1 Chronicles 23:26 kjv
And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.
1 Chronicles 23:26 nkjv
and also to the Levites, "They shall no longer carry the tabernacle, or any of the articles for its service."
1 Chronicles 23:26 niv
the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service."
1 Chronicles 23:26 esv
And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service."
1 Chronicles 23:26 nlt
Now the Levites will no longer need to carry the Tabernacle and its furnishings from place to place."
1 Chronicles 23 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 1:50 | But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony... to carry it... | Levites appointed to carry Tabernacle |
| Num 3:25-37 | Details the specific carrying duties for the families of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. | Specific duties for Levitical clans |
| Num 4:4-15 | This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting: the most holy things. | Kohathites' primary role was sacred items |
| Deut 10:8 | At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord... | Levites appointed to carry the Ark |
| Exod 40:36-38 | Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel would journey... | Tabernacle's mobility directed journeys |
| Psa 78:60-61 | So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had pitched among men, and delivered His strength… | God's temporary dwelling became vulnerable |
| 2 Sam 7:5-7 | Should you build me a house to dwell in?... wherever I have moved with all the people of Israel? | God's rejection of a human-built "house" initially |
| 1 Kgs 6:1 | In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt... he built | Solomon builds the Temple |
| 1 Chr 22:1 | Then David said, "This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of burnt offering..." | David designates the Temple site |
| 1 Chr 23:3 | Now the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward... thirty-eight thousand. | Levites counted for new duties |
| 1 Chr 23:4-5 | Twenty-four thousand of these were to direct the work of the house of the Lord... | Levites reassigned to Temple roles |
| 1 Chr 24:1-19 | The divisions of the sons of Aaron were these... | Priestly divisions for Temple service |
| 1 Chr 25:1 | David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service those of the sons of Asaph, Heman... | Levites assigned to music and worship |
| 1 Chr 26:1 | For the divisions of the gatekeepers... | Levites assigned to gatekeeping |
| Ezra 3:8 | When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord... appointed the Levites... | Levites involved in rebuilding the Temple |
| Neh 10:39 | We will not neglect the house of our God. | Importance of caring for the Temple |
| Heb 8:1-2 | We have such a High Priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven... | Christ is our permanent heavenly sanctuary |
| Heb 9:11-12 | But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come... | Christ's permanent priestly work replaces ritual |
| Heb 10:1 | For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities.. | Old Covenant rituals were temporary shadows |
| Col 2:16-17 | Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink... a shadow of things to come... | Old Covenant practices find fulfillment in Christ |
| John 4:21-24 | The hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father... | Worship no longer bound to specific places |
| Eph 2:20-22 | Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone... | Believers are God's dwelling place (spiritual Temple) |
1 Chronicles 23 verses
1 Chronicles 23 26 Meaning
1 Chronicles 23:26 signifies a foundational shift in the duties of the Levites during the reign of King David, transitioning from the era of the portable Tabernacle to the soon-to-be-built permanent Temple in Jerusalem. This verse states that the Levites were no longer required to physically transport the Tent of Meeting or its various sacred implements. This change was necessitated by the establishment of a fixed place of worship, making their nomadic service obsolete. Their roles would now be re-designated to encompass the new responsibilities of Temple service, highlighting an evolution in the administration of divine worship.
1 Chronicles 23 26 Context
1 Chronicles chapter 23 initiates David's meticulously detailed reorganization of the Levitical tribal responsibilities. Having finally established a stable kingdom and secured the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem, David recognized that the nomadic phase of Israel's worship, centered around the movable Tabernacle, was concluding. His fervent desire to build a permanent dwelling for the Lord, though denied to him, led him to prepare extensively for its construction and operation, a task passed to his son Solomon. This specific verse, 1 Chronicles 23:26, highlights a core rationale behind this comprehensive reorganization: the primary, centuries-old duty of physically transporting the Tabernacle and its sacred implements was no longer applicable. With the impending fixed Temple, the Levites needed new assignments to continue their dedicated service to God's house and people. Historically, the Levites were central to Israel's wilderness wanderings and the subsequent periods, ensuring the portability of the Tabernacle which symbolized God's presence among His mobile people. The transition marks a pivotal shift from an itinerant faith to a more settled, centralized national worship in the Promised Land.
1 Chronicles 23 26 Word Analysis
- For: (כִּ֣י, kî) - A causal conjunction, indicating the reason or explanation for the preceding statement or action. It points to the underlying cause for the change in Levitical duties.
- the Levites: (הַלְוִיִּ֗ם, haLwiYim) - Refers specifically to the tribe of Levi, set apart by God for priestly service and tasks related to the Tabernacle and later the Temple (Num 3:6-9). This is the hereditary caste responsible for mediating between God and Israel under the Mosaic Law.
- no longer: (אֵ֥ין עוֹד, ʾên ʿôd) - Literally, "there is no longer." This phrase emphasizes the cessation and permanency of the change. The era of the mobile sanctuary was definitively over.
- needed to carry: (לְהַשֵּׂ֥א, lehasse') - From the root נָשָׂא (nasa'), meaning "to lift," "to bear," "to carry." This highlights the arduous, physical aspect of their former duties, which often involved disassembling, transporting, and reassembling the large, heavy components of the Tabernacle and its sacred furniture. This specific verb also implies a responsibility or burden.
- the tabernacle: (הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ן, haMishkan) - Literally "dwelling place" or "habitation," referring to the portable sanctuary built according to God's instructions in the wilderness. It was the earthly dwelling place of God's presence among Israel. Its very nature, mobility, was central to God's relationship with His people in their wilderness journeys.
- or: (וּ־, u- / wa-) - Conjunction, linking "tabernacle" to its "articles for service."
- any of the articles for its service: (כְּלֵ֤י עֲבֹדָתוֹ֙, k'lê ʿăvōdāṯô) - Literally, "vessels/instruments of its service." This refers to all the sacred items and implements used in Tabernacle worship, such as the Ark of the Covenant, the lampstand, the table of showbread, altars, basins, and other utensils necessary for carrying out rituals and sacrifices (e.g., Exod 25-27, 30). These also required careful packing, covering, and specific handling according to the Law (Num 4).
Words-group by Words-group Analysis
- "For the Levites no longer needed to carry": This phrase clearly articulates the central reason for the administrative reordering of the Levites. The burdensome, physical aspect of their inherited duties was now obsolete. It signifies a transition from a physical carrying task to new forms of service. This also implicitly praises God for providing a fixed dwelling, bringing an end to the nomadic lifestyle for worship.
- "the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service": This highlights the totality of what was being ceased. It wasn't just the large tent structure but every piece of sacred equipment associated with its operation. This emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the change and the previous complexity of their carrying assignments. The "tabernacle" represented God's immediate presence among His people, and its "articles" were the means through which the holy service was performed. Their no longer needing to carry these signified God's intention to dwell permanently in Jerusalem, making the portable system obsolete.
1 Chronicles 23 26 Bonus Section
- The cessation of carrying the Tabernacle is a practical manifestation of a greater theological truth: God's ultimate dwelling would be with His people in a stable, settled manner, anticipating the ultimate "God with us" in the person of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:23) and the heavenly New Jerusalem (Rev 21:3) where God permanently dwells among humanity.
- The meticulous cataloging and re-assigning of Levite duties (as seen throughout 1 Chronicles 23-26) speaks to the divine principle that no true service to God is ever truly redundant, merely redefined. The energy and dedication previously expended on carrying were redirected to the maintenance, worship, and administration within the Temple itself.
- This verse subtly reinforces the sovereignty of God over historical progression. From a mobile sanctuary in the wilderness symbolizing God's guidance, to a fixed Temple representing His presence in the Promised Land, to the New Covenant where believers become God's spiritual temple (1 Cor 3:16, Eph 2:21-22), God continuously adapts His methods without changing His nature or purpose.
- The Levites’ new roles in the Temple, particularly in music and teaching, became even more influential. Their service moved from physical transport to spiritual enrichment, fostering a deeper, more artistic, and instructive form of communal worship.
1 Chronicles 23 26 Commentary
1 Chronicles 23:26 encapsulates a profound transition in the liturgical life of ancient Israel. It signals the end of an era marked by mobility and temporary dwelling places, personified by the portable Tabernacle. For centuries, the Levites' identity was inextricably linked to their sacred duty of dismantling, transporting, and reassembling the Tabernacle and its holy vessels, embodying God's presence accompanying His people on their journeys. This demanding task was critical to maintaining the purity and order of worship.
With David's vision for a permanent Temple, God's dwelling place was to become fixed in Jerusalem. This fundamental shift rendered the Levites' primary function obsolete. The verse, therefore, is not a statement of job loss, but a divine re-commissioning. It underlines the adaptability required in God's service, demonstrating that while the core purpose of ministry remains—facilitating worship and preserving God's holiness—the methods and manifestations can evolve according to divine plan and historical circumstance. The Levites were not to become idle; rather, their significant numbers (as highlighted in 1 Chr 23:3) would be redeployed into vital Temple duties: supporting priests, singing, serving as gatekeepers, treasurers, and administrators. This organized transition underscores David's wisdom and obedience in preparing for Solomon's reign, ensuring that God's people would continue to serve Him effectively in their new, settled reality. This reordering ensures efficiency and preparedness for the great Temple that symbolizes God's commitment to dwelling permanently with His people.