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
3
Aaron’s Sons and the Levites
1These are the family records of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.#Ex 19:3 2These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4But Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord’s presence when they presented unauthorized fire#Lv 10:1–2 before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests under the direction of Aaron their father.#Lv 10:6; Nm 4:16,28,33
5The Lord spoke to Moses: 6“Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them to the priest Aaron to assist him. 7They are to perform duties for#3:7 Or to guard, also in v. 8 him and the entire community before the tent of meeting by attending to the service of the tabernacle. 8They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting#Nm 1:50,53 and perform duties for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle. 9Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been assigned exclusively to him#3:9 Some Hb mss, LXX, Sam read me; Nm 8:16 from the Israelites.#Nm 8:16,19,22; 18:6 10You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out their priestly responsibilities, but any unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.”#Nm 1:51; 3:38; 8:19; 18:7
11The Lord spoke to Moses: 12“See, I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb.#Ex 13:1–2; 32:26–29; Nm 3:6,12–13,40–43; 8:16–18; 18:1 The Levites belong to me, 13because every firstborn belongs to me. At the time I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt,#Ex 13:15–16 I consecrated every firstborn in Israel to myself, both man and animal. They are mine; I am the Lord.”#Ex 3:14–16; 6:6–7; Nm 3:41,45
The Levitical Census
14The Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai: 15“Register the Levites by their ancestral families#3:15 Lit the house of their fathers, also in v. 20 and their clans. You are to register every male one month old or more.” 16So Moses registered them in obedience to the Lord as he had been commanded:
17These were Levi’s sons by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18These were the names of Gershon’s sons by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19Kohath’s sons by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20Merari’s sons by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans by their ancestral families.#Ex 6:17–19; 1Ch 6:1,16,20–29
21The Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan came from Gershon; these were the Gershonite clans. 22Those registered, counting every male one month old or more, numbered 7,500. 23The Gershonite clans camped behind the tabernacle on the west side,#Nm 2:18–24 24and the leader of the Gershonite families#3:24 Lit a father’s house, also in vv. 30,35 was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25The Gershonites’ duties#Nm 4:24–26 at the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,#Ex 26:7,14,36–37; 35:11,15 26the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance#Ex 27:9–19; 35:17–18; 38:9–31 to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, and the tent ropes — all the work relating to these.
27The Amramite clan, the Izharite clan, the Hebronite clan, and the Uzzielite clan came from Kohath; these were the Kohathites. 28Counting every male one month old or more, there were 8,600#3:28 LXX reads 8,300 responsible for the duties of#3:28 Or for guarding, also in v. 32 the sanctuary. 29The clans of the Kohathites camped on the south side of the tabernacle,#Nm 2:10–16 30and the leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31Their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sanctuary utensils that were used with these, and the screen#3:31 The screen between the most holy place and the holy place; Ex 35:12#Ex 35:12 — and all the work relating to them.#Ex 25:10–27:21 32The chief of the Levite leaders was Eleazar#Ex 6:23–25; 28:1; Lv 10:6,12,16; Nm 3:2,4 son of Aaron the priest; he had oversight of those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.
33The Mahlite clan and the Mushite clan came from Merari; these were the Merarite clans. 34Those registered, counting every male one month old or more, numbered 6,200. 35The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they camped on the north side of the tabernacle.#Nm 2:25–31 36The assigned duties of Merari’s descendants involved the tabernacle’s supports, crossbars, pillars, bases, all its equipment, and all the work related to these,#Ex 35:1–13; Nm 4:31–32 37in addition to the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.
38Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of#3:38 Or who guarded the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites, camped in front of the tabernacle on the east,#Nm 2:3–9 in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise. Any unauthorized person who came near it was to be put to death.#Nm 1:51; 3:10; 8:19; 18:7
39The total number of all the Levite males one month old or more that Moses and Aaron#3:39 Some Hb mss, Sam, Syr omit and Aaron registered by their clans at the Lord’s command was 22,000.
Redemption of the Firstborn
40The Lord told Moses, “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites#Ex 13:1–2; Nm 8:16–18 one month old or more, and list their names. 41You are to take the Levites for me — I am the Lord — in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites’ cattle.” 42So Moses registered every firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. 43The total number of the firstborn males one month old or more listed by name was 22,273.
44The Lord spoke to Moses again: 45“Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of their cattle. The Levites belong to me; I am the Lord.#Nm 3:13,41; 10:10; 15:40–41 46As the redemption price for the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, 47collect five shekels for each person, according to the standard sanctuary shekel — twenty gerahs to the shekel.#3:47 A shekel is about two-fifths of an ounce of silver#Nm 18:16 48Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are in excess among the Israelites.”
49So Moses collected the redemption amount from those in excess of the ones redeemed by the Levites. 50He collected the silver from the firstborn Israelites: 1,365 shekels#3:50 Over 34 pounds of silver measured by the standard sanctuary shekel. 51He gave the redemption silver to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the Lord, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
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