikula akwegula kabiga Solomoni nkololo uwe mambo we Iziraela.
2 Dafite wakakubunganya batungamili bose be Iziraela ne bapirisiti ne Balevi. 3 Balevi bakabagwa bakabe bali be makole ali makumi matatu kuyenda pezhugwi, balume bose bose bakabe bali zwiwulu zwili makumi matatu ana bali zhanakadzi (38 000). 4 Mu bali Dafite wakabiga bali zwiwulu zwili makumi mabili ana bali banna (24 000) kuti balingisane ne nshingo we Ng'umba ya Yahwe, bali zwiwulu zwili tathatu (6 000) kababiga kuti babe bashingisi ne basumikilisi, 5 bali zwiwulu zwinna (4 000) kababiga kuti babe balindi be nkoba, kabiga bali zwiwulu zwinna (4 000) kuti balingisane ne kukudza Yahwe nge zwilidzo zwakathamigwa nshingo iwoyu. 6 Dafite kabathubukanya kuyendidzana nge misha ye bakololo ba Levi: Geshoni na Kohati na Merari.
7 Bakololo ba Geshoni bakabe bali bo Ladani na Shimeyi. 8 Bakololo ba Ladani bakabe bali bo Jehiele ali nsholo we nsha na Zethami na Jowele, bose bose bakabe bali batatu. 9 Bakololo ba Shimeyi bakabe bali bo Shelomoti na Haziele na Harani, bose bose bakabe bali batatu. Ibaba ndibo bakabe bali misholo ye misha ya Ladani. 10 Bakololo ba Shimeyi bakabe bali banna bali bo Jahati na Zina na Jeushi na Bheriya. 11 Jahati wakabe ali nsholo we nsha etobegwa ndi Ziza, Jeushi na Bheriya bakabe basina bakololo banjinji ndizo bakabaligwa se nsha nng'ompela.
12 Bakololo ba Kohati bakabe bali bo Amuramu na Izhari na Heburoni na Uziele bose bose bakabe bali banna. 13 Bakololo ba Amuramu bakabe bali bo Aroni na Mushe. Aroni wakabigigwa ntome kuti ndizo alingisane ne zwithu zwakapiwa Ndzimu. Iye ne bakololo babe bakabe bakafanila kuti bagale bepisa zwibhayilo mbeli kwa Yahwe ne kubashingila ne kuleba makombolelo mu zina labo misi yose. 14 Koga bakololo ba Mushe nlume we Ndzimu bakabaligwa mu Balevi. 15 Bakololo ba Mushe bakabe bali Gerishomu na Eliezeri. 16 Bakololo ba Gerishomu bakabe bali bo Shebuweli ali nsholo we nsha. 17 Eliezeri, iye wakabe ana nkololo ali nng'ompela edang'wa Rihabiya koga Rihabiya iye wakabe ana bakololo banjinji. 18 Bakololo ba Izhari bakabe bali bo Shelomiti ali nsholo we nsha. 19 Bakololo ba Heburoni bakabe bali bo Jeriya ali nsholo we nsha etobegwa ndi Amariya na Jahaziele ali we butatu na Jekameamu ali we bunna. 20 Bakololo ba Uziele bakabe bali bo Mika ali nsholo we nsha na Ishiya ali we bubili.
21 Bakololo ba Merari bakabe bali bo Mahili na Mushi. Bakololo ba Mahili bakabe bali bo Eleazari na Kishi. 22 Eleazari wakabe asina bakololo koga ana bakololokadzi koga, ibo bakalobogwa ne hama dzabo bakololo ba Kishi. 23 Bakololo ba Mushi bakabe bali bo Mahili na Ederi na Jerimoti bose bose bali batatu.
24 Bakololo ba Levi bakabe bakabigwa nge misha ya botate babo ne misholo ye misha sekwa bakakwalisiwa kuyendidzana nge mazina e mmwe ne mmwe kudwa mu makole ali makumi mabili kuyenda pezhugwi ibo bakabe bakafanila kushinga nshingo we Ng'umba ya Yahwe. 25 Ngobe Dafite wakabe ati, “Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela bapa bathu babo kunyalala kakale banogalila mu Jerusalema tjatjose. 26 Ndizo Balevi abatosheta kuti bagale bakasenga bugalo gwe Ndzimu kene tjimwe tje zwithu zwinoshingisiwa mu guli.” 27 Nge matama a Dafite e bupelo Balevi bose bakakwalisiwa kudwa muna bana makole ali makumi mabili kuyenda pezhugwi 28 ngono bakapiwa nshingo wekubhatsha bakololo ba Aroni mu nshingo we Ng'umba ya Yahwe kutjengeta zwibata zwe kunonamatigwa ne zwing'umbana zwa mukati ne kutjenapadza zose zwakayengemala ne mimwe mishingo ye Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, 29 kubhatsha ngolingisana nge lulwamisa tjiwunga tjinobigwa pa tafuli ne bgwisa gwe tjipo tje mathunde ne tjiwunga tjisina mbidzo ne tjiwunga tjakagotjiwa ne tjiwunga tjakashanganyiwa nge mafuta nekukala ne yela zwipo zwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu. 30 Bakabe bakafanila kulingisana ngoma mangwanana mamwe ne mamwe kuboka ne kukudza Yahwe, bethama saikoko nenge mu madekwana 31 nenge zwibaka zose akudusiwa zwibhayilo zwinopisiwa zwipisigwa Yahwe mu zhuba le kunyaluluka le Sabata ne zhuba le Nzano we Mwedzi ugala ne mu mazhuba e mizano kuyendidzana ne sekwa akakwagwa zwibaka zose mbeli kwa Yahwe. 32 Bakapiwa mazwidabiligo ekutjengeta nshasha we bushanganilo ne bugalo gwakayengemala ne kubhatsha bapirisiti makamu abo e ludzi gwa Aroni mu nshingo we Ng'umba ya Yahwe.
David Assigns the Levites Their Duties
1 David was old when he chose his son Solomon to be king of Israel. 2 Some time later, David called together all of Israel's leaders, priests, and Levites. 3 He then counted the Levite men who were at least 30 years old, and the total was 38,000. 4 He said, “Twenty-four thousand of the Levites will be in charge of the temple, 6,000 will be temple officials and judges, 5 4,000 will be guards at the temple, and 4,000 will praise the Lord by playing the musical instruments I have given them.”
6 David then divided the Levites into three groups according to the clans of Levi's sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
7 Gershon had two sons: Ladan and Shimei. 8 Ladan was the father of Jehiel, Zetham, and Joel. 9 They were all family leaders among their father's descendants. Shimei was the father of Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran. 10-11 Later, Shimei had four more sons, in the following order: Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah. But Jeush and Beriah didn't have many children, so their descendants were counted as one family.
12 Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 13 Amram was the father of Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were chosen to be in charge of all the sacred things. They served the Lord by offering sacrifices to him and by blessing the people in his name. 14-15 Moses, the man of God, was the father of Gershom and Eliezer, and their descendants were considered Levites. 16 Gershom's oldest son was Shebuel. 17 Rehabiah, who was Eliezer's only son, had many children. 18 The second son born to Kohath was Izhar, and his oldest son was Shelomith. 19 Hebron, the third son of Kohath, was the father of Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam. 20 Kohath's youngest son, Uzziel, was the father of Micah and Isshiah.
21 Merari had two sons: Mahli and Mushi. Mahli was the father of Eleazar and Kish. 22 Eleazar had no sons, only daughters, and they married their uncle's sons. 23 Mushi the second son of Merari, was the father of Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth.
24 These were the clans and families of the tribe of Levi. Those who were 20 years and older were assigned to work at the Lord's temple.
25 David said:
The Lord God of Israel has given his people peace, and he will live in Jerusalem forever. 26 And so, the Levites won't need to move the sacred tent and the things used for worship from place to place. 27 From now on, all Levites at least 20 years old 28 will serve the Lord by helping Aaron's descendants do their work at the temple, by keeping the courtyards and rooms of the temple clean, and by making sure that everything used in worship stays pure. 29 They will also be in charge of the sacred loaves of bread, the flour for the grain sacrifices, the thin wafers, any offerings to be baked, and the flour mixed with olive oil. These Levites will weigh and measure these offerings.
30 Every morning and evening, the Levites are to give thanks to the Lord and sing praises to him. 31 They must also give thanks and sing praises when sacrifices are offered on each Sabbath, as well as during New Moon Festivals and other religious feasts. There must always be enough Levites on duty at the temple to do everything that needs to be done. 32 They were once in charge of taking care of the sacred tent; now they are responsible for the temple and for helping Aaron's descendants.