Numbers 3:14-43

14Then the Lord spoke to Moses 1in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15“23Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ households, by their families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number.” 16So Moses numbered them according to the 4word of the Lord, just as he had been commanded. 175These then are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. 18These are the names of the 6sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei; 19and the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel; 20and the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households.

21Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites. 22Their numbered men, in the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, even their numbered men were 7,500. 23The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the 7tabernacle westward, 24and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael. 25Now 8the duties of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle and 9the tent, its covering, and 10the screen for the doorway of the tent of meeting, 26and 11the hangings of the court, and 12the screen for the doorway of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords, according to all the service 13concerning them.

27Of 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. 28In the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, performing the duties of the sanctuary. 29The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the southward side of the tabernacle, 30and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Kohathite families was 14Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31Now 15their duties involved 16the ark, 17the table, 18the lampstand, 19the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all the service 20concerning them; 32and 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.

33Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari. 34Their numbered men in the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, were 6,200. 35The leader of the fathers’ households of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to 21camp on the northward side of the tabernacle. 36Now 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, 37and the pillars around the court with their sockets and their pegs and their cords.

38Now those who were to 22camp 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 23the 24layman coming near was to be put to death. 39All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the 25command of the Lord by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 2622,000.

40Then the Lord said to Moses, “27Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and 28make a list of their names. 41You 29shall 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.” 42So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded him; 43and all the firstborn males by the number of names from a month old and upward, for their numbered men were 3022,273.