וְלִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן מַחְלְקוֹתָם

For the sons of Aaron, their division was also based on the first generation of sons of the priesthood: The sons of Aaron: Nadav, and Avihu, Elazar, and Itamar.

בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר וַיָּמָת נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּ לִפְנֵי אֲבִיהֶם וּבָנִים לֹא־הָיוּ לָהֶם וַיְכַהֲנוּ אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר

Nadav and Avihu died before their father did, and they had no children. Elazar and Itamar alone were left to their father, and they served as priests.

וַיֶּחָלְקֵם דָּוִיד וְצָדוֹק מִן־בְּנֵי אֶלְעָזָר וַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ מִן־בְּנֵי אִיתָמָר לִפְקֻדָּתָם בַּעֲבֹדָתָם

David, together with Tzadok, who was the highest ranking priest from among the sons of Elazar, and Ahimelekh, who was from the sons of Itamar and the family of Eli, that had held the high priesthood until that time, divided them, the priests, according to their numbers in their service. It seems that the appointment of Tzadok as a head priest was a relatively recent decision.

וַיִּמָּצְאוּ בְנֵי־אֶלְעָזָר רַבִּים לְרָאשֵׁי הַגְּבָרִים מִן־בְּנֵי אִיתָמָר וַיַּחְלְקוּם לִבְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר רָאשִׁים לְבֵית־אָבוֹת שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר וְלִבְנֵי אִיתָמָר לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם שְׁמוֹנָה

However, the sons of Elazar were found to be more numerous than those of the sons of Itamar by the head count of the males, and they divided them; for the sons of Elazar, sixteen heads of patrilineal houses, and for the sons of Itamar, by their patrilineal houses, eight. Each of these twenty-four priestly houses served for two non-consecutive weeks every year, while all of the houses served during the weeks of the festivals. This annual cycle was followed throughout the Temple era.

וַיַּחְלְקוּם בְּגוֹרָלוֹת אֵלֶּה עִם־אֵלֶּה כִּי־הָיוּ שָׂרֵי־קֹדֶשׁ וְשָׂרֵי הָאֱלֹהִים מִבְּנֵי אֶלְעָזָר וּבִבְנֵי אִיתָמָר

They divided them, the priestly watches, by lots, these with those, for there were princes of the Sanctuary and princes of God from the sons of Elazar and from the sons of Itamar. Since there were important people in both families, the division was performed by lot, neither side being shown any preference. Nevertheless, it seems that over time the sons of Elazar took over almost all the important roles in the Temple.

וַיִּכְתְּבֵם שְׁמַעְיָה בֶן־נְתַנְאֵל הַסּוֹפֵר מִן הַלֵּוִי לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים וְצָדוֹק הַכֹּהֵן וַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן־אֶבְיָתָר וְרָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לַכֹּהֲנִים וְלַלְוִיִּם בֵּית־אָב אֶחָד אָחֻז לְאֶלְעָזָר ואָחֻז אָחֻז לְאִיתָמָר

Shemaya son of Netanel the scribe, from the tribe of the Levites, recorded them, the list of watches, before the king, the princes, Tzadok the priest, Ahimelekh son of Evyatar, and the heads of the patrilineal houses of the priests and of the Levites: one patrilineal house apportioned to Elazar, and one-half apportioned to Itamar. For every two patrilineal houses apportioned to Elazar, one patrilineal house was apportioned to Itamar (see verse 4).

וַיֵּצֵא הַגּוֹרָל הָרִאשׁוֹן לִיהוֹיָרִיב לִידַעְיָה הַשֵּׁנִי

The twenty-four priestly watches are now recorded: The first lot emerged for Yehoyariv, which was the opening watch in the order of the priestly service for many years, for Yedaya the second,

לְחָרִם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לִשְׂעֹרִים הָרְבִעִי

for Harim the third, for Seorim the fourth,

לְמַלְכִּיָּה הַחֲמִישִׁי לְמִיָּמִן הַשִּׁשִּׁי

for Malkiya the fifth, for Miyamin the sixth,

לְהַקּוֹץ הַשְּׁבִעִי לַאֲבִיָּה הַשְּׁמִינִי

for Hakotz the seventh, for Aviya the eighth,

לְיֵשׁוּעַ הַתְּשִׁעִי לִשְׁכַנְיָהוּ הָעֲשִׂרִי

for Yeshua the ninth, for Shekhanyahu the tenth,

לְאֶלְיָשִׁיב עַשְׁתֵּי עָשָׂר לְיָקִים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר

for Elyashiv the eleventh, for Yakim the twelfth,

לְחֻפָּה שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר לְיֶשֶׁבְאָב אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר

for Hupa the thirteenth, for Yeshevav the fourteenth,

לְבִלְגָּה חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר לְאִמֵּר שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר

for Bilga the fifteenth, for Imer the sixteenth,

לְחֵזִיר שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר לְהַפִּצֵּץ שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר

for Hezir the seventeenth, for Hapitzetz the eighteenth,

לִפְתַחְיָה תִּשְׁעָה עָשָׂר לִיחֶזְקֵאל הָעֶשְׂרִים

for Petahya the nineteenth, for Yehezkel the twentieth,

לְיָכִין אֶחָד וְעֶשְׂרִים לְגָמוּל שְׁנַיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים

for Yakhin the twenty-first, for Gamul the twenty-second,

לִדְלָיָהוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים לְמַעַזְיָהוּ אַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים

for Delayahu the twenty-third, for Maazyahu the twenty- fourth.

אֵלֶּה פְקֻדָּתָם לַעֲבֹדָתָם לָבוֹא לְבֵית־ה' כְּמִשְׁפָּטָם בְּיַד אַהֲרֹן אֲבִיהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

These were their assignments, the roles of the priests, for their service, to come to the House of the Lord in accordance with their practice; they were in the hand of Aaron their father. The priests, the descendants of Aaron, continue their forefather’s role and serve as his replacement, as the Lord, God of Israel, commanded him.

וְלִבְנֵי לֵוִי הַנּוֹתָרִים לִבְנֵי עַמְרָם שׁוּבָאֵל לִבְנֵי שׁוּבָאֵל יֶחְדְּיָהוּ

The remaining sons of Levi, apart from those counted previously: From the sons of Amram: Shuvael; from the sons of Shuvael: Yehdeyahu;

לִרְחַבְיָהוּ לִבְנֵי רְחַבְיָהוּ הָרֹאשׁ יִשִּׁיָּה

from Rehavyahu, from the sons of Rehavyahu: Yishiya was the leader;

ליִּצְהָרִי שְׁלֹמוֹת לִבְנֵי שְׁלֹמוֹת יָחַת

from the family of the Yitzharites: Shelomot; from the sons of Shelomot: Yahat.

וּבְנָי יְרִיָּהוּ אֲמַרְיָהוּ הַשֵּׁנִי יַחֲזִיאֵל הַשְּׁלִישִׁי יְקַמְעָם הָרְבִיעִי

The sons of Yeriyahu: Amaryahu was the second, Yahaziyel the third, Yekame’am the fourth.

בְּנֵי עֻזִּיאֵל מִיכָה לִבְנֵי מִיכָה שָׁמִיר

From the sons of Uziel: Mikha; from the sons of Mikha: Shamir.

אֲחִי מִיכָה יִשִּׁיָּה לִבְנֵי יִשִּׁיָּה זְכַרְיָהוּ

The brother of Mikha: Yishiya; from the sons of Yishiya: Zekharyahu.

בְּנֵי מְרָרִי מַחְלִי וּמוּשִׁי בְּנֵי יַעֲזִיָּהוּ בְּנוֹ

The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Yaaziyahu, who was also a descendant of Merari, his son,

בְּנֵי מְרָרִי לְיַעֲזִיָּהוּ בְנוֹ וְשֹׁהַם וְזַכּוּר וְעִבְרִי

the sons of Merari by Yaaziyahu his son: Shoham, Zakur, and Ivri.

לְמַחְלִי אֶלְעָזָר וְלֹא־הָיָה לוֹ בָּנִים

For Mahli was Elazar, and he had no sons. As above (commentary on 23:22), it is still possible that Elazar had daughters who were married to Mushi’s sons or grandsons.

לְקִישׁ בְּנֵי־קִישׁ יְרַחְמְאֵל

From Kish, the sons of Kish, headed by Yerahme’el.

וּבְנֵי מוּשִׁי מַחְלִי וְעֵדֶר וִירִימוֹת אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי הַלְוִיִּם לְבֵית אֲבֹתֵיהֶם

The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Yerimot. These were the sons of the Levites according to their patrilineal houses.

וַיַּפִּילוּ גַם־הֵם גּוֹרָלוֹת לְעֻמַּת אֲחֵיהֶם בְּנֵי־אַהֲרֹן לִפְנֵי דָוִיד הַמֶּלֶךְ וְצָדוֹק וַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ וְרָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לַכֹּהֲנִים וְלַלְוִיִּם אָבוֹת הָרֹאשׁ לְעֻמַּת אָחִיו הַקָּטָן

They too cast lots for twenty-four watches, in parallel to their brethren, the sons of Aaron, and the lots were cast before King David, Tzadok, and Ahimelekh, and the heads of the patrilineal houses of the priests and of the Levites. It seems that each Levite watch was assigned to a particular priestly watch, and those two watches would come together from their places of residence to perform the Temple service. The head of a patrilineal house was parallel to his younger brother. No preference was shown to a supposedly important watch over a minor watch.