1 Wazakhela izindlu emzini kaDavide; walungisela umphongolo kaNkulunkulu indawo, wawumisela itende.
2 Khona uDavide wathi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu nga ungathwalwa muntu, ngamaLevi kuphela, ngokuba yiwona akhethwe nguJehova ukuthwala umphongolo kaNkulunkulu nokumkhonza kuze kube phakade.”
3 UDavide wabuthela wonke u-Israyeli eJerusalema ukukhuphulela umphongolo kaJehova endaweni yawo awulungisele yona.
4 UDavide wabutha amadodana ka-Aroni namaLevi;
5 kumadodana kaKohati: ngu-Uriyeli inhloko nabafowabo, beyikhulu namashumi amabili;
6 kumadodana kaMerari: ngu-Asaya inhloko nabafowabo, bengamakhulu amabili namashumi amabili;
7 kumadodana kaGereshomu: nguJoweli inhloko nabafowabo, beyikhulu namashumi amathathu;
8 kumadodana ka-Elisafani: nguShemaya inhloko nabafowabo, bengamakhulu amabili;
9 kumadodana kaHebroni: ngu-Eliyeli inhloko nabafowabo, bengamashumi ayisihiyagalombili;
10 kumadodana ka-Uziyeli: ngu-Aminadaba inhloko nabafowabo, beyikhulu neshumi nambili.
11 UDavide wabiza oSadoki no-Abiyathara abapristi, namaLevi o-Uriyeli, no-Asaya, noJoweli, noShemaya, no-Eliyeli, no-Aminadaba, wathi kubo:
12 “Nina niyizinhloko zezindlu zawoyise bamaLevi; zingcweliseni nina nabafowenu ukuba niwukhuphulele umphongolo kaJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli endaweni engiyilungisele wona.
13 Ngokuba ngenxa yokungawuthwali kwenu kuqala uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu wafohla kithina, ngokuba singamfunanga njengomthetho.”
14 Base bezingcwelisa abapristi namaLevi ukuba bawukhuphule umphongolo kaJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
15 Abantwana bamaLevi bawuthwala umphongolo kaNkulunkulu emahlombe abo ngezinti zawo njengokuyala kukaMose ngezwi likaJehova.
16 UDavide washo ezinduneni zamaLevi ukuba zibeke abafowabo abahlabeleli, benezinto zokubetha, izingubhu, namahabhu,* namasimbali,* bakubethe, baphakamise izwi labo ngokuthokoza.
17 AmaLevi ayesebeka uHemani indodana kaJoweli, nakubafowabo u-Asafa indodana kaBerekiya, nakumadodana kaMerari, abafowabo, u-Ethani indodana kaKushaya,
18 bekanye nabo abafowabo besigaba sesibili: oZakariya, noBeni, noJahaziyeli, noShemiramoti, noJehiyeli, no-Uni, no-Eliyabe, noBenaya, noMahaseya, noMatithiya, no-Elifelehu, noMikineya, no-Obede Edomi, noJehiyeli, abalindisango,
19 nabahlabeleli oHemani no-Asafa no-Ethani ukuba bakhalise amasimbali* ethusi,
20 noZakariya, no-Aziyeli, noShemiramoti, noJehiyeli, no-Uni, no-Eliyabe, noMahaseya, noBenaya ukuba babe nezingubhu ezilungiselwe i-Alamoti,*
21 noMatithiya, no-Elifelehu, noMikineya, no-Obede Edomi, noJehiyeli, no-Azaziya ukuba babe namahabhu* alungiselwe iSheminiti* ukuba bahole.
22 UKhenaniya induna yamaLevi wayephethe umsebenzi wokuthwala; wayefundisa ukuthwala ngokuba wayekwazi.
23 OBerekiya no-Elkana babe ngabalindisango bomphongolo.
24 OShebaniya, noJehoshafati, noNethaneli, no-Amasayi, noZakariya, noBenaya, no-Eliyezeri, abapristi, bashaya amacilongo phambi komphongolo kaNkulunkulu; o-Obede Edomi noJehiya babe ngabalindisango bomphongolo.
25 UDavide namalunga akwa-Israyeli nezinduna zezinkulungwane baya ukuwukhuphula umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova endlini ka-Obede Edomi ngokuthokoza;
26 kwathi lapho uNkulunkulu esesizile amaLevi awuthwala umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova, anikela ngezinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nangezinqama eziyisikhombisa.
27 UDavide wayembethe ingubo yelineni elicolekileyo kanye nawo onke amaLevi ayethwala umphongolo, nabahlabeleli, noKhenaniya induna yokuthwala kwabahlabeleli; uDavide wayenengubo yamahlombe yelineni.
28 Wonke u-Israyeli wawukhuphula kanjalo umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova ngokukhamuluka nangezwi lomtshingo, nangamacilongo, nangamasimbali,* ebetha izingubhu namahabhu.*
29 Kwathi lapho umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova usungena emzini kaDavide, uMikhali indodakazi kaSawule walunguza efasiteleni, wabona inkosi uDavide isina, idlala; wayidelela enhliziyweni yakhe.