Numbers 3

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

This is the account concerning Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.

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

The names of the sons of Aaron were: Nadab (firstborn), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

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

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

4 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. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord's presence when they offered forbidden fire before the Lord in the Sinai desert. Since they didn't have any sons, Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests while their father Aaron was alive.

5 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

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

“Gather the tribe of Levi together and present them to Aaron the priest to help him with the ministry.

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.

They are to carry out duties on his behalf and for all the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting, looking after 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, to do the service of the tabernacle.

They are responsible for caring for all the furniture of the Tent of Meeting, serving the Israelites through what they do in the Tabernacle.

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

The Levites are to work exclusively for Aaron and his sons of because this is their assignment among the Israelites.

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

You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to have the responsibility of the priesthood. Anyone else who tries to act as a priest must be executed.”

11 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

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,

“I've taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every one of their firstborn. The Levites belong to me

13 for 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.”

because all the firstborn are mine. When I killed every firstborn in Egypt I set apart as holy to me all the firstborn of Israel, human and animal. They are mine. I am the Lord.”

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

The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert. He told him,

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

“Register the Levites by their father's line and family. Count every male aged one month or older.”

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

So Moses registered them following the Lord's instructions, just as he had been told.

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

These were the names of Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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

These were the names of the Gershon's sons by family: Libni and Shimei.

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

Kohath's sons by family were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

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

Merari's sons by family were Mahli and Mushi. These were the families of the Levites, according to their father's line.

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

The family of Libni and the family of Shimei came from Gershon. These were the families of Gershon.

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 and five hundred.

The total of all males aged one month or older was 7,500.

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

The camp of families of Gerson was to the west, behind the Tabernacle.

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

The leader of the Gershon families was Eliasaph, son of Lael.

25 The 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,

Their assigned responsibility for the Tent of Meeting was to take care of the Tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,

26 the 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.

the courtyard curtains, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the Tabernacle and altar, the ropes, and everything connected with their use.

27 Of 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.

The families of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel came from Kohath. These were the families of Kohath.

28 According 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.

The total of all males aged one month or older was 8,600. Their assigned responsibility was to take care of the sanctuary.

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

The camp of families of Kohath was on the south side of the Tabernacle.

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

The leader of the Kohath families was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

31 Their 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.

Their assigned responsibility was to care for the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, the veil, and everything connected with these items.

32 Eleazar 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.

The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those responsible for serving in the sanctuary.

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

The family of Mahli and the family of Mushi came from Merari. These were 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 and two hundred.

The total of all males aged one month or older was 6,200.

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.

The leader of the Merari families was Zuriel, son of Abihail. Their camp was on the north side of the Tabernacle.

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,

Their assigned responsibility was to take care of the Tabernacle's frames, crossbars, posts, stands, all its equipment, and everything connected with their use,

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

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

38 Those 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.

The camp of Moses, Aaron, and Aaron's sons was to the east of the Tabernacle, in the direction of the sunrise, in front of the Tent of Meeting. They were responsible for the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who tried to act as a priest was to be executed.

39 All 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.

The sum total of Levites registered by Moses and Aaron as the Lord ordered was 22,000. This included all males aged one month or older.

40 The 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.

The Lord told Moses, “Conduct a census of all the firstborn Israelite males aged one month or older, and register their names.

41 You 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.”

Assign the Levites to me. I am the Lord. They are in place of all of the Israelites' firstborn children. The livestock of the Levites are in place of all the Israelites' firstborn livestock.”

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

Moses conducted a census of all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord had instructed him.

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 and two hundred and seventy-three.

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

44 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord spoke to Moses and told him,

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.

“You are to take the Levites in place of all the firstborn children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock, because the Levites belong to me. I am the Lord.

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

In order to buy back the 273 firstborn Israelites who are more than the number of Levites,

47 you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs);

collect five shekels for each of them, (using the sanctuary shekel standard of twenty gerahs).

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

He handed the money over to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra Israelites.”

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

Moses collected the redemption money for those extra Israelites that were more than the number redeemed by the Levites.

50 from 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;

He collected the money given on behalf of the Israelites' firstborn children. It came to 1,365 shekels, (using the sanctuary shekel standard).

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

Moses gave this redemption money to Aaron and his sons as the Lord had told him to, following the Lord's instructions.