Numbers 3:14-39

14Adonai spoke in the Sinai wilderness to Moses saying,

15“Count the sons of Levi. According to their ancestral house, by their families, every male a month old and upward you are to number them.”

16So Moses numbered them in accordance with the word of Adonai, just as he was commanded.

17These were the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

18These then were the names of the sons of Gershon by their families—Libni and Shimei.

19The sons of Kohath by their families were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20The sons of Merari, by their families, are Mahli and Mushi. These then were the families of the Levites by their ancestral households.

21To Gershon belonged the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites. These were the families of the Gershonites.

22The number of every male one month old and upward who were counted was 7,500.

23The Gershonites were to camp behind the Tabernacle on the west.

24The prince of the ancestral house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.

25The duties of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting were the Tabernacle, the tent, its coverings, the curtain of the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,

26the curtains of the courtyard, the screen of the entrance of the courtyard around the Tabernacle and altar, its ropes and all related to its use.

27To Kohath belonged the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites. These were the Kohathite families.

28The number of every male one month old and upward was 8,600. Their duties were caring for the Sanctuary.

29The Kohathite families were to camp along the side of the Tabernacle on the south.

30The prince of the ancestral household of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

31They were responsible for the Ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, and the implements of the Sanctuary used in service with them, the curtain and all involved with its use.

32The chief prince of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the kohen appointed over those whose responsibility was the care of the Sanctuary.

33To Merari belonged the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites. These were the families of Merari.

34Their number by count of every male one month old and upward was 6,200.

35The prince of the household of the father of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the Tabernacle.

36The sons of Merari were appointed over the care of the frames of the Tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, and all equipment for its use,

37the posts of the surrounding courtyard, their bases, pegs and ropes.

38Those camping in front of the Tent of Meeting, on the east, toward the sunrise, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons. They were to care for the Sanctuary on behalf of Bnei-Yisrael. But anyone unauthorized who approached had to be executed.

39All the Levites counted by Moses and Aaron at the word of Adonai, by their families, inclusive of every male one month old and upward, were 22,000.