Numbers 3

The Levites

1 This is the family tree of Aaron and Moses at the time God spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

2-4  The names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar—anointed priests ordained to serve as priests. But Nadab and Abihu fell dead in the presence of God when they offered unauthorized sacrifice to him in the Wilderness of Sinai. They left no sons, and so only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father, Aaron.5-10 God spoke to Moses. He said, "Bring forward the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron so they can help him. They shall work for him and the whole congregation at the Tent of Meeting by doing the work of The Dwelling. Their job is to be responsible for all the furnishings of The Dwelling, ministering to the affairs of The Dwelling as the People of Israel come to perform their duties. Turn the Levites over to Aaron and his sons; they are the ones assigned to work full time for him. Appoint Aaron and his sons to minister as priests; anyone else who tries to elbow his way in will be put to death."

11-13  God spoke to Moses: "I have taken the Levites from among the People of Israel as a stand-in for every Israelite mother's firstborn son. The Levites belong to me. All the firstborn are mine—when I killed all the firstborn in Egypt, I consecrated for my own use every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They belong to me. I am God."

14-16  God spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai: "Count the Levites by their ancestral families and clans. Count every male a month old and older." Moses counted them just as he was instructed by the mouth of God.

17  These are the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

18  These are the names of the Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei.

19  The sons of Kohath by clan: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20  The sons of Merari by clan: Mahli and Mushi.
These are the clans of Levi, family by family.

21-26  Gershon was ancestor to the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites, known as the Gershonite clans. All the males who were one month and older numbered 7,500. The Gershonite clans camped on the west, behind The Dwelling, led by Eliasaph son of Lael. At the Tent of Meeting the Gershonites were in charge of maintaining The Dwelling and its tent, its coverings, the screen at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the hangings of the Courtyard, the screen at the entrance to the Courtyard that surrounded The Dwelling and Altar, and the cords—in short, everything having to do with these things.

27-32  Kohath was ancestor to the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites. These were known as the Kohathite clans. All the males who were one month and older numbered 8,600. The Kohathites were in charge of the Sanctuary. The Kohathite clans camped on the south side of The Dwelling, led by Elizaphan son of Uzziel. They were in charge of caring for the Chest, the Table, the Lampstand, the Altars, the articles of the Sanctuary used in worship, and the screen—everything having to do with these things. Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, supervised the leaders of the Levites and those in charge of the Sanctuary.

33-37  Merari was ancestor to the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites, known as the Merarite clans. The males who were one month and older numbered 6,200. They were led by Zuriel son of Abihail and camped on the north side of The Dwelling. The Merarites were in charge of the frames of The Dwelling, its crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—everything having to do with these things, as well as the posts of the surrounding Courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and cords.

38  Moses and Aaron and his sons camped to the east of The Dwelling, toward the rising sun, in front of the Tent of Meeting. They were in charge of maintaining the Sanctuary for the People of Israel and the rituals of worship. Anyone else who tried to perform these duties was to be put to death.

39  The sum total of Levites counted at God's command by Moses and Aaron, clan by clan, all the males one month and older, numbered 22,000.

40-41  God spoke to Moses: "Count all the firstborn males of the People of Israel who are one month and older. List their names. Then set apart for me the Levites—remember, I am God—in place of all the firstborn among the People of Israel, also the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. I am God."

42-43  So, just as God commanded him, Moses counted all the firstborn of the People of Israel. The total of firstborn males one month and older, listed by name, numbered 22,273.

44-48  Again God spoke to Moses. He said, "Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are mine, I am God. Redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of Levites by collecting five shekels for each one, using the Sanctuary shekel (the shekel weighing twenty gerahs). Give that money to Aaron and his sons for the redemption of the excess number of Israelites."

49-51  So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. From the 273 firstborn Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels according to the Sanctuary shekel. Moses turned over the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of God.

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.