Numbers 3

1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke 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 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, 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 sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's 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 offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's 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 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

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

7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service 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 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service 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 you shall give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of 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 you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death.

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

11 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that opens the womb among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be 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 firstborn are mine; for on the day that I stroke all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: 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 And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

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

15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shall you number them.

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

16 And Moses numbered 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 were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

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

18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

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

19 And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

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

20 And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house 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 was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: 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 Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.

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 And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

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

25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door 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 hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service 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 was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: 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 In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

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 sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

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

30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

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

31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

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 son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

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 was the family of the Mahlites, and the family 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 those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

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

35 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.

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

36 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serves 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 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

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

38 But those that camp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death.

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 All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two 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 unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number 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 you shall take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle 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 numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

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

43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

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

44 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

Again, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be 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 those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;

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 You shall even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shall you take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs: )

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

48 And you shall give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

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

49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:

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

50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

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 gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD 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.