The Levites

3 This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses^(A) at the time the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.^(B)

² The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn^(C) and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.^{(D) 3} Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests,^(E) who were ordained to serve as priests. ⁴ Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the Lord^(F) when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai.^(G) They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar^(H) served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.^(I)

⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi^(J) and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.^{(K) 7} They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community^(L) at the tent of meeting by doing the work^(M) of the tabernacle. ⁸ They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. ⁹ Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;^(N) they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.^{[a] 10} Appoint Aaron^(O) and his sons to serve as priests;^(P) anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”^(Q)

¹¹ The Lord also said to Moses, ¹² “I have taken the Levites^(R) from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring^(S) of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,^{(T) 13} for all the firstborn are mine.^(U) When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”^(V)

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai,^{(W) 15} “Count^(X) the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.”^{(Y) 16} So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

³⁹ The total number of Levites counted^(A) at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.^(B)

⁴⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more^(C) and make a list of their names.^{(D) 41} Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites,^(E) and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.”^(F)

⁴² So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. ⁴³ The total number of firstborn males a month old or more,^(G) listed by name, was 22,273.^(H)

⁴⁴ The Lord also said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine.^(I) I am the Lord.^{(J) 46} To redeem^(K) the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, ⁴⁷ collect five shekels^[a](L) for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel,^(M) which weighs twenty gerahs.^{(N) 48} Give the money for the redemption^(O) of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.”^(P)