Numbers 8:16-18

Living Bible

¹⁶ “They are mine from among all the people of Israel, and I have accepted them in place of all the firstborn children of the Israelites: I have taken the Levites as their substitutes. ¹⁷ For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both men and animals; I claimed them for myself the night I killed all the firstborn Egyptians. ¹⁸ Yes, I have accepted the Levites in place of all the eldest sons of Israel.