Numbers 3

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

Now this is the history of the descendants of Aaron and Moses when Yahweh spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

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

The names of Aaron's sons were Nadab the firstborn, 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.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed and who were ordained to serve as priests.

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.

But Nadab and Abihu fell dead before Yahweh when they offered to him unacceptable fire in the wilderness of Sinai. Nadab and Abihu had no children, so just Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests with Aaron their father.

5 Then the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

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

“Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest for them to help 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.

They must perform the duties on behalf of Aaron and the whole community before the tent of meeting. They must serve in the tabernacle.

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

They must care for all the furnishings in the tent of meeting, and they must help the tribes of Israel to carry out the tabernacle service.

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.

You must give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are wholly given to help him serve the people of Israel.

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

You must appoint Aaron and his sons as priests, but any foreigner who comes near must be put to death.”

11 Also the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

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

“Look, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel. I have done this instead of taking each firstborn male who is born among the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me.

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.

All the firstborn belong to me. On the day that I attacked all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both people and animals. They belong to me. I am Yahweh.”

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

Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. He said,

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.

“Count the descendants of Levi in each family, in their clans. Count every male who is one month old and older.”

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

Moses counted them, following the word of Yahweh, just as he was commanded to do.

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

The names of Levi's sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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

The clans coming from Gershon's sons were Libni and Shimei.

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

The clans coming from Kohath's sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

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.

The clans coming from Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, listed clan by clan.

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

The clans of the Libnites and the Shimeites come from Gershon. These are the clans 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.

All the males from a month old and older were counted, totaling 7,500.

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

The clans of the Gershonites must camp on the west side of the tabernacle.

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

Eliasaph son of Lael must lead the clans of the descendants of the Gershonites.

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,

The family of Gershon must care for the tent of meeting including the tabernacle. They must care for the tent, its covering, and the curtain used as the entrance to the tent of meeting.

26 And the hanging of the court, and 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.

They must care for the courtyard hangings, the curtain at the courtyard entrance—the courtyard that surrounds the sanctuary and the altar. They must care for the ropes of the tent of meeting and for everything in it.

27 And of Kohath came the familie of the Amramites, and the familie of the Izeharites, and the familie of the Hebronites, and the familie of the Vzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

These clans come from Kohath: the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites. These clans belong to the Kohathites.

28 The nomber of all the males from a moneth olde and aboue was eight thousand and sixe hundreth, hauing the charge of the Sanctuarie.

8,600 males have been counted aged one month old and older to take care of the things that belong to Yahweh.

29 The families of the sonnes of Kohath shall pitch on the Southside of the Tabernacle.

The Kohath clans must camp on the south side of the tabernacle.

30 The captaine and auncient of the house, and families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the sonne of Vzziel:

Elizaphan son of Uzziel must lead the clans of the Kohathites.

31 And their charge shalbe the Arke, and the Table, and the Candlesticke, and the altars, and the instruments of the Sanctuarie that they minister with, and the vaile, and all that serueth thereto.

They must care for the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the holy things that are used in their service, the curtain, and all the work around it.

32 And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest shalbe chiefe captaine of the Leuites, hauing the ouersight of them that haue the charge of the Sanctuarie.

Eleazar son of Aaron the priest must lead the men who lead the Levites. He must supervise the men who care for the holy place.

33 Of Merari came the familie of the Mahlites, and the familie of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

Two clans have come from Merari: the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites. These clans have come from Merari.

34 And the summe of them, according to the nomber of all the males, from a moneth olde and aboue was sixe thousand and two hundreth.

6,200 males have been counted aged one month old and older.

35 The captaine and the ancient of the house of the families of Merari shalbe Zuriel the sonne of Abihail: they shall pitche on the Northside of the Tabernacle.

Zuriel son of Abihail must lead the clans of Merari. They must camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

36 And in ye charge and custodie of the sonnes of Merari shall be the boardes of the Tabernacle, and the barres thereof, and his pillars, and his sockets, and al the instruments therof, and al that serueth thereto,

The descendants of Merari must care for the framing of the tabernacle, the crossbars, posts, bases, all the hardware, and everything related to them, including

37 With the pillars of the court round about, with their sockets, and their pins and their coardes.

the pillars and posts of the courtyard that surround the tabernacle, with their sockets, pegs, and ropes.

38 Also on the forefront of the Tabernacle toward the East, before the Tabernacle, I say, of the Congregation Eastwarde shall Moses and Aaron and his sonnes pitch, hauing the charge of the Sanctuarie, and the charge of the children of Israel: but the stranger that commeth neere, shall be slayne.

Moses and Aaron and his sons must camp on the east side of the tabernacle, in front of the tent of meeting, toward the sunrise. They are responsible for the fulfillment of the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the people of Israel. Any foreigner who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death.

39 The wholesumme of ye Leuites, which Moses and Aaron nombred at the commandement of the Lord throughout their families, euen al the males from a moneth olde and aboue, was two and twentie thousand.

Moses and Aaron counted all the males in the clans of Levi who were aged one month old and older, just as Yahweh commanded. They counted twenty-two thousand men.

40 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Nomber all the first borne that are Males among the children of Israel, from a moneth old and aboue, and take the nomber of their names.

Yahweh said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn males of the people of Israel who are aged one month old and older. List their names.

41 And thou shalt take ye Leuites to me for all the first borne of the children of Israel (I am the Lord) and the cattell of the Leuites for all the first borne of the cattell of the children of Israel.

You must take the Levites for me—I am Yahweh—instead of all the firstborn of the people of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of the firstborn of the livestock of the descendants of Israel.”

42 And Moses nombred, as the Lord commanded him, all the first borne of the children of Israel.

Moses counted all the firstborn people of Israel as Yahweh had commanded him to do.

43 And all the first borne males rehearsed by name (from a moneth olde and aboue) according to their nomber were two and twentie thousand, two hundreth seuentie and three.

He counted all the firstborn males by name, aged one month old and older. He counted 22,273 men.

44 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Again, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

45 Take the Leuites for all the first borne of the children of Israel, and the cattell of the Leuites for their cattel, and the Leuites shalbe mine, (I am the Lord)

“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and take the Levites' livestock instead of the people's livestock. The Levites belong to me—I am Yahweh.

46 And for the redeeming of the two hundreth seuentie and three, (which are moe then the Leuites) of the first borne of the children of of Israel,

You must collect five shekels for the redemption of each of the 273 firstborn people of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites.

47 Thou shalt also take fiue shekels for euery person: after the weight of the Sanctuarie shalt thou take it: ye shekel conteineth twenty gerahs.

You must use the shekel of the sanctuary as your standard weight. The shekel equals twenty gerahs.

48 And thou shalt giue the money, wherwith the odde nomber of them is redeemed, vnto Aaron and to his sonnes.

You must give the price of redemption that you paid to Aaron and his sons.”

49 Thus Moses tooke the redemption of the that were redeemed, being more then the Leuites:

So Moses collected the payment of redemption from those who exceeded the number of those redeemed by the Levites.

50 Of the first borne of the children of Israel tooke he the mony: eue a thousand three hundreth three score and fiue shekels after the shekel of the Sanctuarie.

Moses collected the money from the firstborn of the people of Israel. He collected 1,365 shekels, weighing with the shekel of the sanctuary.

51 And Moses gaue the money of them that were redeemed, vnto Aaron and to his sonnes according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons. Moses did everything he was told to do by Yahweh's word, as Yahweh had commanded him.