Numbers 3

Levites to Be Priesthood

1 Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.2 These then 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 anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests.4 But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

5 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,6 "Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him.7 They shall perform the duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.8 They shall also keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, along with the duties of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.9 You shall thus give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the sons of Israel.10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death."

11 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,12 "Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.13 For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the LORD."

14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,15 "Number the sons of Levi by their fathers' households, by their families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number."16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, just as he had been commanded.17 These then are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari.18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei;19 and the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel;20 and the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' households.

21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites.22 Their numbered men, in the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, even their numbered men were 7,500.23 The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle westward,24 and the leader of the fathers' households of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael.

Duties of the Priests

25 Now the duties of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle and the tent, its covering, and the screen for the doorway of the tent of meeting,26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the doorway of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords, according to all the service concerning them.

27 Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites.28 In the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, performing the duties of the sanctuary.29 The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the southward side of the tabernacle,30 and the leader of the fathers' households of the Kohathite families was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.31 Now their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all the service concerning them;32 and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was the chief of the leaders of Levi, and had the oversight of those who perform the duties of the sanctuary.

33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari.34 Their numbered men in the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, were 6,200.35 The leader of the fathers' households of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the northward side of the tabernacle.36 Now the appointed duties of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its equipment, and the service concerning them,37 and the pillars around the court with their sockets and their pegs and their cords.

38 Now those who were to camp before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, are Moses and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of Israel; but the layman coming near was to be put to death.39 All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the command of the LORD by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000.

Firstborn Redeemed

40 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names.41 You shall take the Levites for Me, I am the LORD, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel."42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded him;43 and all the firstborn males by the number of names from a month old and upward, for their numbered men were 22,273.

44 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,45 "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the cattle of the Levites. And the Levites shall be Mine; I am the LORD.46 For the ransom of the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond the Levites,47 you shall take five shekels apiece, per head; you shall take them in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty tgerahs),48 and give the money, the ransom of those who are in excess among them, to Aaron and to his sons."49 So Moses took the ransom money from those who were in excess, beyond those ransomed by the Levites;50 from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, 1,365.51 Then Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and to his sons, at the command of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

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.