Numbers 3:6-16

6“1Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7They shall perform the duties for 2him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the 3service 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 4give 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 5they may keep their priesthood, but 6the 7layman who comes near shall be put to death.”

11Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12“Now, behold, I 8have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every 9firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine. 13For 10all 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.”

14Then the Lord spoke to Moses 11in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15“1213Number 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 14word of the Lord, just as he had been commanded.