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Aaron’s Sons

These are the genealogies of Aaron and Moses at the time[a] when Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. These are the names of the descendants of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the descendants of Aaron, the priests, the anointed ones whom he consecrated as priests.[b] Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh[c] when they presented a strange fire before Yahweh[d] in the desert of Sinai, and they had no children.[e] Eleazar and Ithamar served as priest during the presence of Aaron their father.

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Bring near the tribe of Levi, and set the tribe[f] before Aaron[g] the priest, and they will minister to him. They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the Israelites,[h] to do the work[i] of the tabernacle. You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they are surely assigned to him from among the Israelites.[j] 10 But you will count Aaron and his descendants; they will keep their priesthood, and the stranger[k] who approaches will be put to death.”

11 Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, 12 “I myself receive the Levites from the midst of the Israelites[l] in the place of all the firstborn of the offspring of the womb from the Israelites.[m] The Levites will be mine 13 because 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;[n] they will be mine. I am Yahweh.”

14 Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying, 15 “Muster[o] the descendants of Levi according to their families,[p] according to their clans. You will count every male from one month[q] and above.” 16 So Moses mustered[r] them according to the command of Yahweh,[s] just as he commanded. 17 These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath according to their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their families.[t]

21 To Gershon belonged[u] the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these are the clans of the Gershonites. 22 The ones counted[v] according to the number of every male from one month[w] and above were seven thousand five hundred. 23 The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, 24 and the leader of the family[x] of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. 25 And 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, 26 and 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.

27 To Kohath belonged[y] the clan of Amramites,[z] the clan of the Izharites,[aa] the clan of the Hebronites,[ab] and the clan of the Uzzielites;[ac] these were the clans of the Kohathites.[ad] 28 According to the number of every male from one month[ae] and above there were eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. 29 The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. 30 The leader of his family[af] according to the clans of the Kohathites[ag] is Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31 Their 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. 32 The chief of the leaders[ah] of the Levites[ai] was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest who had oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.

33 To Merari belonged[aj] the clan of Mahlites[ak] and the clan of the Mushites:[al] these are the clans of Merari. 34 The ones counted[am] according to the number of every male from one month[an] and above were six thousand two hundred. 35 The leader of the family[ao] according to the clans of Merari is Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north. 36 The 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, 37 and the pillars around the courtyard, and their bases, pegs, and cords.

38 Those 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;[ap] and the stranger[aq] who approaches will be put to death. 39 All those counted from the Levites whom Moses and Aaron mustered[ar] according to the word of Yahweh,[as] according to their clans, every male from one month[at] and above were twenty-two thousand.

40 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Muster every firstborn male from the Israelites[au] from one month[av] and above and count[aw] their names. 41 And you will receive the Levites for me—I am Yahweh—in the place of all the firstborn among the Israelites,[ax] and the animals[ay] of the Levites in the place of all the firstborn among the animals[az] among the Israelites.”[ba] 42 So Moses mustered[bb] all the firstborn among the Israelites[bc] just as Yahweh commanded him. 43 And all the firstborn males[bd] among the number of names from one month[be] and above, the ones counted,[bf] were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

44 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Receive the Levites in the place of all the firstborn among the Israelites,[bg] and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I am Yahweh. 46 And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the Israelites[bh] who are excessive over the Levites, 47 you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs[bi] per shekel. 48 You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them.” 49 And Moses received the money of the redemption from the ones who were excessive from those redeemed of the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites[bj] he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel. 51 And Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and to his sons according to the word[bk] of Yahweh just as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:1 Literally “on a day”
  2. Numbers 3:3 Literally “he filled their hands to serve as a priest”
  3. Numbers 3:4 Literally “before the face of Yahweh”
  4. Numbers 3:4 Literally “before the face of Yahweh”
  5. Numbers 3:4 Literally “sons were not for them”
  6. Numbers 3:6 Literally “cause it to stand”
  7. Numbers 3:6 Literally “in the presence of Aaron”
  8. Numbers 3:8 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  9. Numbers 3:8 Or “service”
  10. Numbers 3:9 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  11. Numbers 3:10 Or “outsider”
  12. Numbers 3:12 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  13. Numbers 3:12 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  14. Numbers 3:13 Literally “from humankind to animal”
  15. Numbers 3:15 Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll”
  16. Numbers 3:15 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  17. Numbers 3:15 Literally “the son of a month”
  18. Numbers 3:16 Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”
  19. Numbers 3:16 Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
  20. Numbers 3:20 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  21. Numbers 3:21 Literally “To Gershon was”
  22. Numbers 3:22 Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them”
  23. Numbers 3:22 Literally “the son of a month and above”
  24. Numbers 3:24 Literally “the house of his father”
  25. Numbers 3:27 Literally “For Kohath was
  26. Numbers 3:27 Hebrew “Amramite”
  27. Numbers 3:27 Hebrew “Izharite”
  28. Numbers 3:27 Hebrew “Hebronite”
  29. Numbers 3:27 Hebrew “Uzzielite”
  30. Numbers 3:27 Hebrew “Kohathite”
  31. Numbers 3:28 Literally “the son of a month”
  32. Numbers 3:30 Literally “the house of his father”
  33. Numbers 3:30 Hebrew “Kohathite”
  34. Numbers 3:32 Literally “the leader of leaders”
  35. Numbers 3:32 Hebrew “Levite”
  36. Numbers 3:33 Literally “for Merari was
  37. Numbers 3:33 Hebrew “Mahlite”
  38. Numbers 3:33 Hebrew “Mushite”
  39. Numbers 3:34 Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them”
  40. Numbers 3:34 Literally “the son of a month”
  41. Numbers 3:35 Literally “the house of his father”
  42. Numbers 3:38 Literally “for the responsibility of the children of Israel”
  43. Numbers 3:38 Or “outsider”
  44. Numbers 3:39 Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”
  45. Numbers 3:39 Literally “the mouth of Yahweh”
  46. Numbers 3:39 Literally “the son of a month”
  47. Numbers 3:40 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  48. Numbers 3:40 Literally “the son of a month”
  49. Numbers 3:40 Literally “and lift up the number of”
  50. Numbers 3:41 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  51. Numbers 3:41 Hebrew “animal”
  52. Numbers 3:41 Hebrew “animal”
  53. Numbers 3:41 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  54. Numbers 3:42 Or “counted” or “summoned” or “enrolled”
  55. Numbers 3:42 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  56. Numbers 3:43 Hebrew “male”
  57. Numbers 3:43 Literally “the son of a month”
  58. Numbers 3:43 Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them”
  59. Numbers 3:45 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  60. Numbers 3:46 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  61. Numbers 3:47 Hebrew “gerah”
  62. Numbers 3:50 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  63. Numbers 3:51 Literally “mouth”

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

And 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 which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord.

14 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

16 And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.

17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

19 And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20 And 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 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

22 Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.

23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.

24 And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

27 And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

28 In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge 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 And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

35 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.

36 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,

37 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

38 But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

39 All that 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 upward, were twenty and two thousand.

40 And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

42 And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

44 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord.

46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;

47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)

48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:

50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.