Numbers 4:17-49

17Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:

18“Do not allow the tribe of the families of the Kohathites to be cut off from among the Levites;

19but in order that they will live and not die when they approach the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons will go in and appoint each man to his service and his responsibility.

20But the Kohathites are not to go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, or they will die.”

21Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

22“Also take a census of the Gershonites, by their clans and by their families.

23You must number them from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, all who enter the company to do the work of the tent of meeting.

24This is the service of the families of Gershonites, as they serve and carry it.

25They must carry the curtains for the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering, the covering of fine leather that is over it, the curtains for the entrance of the tent of meeting,

26the hangings for the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance of the gate of the court, which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their ropes, along with all the furnishings for their service and everything that is made for them. So they are to serve.

27“All the service of the Gershonites, whether carrying loads or for any of their work, will be at the direction of Aaron and his sons. You will assign them all their tasks as their responsibility.

28This is the service of the families of the Gershonites concerning the tent of meeting. Their responsibilities will be under the authority of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

29“As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their families and by their clans.

30You must number them from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, all who enter the company to do the work of the tent of meeting.

31This is what they are responsible to carry as their entire service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, its posts, its sockets,

32and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their sockets, tent pegs, and ropes, along with all their furnishings and everything for their service. You are to assign by names the items that each man is responsible to carry.

33This is the service of the families of the Merarites, their entire service concerning the tent of meeting, under the authority of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

34So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the community numbered the Kohathites by their families and by clans,

35from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting;

36and those of them numbered by their families were 2,750.

37These were those numbered from the families of the Kohathites, everyone who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the authority of Moses.

38Those numbered from the Gershonites, by their families and by their clans,

39from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting –

40those of them numbered by their families, by their clans, were 2,630.

41These were those numbered from the families of the Gershonites, everyone who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord.

42Those numbered from the families of the Merarites, by their families, by their clans,

43from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting –

44those of them numbered by their families were 3,200.

45These are those numbered from the families of the Merarites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the authority of Moses.

46All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered by their families and by their clans,

47from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered to do the work of service and the work of carrying relating to the tent of meeting –

48those of them numbered were 8,580.

49According to the word of the Lord they were numbered, by the authority of Moses, each according to his service and according to what he was to carry. Thus were they numbered by him, as the Lord had commanded Moses.