David’s sons were PRIESTS

[tonychanyt]

ESV, 2 Samuel 8:

18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.

Strong's Hebrew: 3548. כֹּהֵן (kohen) — 750 Occurrences

Only descendants of Levi could be priests. How could David's sons be priests?

Right, David's sons were kohanim in the broad sense of the word. They served some priestly functions for the royal house of David.

Some years later, David's son Absalom rebelled and was killed. David reorganized in 2 Sam 20:

25 and Sheva was secretary; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.

David's sons were no longer priests. Ira replaced them as his personal kohen. He might be the liaison between David and the Levitical priests.