Numbers 3:1-26 ▼

1 These also were the generations of Aaron & Moses, in the day that the Lorde spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

2 So these are the names of the sonnes of Aaron, Nadab the first borne, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3 These are the names of the sonnes of Aaron the anoynted Priests, whom Moses did consecrate to minister in the Priests office.

4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offred strange fire before the Lord in the wildernesse of Sinai, and had no children: but Eleazar and Ithamar serued in ye Priestes office in the sight of Aaron their father.

5 Then the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

6 Bring the tribe of Leui, and set the before Aaron the Priest that they may serue him,

7 And take the charge with him, euen the charge of the whole Congregation before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle.

8 They shall also keepe all the instrumentes of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and haue the charge of the children of Israel to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle.

9 And thou shalt giue the Leuites vnto Aaron and to his sonnes: for they are giuen him freely from among the children of Israel.

10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron & his sonnes to execute their Priestes office: and the stranger that commeth neere, shalbe slayne.

11 Also the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

12 Beholde, I haue euen taken the Leuites fro among the childre of Israel: for al the first borne that openeth the matrice among the children of Israel, and the Leuites shalbe mine,

13 Because all the first borne are mine: for the same day, that I smote all the first borne in the land of Egypt, I sanctified vnto me all the first borne in Israel, both man and beast: mine they shalbe: I am the Lord.

14 Moreouer, the Lord spake vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai, saying,

15 Nomber the children of Leui after the houses of their fathers, in their families: euery male from a moneth olde and aboue shalt thou nomber.

16 Then Moses nombred them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.

17 And these are the sonnes of Leui by their names, Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

18 Also these are the names of the sonnes of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

19 The sonnes also of Kohath by their families: Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Vzziel.

20 And the sonnes of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Leui, according to the houses of their fathers.

21 Of Gershon came the familie of the Libnites, and the familie of the Shimeites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

22 The summe whereof ( after the nomber of all the males from a moneth olde and aboue) was counted seuen thousand and fiue hundreth.

23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the Tabernacle westward.

24 The captaine and auncient of the house of the Gershonites shalbe Eliasaph the sonne of Lael.

25 And the charge of the sonnes of Gershon in the Tabernacle of the Congregation shall be the Tabernacle, and the pauilion, the couering thereof, and the vaile of the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation,

26 And the hanging of the court, & the vaile of the doore of the court, which is neere the Tabernacle, and neere ye Altar round about, and the cordes of it for all the seruice thereof.