¹² “I have taken the Levites^(A) from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring^(B) of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,^(C)

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

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,^(E) listed by name, was 22,273.^(F)

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.^(G) I am the Lord.^(H)

¹⁶ They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn,^(A) the first male offspring^(B) from every Israelite woman. ¹⁷ Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal,^(C) is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.^{(D) 18} And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.^(E)