Numbers 3
3
Levites Appointed for Service
1This is the family line of Aaron and Moses as it was recorded when the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai: 2The names of Aaron’s sons were Nadab (the oldest), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3These sons of Aaron were anointed and ordained to minister as priests. 4But Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord’s presence in the wilderness of Sinai when they burned before the Lord the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. Since they had no sons, this left only Eleazar and Ithamar to serve as priests with their father, Aaron.
5Then the Lord said to Moses, 6“Call forward the tribe of Levi, and present them to Aaron the priest to serve as his assistants. 7They will serve Aaron and the whole community, performing their sacred duties in and around the Tabernacle.#3:7 Hebrew around the Tent of Meeting, doing service at the Tabernacle. 8They will also maintain all the furnishings of the sacred tent,#3:8 Hebrew the Tent of Meeting; also in 3:25. serving in the Tabernacle on behalf of all the Israelites. 9Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They have been given from among all the people of Israel to serve as their assistants. 10Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the sanctuary must be put to death.”
11And the Lord said to Moses, 12“Look, I have chosen the Levites from among the Israelites to serve as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me, 13for all the firstborn males are mine. On the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both of people and of animals. They are mine; I am the Lord.”
Registration of the Levites
14The Lord spoke again to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. He said, 15“Record the names of the members of the tribe of Levi by their families and clans. List every male who is one month old or older.” 16So Moses listed them, just as the Lord had commanded.
17Levi had three sons, whose names were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18The clans descended from Gershon were named after two of his descendants, Libni and Shimei.
19The clans descended from Kohath were named after four of his descendants, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20The clans descended from Merari were named after two of his descendants, Mahli and Mushi.
These were the Levite clans, listed according to their family groups.
21The descendants of Gershon were composed of the clans descended from Libni and Shimei. 22There were 7,500 males one month old or older among these Gershonite clans. 23They were assigned the area to the west of the Tabernacle for their camp. 24The leader of the Gershonite clans was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25These two clans were responsible to care for the Tabernacle, including the sacred tent with its layers of coverings, the curtain at its entrance, 26the curtains of the courtyard that surrounded the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain at the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and all the equipment related to their use.
27The descendants of Kohath were composed of the clans descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 28There were 8,600#3:28 Some Greek manuscripts read 8,300; see total in 3:39. males one month old or older among these Kohathite clans. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary, 29and they were assigned the area south of the Tabernacle for their camp. 30The leader of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31These four clans were responsible for the care of the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the various articles used in the sanctuary, the inner curtain, and all the equipment related to their use. 32Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, was the chief administrator over all the Levites, with special responsibility for the oversight of the sanctuary.
33The descendants of Merari were composed of the clans descended from Mahli and Mushi. 34There were 6,200 males one month old or older among these Merarite clans. 35They were assigned the area north of the Tabernacle for their camp. The leader of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail. 36These two clans were responsible for the care of the frames supporting the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the pillars, the bases, and all the equipment related to their use. 37They were also responsible for the posts of the courtyard and all their bases, pegs, and ropes.
38The area in front of the Tabernacle, in the east toward the sunrise,#3:38 Hebrew toward the sunrise, in front of the Tent of Meeting. was reserved for the tents of Moses and of Aaron and his sons, who had the final responsibility for the sanctuary on behalf of the people of Israel. Anyone other than a priest or Levite who went too near the sanctuary was to be put to death.
39When Moses and Aaron counted the Levite clans at the Lord’s command, the total number was 22,000 males one month old or older.
Redeeming the Firstborn Sons
40Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now count all the firstborn sons in Israel who are one month old or older, and make a list of their names. 41The Levites must be reserved for me as substitutes for the firstborn sons of Israel; I am the Lord. And the Levites’ livestock must be reserved for me as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the whole nation of Israel.”
42So Moses counted the firstborn sons of the people of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded. 43The number of firstborn sons who were one month old or older was 22,273.
44Then the Lord said to Moses, 45“Take the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. And take the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me; I am the Lord. 46There are 273 more firstborn sons of Israel than there are Levites. To redeem these extra firstborn sons, 47collect five pieces of silver#3:47 Hebrew 5 shekels [2 ounces or 57 grams]. for each of them (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs). 48Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra firstborn sons.”
49So Moses collected the silver for redeeming the firstborn sons of Israel who exceeded the number of Levites. 50He collected 1,365 pieces of silver#3:50 Hebrew 1,365 [shekels] of silver [34 pounds or 15.5 kilograms]. on behalf of these firstborn sons of Israel (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel). 51And Moses gave the silver for the redemption to Aaron and his sons, just as the Lord had commanded.
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Numbers 3: NLT
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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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