Numbers
3
- This is the account of the family of Aaron
and Moses at the time the LORD talked with Moses on Mount Sinai.
- The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab
the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
- Those were the names of Aaron's sons, the
anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.
- Nadab and Abihu, however, fell dead before
the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the
Desert of Sinai. They had no sons; so only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests
during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
- The LORD said to Moses,
- "Bring the tribe of Levi and present
them to Aaron the priest to assist him.
- They are to perform duties for him and for
the whole community at the Tent of Meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle.
- They are to take care of all the furnishings
of the Tent of Meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing
the work of the tabernacle.
- Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;
they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.
- Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests;
anyone else who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death."
- The LORD also said to Moses,
- "I have taken the Levites from among
the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman.
The Levites are mine,
- for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck
down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in
Israel, whether man or animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD."
- The LORD said to Moses in the Desert of
Sinai,
- "Count the Levites by their families
and clans. Count every male a month old or more."
- So Moses counted them, as he was commanded
by the word of the LORD.
- These were the names of the sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
- These were the names of the Gershonite clans:
Libni and Shimei.
- The Kohathite clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron
and Uzziel.
- The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. These
were the Levite clans, according to their families.
- To Gershon belonged the clans of the Libnites
and Shimeites; these were the Gershonite clans.
- The number of all the males a month old
or more who were counted was 7,500.
- The Gershonite clans were to camp on the
west, behind the tabernacle.
- The leader of the families of the Gershonites
was Eliasaph son of Lael.
- At the Tent of Meeting the Gershonites were
responsible for the care of the tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the curtain
at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
- the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain
at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and
the ropes -- and everything related to their use.
- To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites,
Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans.
- The number of all the males a month old
or more was 8,600. The Kohathites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.
- The Kohathite clans were to camp on the
south side of the tabernacle.
- The leader of the families of the Kohathite
clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
- They were responsible for the care of the
ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used
in ministering, the curtain, and everything related to their use.
- The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar
son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible
for the care of the sanctuary.
- To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites
and the Mushites; these were the Merarite clans.
- The number of all the males a month old
or more who were counted was 6,200.
- The leader of the families of the Merarite
clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the
tabernacle.
- The Merarites were appointed to take care
of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment,
and everything related to their use,
- as well as the posts of the surrounding
courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.
- Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp
to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the Tent of
Meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of
the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to
death.
- The total number of Levites counted at the
LORD'S command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every
male a month old or more, was 22,000.
- The LORD said to Moses, "Count all
the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list
of their names.
- Take the Levites for me in place of all
the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place
of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the LORD."
- So Moses counted all the firstborn of the
Israelites, as the LORD commanded him.
- The total number of firstborn males a month
old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.
- The LORD also said to Moses,
- "Take the Levites in place of all the
firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock.
The Levites are to be mine. I am the LORD.
- To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who
exceed the number of the Levites,
- collect five shekels for each one, according
to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.
- Give the money for the redemption of the
additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons."
- So Moses collected the redemption money
from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites.
- From the firstborn of the Israelites he
collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.
- Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron
and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the LORD.
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