Numbers 3

1This is the family line of Aaron and Moses at the time when the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3These were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the LORD when they offered an improper fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

5The LORD spoke to Moses. He said, 6“Bring the tribe of Levi forward and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. 7They are to carry out duties for him and for the whole congregation in front of the tent of meeting as they do the work of the tabernacle. 8They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and carry out the duties of the Israelites as they do the work of the tabernacle. 9Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. From among the Israelites they are given entirely to him. 10Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out their duties as priests. Any outsider who comes near is to be put to death.”

11The LORD spoke to Moses. He said, 12“Look, I myself have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of every firstborn, the first child born to each mother in Israel. The Levites belong to me. 13For every firstborn is mine. When I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I made holy to myself every firstborn in Israel, both human and animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD.”

14The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. He said, 15“Enroll the Levites by their ancestral families and their clans. Enroll every male one month old and up.” 16So Moses enrolled them at the command of the LORD, as he had been commanded. 17These were the names of Levi’s sons: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 18The names of the sons of Gershon, by their clans, were Libni and Shimei. 19The sons of Kohath, by their clans, were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. 20The sons of Merari, by their clans, were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites by their ancestral families. 21From Gershon came the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites. These were the Gershonite clans. 22The number of those enrolled, counting every male one month old and up, was 7,500. 23The Gershonite clans were to camp behind the tabernacle, on the west side. 24The leader of the ancestral family of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25In the tent of meeting, the Gershonites were in charge of the tabernacle and the tent, its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords. They did all the work connected with these things. 27From Kohath came the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites. These were the Kohathite clans. 28Counting every male one month old and up, there were 8,600. They were responsible for the care of the holy place. 29The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30The leader of the ancestral family of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31They were in charge of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the holy utensils used in the priests’ ministry, the screen, and all the work connected with these things. 32The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He oversaw those responsible for the care of the holy place. 33From Merari came the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites. These were the Merarite clans. 34The number of those enrolled, counting every male one month old and up, was 6,200. 35The leader of the ancestral family of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36The Merarites were appointed to take charge of the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, posts and bases, all its equipment and all the work connected with them, 37and the posts around the courtyard, with their bases, pegs and cords. 38Those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses, Aaron and his sons. They were to carry out the duties of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Any outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39All the Levites enrolled by Moses and Aaron at the command of the LORD, by their clans, every male one month old and up, numbered 22,000.

40Then the LORD said to Moses, “Enroll every firstborn male among the Israelites who is one month old and up, and make a list of their names. 41Take the Levites for me — I am the LORD — in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and take the livestock of the Levites in place of every firstborn among the livestock of the Israelites.” 42So Moses enrolled every firstborn among the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him. 43The total of firstborn males one month old and up, enrolled by name, was 22,273.

44The LORD spoke to Moses. He said, 45“Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the LORD. 46To redeem the 273 firstborn of the Israelites who are more than the number of Levites, 47collect about 2 ounces of silver for each one, by the sanctuary standard. 48Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price of the extra firstborn.” 49So Moses collected the redemption money from those who were more than the number redeemed by the Levites. 50From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected about 34 pounds of silver by the sanctuary standard. 51Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons at the command of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.