Numbers 3

1 Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron [Light-bringer] and Moses [Drawn out] in the day that Adonai spoke with Moses [Drawn out] in Mount Sinai [Thorn].

These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke with Moses in mount Sinai.

2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron [Light-bringer]: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar [Help of God], and Ithamar.

And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron [Light-bringer], the priests who 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, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.

4 Nadab and Abihu died before Adonai, when they offered strange fire before Adonai, in the wilderness of Sinai [Thorn], and they had no children. Eleazar [Help of God] and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence of Aaron [Light-bringer] their father.

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.

5 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying,

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

6 “Bring the tribe of Levi [United with] near, and set them before Aaron [Light-bringer] the priest, that they may minister to him.

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

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

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.

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

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.

9 You shall give the Levites [Descendants of United with] to Aaron [Light-bringer] and to his sons. They are wholly given to him on the behalf of the children of Israel [God prevails].

And thou shalt give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given to him out of the children of Israel.

10 You shall appoint Aaron [Light-bringer] and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”

And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh near shall be put to death.

11 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying,

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites [Descendants of United with] from among the children of Israel [God prevails] instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel [God prevails]; and the Levites [Descendants of United with] shall be mine:

And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

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

Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine they shall be: I am the LORD.

14 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out] in the wilderness of Sinai [Thorn], saying,

And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

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

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

16 Moses [Drawn out] counted them according to Adonai’s word, as he was enjoined.

And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites [Descendants of United with] according to their fathers’ houses.

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.

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

Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

22 Those 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 five hundred.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

26 and the hangings of the court, and 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.

And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is around the tabernacle, and the altar, and the cords of it for all the service of it.

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

And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary by which they minister, and the hanging, and all the service of it.

32 Eleazar [Help of God] the son of Aaron [Light-bringer] the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites [Descendants of United with], with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary.

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

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

Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

34 Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.

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.

35 The 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.

And the head of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle northward.

36 The 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,

And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, and all its vessels, and all the service concerning it,

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

And the pillars around the court, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

38 Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses [Drawn out], and Aaron [Light-bringer] and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel [God prevails]. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.

But those that encamp 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 cometh near shall be put to death.

39 All who were counted of the Levites [Descendants of United with], whom Moses [Drawn out] and Aaron [Light-bringer] counted by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

All that were numbered of the Levites, whom 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.

40 Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel [God prevails] from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

And the LORD said to 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.

41 You shall take the Levites [Descendants of United with] for me (I am Adonai·) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel [God prevails]; and the livestock of the Levites [Descendants of United with] instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel [God prevails].”

And thou shalt 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.

42 Moses [Drawn out] counted, as Adonai enjoined him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel [God prevails].

And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

43 All 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 two hundred seventy-three.

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 seventy and three.

44 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying,

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

45 “Take the Levites [Descendants of United with] instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel [God prevails], and the livestock of the Levites [Descendants of United with] instead of their livestock; and the Levites [Descendants of United with] shall be mine. I am Adonai.

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.

46 For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel [God prevails], who exceed the number of the Levites [Descendants of United with],

And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and seventy and three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;

47 you shall take five shekels [2 oz; 56.7 g] for each one, that is 273 shekels [6.83 lb; 3.1 kg] total; after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them; (the shekel is 0.4 oz; 11.34 g; or called twenty gerahs 20/50 of an oz):

Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs: )

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

And thou shalt give to Aaron and to his sons the money, by which the odd number of them is to be redeemed,

49 Moses [Drawn out] took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites [Descendants of United with];

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

50 from the firstborn of the children of Israel [God prevails] he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels [34.13 lb; 15.48 kg], after the shekel of the sanctuary [0.4 oz; 11.34 g]:

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

51 and Moses [Drawn out] gave the redemption money to Aaron [Light-bringer] and to his sons, according to Adonai’s word, as Adonai enjoined Moses [Drawn out].

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