⁵³ The Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the Israelite community.”^(A)

¹⁶ These are the men called from the community; they are leaders of their ancestral tribes,^(A) the heads of Israel’s clans.”^(B)

¹² Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we’re perishing! We’re lost; we’re all lost! ¹³ Anyone who comes near the Lord’s tabernacle will die.^(A) Will we all perish?”

¹¹ Yet they will occupy my sanctuary, serving as guards at the temple gates^(A) and ministering at the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offerings^(B) and other sacrifices for the people and will stand before them to serve them.^(C)