Numbers 3
1NOW this is the genealogy of Aaron and Moses: On the day when the Lord spoke to Moses at mount Sina,
2these were the names of Aaron’s sons, Nadab his first born, and Abiud, Eleazar and Ithamar.
3These were the names of Aaron’s sons who were anointed priests, whose hands were consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.
4But Nadab and Abiud died in the presence of the Lord, upon their offering strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sina, and they had no children; so Eleazar and Ithamar officiated as priests with their father.
5And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
6Take the tribe of Levi, and thou shalt present them before Aaron the priest, and they shall minister to him,
7and keep his watches, and the watches of the children of Israel before the tabernacle of the testimony, to do the works of the tabernacle.
8Now that they may keep all the utensils of the tabernacle of the testimony, and the watches of the children of Israel, as far as they respect all the works of the tabernacle;
9and that thou mayst give the Levites, to Aaron and his sons the priests; they are to be given to Me as a gift from among the children of Israel.
10And thou shalt set Aaron and his sons over the tabernacle of the testimony, and they shall keep watch over their priesthood, and all that appertain to the altar, and that are within the veil; and if any one of another family touch these, he shall be put to death.
11Moreover the Lord spoke to Moses saying,
12Behold I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, instead of all the first born males among the children of Israel. The Levites shall be the price of their redemption, and shall be Mine;
13for every first born belongeth to Me. On the day when I smote every first born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed for Myself all the firstlings in Israel. The firstlings both of man and beast shall belong to Me. I am the Lord.
14Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sina, saying,
15Review the children of Levi, according to the houses of their families, according to their communities. Review them every male, from a month old and upwards.
16Accordingly Moses and Aaron reviewed them, at the command of the Lord, in the manner the Lord commanded them.
17Now these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gerson, Kaath, and Merari.
18And these are the sons of Gerson, according to their communities: Lobeni and Semei.
19And these are the sons of Kaath according to their communities, Amram and Issaar, Chebron and Oziel.
20And the sons of Merari, according to their communities, were Mooli and Mousi. These are the communities of the Levites, according to the houses of their families.
21To the Gersonites belong the community of the Lobenites, and the community of the Semeites. These are the communities of the Gersonites,
22and the review of them according to the number of every male, from a month old and upwards—on a review of them the number was seven thousand two hundred.
23Now the Gersonites are to encamp behind the tabernacle, towards the west,
24and the chief of the head of the family of the community of the Gersonites, was Elisaph son of Dael.
25And the charge of the Gersonites in the tabernacle of the testimony, was the tabernacle and the covering; and the curtain of the door of the tabernacle of the testimony;
26and the hangings of the court; and the curtain of the gate, of the court around the tabernacle; and the rest of the works thereof.
27To the Kaathites belonged the community of the Amramites, and the community of the Isaarites, and the community of the Chebronites, and the community of the Ozielites. These are the communities of the Kaathites
28according to the numeration; every male, from a month old and upwards, amounted to eight thousand six hundred.
29These communities of the Kaathites, having the charge of the holy things, are to encamp on the south side of the tabernacle;
30and the chief of the head family of the communities of the Kaathites was Elisaphan, son of Oziel;
31and their charge was the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary which were used in the priest’s office; and the veil, and all the works thereof.
32And the chief over the chiefs of the Levites was Eleazar, the son of Aaron, set over them to superintend the watches of the holy things.
33To the Merarites belonged the community of Mooli, and the community of Mousi. These are the communities of the Merarites.
34The muster of them, comprehending every male from one month old and upwards, was six thousand two hundred.
35And the chief of the head family of the community of the Merarites, was Suriel, the son of Abichail. They are to encamp on the north side of the tabernacle;
36and the review of the watch of the Merarites, had the charge of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the bases thereof, with all their appurtenances and works,
37and the pillars of the court round about, with their stakes and their cords.
38They who encamp in front of the tabernacle of the testimony, towards the east, were Moses and Aaron, and their sons, who have the superintendance of the watches of the sanctuary, for the purpose of guarding the things committed to the charge of the Israelites, and if any of another family touch them, he is to be put to death.
39The whole muster of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron reviewed, by the command of the Lord, according to their communities—all the males, from a month old and upwards, were twenty-two thousand.
40Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Review all the male first-born of the children of Israel, from one month old and upwards, and take the number by name.
41And thou shalt take the Levites for me—I, the Lord; instead of all the first-born sons of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings of the cattle belonging to the children of Israel.
42So Moses reviewed, in the manner the Lord commanded,
43all the male first-born among the Israelites; and all the first-born males, numbered by name, from one month old and upwards, were twenty two thousand two hundred and seventy three.
44Whereupon the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
45Take the Levites, instead of all the first-born of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites, for the firstlings of their cattle; and the Levites shall belong to me—I, the Lord.
46And as redemption money for the two hundred and seventy-three, of the first born, more than the Levites,
47thou shalt take from the first-born of the children of Israel, five shekels a poll. According to the holy didrachm, thou shall receive twenty oboli for a shekel.
48And thou shalt give the money to Aaron and his sons, as the redemption of the overplus among the Israelites.
49So Moses took the redemption money, or those who exceeded the redemption made by the Levites.
50From the first-born of the children of Israel he took the money, amounting to one thousand three hundred and sixtyfive shekels according to the holy shekel, and gave the redemption money for the overplus to Aaron and his sons, by the command of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.