利未人的职分

以下是耶和华在西奈山与摩西说话期间亚伦和摩西的后代。

亚伦的长子是拿答,其他儿子还有亚比户、以利亚撒和以他玛。 亚伦的儿子都是受膏的祭司,从摩西那里承受圣职做祭司。 拿答和亚比户在西奈旷野用凡火向耶和华献祭,因而被击杀。他们没有后裔,因此只剩下以利亚撒和以他玛在父亲亚伦身边担任祭司。

耶和华对摩西说: “你去叫利未支派来协助亚伦祭司。 他们要为亚伦和全体会众在会幕司职,办理圣幕的事务, 也要负责看守会幕里面的器具,为以色列人办理圣幕的事务。 你要把利未人交给亚伦父子们,因为他们是从以色列人中选出来协助亚伦的。 10 你要指派亚伦父子们尽祭司的职分,其他人若走近圣幕,必被处死。” 11 耶和华又对摩西说: 12 “我从以色列人中拣选利未人代替以色列人所有的长子。利未人要属于我, 13 因为所有头生的都属于我。我杀死埃及人所有的长子和头生的牲畜那天,已把以色列人所有的长子和头生的牲畜都分别出来,使之圣洁,归给我,我是耶和华。”

14 耶和华在西奈旷野对摩西说: 15 “你要按利未人的宗族和家系统计他们的人口,登记所有年龄在一个月以上的男性。” 16 于是,摩西照耶和华的吩咐统计利未人。 17 利未的儿子是革顺、哥辖和米拉利。 18 革顺的儿子依次是立尼和示每。 19 哥辖的儿子依次是暗兰、以斯哈、希伯仑和乌薛。 20 米拉利的儿子依次是抹利和姆示。他们按家系都属于利未人的宗族。

21 革顺宗族有立尼和示每两个家族, 22 其中年龄在一个月以上的男性共七千五百人。 23 革顺宗族的人要在圣幕的后面,即西面安营, 24 拉伊勒的儿子以利雅萨做首领。 25 他们负责看守会幕,即圣幕、圣幕的罩棚、顶盖和门帘、 26 围绕圣幕和祭坛的院子的帷幔、门帘、绳索及一切相关的物品。

27 哥辖宗族有暗兰家族、以斯哈家族、希伯仑家族和乌薛家族, 28 其中年龄在一个月以上的男性共有八千六百人,他们负责看守圣所。 29 哥辖宗族的人要在圣幕南面安营, 30 乌薛的儿子以利撒反做首领。 31 他们负责照管约柜、桌子、灯台、两座坛、圣所里面的器具、幔子等一切物品。 32 亚伦祭司的儿子以利亚撒是利未人的最高首领,负责监督在圣所工作的人。

33 米拉利宗族有抹利和姆示两个家族, 34 其中年龄在一个月以上的男性共六千二百人, 35 亚比亥的儿子苏列做首领。他们要在圣幕的北面安营, 36 负责照管圣幕的木板、横闩、柱子、带凹槽的底座和圣幕的一切器具, 37 以及院子四周的柱子、带凹槽的底座、橛子和绳索。

38 摩西、亚伦和亚伦的儿子们要在圣幕东面、朝日出的方向安营,为以色列人在圣所司职。凡擅自走近圣所的人,都要被处死。 39 摩西和亚伦照耶和华的吩咐,按宗族统计利未人,年龄在一个月以上的男性共两万二千人。

利未人代替长子的地位

40 耶和华对摩西说:“你要统计以色列人中年龄在一个月以上的长子,登记他们的姓名。 41 我是耶和华,你要把利未人归给我,代替以色列人所有的长子,也要把利未人的牲畜献给我,代替以色列人所有头生的牲畜。” 42 摩西就照耶和华的吩咐统计了以色列人的长子, 43 年龄在一个月以上的共两万二千二百七十三人。 44 耶和华又对摩西说: 45 “你要用利未人代替以色列人所有的长子,用利未人的牲畜代替以色列人所有头生的牲畜。利未人是属于我的,我是耶和华。 46 以色列人所有长子的人数比利未人总数多二百七十三人,这些多出来的人需要被赎回, 47 每人折合五十五克银子,要以圣所的秤为准,即一舍客勒[a]是二十季拉。 48 要把赎银交给亚伦父子们。” 49 摩西就收取了那二百七十三人的赎银, 50 以圣所的秤计算,共十五公斤银子, 51 照耶和华的吩咐,将赎银交给亚伦父子们。

Footnotes

  1. 3:47 一舍客勒约合十一克。

利未人的職分

以下是耶和華在西奈山與摩西說話期間亞倫和摩西的後代。

亞倫的長子是拿答,其他兒子還有亞比戶、以利亞撒和以他瑪。 亞倫的兒子都是受膏的祭司,從摩西那裡承受聖職做祭司。 拿答和亞比戶在西奈曠野用凡火向耶和華獻祭,因而被擊殺。他們沒有後裔,因此只剩下以利亞撒和以他瑪在父親亞倫身邊擔任祭司。

耶和華對摩西說: 「你去叫利未支派來協助亞倫祭司。 他們要為亞倫和全體會眾在會幕司職,辦理聖幕的事務, 也要負責看守會幕裡面的器具,為以色列人辦理聖幕的事務。 你要把利未人交給亞倫父子們,因為他們是從以色列人中選出來協助亞倫的。 10 你要指派亞倫父子們盡祭司的職分,其他人若走近聖幕,必被處死。」 11 耶和華又對摩西說: 12 「我從以色列人中揀選利未人代替以色列人所有的長子。利未人要屬於我, 13 因為所有頭生的都屬於我。我殺死埃及人所有的長子和頭生的牲畜那天,已把以色列人所有的長子和頭生的牲畜都分別出來,使之聖潔,歸給我,我是耶和華。」

14 耶和華在西奈曠野對摩西說: 15 「你要按利未人的宗族和家系統計他們的人口,登記所有年齡在一個月以上的男性。」 16 於是,摩西照耶和華的吩咐統計利未人。 17 利未的兒子是革順、哥轄和米拉利。 18 革順的兒子依次是立尼和示每。 19 哥轄的兒子依次是暗蘭、以斯哈、希伯崙和烏薛。 20 米拉利的兒子依次是抹利和姆示。他們按家系都屬於利未人的宗族。

21 革順宗族有立尼和示每兩個家族, 22 其中年齡在一個月以上的男性共七千五百人。 23 革順宗族的人要在聖幕的後面,即西面安營, 24 拉伊勒的兒子以利雅薩做首領。 25 他們負責看守會幕,即聖幕、聖幕的罩棚、頂蓋和門簾、 26 圍繞聖幕和祭壇的院子的帷幔、門簾、繩索及一切相關的物品。

27 哥轄宗族有暗蘭家族、以斯哈家族、希伯崙家族和烏薛家族, 28 其中年齡在一個月以上的男性共有八千六百人,他們負責看守聖所。 29 哥轄宗族的人要在聖幕南面安營, 30 烏薛的兒子以利撒反做首領。 31 他們負責照管約櫃、桌子、燈臺、兩座壇、聖所裡面的器具、幔子等一切物品。 32 亞倫祭司的兒子以利亞撒是利未人的最高首領,負責監督在聖所工作的人。

33 米拉利宗族有抹利和姆示兩個家族, 34 其中年齡在一個月以上的男性共六千二百人, 35 亞比亥的兒子蘇列做首領。他們要在聖幕的北面安營, 36 負責照管聖幕的木板、橫閂、柱子、帶凹槽的底座和聖幕的一切器具, 37 以及院子四周的柱子、帶凹槽的底座、橛子和繩索。

38 摩西、亞倫和亞倫的兒子們要在聖幕東面、朝日出的方向安營,為以色列人在聖所司職。凡擅自走近聖所的人,都要被處死。 39 摩西和亞倫照耶和華的吩咐,按宗族統計利未人,年齡在一個月以上的男性共兩萬二千人。

利未人代替長子的地位

40 耶和華對摩西說:「你要統計以色列人中年齡在一個月以上的長子,登記他們的姓名。 41 我是耶和華,你要把利未人歸給我,代替以色列人所有的長子,也要把利未人的牲畜獻給我,代替以色列人所有頭生的牲畜。」 42 摩西就照耶和華的吩咐統計了以色列人的長子, 43 年齡在一個月以上的共兩萬二千二百七十三人。 44 耶和華又對摩西說: 45 「你要用利未人代替以色列人所有的長子,用利未人的牲畜代替以色列人所有頭生的牲畜。利未人是屬於我的,我是耶和華。 46 以色列人所有長子的人數比利未人總數多二百七十三人,這些多出來的人需要被贖回, 47 每人折合五十五克銀子,要以聖所的秤為準,即一舍客勒[a]是二十季拉。 48 要把贖銀交給亞倫父子們。」 49 摩西就收取了那二百七十三人的贖銀, 50 以聖所的秤計算,共十五公斤銀子, 51 照耶和華的吩咐,將贖銀交給亞倫父子們。

Footnotes

  1. 3·47 一舍客勒約合十一克。

The Sons of Aaron

These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister as priests. Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they brought strange fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children, and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the sight of Aaron their father.

Duties of the Levites

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, and they will minister to him. They will keep his directives, and serve the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle. They will keep all the instruments of the tent of meeting, and attend to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are wholly given to him from the children of Israel. 10 You will appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will attend to their priesthood, and the foreigner that approaches will be put to death.

11 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 12 I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that open the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites will be Mine 13 because all the firstborn are Mine, for on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set apart to Me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They will be Mine. I am the Lord.

A Census of the Levites

14 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying: 15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families. You will number every male from a month old and older. 16 Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.

17 These were the sons of Levi by their names:

Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families:

Libni and Shimei;

19 the sons of Kohath by their families:

Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel;

20 the sons of Merari by their families:

Mahli and Mushi.

These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

21 From Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites. These are the families of the Gershonites. 22 Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and older, those who were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred. 23 The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the west side of the tabernacle. 24 The chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael. 25 The charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting included the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the hanging for the door of the tent of meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the curtain for the opening of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service pertaining to these.

27 Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites. These are the families of the Kohathites. 28 The number of all the males, from a month old and older, were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the guard of the sanctuary. 29 The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 The chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31 Their duty included the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary they minister with, and the hanging, and all its service. 32 Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites and to have the oversight of those who kept the guard of the sanctuary.

33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari. 34 Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and older, were six thousand two hundred. 35 The chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 Under the oversight and guard of the sons of Merari were the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the sockets, all their accessories, all the service pertaining to these, 37 and the pillars of the court all around, with their sockets, and pins, and cords.

38 But those who were to camp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tent of meeting on the east side, were Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the guard of the sanctuary for the guard of the children of Israel, and the foreigner who approached was to be put to death.

39 All who were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and older, were twenty-two thousand.

The Redemption of the Firstborn

40 The Lord said to Moses: Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and older and take the number of their names. 41 You will take the Levites for Me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.

42 Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 43 All the firstborn males, by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

44 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock, and the Levites will be Mine. I am the Lord. 46 For those who are to be redeemed of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites, 47 you will take five shekels[a] apiece by the poll; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you will take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs). 48 And you will give the money, by which the number of them is to be redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons.

49 Moses took the redemption money of those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites. 50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels,[b] after the shekel of the sanctuary. 51 And Moses gave the money of those who were redeemed to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:47 About 2 ounces, or 58 grams.
  2. Numbers 3:50 About 35 pounds, or 16 kilograms.