Numbers 1:47-54
English Standard Version
Levites Exempted
47 But (A)the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe. 48 For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel. 50 (B)But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it (C)and shall camp around the tabernacle. 51 (D)When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. (E)And if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death. 52 The people of Israel shall pitch their tents by their companies, each man in his own camp and (F)each man by his own standard. 53 But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no (G)wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. (H)And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.” 54 Thus did the people of Israel; they did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.
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Numbers 1:47-54
International Standard Version
Exemption of the Tribe of Levi from the Census
47 The descendants of Levi were not counted according to their ancestral houses 48 because the Lord had ordered Moses: 49 “Be sure not to number or count the tribe of Levi with the rest of the Israelis. 50 Instead, appoint the descendants of Levi over the Tent of Meeting, all the vessels, and everything in it. They are to carry the tent and all the vessels in it. They are to attend to it and camp around it. 51 Whenever the tent is ready for travel, the descendants of Levi are to take it down. When it’s time to encamp, the descendants of Levi are to set it up. Any unauthorized person[a] who approaches it is to be executed. 52 Then the Israelis are to encamp around the tent,[b] arranged according to their company and the standard of their army. 53 But the descendants of Levi are to encamp on all sides of the Tent of Meeting so that divine wrath won’t fall on the congregation of Israel.[c] The descendants of Levi are to take care of the Tent of Meeting.”
54 The Israelis observed everything that the Lord had commanded Moses, doing exactly what they were told.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 1:51 Lit. stranger
- Numbers 1:52 The Heb. lacks around the tent
- Numbers 1:53 Lit. sons of Israel
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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