Numbers 3
3
The Sons of Aaron
1Now these are the #Ex. 6:16–27records of Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the #Ex. 6:23firstborn, and #Lev. 10:1, 2; Num. 26:60, 61; 1 Chr. 24:2Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, #Ex. 28:41; Lev. 8the anointed priests, whom he consecrated to minister as priests. 4#Lev. 10:1, 2; Num. 26:61; 1 Chr. 24:2Nadab and Abihu had died before the Lord when they offered profane fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.
The Levites Serve in the Tabernacle
5And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 6#Num. 8:6–22; 18:1–7; Deut. 10:8; 33:8–11“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do #Num. 1:50; 8:11, 15, 24, 26the work of the tabernacle. 8Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle. 9And #Num. 8:19; 18:6, 7you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are given entirely to him from among the children of Israel. 10So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, #Ex. 29:9; Num. 18:7and they shall attend to their priesthood; #Num. 1:51; 3:38; 16:40but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
11Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 12“Now behold, #Num. 3:41; 8:16; 18:6I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be #Ex. 13:2; Num. 3:45; 8:14Mine, 13because #Ex. 13:2; Lev. 27:26; Num. 8:16, 17; Neh. 10:36; Luke 2:23all the firstborn are Mine. #Ex. 13:12, 15; Num. 8:17On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the Lord.”
Census of the Levites Commanded
14Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying: 15“Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families; you shall number #Num. 3:39; 26:62every male from a month old and above.”
16So Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. 17#Gen. 46:11; Ex. 6:16–22; Num. 26:57; 1 Chr. 6:1, 16; 23:6These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18And these are the names of the sons of #Num. 4:38–41Gershon by their families: #Ex. 6:17Libni and Shimei. 19And the sons of #Num. 4:34–37Kohath by their families: #Ex. 6:18Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20#Ex. 6:19; Num. 4:42–45And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers’ houses.
21From Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites; these were the families of the Gershonites. 22Those who were numbered, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above—of those who were numbered there were seven thousand five hundred. 23#Num. 1:53The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle westward. 24And the leader of the father’s house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael. 25#Num. 4:24–26The duties of the children of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting included #Ex. 25:9the tabernacle, #Ex. 26:1the tent with #Ex. 26:7, 14its covering, the #Ex. 26:36screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, 26#Ex. 27:9, 12, 14, 15the screen for the door of the court, #Ex. 27:16the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and the altar, and #Ex. 35:18their cords, according to all the work relating to them.
27#1 Chr. 26:23From Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites. 28According to the number of all the males, from a month old and above, there were eight thousand six hundred keeping charge of the sanctuary. 29#Ex. 6:18; Num. 1:53The families of the children of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30And the leader of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of #Lev. 10:4Uzziel. 31#Num. 4:15Their duty included #Ex. 25:10the ark, #Ex. 25:23the table, #Ex. 25:31the lampstand, #Ex. 27:1; 30:1the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, #Ex. 26:31–33the screen, and all the work relating to them.
32And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, with oversight of those who kept charge of the sanctuary.
33From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari. 34And those who were numbered, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, were six thousand two hundred. 35The leader of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. #Num. 1:53; 2:25These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36And #Num. 4:31, 32the appointed duty of the children of Merari included the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, its utensils, all the work relating to them, 37and the pillars of the court all around, with their sockets, their pegs, and their cords.
38#Num. 1:53Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, #Num. 18:5keeping charge of the sanctuary, #Num. 3:7, 8to meet the needs of the children of Israel; but #Num. 3:10the outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39#Num. 3:43; 4:48; 26:62All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, by their families, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand.
Levites Dedicated Instead of the Firstborn
40Then the Lord said to Moses: #Num. 3:15“Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. 41#Num. 3:12, 45And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.” 42So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel, as the Lord commanded him. 43And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and above, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
44Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 45#Num. 3:12, 41“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the Lord. 46And for #Ex. 13:13, 15; Num. 18:15, 16the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, #Num. 3:39, 43who are more than the number of the Levites, 47you shall take #Lev. 27:6; Num. 18:16five shekels for each one #Num. 1:2, 18, 20individually; you shall take them in the currency of the shekel of the sanctuary, #Ex. 30:13the shekel of twenty gerahs. 48And you shall give the money, with which the excess number of them is redeemed, to Aaron and his sons.”
49So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites. 50From the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, #Num. 3:46, 47one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 51And Moses #Num. 3:48gave their redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
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Numbers 3: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Numbers 3
3
The Number and Duties of the Levites
1These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses, in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Si´nai. 2#Num 26.60. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abi´hu, Ele-a´zar, and Ith´amar. 3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office. 4#Lev 10.1,2; Num 26.61. And Nadab and Abi´hu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Si´nai, and they had no children: and Ele-a´zar and Ith´amar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.
5And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 6Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. 7And 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. 8And 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. 9And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. 10And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
11And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 12#Exod 32.26-29. And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; 13#Exod 13.2. because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine they shall be: I am the Lord.
14And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Si´nai, saying, 15Number 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. 16And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. 17And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Mera´ri. 18And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shim´e-i. 19And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Iz´ehar, Hebron, and Uz´zi-el. 20And the sons of Mera´ri by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
21Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Ger´shonites. 22Those 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. 23The families of the Ger´shonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward. 24And the chief of the house of the father of the Ger´shonites shall be Eli´asaph the son of La´el. 25And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 26and the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it, for all the service thereof.
27And of Kohath was the family of the Am´ramites, and the family of the Iz´eharites, and the family of the He´bronites, and the family of the Uz´zi-elites: these are the families of the Ko´hathites. 28In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. 29The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward. 30And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Ko´hathites shall be Eliza´phan the son of Uz´zi-el. 31And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. 32And Ele-a´zar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
33Of Mera´ri was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Mera´ri. 34And 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. 35And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Mera´ri was Zu´ri-el the son of Ab´ihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward. 36And under the custody and charge of the sons of Mera´ri shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto, 37and the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
38But 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 nigh shall be put to death. 39All that were numbered of the Levites, which 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.
The Redemption of the Firstborn
40And the Lord said unto 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. 41And 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. 42And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 43And 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 threescore and thirteen.
44And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 45Take 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. 46And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites; 47thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) 48and thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons. 49And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 50of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 51and Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.