3
1 Now
this is the
history of the
generations of Aaron
and Moses in
the day that
the LORD spoke
with Moses in
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 priests who
were anointed, whom
he consecrated to
minister in the
priest’s office.
4 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.
Eleazar and Ithamar ministered
in the priest’s
office in the
presence of Aaron
their father.
5 The
LORD spoke to
Moses, saying,
6 “Bring
the tribe of
Levi near, and
set them
before Aaron the
priest, that they
may minister to
him.
7 They
shall keep
his requirements, and
the requirements of
the whole
congregation before
the Tent of
Meeting, to do
the service of
the tabernacle.
8 They
shall keep all
the furnishings of
the Tent of
Meeting, and the
obligations of the
children of Israel,
to do the
service of the
tabernacle.
9 You
shall give the
Levites to Aaron
and to his
sons. They are
wholly given to
him on the behalf
of the children
of Israel.
10 You
shall appoint Aaron
and his sons,
and they shall
keep their
priesthood, but
the stranger who
comes near shall
be put to
death.”
11 The
LORD spoke to
Moses, saying,
12 “Behold,
I have taken
the Levites from
among the children
of Israel instead
of all the
firstborn who open
the womb among
the children of
Israel; and 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 made
holy to me
all the firstborn
in Israel, both
man and animal.
They shall be
mine. I am
the LORD.”
14 The
LORD spoke to
Moses in the
wilderness of
Sinai, saying,
15 “Count the
children of Levi
by their fathers’
houses, by their
families. You
shall count every
male from a
month old and
upward.”
16 Moses
counted them
according to the
LORD’s word, as
he was commanded.
17 These
were the sons
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:
Amram, Izhar,
Hebron, and Uzziel.
20 The
sons of Merari
by their families:
Mahli and Mushi.
These are the
families of the
Levites according to
their fathers’ houses.
21 Of
Gershon was the
family of the
Libnites, and the
family of the
Shimeites. These
are the families
of the Gershonites.
22 Those
who were counted
of them, according
to the number
of all the
males from a
month old and
upward, even those
who were counted
of them were
seven thousand five
hundred.
23 The
families of the
Gershonites shall
encamp behind the
tabernacle westward.
24 Eliasaph
the son of
Lael shall be
the prince of
the fathers’ house
of the Gershonites.
25 The
duty of the
sons of Gershon
in the Tent of
Meeting shall be
the tabernacle,
the tent, its covering,
the screen for
the door of
the Tent of
Meeting,
26 the
hangings of the
court, the screen
for the door
of the court
which is by
the tabernacle and
around the altar,
and its cords
for all of
its service.
27 Of
Kohath was the
family of the
Amramites, the
family of the
Izharites, the
family of the
Hebronites, and
the family of
the Uzzielites.
These are the
families of the
Kohathites.
28 According
to the number
of all the
males from a
month old and
upward, there were
eight thousand six
hundred keeping
the requirements of
the sanctuary.
29 The
families of the
sons of Kohath
shall encamp on
the south side
of the tabernacle.
30 The
prince of
the fathers’ house
of the families
of the Kohathites
shall be Elizaphan
the son of
Uzziel.
31 Their
duty shall be
the ark, the table,
the lamp stand, the
altars, the
vessels of the
sanctuary with
which they
minister, the
screen, and all
its service.
32 Eleazar the
son of Aaron the
priest shall be
prince of the
princes of the
Levites, with the
oversight of those
who keep
the requirements of
the sanctuary.
33 Of
Merari was the
family of the
Mahlites and the
family of the
Mushites. These
are the families
of Merari.
34 Those
who were counted
of them, according
to the number
of all the
males from a
month old and
upward, were
six thousand two
hundred.
35 The
prince of
the fathers’ house
of the families
of Merari was
Zuriel the son
of Abihail. They
shall encamp on
the north side
of the tabernacle.
36 The
appointed duty of
the sons of
Merari shall be
the tabernacle’s
boards, its bars,
its pillars,
its sockets, all
its instruments,
all its service,
37 the
pillars of the
court around it,
their sockets, their
pins, and their
cords.
38 Those
who encamp before
the tabernacle
eastward, in front
of the Tent
of Meeting toward
the sunrise, shall
be Moses,
with Aaron and his
sons, keeping
the requirements of
the sanctuary for
the duty of
the children of
Israel. The
outsider who comes
near shall be
put to death.
39 All
who were counted
of the Levites,
whom Moses and Aaron
counted at the
commandment of the
LORD, by their
families, all the
males from a
month old and
upward, were
twenty-two thousand.
40 The
LORD said to Moses,
“Count all the
firstborn males of
the children of
Israel from a
month old and
upward, and take
the number of
their names.
41 You
shall take the
Levites for me—I
am the LORD—instead
of all the
firstborn among
the children of
Israel; and
the livestock of
the Levites
instead of all
the firstborn
among the livestock
of the children
of Israel.”
42 Moses
counted, as the
LORD commanded him,
all the firstborn
among the children
of Israel.
43 All
the firstborn
males according to
the number of
names from a
month old and
upward, of those
who were counted
of them, were
twenty-two thousand two
hundred seventy-three.
44 The
LORD spoke to
Moses, saying,
45 “Take
the Levites
instead of all
the firstborn
among the children
of Israel, and
the livestock of
the Levites
instead of
their livestock; and
the Levites shall
be mine. I
am the LORD.
46 For
the redemption of
the two
hundred seventy-three of
the firstborn of
the children of
Israel who exceed
the number of
the Levites,
47 you shall
take five shekels
apiece for
each one; according to
the shekel
of the sanctuary
you shall take
them (the shekel
is twenty gerahs);
48 and
you shall give
the money,
with which their remainder
is redeemed,
to Aaron and to
his sons.”
49 Moses
took the
redemption money
from those
who exceeded the
number of those
who were redeemed
by the Levites;
50 from
the firstborn of
the children of
Israel he took
the money,
one thousand three
hundred sixty-five
shekels,
according to the
shekel of the
sanctuary;
51 and
Moses gave
the redemption money
to Aaron and to
his sons,
according to the
LORD’s word, as
the LORD commanded
Moses.