Numbers 3
3
Aaron’s Sons
1These are the genealogies of Aaron and Moses at the time#Literally “on a day” when Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. 2These are the names of the descendants of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3These are the names of the descendants of Aaron, the priests, the anointed ones whom he consecrated as priests.#Literally “he filled their hands to serve as a priest” 4Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh#Literally “before the face of Yahweh” when they presented a strange fire before Yahweh#Literally “before the face of Yahweh” in the desert of Sinai, and they had no children.#Literally “sons were not for them” Eleazar and Ithamar served as priest during the presence of Aaron their father.
5Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6“Bring near the tribe of Levi, and set the tribe#Literally “cause it to stand” before Aaron#Literally “in the presence of Aaron” the priest, and they will minister to him. 7They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. 8And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the Israelites,#Literally “sons/children of Israel” to do the work#Or “service” of the tabernacle. 9You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they are surely assigned to him from among the Israelites.#Literally “sons/children of Israel” 10But you will count Aaron and his descendants; they will keep their priesthood, and the stranger#Or “outsider” who approaches will be put to death.”
11Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, 12“I myself receive the Levites from the midst of the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” in the place of all the firstborn of the offspring of the womb from the Israelites.#Literally “sons/children of Israel” The Levites will be mine 13because all the firstborn are mine; on the day of my killing all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both humankind and animal;#Literally “from humankind to animal” they will be mine. I am Yahweh.”
14Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying, 15“Muster#Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll” the descendants of Levi according to their families,#Literally “the house of their fathers” according to their clans. You will count every male from one month#Literally “the son of a month” and above.” 16So Moses mustered#Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled” them according to the command of Yahweh,#Literally “mouth of Yahweh” just as he commanded. 17These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18And these are the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19And the sons of Kohath according to their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their families.#Literally “the house of their fathers”
21To Gershon belonged#Literally “To Gershon was” the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these are the clans of the Gershonites. 22The ones counted#Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them” according to the number of every male from one month#Literally “the son of a month and above” and above were seven thousand five hundred. 23The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, 24and the leader of the family#Literally “the house of his father” of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. 25And the responsibility of the descendants of Gershon in the tent of assembly is the tabernacle, and the tent covering it and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of the assembly, 26and the hangings of the courtyard and the curtain of the doorway of the courtyard that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its ten cords, all of its use.
27To Kohath belonged#Literally “For Kohath was” the clan of Amramites,#Hebrew “Amramite” the clan of the Izharites,#Hebrew “Izharite” the clan of the Hebronites,#Hebrew “Hebronite” and the clan of the Uzzielites;#Hebrew “Uzzielite” these were the clans of the Kohathites.#Hebrew “Kohathite” 28According to the number of every male from one month#Literally “the son of a month” and above there were eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. 29The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. 30The leader of his family#Literally “the house of his father” according to the clans of the Kohathites#Hebrew “Kohathite” is Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31Their responsibility was the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use. 32The chief of the leaders#Literally “the leader of leaders” of the Levites#Hebrew “Levite” was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest who had oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.
33To Merari belonged#Literally “for Merari was” the clan of Mahlites#Hebrew “Mahlite” and the clan of the Mushites:#Hebrew “Mushite” these are the clans of Merari. 34The ones counted#Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them” according to the number of every male from one month#Literally “the son of a month” and above were six thousand two hundred. 35The leader of the family#Literally “the house of his father” according to the clans of Merari is Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north. 36The responsibility of the sons of Merari was the supervision of the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its vessels and all its service, 37and the pillars around the courtyard, and their bases, pegs, and cords.
38Those encamped before the tabernacle to the east—before the tent of assembly to the east—were Moses and Aaron and his sons; they will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary for the Israelites;#Literally “for the responsibility of the children of Israel” and the stranger#Or “outsider” who approaches will be put to death. 39All those counted from the Levites whom Moses and Aaron mustered#Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled” according to the word of Yahweh,#Literally “the mouth of Yahweh” according to their clans, every male from one month#Literally “the son of a month” and above were twenty-two thousand.
40And Yahweh said to Moses, “Muster every firstborn male from the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” from one month#Literally “the son of a month” and above and count#Literally “and lift up the number of” their names. 41And you will receive the Levites for me—I am Yahweh—in the place of all the firstborn among the Israelites,#Literally “sons/children of Israel” and the animals#Hebrew “animal” of the Levites in the place of all the firstborn among the animals#Hebrew “animal” among the Israelites.”#Literally “sons/children of Israel” 42So Moses mustered#Or “counted” or “summoned” or “enrolled” all the firstborn among the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” just as Yahweh commanded him. 43And all the firstborn males#Hebrew “male” among the number of names from one month#Literally “the son of a month” and above, the ones counted,#Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them” were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
44Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45“Receive the Levites in the place of all the firstborn among the Israelites,#Literally “sons/children of Israel” and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I am Yahweh. 46And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” who are excessive over the Levites, 47you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs#Hebrew “gerah” per shekel. 48You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them.” 49And Moses received the money of the redemption from the ones who were excessive from those redeemed of the Levites. 50From the firstborn of the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel. 51And Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and to his sons according to the word#Literally “mouth” of Yahweh just as Yahweh commanded Moses.
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Numbers 3: LEB
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Numbers 3
3
Aaron’s Family, the Priests
1This is the family history of Aaron and Moses. This was at the time the Lord talked to Moses on Mount Sinai.
2Aaron had four sons. Nadab was the oldest. Then Aaron had Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3Those were the names of Aaron’s sons. They were appointed to serve as priests. 4But Nadab and Abihu died when they sinned in the presence of the Lord. They made an offering to the Lord in the Desert of Sinai. But they used the wrong kind of fire. They had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
5The Lord said to Moses, 6“Bring the tribe of Levi to Aaron the priest. They must help him. 7They will help him and all the Israelites at the Meeting Tent. They will do the work of the Holy Tent. 8The Levites must take care of everything in the Meeting Tent. They will serve the people of Israel by doing the work in the Holy Tent. 9Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. Of all the Israelites, the Levites are given completely to him. 10Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who comes near the holy things must be put to death.”
11The Lord also said to Moses, 12“I am choosing the Levites from all the Israelites. They will take the place of all the firstborn children of Israel. The Levites will be mine. 13All the firstborn are mine. When you were in Egypt, I killed all the firstborn children of the Egyptians. I took all the firstborn of Israel to be mine. Firstborn animals and children are mine. I am the Lord.”
14The Lord again talked to Moses in the Desert of Sinai. The Lord said, 15“Count the Levites by families and family groups. Count every male one month old or older.” 16So Moses obeyed the Lord and counted them all.
17Levi had three sons. Their names were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
18The Gershonite family groups were Libni and Shimei.
19The Kohathite family groups were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
20The Merarite family groups were Mahli and Mushi.
These were the family groups that belonged to the Levites.
21The family groups of Libni and Shimei belonged to Gershon. They were all the Gershonite family groups. 22They had 7,500 males one month or older. 23The Gershonite family groups camped on the west side, behind the Holy Tent. 24The leader of the families of Gershon was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25In the Meeting Tent the Gershonites were responsible for taking care of these things: the Holy Tent, its covering, the curtain at the entrance to the Meeting Tent, 26the curtains in the courtyard, the curtain at the entry to the courtyard around the Holy Tent and the altar, the ropes and all the work connected with these things.
27The family groups of Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel belonged to Kohath. They were all the Kohathite family groups. 28They had 8,600 males one month old or older. They were responsible for taking care of the Holy Place. 29The Kohathite family groups camped south of the Holy Tent. 30The leader of the Kohathite families was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31They were responsible for the Ark of the Covenant, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the tools of the holy place, the curtain and all the work connected with these things. 32The main leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. Eleazar was in charge of all those responsible for the Holy Place.
33The family groups of Mahli and Mushi belonged to Merari. They were all the Merarite family groups. 34They had 6,200 males one month old or older. 35The leader of the Merari families was Zuriel son of Abihail. They were to camp north of the Holy Tent. 36The Merarites were responsible for the frame of the Holy Tent, the braces, the posts, the bases and all the work connected with these things. 37They were also responsible for the posts in the courtyard around the Holy Tent and their bases, tent pegs and ropes.
38Moses, Aaron and his sons camped east of the Holy Tent. They were in front of the Meeting Tent. They were responsible for the Holy Place. They did this for the Israelites. Anyone else who came near the Holy Place was to be put to death.
39Moses and Aaron counted the Levite men. The Lord commanded this. There were 22,000 males one month old or older.
Levites Take the Place of the Firstborn Sons
40The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn sons in Israel one month old or older. List their names. 41Take the Levites for me instead of the firstborn sons of Israel. Take the animals of the Levites instead of the firstborn animals from the rest of Israel. I am the Lord.”
42So Moses did what the Lord commanded. Moses counted all the firstborn sons of the Israelites. 43He listed all the firstborn sons one month old or older. There were 22,273 names.
44The Lord also said to Moses, 45“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites. And take the animals of the Levites instead of the animals of the other people. The Levites are mine. I am the Lord. 46There are 273 more firstborn sons than Levites. 47So collect two ounces of silver for each of the 273 sons. Use the measure as set by the Holy Place. It weighs two-fifths of an ounce. 48Give the silver to Aaron and his sons. It is the payment for the 273 Israelites.”
49So Moses collected the money for the people the Levites could not replace. 50Moses collected the silver from the firstborn of the Israelites. He collected 35 pounds of silver, using the measure set by the Holy Place. 51So Moses obeyed the Lord. He gave the silver to Aaron and his sons.
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