Numbers 3

Numbers 3

1Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai .

2These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn , and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed , whom he consecrated to minister in the priest ’s office.

4Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai , and they had no children . Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest ’s office in the presence of Aaron their father .

5The LORD spoke to Moses , saying ,

6“Bring the tribe of Levi near , and set them before Aaron the priest , that they may minister to him .

7They shall keep his requirements, and the requirements of the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting , to do the service of the tabernacle .

8They shall keep all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting , and the obligations of the children of Israel , to do the service of the tabernacle .

9You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons . They are wholly given to him on the behalf of the children of Israel .

10You shall appoint Aaron and his sons , and they shall keep their priesthood , but the stranger who comes near shall be put to death .”

11The LORD spoke to Moses , saying ,

12“Behold , I have taken the Levites from amongst the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb amongst the children of Israel ; and the Levites shall be mine ,[#3:12 “Behold”, from “”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.]

13for all the firstborn are mine . On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel , both man and animal . They shall be mine . I am the LORD .”

14The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai , saying ,

15“Count the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses , by their families . You shall count every male from a month old and upward .”

16Moses counted them according to the LORD ’s word , as he was commanded .

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

18These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families : Libni and Shimei .

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

20The sons of Merari by their families : Mahli and Mushi .

These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses .

21Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites , and the family of the Shimeites . These are the families of the Gershonites .

22Those who were counted of them , according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward , even those who were counted of them were seven thousand and five hundred .

23The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward .

24Eliasaph the son of Lael shall be the prince of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites .

25The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle , the tent, its covering , the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting ,

26the hangings of the court , the screen for the door of the court which is by the tabernacle and around the altar , and its cords for all of its service .

27Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites , the family of the Izharites , the family of the Hebronites , and the family of the Uzzielites . These are the families of the Kohathites .

28According to the number of all the males from a month old and upward , there were eight thousand and six hundred keeping the requirements of the sanctuary .

29The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle .

30The prince of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel .

31Their duty shall be the ark, the table , the lamp stand, the altars , the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister , the screen , and all its service .

32Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites , with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary .

33Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites . These are the families of Merari .

34Those who were counted of them , according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward , were six thousand and two hundred .[#3:34 + 22,000 is the sum rounded to 2 significant digits. The sum of the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites given above is 22,300, but the traditional Hebrew text has the number rounded to 2 significant digits, not 3 significant digits.]

35The prince of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle .

36The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle ’s boards , its bars , its pillars , its sockets, all its instruments , all its service ,

37the pillars of the court around it , their sockets, their pins , and their cords .

38Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward , in front of the Tent of Meeting towards the sunrise , shall be Moses , with Aaron and his sons , keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel . The outsider who comes near shall be put to death .

39All who were counted of the Levites , whom Moses and Aaron counted at the commandment of the LORD , by their families , all the males from a month old and upward , were twenty-two thousand.

40The LORD said to Moses , “Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward , and take the number of their names .

41You shall take the Levites for me —I am the LORD —instead of all the firstborn amongst the children of Israel ; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn amongst the livestock of the children of Israel .”

42Moses counted , as the LORD commanded him , all the firstborn amongst the children of Israel .

43All the firstborn males according to the number of names from a month old and upward , of those who were counted of them , were twenty-two thousand and two hundred and seventy-three.

44The LORD spoke to Moses , saying ,

45“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn amongst the children of Israel , and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine . I am the LORD .

46For the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites ,

47you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs );[#3:47 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.; #3:47 A gerah is about 0.5 grams or about 7.7 grains.]

48and you shall give the money , with which their remainder is redeemed , to Aaron and to his sons .”

49Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites ;

50from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money , one thousand and three hundred and sixty-five shekels , according to the shekel of the sanctuary ;[#3:50 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 1365 shekels is about 13.65 kilograms or about 30 pounds.]

51and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons , according to the LORD ’s word , as the LORD commanded Moses .

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