Numbers 3

(Leviticus 10:1–7)

1ThisH428 is the accountH8435 of AaronH175 and MosesH4872 at the timeH3117 the LORDH3068 spokeH1696 withH854 MosesH4872 on MountH2022 SinaiH5514.

2TheseH428 are the namesH8034 of the sonsH1121 of AaronH175: NadabH5070 the firstbornH1060, then AbihuH30, EleazarH499, and IthamarH385. 3TheseH428 were Aaron’sH175 sonsH1121, the anointedH4886 priestsH3548, whoH834 were ordainedH4390H3027 to serve as priestsH3547.

4NadabH5070 and Abihu, howeverH30, diedH4191 in the presence ofH6440 the LORDH3068 when they offeredH7126 unauthorizedH21141 fireH784 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 in the WildernessH4057 of SinaiH5514. And since they hadH1961 noH3808 sonsH1121, only EleazarH499 and IthamarH385 served as priestsH3547 duringH5921 the lifetimeH6440 of their fatherH1 AaronH175.

The Duties of the Levites

5Then the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872H559, 6“BringH7126 the tribeH4294 of LeviH3881 and presentH5975 themH853 toH6440 AaronH175 the priestH3548 to assist himH8334. 7They are to performH8104 duties for himH4931 and for the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 beforeH6440 the TentH168 of MeetingH4150, attendingH5647 to the serviceH5656 of the tabernacleH4908. 8They shall take care ofH8104 allH3605 the furnishingsH3627 of the TentH168 of MeetingH4150 andH853 fulfill obligationsH4931 for the IsraelitesH1121H3478 by attendingH5647 to the serviceH5656 of the tabernacleH4908.

9AssignH5414 the LevitesH3881 to AaronH175 and his sonsH1121; theyH1992 have been given exclusivelyH5414 to him2 from amongH854 the IsraelitesH1121H3478. 10SoH853 you shall appointH6485 AaronH175 and his sonsH1121 to carry outH8104 the duties of the priesthoodH3550; but any outsiderH2114 who approachesH7131 the tabernacle must be put to deathH4191.”

11Again the LORDH3068 spokeH1696 toH413 MosesH4872, sayingH559, 12“BeholdH2009, IH589 have takenH3947 the LevitesH3881 from amongH8432 the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 in place ofH8478 everyH3605H1060 firstbornH6363 IsraeliteH1121H3478 from the wombH7358. The LevitesH3881 belongH1961 to Me, 13forH3588 allH3605 the firstbornH1060 are Mine. On the dayH3117 I struck downH5221 everyH3605 firstbornH1060 in the landH776 of EgyptH4714, I consecratedH6942 to Myself allH3605 the firstbornH1060 in IsraelH3478, both manH120 andH5704 beastH929. They areH1961 Mine; IH589 am the LORDH3068.”

The Numbering of the Levites

14Then the LORDH3068 spokeH1696 toH413 MosesH4872 in the WildernessH4057 of SinaiH5514, sayingH559, 15“NumberH6485 the LevitesH1121H3878 by their familiesH1H1004 and clansH4940. You are to countH6485 everyH3605 maleH2145 a monthH2320 oldH1121 or moreH4605.”

16So MosesH4872 numberedH6485 themH853 according toH5921 the wordH6310 of the LORDH3068, asH834 he had been commandedH6680.

17TheseH428 wereH1961 the sonsH1121 of LeviH3878 by nameH8034: GershonH1648, KohathH6955, and MerariH4847. 18TheseH428 were the namesH8034 of the sonsH1121 of GershonH1648 by their clansH4940: LibniH3845 and ShimeiH8096. 19The sonsH1121 of KohathH6955 by their clansH4940 were AmramH6019, IzharH3324, HebronH2275, and UzzielH5816. 20And the sonsH1121 of MerariH4847 by their clansH4940 were MahliH4249 and MushiH4187. TheseH428 wereH1992 the clansH4940 of the LevitesH3881, according to their familiesH1H1004.

The Gershonites

(Numbers 4:21–28; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)

21From Gershon cameH1648 the LibniteH3846 clanH4940 and the ShimeiteH8097 clanH4940; theseH428H1992 were the GershoniteH1649 clansH4940. 22The numberH6485H4557 of allH3605 the malesH2145 a monthH2320 oldH1121 or moreH4605 wasH6485 7,500H7651H505H2568H3967.

23The GershoniteH1649 clansH4940 were to campH2583 on the westH3220, behindH310 the tabernacleH4908, 24and the leaderH5387 of the familiesH1004H1 of the GershonitesH1649 was EliasaphH460 sonH1121 of LaelH3815.

25The dutiesH4931 of the GershonitesH1121H1648 at the TentH168 of MeetingH4150 were the tabernacleH4908 and tentH168, its coveringH4372, the curtainH4539 for the entranceH6607 to the TentH168 of MeetingH4150, 26the curtainsH7050 of the courtyardH2691, the curtainH4539 for the entranceH6607 to the courtyardH2691 thatH834 surroundsH5921 the tabernacleH4908H5921 and altarH4196H5439, and the cordsH4340—allH3605 the serviceH5656 for these items.

The Kohathites

(Numbers 4:1–20; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)

27From Kohath cameH6955 the clansH4940 of the AmramitesH6020, the IzharitesH3325, the HebronitesH2276, and the UzzielitesH5817; theseH428H1992 were the clansH4940 of the KohathitesH6956. 28The numberH4557 of allH3605 the malesH2145 a monthH2320 oldH1121 or moreH4605 was 8,600H8083H505H8337H3967.3 They were responsible forH8104 the dutiesH4931 of the sanctuaryH6944.

29The clansH4940 of the KohathitesH1121H6955 were to campH2583 onH5921 the southH8486 sideH3409 of the tabernacleH4908, 30and the leaderH5387 of the familiesH1004H1 of the KohathitesH6956 was ElizaphanH4694 sonH1121 of UzzielH5816.

31Their dutiesH4931 were the arkH727, the tableH7979, the lampstandH4501, the altarsH4196, the articlesH3627 of the sanctuaryH6944 usedH8334 with them, and the curtainH4539—allH3605 the serviceH5656 for these items.

32The chiefH5387 of the leadersH5387 of the LevitesH3881 was EleazarH499 sonH1121 of AaronH175 the priestH3548; he oversawH6486 those responsible forH8104 the dutiesH4931 of the sanctuaryH6944.

The Merarites

(Numbers 4:29–33; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)

33From Merari cameH4848 the clansH4940 of the MahlitesH4250 and MushitesH4188H4940; theseH428H1992 were the MerariteH4848 clansH4940. 34The numberH6485H4557 of allH3605 the malesH2145 a monthH2320 oldH1121 or moreH4605 was 6,200H8337H505H3967.

35The leaderH5387 of the familiesH1004H1 of the MeraritesH4848 was ZurielH6700 sonH1121 of AbihailH32; they were to campH2583 onH5921 the northH6828 sideH3409 of the tabernacleH4908.

36The dutiesH4931 assignedH6486 to the sonsH1121 of MerariH4847 were the tabernacle’sH4908 framesH7175, crossbarsH1280, postsH5982, basesH134, and allH3605 its equipmentH3627—allH3605 the service for theseH5656 items, 37as well as the postsH5982 of the surroundingH5439 courtyardH2691 with their basesH134, tent pegsH3489, and ropesH4340.

Moses and Aaron

38MosesH4872, AaronH175, andH1121 Aaron’s sons were to campH2583 to the eastH6924 of the tabernacleH4908, toward the sunriseH4217, beforeH6440 the TentH168 of MeetingH4150. They were to performH8104 the dutiesH4931 of the sanctuaryH4720 as a serviceH4931 on behalf of the IsraelitesH1121H3478; but any outsiderH2114 who approachedH7131 the sanctuary was to be put to deathH4191.

39The totalH3605 numberH6485 of LevitesH3881 thatH834 MosesH4872 and AaronH175 countedH6485 by their clansH4940 atH5921 the LORD’sH3068 commandH6310, including allH3605 the malesH2145 a monthH2320 oldH1121 or moreH4605, was 22,000H8147H6242H505.

The Redemption of the Firstborn

40Then the LORDH3068H413 saidH559 to MosesH4872, “NumberH6485 everyH3605 firstbornH1060 maleH2145 of the IsraelitesH1121H3478 a monthH2320 oldH1121 or moreH4605, and listH5375 their namesH8034. 41You are to takeH3947 the LevitesH3881 for Me—IH589 am the LORDH3068—in place ofH8478 allH3605 the firstbornH1060 of IsraelH1121H3478, and the livestockH929 of the LevitesH3881 in place ofH8478 allH3605 the firstbornH1060 of the livestockH929 of the IsraelitesH1121H3478.”

42So MosesH4872 numberedH6485 allH3605 the firstbornH1060 of the IsraelitesH1121H3478, asH834 the LORDH3068 had commandedH6680 himH853. 43The totalH3605 numberH6485 of the firstbornH1060 malesH2145 a monthH2320 oldH1121 or moreH4605, listedH4557 by nameH8034, wasH1961 22,273H8147H6242H505H7969H7657H3967.

44Again the LORDH3068 spokeH1696 toH413 MosesH4872, sayingH559, 45“TakeH3947 the LevitesH3881 in placeH8478 of allH3605 the firstbornH1060 of IsraelH1121H3478, andH853 the livestockH929 of the LevitesH3881 in placeH8478 of their livestockH929. The LevitesH3881 belongH1961 to Me; IH589 am the LORDH3068. 46To redeemH6302 the 273H7969H7657H3967 firstbornH1060 IsraelitesH1121H3478 who outnumberH5736H5921 the LevitesH3881, 47you are to collectH3947 fiveH2568 shekelsH82555 for each oneH1538, according to the sanctuaryH6944H3947 shekelH8255 of twentyH6242 gerahsH1626H8255.6 48GiveH5414 the moneyH3701 to AaronH175 and his sonsH1121 as the redemption priceH6302 for the excessH5736 among the Israelites.”

49So MosesH4872 collectedH3947 the redemptionH6306H854 moneyH3701 from those in excessH5736 ofH5921 the number redeemedH6302 by the LevitesH3881. 50He collectedH3947 the moneyH3701 from the firstbornH1060 of the IsraelitesH1121H3478: 1,365H2568H8346H7969H3967H505 shekelsH8255,7 according to the sanctuary shekelH6944. 51And MosesH4872 gaveH5414 the redemptionH6302 moneyH3701 to AaronH175 and his sonsH1121 in obedience toH5921 the wordH6310 of the LORDH3068, just asH834 the LORDH3068 had commandedH6680 him.