1. The divisions of the Aaronites:Aaron’s family: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
2. Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, without having sons, and so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
3. David, with the help of Zadok from Eleazar’s family and Ahimelech from Ithamar’s family, divided them according to their appointed duties.
4. Since Eleazar’s family was found to have more male heads than Ithamar’s family, they divided them so that Eleazar’s family had sixteen household heads and Ithamar’s family had eight.
5. They divided both groups by lots because there were holy leaders, even outstanding leaders, among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.