Numbers 3:1-47 ▼

1 This is the account of Aaron (light bringer) and Moses (drawn out) at the time the LORD {YHWH} spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai (thorny).

2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron (light bringer): Nadab (generous) the firstborn, then Abihu (he is my father), Eleazar (God has helped), and Ithamar (coast of palms).

3 These were Aaron’s (light bringer) sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

4 Nadab (generous) and Abihu, however (he is my father), died in the presence of the LORD {YHWH} when they offered unauthorized (strange) fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai (thorny). And since they had no sons, only Eleazar (God has helped) and Ithamar (coast of palms) served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron (light bringer).

5 Then the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out),

6 “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron (light bringer) the priest to assist him.

7 They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle.

8 They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites (God prevails) by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

9 Assign the Levites to Aaron (light bringer) and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him [to Me] from among the Israelites (God prevails).

10 So you shall appoint Aaron (light bringer) and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

11 Again the LORD {YHWH} spoke to Moses (drawn out), saying,

12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel (he wrestles with God) in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,

13 for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt (land of bondage), I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel (he wrestles with God), both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD {YHWH}.”

14 Then the LORD {YHWH} spoke to Moses (drawn out) in the Wilderness of Sinai (thorny), saying,

15 “Number the Levites (joined to) by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”

16 So Moses (drawn out) numbered them according to the word of the LORD {YHWH}, as he had been commanded.

17 These were the sons of Levi (joined to) by name: Gershon (exile), Kohath (assembly), and Merari (bitter).

18 These were the names of the sons of Gershon (exile) by their clans: Libni (white) and Shimei (renowned).

19 The sons of Kohath (assembly) by their clans were Amram (exalted people), Izhar (shining oil), Hebron (association), and Uzziel (my strength is God).

20 And the sons of Merari (bitter) by their clans were Mahli (sick) and Mushi (yielding). These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.

21 From Gershon came (exile) the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans.

22 The number of all the males a month old or more was 7,500.

23 The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle,

24 and the leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph (God has added) son of Lael (belonging to God).

25 The duties of the Gershonites (exile) at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

26 the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items.

27 From Kohath came (assembly) the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites (oil), the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites.

28 The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600 [8,300]. They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

29 The clans of the Kohathites (assembly) were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,

30 and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan (Elzaphan) son of Uzziel (my strength is God).

31 Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.

32 The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar (God has helped) son of Aaron (light bringer) the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

33 From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans.

34 The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200.

35 The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel (my rock is God) son of Abihail (my father is might); they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

36 The duties assigned to the sons of Merari (bitter) were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items,

37 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.

38 Moses (drawn out), Aaron (light bringer), and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites (God prevails); but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

39 The total number of Levites that Moses (drawn out) and Aaron (light bringer) counted by their clans at the LORD’s {YHWH} command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.

40 Then the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out), “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites (God prevails) a month old or more, and list their names.

41 You are to take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD {YHWH}—in place of all the firstborn of Israel (he wrestles with God), and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”

42 So Moses (drawn out) numbered all the firstborn of the Israelites (God prevails), as the LORD {YHWH} had commanded him.

43 The total number of the firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.

44 Again the LORD {YHWH} spoke to Moses (drawn out), saying,

45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel (he wrestles with God), and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD {YHWH}.

46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites (God prevails) who outnumber the Levites,

47 you are to collect five shekels <2 oz / 57 g> for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs <0.4 oz / 11.4 g>.