Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
1 Chronicles 24:31 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 31. 31These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse closes the thought unit with its stated result or transition: “These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the….” Its responsible meaning belongs to the complete movement “Other Levitical houses cast lots alongside elder and younger kin.”
Read It With
- 1 Chronicles 24:20–31
Read 1 Chronicles 24:31 with 24:20–31. The selected wording supplies one closing in the thought unit with its stated result or transition; the surrounding verses supply the relationships and outcome summarized here: Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite, Uzzielite, and Merarite lines are listed and cast lots in the presence of royal and priestly leadership without favoring older over younger houses.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Within “Other Levitical houses cast lots alongside elder and younger kin,” 1 Chronicles 24:31 closes the thought unit with its stated result or transition through the wording “These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the….” Its placement is governed by this reviewed relationship: The chapter closes by applying documented allocation beyond Aaron's sons. 1 Chronicles 24:7–19 has just established this prior movement: The twenty-four lots are named and the service order is summarized as grounded in Aaron and divine command. Together those details explain why “Other Levitical houses cast lots alongside elder and younger kin” belongs here rather than merely following a database record.
Read 1 Chronicles 24:20–31 together
Why these verses belong together: 1 Chronicles 24:20–31 forms the complete movement “Other Levitical houses cast lots alongside elder and younger kin”: Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite, Uzzielite, and Merarite lines are listed and cast lots in the presence of royal and priestly leadership without favoring older over younger houses.
Verse 20. 20 And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.
Verse 21. 21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.
Verse 22. 22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.
Verse 23. 23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.
Verse 24. 24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.
Verse 25. 25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.
Verse 26. 26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno.
Verse 27. 27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.
Verse 28. 28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.
Verse 29. 29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.
Verse 30. 30 The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.
Verse 31. 31 These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren.
Follow the Context
- Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite, Uzzielite, and Merarite lines are listed and cast lots in the presence of royal and priestly leadership without favoring older over younger houses.
- The chapter closes by applying documented allocation beyond Aaron's sons.
What This Verse Is Not Saying
1 Chronicles 24:31 does not permit the wording “These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the…” to be read apart from the selected verse's context. Equal lot procedure does not erase gender exclusion, make chance infallible, or turn ancestry into a modern job qualification.
What Remains True
Worship requires ordered, truthful, skilled, and accountable service, while sacred office, beauty, or scale never determines a person's worth. This unit tests that truth through the narrated movement: Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite, Uzzielite, and Merarite lines are listed and cast lots in the presence of royal and priestly leadership without favoring older over younger houses. In 1 Chronicles 24:31, the concrete line “These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the…” keeps that truth accountable to the narrated evidence.
How It Can Shape Life
- The evidence to keep visible in this verse is “These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the….” In shared worship or institutional service, name every role, protect workers, use transparent assignments and finances, and refuse status systems that make inherited office equal superior worth. This response follows from the unit's own movement: Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite, Uzzielite, and Merarite lines are listed and cast lots in the presence of royal and priestly leadership without favoring older over younger houses.
Teach It Back
Explain why 1 Chronicles 24:31 states that these houses also cast equal lots before David, Zadok, and Ahimelech. Use 24:20–31, paraphrase “These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the…,” state one source or reconstruction limit, identify one person or group power can obscure, and reject one conclusion this verse does not authorize.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read 1 Chronicles 24:20–31 — Other Levitical houses cast lots alongside elder and younger kinSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
Names and relationships overlap chapter 23 with variants, and the exact functions assigned by these lots are not stated.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage for this thought unit.
Exact location: 1 Chronicles 24:20–31, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗hebrew text and morphology
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible: 1 Chronicles
Open Scriptures
Open Scriptures, release 2.2
Supports: Hebrew wording, morphology, names, clauses, regnal formulas, temple vocabulary, older-English controls, and translation limits.
Exact location: Open Scriptures MorphHB v.2.2, commit 6a5db284c715c18b239422e57bb89684e6a19f00, wlc/1Chr.xml, Masoretic words and morphology for 24:20–31
Open source ↗translation and translator notes
NET Bible Full Notes: 1 Chronicles
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press; STEP Bible presentation, 2019 edition; current web presentation
Supports: Unit-bounded translation comparisons and only those lexical, textual, grammatical, numerical, historical, and parallel-passage notes attached to these verses.
Exact location: STEP Bible NET2full, 1 Chronicles 24:20–31, verse-attached translation and translator notes
Open source ↗