Numbers 8:17-26 ▼

17 For Mine are all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, the man and the beast. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them to Myself.

18 And I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the sons of Israel.

19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from the midst of the sons of Israel, to do the work of the sons of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement upon the sons of Israel, and there will be no plague among the sons of Israel at the coming of the sons of Israel to the sanctuary.”

20 And Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the sons of Israel did to the Levites according to all that YHWH commanded Moses concerning the Levites; so the sons of Israel did to them.

21 And the Levites cleansed themselves from sin, and they washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the face of YHWH, and Aaron made atonement upon them to cleanse them.

22 And after that, the Levites went in to do their work in the Tent of Meeting before the face of Aaron and his sons. As YHWH commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

23 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,

24 “This is what is unto the Levites: From a son of five and twenty years and above, one may enter to perform the service in the work of the Tent of Meeting.

25 And from a son of fifty years, they must cease from the host of the service, and shall not serve anymore.

26 And they may minister with their brothers in the Tent of Meeting to keep the charge, and they shall not do work. Thus you shall do for the Levites in their duties.”