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Numbers 3
Lexham English Bible

Aaron’s Sons

3 These are the genealogies of Aaron and Moses at the time[a] when Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 These are the names of the descendants of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the descendants of Aaron, the priests, the anointed ones whom he consecrated as priests.[b] 4 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.

5 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Bring near the tribe of Levi, and set the tribe[f] before Aaron[g] the priest, and they will minister to him. 7 They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. 8 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. 9 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”
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Numbers 3
International Standard Version

Aaron’s Descendants(A)

3 This is a record of the genealogies[a] of Aaron and Moses current as of[b] the day on which the Lord addressed Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 The[c] sons of Aaron were Nadab the first-born, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar 3 who[d] were anointed priests and whom he consecrated[e] as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord’s presence when they offered unauthorized[f] fire before him[g] in the Sinai wilderness. Since they didn’t have their own children, Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests under the authority of[h] Aaron their father.

Appointment of the Descendants of Levi as Priests

5 The Lord told Moses, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them to Aaron the priest so they may serve him. 7 They are to take care of his needs and the needs of the whole congregation at the Tent of Meeting by performing duties[i] at the tent. 8 They are to take charge of the utensils at the Tent of Meeting and meet the needs of the Israelis by performing duties on behalf of the tent. 9 Assign[j] the descendants of Levi to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelis. 10 Appoint Aaron and his sons so that they are to take responsibility for their priesthood. Any unauthorized[k] person who approaches it is to be put to death.”

The Descendants of Levi as Substitutes for the First-born

11 Later, the Lord told Moses, 12 “I’m taking the descendants of Levi for myself from among the Israelis in place of every first-born who opens the womb.[l] The descendants of Levi belong to me 13 because all the first-born belong to me. When[m] I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated all the first-born in Israel for myself—from human beings to livestock. They belong to me, since[n] I am the Lord.”

Numbering the Descendants of Levi

14 The Lord also told Moses in the Sinai wilderness, 15 “Number the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral houses and tribes, numbering every male from a month old and above.”

16 So Moses numbered them according to the instruction[o] of the Lord, as he had been commanded. 17 These are Levi’s descendants by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 These are names of Gershon’s descendants according to their families: Libni and Shimei. 19 These are the names of Kohath’s descendants according to their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 Merari’s descendants according to their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral house.

The Descendants of Gershon

21 The families of Libni and Shimei were descendants of Gershon. As families of the descendants of Gershon, 22 all the males a month old and above numbered 7,500. 23 The families of the descendants of Gershon encamped behind the tent toward the west.[p] 24 The leader of the tribe and family of Gershon was Lael’s son Eliasaph. 25 The duties of the descendants of Gershon at the Tent of Meeting pertained to the tent, the tent covering, the curtain[q] to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the hangings at the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard that surrounded the tent, the altar, and all of the tent cords in use.

The Descendants of Kohath and Their Duties

27 The families of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel were descendants of Kohath. As families of the descendants of Kohath, 28 all the males a month old and above numbered 8,600.[r] They were tasked to the care of the sanctuary. 29 The descendants of Kohath encamped beside the tent toward the south. 30 The leader of the tribe and family of Kohath was Uzziel’s son Elizaphan. 31 Their duties pertained to the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, and all the curtains in use. 32 The chief of all the leaders of the descendants of Levi was Aaron the priest’s son Eleazar. He was assigned to oversee those who were in charge of the services of the sanctuary.

The Descendants of Merari and Their Duties

33 The families of Mahli and Mushi were descendants of Merari. As families of Merari, 34 all the males a month old and above numbered 6,200. 35 The leader of the tribe and family of Merari was Abihail’s son Zuriel. The descendants of Merari encamped beside the tent toward the north. 36 The duties of the caretakers from the descendants of Merari included the boards of the tent, its bars, crossbars, sockets, all its utensils for their services, 37 the pillars around the courtyard, their sockets, pegs, and tent cords.

The Encampment of Moses and Aaron

38 In front of the tent and east of the Tent of Meeting, Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s[s] sons encamped facing the east. They were tasked to perform the duties of the sanctuary and care for the needs of the Israelis. Any unauthorized[t] person who approached was to be executed. 39 As the Lord had instructed, everyone counted by Moses and Aaron from the descendants of Levi, according to their tribe, all males from a month old and above numbered 22,000.

Numbering Israel’s First-born

40 Later the Lord instructed Moses: “Number all the first-born males of Israel from a month old and above and list their names. 41 Separate[u] the descendants of Levi for me—since[v] I am the Lord—in place of all the first-born sons of Israel. Also separate[w] the livestock of the descendants of Levi in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of Israel.” 42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn from the sons of Israel just as the Lord commanded him. 43 All the first-born males according to the list of their names from a month old and above numbered 22,273.

Creation of the Levite Ministry

44 Then the Lord told Moses, 45 “Separate the descendants of Levi in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel and the livestock of the descendants of Levi in place of their livestock. The descendants of Levi belong to me, since[x] I am the Lord. 46 You are to pay a ransom for the 273 first-born Israelis who exceed the census number of the descendants of Levi, 47 so collect five shekels for each individual,[y] denominated in shekels of the sanctuary, that is, the shekel that weighs 20 gerahs.[z] 48 Then give the money meant for ransom of their excess to Aaron and his sons.”

49 So Moses took the ransom money to account for the difference in the total number[aa] of those redeemed by the descendants of Levi. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelis, Moses took money amounting to 1,365 shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 51 Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and his sons according to the Lord’s instructions, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:1 Lit. generations
  2. Numbers 3:1 The Heb. lacks current as of
  3. Numbers 3:2 Lit. These are the names of the
  4. Numbers 3:3 Lit. These are the names of the sons of Aaron who
  5. Numbers 3:3 Lit. filled their hands
  6. Numbers 3:4 Lit. strange
  7. Numbers 3:4 Lit. the Lord
  8. Numbers 3:4 Lit. priest before
  9. Numbers 3:7 Or work
  10. Numbers 3:9 Lit. Give
  11. Numbers 3:10 Or undesignated
  12. Numbers 3:12 Lit. womb from among the Israelis
  13. Numbers 3:13 Or the day
  14. Numbers 3:13 The Heb. lacks since
  15. Numbers 3:16 Lit. mouth
  16. Numbers 3:23 Lit. sea
  17. Numbers 3:25 Or screen
  18. Numbers 3:28 So MT; LXX reads 8,300
  19. Numbers 3:38 Lit his
  20. Numbers 3:38 Or undesignated
  21. Numbers 3:41 Lit. Take
  22. Numbers 3:41 The Heb. lacks since
  23. Numbers 3:41 The Heb. lacks separate
  24. Numbers 3:45 The Heb. lacks since
  25. Numbers 3:47 Lit. head
  26. Numbers 3:47 I.e., a unit of weight measurement equal to about 16 barley grains; about 0.025 ounces or 0.5 grams; cf. Exod 30:13; Num 18:16
  27. Numbers 3:49 Lit. the excess
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