Numbers 3

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

This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

2 The names of Aaron's sons were Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

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

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

These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

4 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.

Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

5 Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

Then the LORD said to Moses,

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

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

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

They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle.

8 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.

They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

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

Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites.

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

So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

11 Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

12 “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.

“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,

13 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.”

for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”

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

Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying,

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

“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”

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

So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he had been commanded.

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

These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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

These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei.

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

The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

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

And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.

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

From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans.

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

The number of all the males a month old or more was 7,500.

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

The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle,

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

and the leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.

25 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.

The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

26 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.

the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items.

27 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.

From Kohath came the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites.

28 8,600 males have been counted aged one month old and older to take care of the things that belong to Yahweh.

The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

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

The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,

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

and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

31 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.

Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.

32 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.

The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

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

From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans.

34 6,200 males have been counted aged one month old and older.

The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200.

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

The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

36 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

The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items,

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

as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.

38 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.

Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

39 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.

The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.

40 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.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names.

41 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.”

You are to take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”

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

So Moses numbered all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him.

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

The total number of the firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.

44 Again, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

45 “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.

“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.

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

To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

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

you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.

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

Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”

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

So Moses collected the redemption money from those in excess of the number redeemed by the Levites.

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

He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites: 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

51 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.

And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the word of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.