Numbers 1-4

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai in the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month in the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt, saying,

² Take a census of all the males of the congregation of the Israelites by families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head.

³ From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go forth to war you and Aaron shall number, company by company.

⁴ And with you there shall be a man [to assist you] from each tribe, each being the head of his father’s house.

⁵ And these are the names of the men who shall attend you: Of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;

⁶ Of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

⁷ Of Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;

⁸ Of Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

⁹ Of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

¹⁰ Of the sons of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

¹¹ Of Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

¹² Of Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

¹³ Of Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran;

¹⁴ Of Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

¹⁵ Of Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.

¹⁶ These were those chosen from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, heads of thousands [the highest class of officers] in Israel.

¹⁷ And Moses and Aaron took these men who have been named,

¹⁸ And assembled all the congregation on the first day of the second month, and they declared their ancestry after their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head,

¹⁹ As the Lord commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.

²⁰ The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:

²¹ Those of the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.

²² Of the sons of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those numbered of them according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:

²³ Those of the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.

²⁴ Of the sons of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:

²⁵ Those of the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.

²⁶ Of the sons of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

²⁷ Those of the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

²⁸ Of the sons of Issachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

²⁹ Those of the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.

³⁰ Of the sons of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

³¹ Those of the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.

³² Of the sons of Joseph: the sons of Ephraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

³³ Those of the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.

³⁴ Of the sons of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

³⁵ Those of the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.

³⁶ Of the sons of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

³⁷ Those of the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.

³⁸ Of the sons of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

³⁹ Those of the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.

⁴⁰ Of the sons of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

⁴¹ Those of the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.

⁴² Of the sons of Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all able to go to war:

⁴³ Those of the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.

⁴⁴ These were numbered by Moses and Aaron, and the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his father’s house.

⁴⁵ So all those numbered of the Israelites, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, able to go to war in Israel,

⁴⁶ All who were numbered were 603,550.

⁴⁷ But the Levites by their fathers’ tribe were not numbered with them.

⁴⁸ For the Lord had said to Moses,

⁴⁹ Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number in the census of the Israelites.

⁵⁰ But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its vessels and furnishings and all things that belong to it. They shall carry the tabernacle [when journeying] and all its furnishings, and they shall minister to it and encamp around it.

⁵¹ When the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And the excluded [any not of the tribe of Levi] who approach the tabernacle shall be put to death.

⁵² The Israelites shall pitch their tents by their companies, every man by his own camp and every man by his own [tribal] standard.

⁵³ But the Levites shall encamp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath upon the congregation of the Israelites; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.

⁵⁴ Thus did the Israelites; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they did.

2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

² The Israelites shall encamp, each by his own [tribal] standard or banner with the ensign of his father’s house, opposite the Tent of Meeting and facing it on every side.

³ On the east side toward the sunrise shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah encamp by their companies; Nahshon son of Amminadab being the leader of the sons of Judah.

⁴ Judah’s host as numbered totaled 74,600.

⁵ Next to Judah the tribe of Issachar shall encamp, Nethanel son of Zuar being the leader of the sons of Issachar.

⁶ Issachar’s host as numbered totaled 54,400.

⁷ Then the tribe of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon being the leader of the sons of Zebulun.

⁸ Zebulun’s host as numbered totaled 57,400.

⁹ All these [three tribes] numbered in the camp of Judah totaled 186,400. They shall set forth first [on the march].

¹⁰ On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the leader of the sons of Reuben being Elizur son of Shedeur.

¹¹ Reuben’s host as numbered totaled 46,500.

¹² Those who encamp next to Reuben shall be the tribe of Simeon, the leader of the sons of Simeon being Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

¹³ Simeon’s host as numbered totaled 59,300.

¹⁴ Then the tribe of Gad, the leader of the sons of Gad being Eliasaph son of Reuel (Deuel).

¹⁵ Gad’s host as numbered totaled 45,650.

¹⁶ The whole number in [the three tribes of] the camp of Reuben was 151,450. They shall take second place [on the march].

¹⁷ Then the Tent of Meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they encamp so shall they set forward, every man in his place, standard after standard.

¹⁸ On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim by their companies, the leader of the sons of Ephraim being Elishama son of Ammihud.

¹⁹ Ephraim’s host as numbered totaled 40,500.

²⁰ Beside Ephraim shall be the tribe of Manasseh, the leader of the sons of Manasseh being Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

²¹ Manasseh’s host as numbered totaled 32,200.

²² Then the tribe of Benjamin, the leader of the sons of Benjamin being Abidan son of Gideoni.

²³ Benjamin’s host as numbered totaled 35,400.

²⁴ The whole number [of the three tribes] in the camp of Ephraim totaled 108,100. They shall go forward in third place.

²⁵ The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side [of the tabernacle] by their companies, the leader of the sons of Dan being Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

²⁶ Dan’s host as numbered totaled 62,700.

²⁷ Encamped next to Dan shall be the tribe of Asher, the leader of the sons of Asher being Pagiel son of Ochran.

²⁸ Asher’s host as numbered totaled 41,500.

²⁹ Then the tribe of Naphtali, the leader of the sons of Naphtali being Ahira son of Enan.

³⁰ Naphtali’s host as numbered totaled 53,400.

³¹ The whole number [of the three tribes] in the camp of Dan totaled 157,600. They shall set out last, standard after standard.

³² These are the Israelites as numbered by their fathers’ houses. All in the camps who were numbered by their companies were 603,550.

³³ But the Levites were not numbered with the Israelites, for so the Lord commanded Moses.

³⁴ Thus the Israelites did according to all the Lord commanded Moses; so they encamped by their standards, and so they set forward, everyone with his [tribal] families, according to his father’s house.

3 Now these are the generations of Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

² These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

³ These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom Aaron consecrated and ordained to minister in the priest’s office.

⁴ But 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. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence and under the supervision of Aaron their father.^(A)

⁵ And the Lord said to Moses,

⁶ Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.

⁷ And they shall carry out his instructions and the duties connected with the whole assembly before the Tent of Meeting, doing the service of the tabernacle.

⁸ And they shall keep all the instruments and furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and take charge of [attending] the Israelites, to serve in the tabernacle.

⁹ And you shall give the Levites [as servants and helpers] to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the Israelites.

¹⁰ And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall observe and attend to their priest’s office; but the excluded [anyone daring to assume priestly duties or privileges who is not of the house of Aaron and called of God] who comes near [the holy things] shall be put to death.

¹¹ And the Lord said to Moses,

¹² Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the Israelites; and the Levites shall be Mine,

¹³ For all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast; Mine they shall be. I am the Lord.

¹⁴ And the Lord said to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai,

¹⁵ Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses and by families. Every male from a month old and upward you shall number.

¹⁶ So Moses numbered them as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

¹⁷ These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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

¹⁹ The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

²⁰ The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers’ houses.

²¹ Of Gershon were the families of the Libnites and of the Shimeites. These are the families of the Gershonites.

²² The males who were numbered of them from a month old and upward totaled 7,500.

²³ The families of the Gershonites were to encamp behind the tabernacle on the west,

²⁴ The leader of the fathers’ houses of the Gershonites being Eliasaph son of Lael.

²⁵ And the responsibility of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting was to be the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, and the hangings for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

²⁶ And the hangings of the court, the curtain for the door of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, its cords, and all the service pertaining to them.

²⁷ Of Kohath were the families of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites.

²⁸ The number of all the males from a month old and upward totaled 8,600, attending to the duties of the sanctuary.

²⁹ The families of the sons of Kohath were to encamp on the south side of the tabernacle,

³⁰ The chief of the fathers’ houses of the families of the Kohathites being Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

³¹ Their charge was to be the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen, and all the service having to do with these.

³² Eleazar son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, and have the oversight of those who had charge of the sanctuary.

³³ Of Merari were the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these are the families of Merari.

³⁴ Their number of all the males from a month old and upward totaled 6,200.

³⁵ And the head of the fathers’ houses of the families of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail; the Merarites were to encamp on the north side of the tabernacle.

³⁶ And the appointed charge of the sons of Merari was the boards or frames of the tabernacle, and its bars, pillars, sockets or bases, and all the accessories or instruments of it, and all the work connected with them,

³⁷ And the pillars of the surrounding court and their sockets or bases, with their pegs and their cords.

³⁸ But those to encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, before the Tent of Meeting, toward the sunrise, were to be Moses and Aaron and his sons, keeping the full charge of the rites of the sanctuary in whatever was required for the Israelites; and the ^[a]excluded [one not a descendant of Aaron and called of God] who came near [the sanctuary] was to be put to death.

³⁹ All the Levites whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the command of the Lord, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000.

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

⁴¹ You shall take the Levites for Me instead of all the firstborn among the Israelites. I am the Lord; and you shall take the cattle of the Levites for Me instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the Israelites.

⁴² So Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn Israelites.

⁴³ But all the firstborn males from a month old and upward as numbered were 22,273 [273 more than the Levites].

⁴⁴ And the Lord said to Moses,

⁴⁵ Take the Levites [for Me] instead of all the firstborn Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine. I am the Lord.

⁴⁶ And for those 273 who are to be redeemed of the firstborn of the Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

⁴⁷ You shall take five shekels apiece, reckoning by the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs; you shall collect them,

⁴⁸ And you shall give the ransom silver from the excess number [over the Levites] to be redeemed to Aaron and his sons.

⁴⁹ So Moses took the redemption money from those who were left over from the number who were redeemed by the Levites.

⁵⁰ From the firstborn of the Israelites he took the money, 1,365 shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

⁵¹ And Moses gave the money from those who were ransomed to Aaron and his sons, as the Lord commanded Moses.

4 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

² Take a census of the Kohathite division among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

³ From thirty years old and up to fifty years old, all who can enter the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

⁴ This shall be the responsibility of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting: the most holy things.

⁵ When the camp prepares to set forward, Aaron and his sons shall take down the veil [screening the Holy of Holies] and cover the ark of the Testimony with it,

⁶ And shall put on it the covering of dolphin or porpoise skin, and shall spread over that a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in place the poles of the ark.

⁷ And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, the flagons for the drink offering, and also the continual showbread.

⁸ And they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet, and put over that a covering of dolphin or porpoise skin, and put in place the poles [for carrying].

⁹ And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover the lampstand for the light and its lamps, its snuffers, its ashtrays, and all the oil vessels from which it is supplied.

¹⁰ And they shall put the lampstand and all its utensils within a covering of dolphin or porpoise skin and shall put it upon the frame [for carrying].

¹¹ And upon the golden [incense] altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of dolphin or porpoise skin, and shall put in place its poles [for carrying].

¹² And they shall take all the utensils of the service with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of dolphin or porpoise skin, and shall put them on the frame [for carrying].

¹³ And they shall take away the ashes from the altar [of burnt offering] and spread a purple cloth over it.

¹⁴ And they shall put upon it all its vessels and utensils with which they minister there, the firepans, the fleshhooks or forks, the shovels, the basins, and all the vessels and utensils of the altar, and they shall spread over it all a covering of dolphin or porpoise skin, and shall put in its poles [for carrying].

¹⁵ When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all its furniture, as the camp sets out, after all that [is done but not before], the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them. But they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the Tent of Meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

¹⁶ And Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the continual cereal offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of all the tabernacle and of all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its utensils.

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

¹⁸ [Since] the tribe of the families of the Kohathites [are only Levites and not priests], do not [by exposing them to the sin of touching the most holy things] cut them off from among the Levites.

¹⁹ But deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his work and to his burden [to be carried on the march].

²⁰ But [the Kohathites] shall not go in to see the sanctuary [the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies] or its holy things, even for an instant, lest they die.

²¹ And the Lord said to Moses,

²² Take a census of the sons of Gershon, by their fathers’ houses, by their families.

²³ From thirty years old and up to fifty years old you shall number them, all who enter for service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

²⁴ This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens [when on the march]:

²⁵ And they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, and the covering of dolphin or porpoise skin that is on top of it, and the hanging or screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

²⁶ And the hangings of the court, and the hanging or screen for the entrance of the gate of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar [of burnt offering], and their cords, and all the equipment for their service; whatever needs to be done with them, that they shall do.

²⁷ Under the direction of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all they have to carry and in all they have to do; and you shall assign to their charge all that they are to carry [on the march].

²⁸ This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting; and their work shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the [high] priest.

²⁹ As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families and their fathers’ houses;

³⁰ From thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the Tent of Meeting.

³¹ And this is what they are assigned to carry and to guard [on the march], according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the boards or frames of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets or bases,

³² And the pillars of the court round about with their sockets or bases, and pegs, and cords, with all their equipment and all their accessories for service; and you shall assign to them by name the articles which they are to carry [on the march].

³³ This is the work of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their tasks in the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the [high] priest.

³⁴ And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and their fathers’ houses,

³⁵ From thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the Tent of Meeting;

³⁶ And those who were numbered of them by their families were 2,750.

³⁷ These were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who did service in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the command of the Lord through Moses.

³⁸ And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

³⁹ From thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service to do the work of the Tent of Meeting,

⁴⁰ Those who were enrolled of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were 2,630.

⁴¹ These were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered as the Lord commanded.

⁴² And those numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

⁴³ From thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

⁴⁴ Even those who were numbered of them by their families, were 3,200.

⁴⁵ These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the command of the Lord by Moses.

⁴⁶ All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted by their families and by their fathers’ houses,

⁴⁷ From thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could enter to do the work of service and of burden bearing in the Tent of Meeting,

⁴⁸ Those that were numbered of them were 8,580.

⁴⁹ According to the command of the Lord through Moses, they were assigned each to his work of serving and carrying. Thus they were numbered by him, as the Lord had commanded Moses.