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 in the presence of the Lord when they offered 6strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests 7in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

5Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6“8Bring the tribe of Levi forward and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7They shall perform the duties for 9him and for the whole congregation in front of the tent of meeting, to do the 10service of the tabernacle. 8They shall also take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, along with the duties of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 9So you shall 11assign the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are exclusively assigned to him from the sons of Israel. 10So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that 12they may 13keep their priesthood, but 14the 15layman who comes near shall be put to death.”

11Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12“Now, behold, I 16have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every 17firstborn, the firstborn of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine. 13For 18all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I fatally struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from the human firstborn to animals. They shall be Mine; I am the Lord.”