B'midbar (Num) 3
3
1(iv) These are the descendants of Aharon and Moshe as of the day when Adonai spoke with Moshe on Mount Sinai. 2The names of the sons of Aharon are: Nadav the firstborn, Avihu, El‘azar and Itamar. 3These were the names of the sons of Aharon the cohen, whom he anointed and ordained as cohanim. 4But Nadav and Avihu died in the presence of Adonai when they offered unauthorized fire before Adonai in the Sinai Desert, and they had no children; El‘azar and Itamar served as cohanim in the presence of Aharon their father.
5Adonai said to Moshe, 6“Summon the tribe of Levi, and assign them to Aharon the cohen, so that they can help him. 7They are to carry out his duties and the duties of the whole community before the tent of meeting in performing the service of the tabernacle. 8They are to be in charge of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and to carry out all the duties of the people of Isra’el connected with the service of the tabernacle. 9Assign the L’vi’im to Aharon and his sons; their one responsibility in regard to the people of Isra’el is to serve him. 10You are to appoint Aharon and his sons to carry out the duties of cohanim; anyone else who involves himself is to be put to death.”
11Adonai said to Moshe, 12“I have taken the L’vi’im from among the people of Isra’el in lieu of every firstborn male that is first from the womb among the people of Isra’el; the L’vi’im are to be mine. 13All the firstborn males belong to me, because on the day that I killed all the firstborn males in the land of Egypt, I separated for myself all the firstborn males in Isra’el, both human and animal. They are mine; I am Adonai.”
(v) 14Adonai said to Moshe in the Sinai Desert, 15“Take a census of the tribe of Levi by clans and families. Count every male a month old or over.” 16Moshe counted them in the manner Adonai had said, as he had been ordered. 17The names of the sons of Levi were Gershon, K’hat and M’rari. 18The names of the sons of Gershon were Livni and Shim‘i; they fathered their respective clans; 19likewise the sons of K’hat — ‘Amram,Yitz’har, Hevron and ‘Uzi’el — 20and the sons of M’rari — Machli and Mushi. These fathered the clans of the L’vi’im.
21Gershon fathered the clans of Livni and Shim‘i; these were the Gershon clans. 22Of them, 7,500 males a month old and over were counted. 23The Gershon clans were to camp behind the tabernacle, toward the west. 24The chief of the Gershon clan was Elyasaf, the son of La’el. 25In connection with the tent of meeting, the descendants of Gershon were to be in charge of the following: the tabernacle itself, its inner and outer coverings, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26the curtains surrounding the courtyard, the screen for the entrance of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and the altar, all the fixtures and ropes for these items, and their maintenance.
27K’hat fathered the clans of ‘Amram, Yitz’har, Hevron and ‘Uzi’el; these were the K’hat clans. 28Of them, 8,600 males a month old and over were counted; they were in charge of the Holy Place. 29The K’hat clans were to camp next to the tabernacle, toward the south. 30The chief of the K’hat clan was Elitzafan the son of ‘Uzi’el. 31They were responsible for the ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, the utensils the cohanim use when they serve in the Holy Place, the curtain, and everything involved with the maintenance of these things. 32El‘azar the son of Aharon the cohen was first among the chiefs of the L’vi’im and supervised those in charge of the Holy Place.
33M’rari fathered the clans of Machli and Mushi; these were the M’rari clans. 34Of them, 6,200 males a month old and over were counted. 35The chief of the M’rari clan was Tzuri’el the son of Avichayil. They were to camp next to the tabernacle, toward the north. 36The M’rari clans were assigned responsibility for the frames of the tabernacle, along with its crossbars, posts, sockets and fittings, together with their maintenance; 37also the posts of the surrounding courtyard, with their sockets, pegs and ropes.
38Those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moshe, Aharon and his sons who were in charge of the Holy Place. They carried out their responsibility on behalf of the people of Isra’el, and anyone else who involved himself was to be put to death.
39The total number of L’vi’im whom Moshe and Aharon counted by their clans, all the males a month old and over, was 22,000.
(vi) 40Adonai said to Moshe, “Register all the firstborn males of the people of Isra’el a month old and over, and determine how many there are. 41Then you are to take the L’vi’im for me, Adonai, in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el, and the cattle of the L’vi’im in place of the firstborn of the cattle belonging to the people of Isra’el.” 42Moshe counted, as Adonai had ordered him, all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el. 43The total number of firstborn males registered, a month old and over, of those who were counted, was 22,273.
44Adonai said to Moshe, 45“Take the L’vi’im in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el, and the cattle of the L’vi’im in place of their cattle; the L’vi’im are to belong to me, Adonai. 46Since there were 273 more firstborn males from Isra’el than male L’vi’im, in order to redeem them, 47you are to take five shekels [two ounces] for each of these (use the sanctuary shekel, which is equal to twenty gerahs). 48Give the redemption money for these extra people to Aharon and his sons.” 49Moshe took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the L’vi’im; 50the amount of money he took from the firstborn of the people of Isra’el was 1,365 shekels, using the sanctuary shekel. 51Moshe gave the redemption-money to Aharon and his sons, in keeping with what Adonai had said, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
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3
The Levite Families and Duties
1These are the generations of Aaron and Moses current at the time Adonai spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.
2These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab the first-born, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed kohanim whom he consecrated to be priests.
4But Nadab and Abihu died before Adonai for offering unauthorized fire before Adonai in the Sinai wilderness—they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as kohanim under Aaron their father.
5Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying,
6“Gather the tribe of Levi near, and appoint them to attend to Aaron the kohen.
7They are to keep watch over duties for him and the entire community before the Tent of Meeting while performing the service of the Tabernacle.
8They are to tend to all the implements of the Tent of Meeting and the service of Bnei-Yisrael while performing the service of the Tabernacle.
9You are to give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. Out of Bnei-Yisrael they are dedicated entirely to him.
10You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to maintain the priesthood; any commoner who approaches must be executed.”
11Then Adonai said to Moses saying,
12“See, I have taken the Levites from among Bnei-Yisrael in place of the firstborn who open the womb among Bnei-Yisrael. The Levites will be Mine,
13because all the firstborn are Mine. In the day when I was striking down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself every firstborn in Israel—whether man or animal—as Mine. I am Adonai.”
14Adonai spoke in the Sinai wilderness to Moses saying,
15“Count the sons of Levi. According to their ancestral house, by their families, every male a month old and upward you are to number them.”
16So Moses numbered them in accordance with the word of Adonai, just as he was commanded.
17These were the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18These then were the names of the sons of Gershon by their families—Libni and Shimei.
19The sons of Kohath by their families were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20The sons of Merari, by their families, are Mahli and Mushi. These then were the families of the Levites by their ancestral households.
21To Gershon belonged the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites. These were the families of the Gershonites.
22The number of every male one month old and upward who were counted was 7,500.
23The Gershonites were to camp behind the Tabernacle on the west.
24The prince of the ancestral house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.
25The duties of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting were the Tabernacle, the tent, its coverings, the curtain of the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,
26the curtains of the courtyard, the screen of the entrance of the courtyard around the Tabernacle and altar, its ropes and all related to its use.
27To Kohath belonged the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites. These were the Kohathite families.
28The number of every male one month old and upward was 8,600. Their duties were caring for the Sanctuary.
29The Kohathite families were to camp along the side of the Tabernacle on the south.
30The prince of the ancestral household of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
31They were responsible for the Ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, and the implements of the Sanctuary used in service with them, the curtain and all involved with its use.
32The chief prince of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the kohen appointed over those whose responsibility was the care of the Sanctuary.
33To Merari belonged the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites. These were the families of Merari.
34Their number by count of every male one month old and upward was 6,200.
35The prince of the household of the father of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the Tabernacle.
36The sons of Merari were appointed over the care of the frames of the Tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, and all equipment for its use,
37the posts of the surrounding courtyard, their bases, pegs and ropes.
38Those camping in front of the Tent of Meeting, on the east, toward the sunrise, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons. They were to care for the Sanctuary on behalf of Bnei-Yisrael. But anyone unauthorized who approached had to be executed.
39All the Levites counted by Moses and Aaron at the word of Adonai, by their families, inclusive of every male one month old and upward, were 22,000.
Redemption of the Firstborn
40Adonai said to Moses, “Count every firstborn male of Bnei-Yisrael from one month old and upward and make a list of their names.
41Set the Levites apart for me in place of all the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael, and, all the livestock of the Levites in place of the firstborn of the livestock of Bnei-Yisrael. I am Adonai.”
42So Moses counted all the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael as Adonai commanded him.
43The sum total of the firstborn males of Bnei-Yisrael, one month old and upward, listed by name, was 22,273.
44Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying,
45“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites will be Mine. I am Adonai.
46To redeem the 273 firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael exceeding the number of the Levites,
47you are to collect five shekels for each, based on the shekel of the Sanctuary, which is 20 gerahs.
48Give the money for the redemption of the extra ones of the firstborn of them to Aaron and his sons.”
49Hence Moses collected the redemption money for those exceeding the number redeemed by the Levites.
50From the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the Sanctuary shekel.
51Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, just as Adonai commanded him, in accordance with the mouth of Adonai.
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