Numbers 3

Levites Appointed for Service

3This is the family line of Aaron and Moses as it was recorded when the LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.H8435H175H4872H3117H3068H1696H4872H2022H55142The names of Aaron's sons were Nadab (the oldest), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.H8034H1121H175H5070H1060H30H499H3853These sons of Aaron were anointed and ordained to minister as priests.H8034H1121H175H3548H4886H4390H3027H35474But Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD's presence in the wilderness of Sinai when they burned before the LORD the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. Since they had no sons, this left only Eleazar and Ithamar to serve as priests with their father, Aaron.H5070H30H4191H6440H3068H7126H2114H784H6440H3068H4057H5514H1121H499H385H3547H6440H175H15Then the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H5596"Call forward the tribe of Levi, and present them to Aaron the priest to serve as his assistants.H7126H4294H3878H7126H5975H6440H175H3548H83347They will serve Aaron and the whole community, performing their sacred duties in and around the Tabernacle

.H8104H4931H4931H5712H6440H168H4150H5647H5656H49088They will also maintain all the furnishings of the sacred tent

, serving in the Tabernacle on behalf of all the Israelites.H8104H3627H168H4150H4931H1121H3478H5647H5656H49089Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They have been given from among all the people of Israel to serve as their assistants.H5414H3881H175H1121H5414H1121H347810Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the sanctuary must be put to death."H6485H175H1121H8104H3550H2114H7131H419111And the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H55912"Look, I have chosen the Levites from among the Israelites to serve as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me,H3947H3881H8432H1121H3478H1060H6363H7358H1121H3478H388113for all the firstborn males are mine. On the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both of people and of animals. They are mine; I am the LORD."H1060H3117H5221H1060H776H4714H6942H1060H3478H120H929H3068

Registration of the Levites

14The LORD spoke again to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. He said,H3068H1696H4872H4057H5514H55915"Record the names of the members of the tribe of Levi by their families and clans. List every male who is one month old or older."H6485H1121H3878H1004H1H4940H2145H2320H1121H4605H648516So Moses listed them, just as the LORD had commanded.H4872H6485H6310H3068H668017Levi had three sons, whose names were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.H1121H3878H8034H1648H6955H484718The clans descended from Gershon were named after two of his descendants, Libni and Shimei.H8034H1121H1648H4940H3845H809619The clans descended from Kohath were named after four of his descendants, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.H1121H6955H4940H6019H3324H2275H581620The clans descended from Merari were named after two of his descendants, Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans, listed according to their family groups.H1121H4847H4940H4249H4187H1992H4940H3881H1004H121The descendants of Gershon were composed of the clans descended from Libni and Shimei.H1648H4940H3846H4940H8097H4940H164922There were 7,500 males one month old or older among these Gershonite clans.H6485H4557H2145H2320H1121H4605H6485H7651H505H2568H396723They were assigned the area to the west of the Tabernacle for their camp.H4940H1649H2583H310H4908H322024The leader of the Gershonite clans was Eliasaph son of Lael.H5387H1004H1H1649H460H1121H381525These two clans were responsible to care for the Tabernacle, including the sacred tent with its layers of coverings, the curtain at its entrance,H4931H1121H1648H168H4150H4908H168H4372H4539H6607H168H415026the curtains of the courtyard that surrounded the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain at the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and all the equipment related to their use.H7050H2691H4539H6607H2691H4908H4196H5439H4340H565627The descendants of Kohath were composed of the clans descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.H6955H4940H6020H4940H3325H4940H2276H4940H5817H4940H695628There were 8,600

males one month old or older among these Kohathite clans. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary,H4557H2145H2320H1121H4605H8083H505H8337H3967H8104H4931H694429and they were assigned the area south of the Tabernacle for their camp.H4940H1121H6955H2583H3409H4908H848630The leader of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.H5387H1004H1H4940H6956H469H1121H581631These four clans were responsible for the care of the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the various articles used in the sanctuary, the inner curtain, and all the equipment related to their use.H4931H727H7979H4501H4196H3627H6944H8334H4539H565632Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, was the chief administrator over all the Levites, with special responsibility for the oversight of the sanctuary.H499H1121H175H3548H5387H5387H3881H6486H8104H4931H694433The descendants of Merari were composed of the clans descended from Mahli and Mushi.H4847H4940H4250H4940H4188H4940H484734There were 6,200 males one month old or older among these Merarite clans.H6485H4557H2145H2320H1121H4605H8337H505H396735They were assigned the area north of the Tabernacle for their camp. The leader of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail.H5387H1004H1H4940H4847H6700H1121H32H2583H3409H4908H682836These two clans were responsible for the care of the frames supporting the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the pillars, the bases, and all the equipment related to their use.H6486H4931H1121H4847H7175H4908H1280H5982H134H3627H565637They were also responsible for the posts of the courtyard and all their bases, pegs, and ropes.H5982H2691H5439H134H3489H434038The area in front of the Tabernacle, in the east toward the sunrise

, was reserved for the tents of Moses and of Aaron and his sons, who had the final responsibility for the sanctuary on behalf of the people of Israel. Anyone other than a priest or Levite who went too near the sanctuary was to be put to death.H2583H6440H4908H6924H6440H168H4150H4217H4872H175H1121H8104H4931H4720H4931H1121H3478H2114H7131H419139When Moses and Aaron counted the Levite clans at the LORD's command, the total number was 22,000 males one month old or older.H6485H3881H4872H175H6485H6310H3068H4940H2145H2320H1121H4605H6242H8147H505

Redeeming the Firstborn Sons

40Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now count all the firstborn sons in Israel who are one month old or older, and make a list of their names.H3068H559H4872H6485H1060H2145H1121H3478H2320H1121H4605H5375H4557H803441The Levites must be reserved for me as substitutes for the firstborn sons of Israel; I am the LORD. And the Levites' livestock must be reserved for me as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the whole nation of Israel."H3947H3881H3068H1060H1121H3478H929H3881H1060H929H1121H347842So Moses counted the firstborn sons of the people of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded.H4872H6485H3068H6680H1060H1121H347843The number of firstborn sons who were one month old or older was 22,273.H1060H2145H4557H8034H2320H1121H4605H6485H6242H8147H505H3967H7657H796944Then the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H55945"Take the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. And take the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me; I am the LORD.H3947H3881H1060H1121H3478H929H3881H929H3881H306846There are 273 more firstborn sons of Israel than there are Levites. To redeem these extra firstborn sons,H6302H3967H7657H7969H1060H1121H3478H5736H5921H388147collect five pieces of silver

for each of them (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs).H3947H2568H8255H1538H8255H6944H3947H8255H6242H162648Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra firstborn sons."H5414H3701H5736H6302H175H112149So Moses collected the silver for redeeming the firstborn sons of Israel who exceeded the number of Levites.H4872H3947H6306H3701H5736H6302H388150He collected 1,365 pieces of silver

on behalf of these firstborn sons of Israel (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel).H1060H1121H3478H3947H3701H505H7969H3967H8346H2568H8255H694451And Moses gave the silver for the redemption to Aaron and his sons, just as the LORD had commanded.H4872H5414H3701H6302H6306H175H1121H6310H3068H3068H6680H4872