Numbers 3:1-13

11Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 22These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the 3anointed priests, whom he 4ordained to serve as priests. 45But 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 6in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

5Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6“7Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7They shall perform the duties for 8him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the 9service of the tabernacle. 8They 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. 9You shall thus 10give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the sons of Israel. 10So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that 11they may keep their priesthood, but 12the 13layman who comes near shall be put to death.”

11Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12“Now, behold, I 14have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every 15firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine. 13For 16all 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.”