Numbers 3

The Tribe of Levi Is Registered and Assigned Duties

1 This is the list of Aaron and Moses’ descendants at the time when the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.2 The names of Aaron’s sons are Nadab (the firstborn), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.3 These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

4 Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord’s presence because they offered unauthorized fire in his presence in the Desert of Sinai. They had no children. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
5 The Lord said to Moses,6 “Bring the tribe of Levi, and have them stand in front of the priest Aaron to assist him.7 They will work for him and the whole community in front of the tent of meeting, doing what needs to be done for the inner tent.8 They will take care of all the furnishings in the tent of meeting and work for the Israelites, doing what needs to be done for the inner tent.9 Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. The Levites will be the only Israelites given to them.

10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who tries to do the priests’ duties must be put to death.”
11 The Lord said to Moses,12 “Out of all the Israelites, I have taken the Levites to be substitutes for every firstborn male offspring among them. The Levites are mine,

13 because every firstborn is mine. The day I killed every firstborn male in Egypt, I set apart as holy every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They will be mine. I am the Lord.”
14 The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai,15 “Count the Levites by households and families. Count every male who is at least one month old.”

16 So Moses did what the Lord said and registered them as he had been commanded.
17 Gershon, Kohath, and Merari were the sons of Levi.18 Libni and Shimei were the sons of Gershon. Their families were named after them.19 Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel were the sons of Kohath. Their families were named after them.20 Mahli and Mushi were the sons of Merari. Their families were named after them.These were the households of Levite families.21 To Gershon belonged the families descended from Libni and Shimei. These were the families descended from Gershon.22 The total number of all the males at least one month old was 7,500.23 The families descended from Gershon put up their tents on the west side behind the tent of meeting.24 The leader of the Gershonite households was Eliasaph, son of Lael.25 At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were in charge of the inner tent, the outer tent and cover, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,

26 the curtains for the courtyard, the screen for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the inner tent and the altar, and the ropes. They took care of all these things.
27 To Kohath belonged the families descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. These were the families descended from Kohath.28 The number of all the males at least one month old was 8,600. They were in charge of the holy place.29 The families descended from Kohath put up their tents on the south side of the tent of meeting.30 The leader of the Kohathite families and households was Elizaphan, son of Uzziel.

31 They were in charge of the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the utensils used in the holy place, and the screen. They took care of all these things.
32 The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar, son of the priest Aaron. It was Eleazar’s duty to supervise those who were in charge of the holy place.33 To Merari belonged the families descended from Mahli and Mushi. These were the families descended from Merari.34 The total number of all the males at least one month old was 6,200.35 The leader of the Merarite families and households was Zuriel, son of Abihail. They put up their tents on the north side of the tent of meeting.36 It was the duty of the Merarites to be in charge of the framework of the inner tent, the crossbars, posts, sockets, and all the equipment. They took care of all these things.

37 They also took care of the posts for the surrounding courtyard, the bases, pegs, and ropes.
38 Moses, Aaron, and his sons put up their tents on the east side in front of the tent of meeting. They were in charge of the holy place on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who tried to do the Levites’ duties had to be put to death.39 The grand total of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted at the Lord’s command, by families, every male who was at least one month old, was 22,000.40 The Lord said to Moses, “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites who is at least one month old, and make a list of their names.

41 I am the LORD. Take the Levites for me to be substitutes for all firstborn Israelites. Also take the animals of the Levites to be substitutes for all firstborn animals of the Israelites.”
42 So Moses registered all the firstborn Israelites as the Lord commanded him.

43 The total of all the firstborn males at least one month old was 22,273. They were listed by name.
44 The Lord said to Moses,45 “Take the Levites to be substitutes for all the firstborn Israelites and the animals of the Levites to be substitutes for their animals. The Levites will be mine. I am the Lord.46 There are 273 more firstborn male Israelites than there are Levites.47 It will cost you two ounces of silver per person (using the standard weight of the holy place) to buy them back.

48 Give the silver to Aaron and his sons. It will buy back those Israelites who outnumber the Levites.”
49 So Moses took this ransom money from the Israelites who outnumbered the Levites.50 The silver Moses collected for the firstborn Israelites weighed 34 pounds, using the standard weight of the holy place.

51 Then Moses did what the Lord said and gave Aaron and his sons this ransom money as he had been commanded.

Numbers 3

The Sons of Aaron

1 s Now these are the recordst of Aaron and Moses whent the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointedt priests, whom he consecratedt to minister as priests.t

4 Nadab and Abihu diedt before the Lords when they offeredt stranget firets before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children.s So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priestst in the presence oft Aaron their father.

The Assignment of the Levites

5 The Lord spoke to Moses:6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near,s and presentt them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him.t7 They are responsible for his needst and the needs of the whole community before the tent of meeting, by attendingt to the service of the tabernacle.8 And they are responsible for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and for the needs of the Israelites, as they servets in the tabernacle.9 You are to assignt the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they will be assigned exclusivelyt to him out of allt the Israelites.

10 So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood;s but the unauthorized persont who comes near must be put to death.”
11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses:12 “Look,t I myself have taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead oft every firstborn who opens the womb among the Israelites. So the Levites belong to me,

13 because all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyedt all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am the Lord.”s

The Numbering of the Levites

14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai:15 “Number the Levites by their clanst and their families; every male from a month old and upward you are to number.”t

16 So Moses numbered them according to the wordt of the Lord, just as he had been commanded.t

The Summary of Families

17 These were the sonst of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.19 The sons of Kohath by their families were: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20 The sons of Merari by their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their clans.

The Numbering of the Gershonites

21 From Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites.22 Those of them who were numbered, counting every male from a month old and upward, were 7,500.23 The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle toward the west.

24 Now the leadert of the clant of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.
25 Andt the responsibilities of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting included the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the curtain at the entrance of the tent of meeting,

26 the hangings of the courtyard,s the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard that surrounded the tabernacle and the altar, and their ropes, plus all the service connected with these things.t

The Numbering of the Kohathites

27 From Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites.s28 Counting every male from a month old and upward, there were 8,600. They were responsible for the caret of the sanctuary.29 The families of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle.

30 Now the leader of the clan of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
31 Their responsibilities included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered,t the curtain, and all their service.t

32 Now the head of all the Levitical leaderst was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsiblet for the sanctuary.

The Numbering of Merari

33 From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these weret the families of Merari.34 Those of them who were numbered, counting every male from a month old and upward, were 6,200.

35 Now the leader of the clan of the families of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail. These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.
36 The appointed responsibilities of the Merarites included the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, its posts, its sockets, its utensils, plus all the service connected with these things,t

37 and the pillars of the courtyard all around, with their sockets, their pegs, and their ropes.
38 But those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting, were Moses, Aaron,s and his sons. They were responsible for the needst of the sanctuary and for the needs of the Israelites, but the unauthorized person who approached was to be put to death.

39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the wordt of the Lord, according to their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000.t

The Substitution for the Firstborn

40 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Number all the firstborn males of the Israelites from a month old and upward, and taket the number of their names.41 And taket the Levites for me – I am the Lord – instead of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn males among the Israelites, as the Lord had commanded him.

43 And all the firstborn males, by the number of the names from a month old and upward, totaled 22,273.
44 Then the Lord spoke to Moses:45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. And the Levites will be mine. I am the Lord.46 And for the redemption of the 273 firstborn males of the Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites,47 collectt five shekels for eacht one individually; you are to collectt this amountt in the currency of the sanctuary shekel (this shekel is twenty gerahs).s

48 And give the money for the redemption of the excess number of them to Aaron and his sons.”
49 So Moses took the redemption moneys from those who were in excess of those redeemed by the Levites.50 From the firstborn males of the Israelites he collected the money, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.