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47 But this total did not include the Levites. 48 For the Lord had said to Moses, 49 “Do not include the tribe of Levi in the registration; do not count them with the rest of the Israelites. 50 Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant,[a] along with all its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings as you travel, and they must take care of it and camp around it. 51 Whenever it is time for the Tabernacle to move, the Levites will take it down. And when it is time to stop, they will set it up again. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the Tabernacle must be put to death. 52 Each tribe of Israel will camp in a designated area with its own family banner. 53 But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle.”

54 So the Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:50 Or Tabernacle of the Testimony; also in 1:53.

Levites Exempted

47 (A)The Levites, however, were not counted among them by their fathers’ tribe. 48 For the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi (B)you shall not count, nor shall you take their [a]census among the sons of Israel. 50 And you shall (C)appoint the Levites over the [b]tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over everything that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the [c]tabernacle. 51 (D)So when the tabernacle is to move on, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up. But (E)the [d]layman who comes near it shall be put to death. 52 (F)So the sons of Israel shall camp, each man by his own camp, and each man by his own [e]flag, according to their armies. 53 (G)But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there will be (H)no divine wrath against the congregation of the sons of Israel. (I)So the Levites shall be responsible for service to the tabernacle of the testimony.” 54 And the sons of Israel did so; in accordance with all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so they did.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 1:49 Lit sum
  2. Numbers 1:50 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
  3. Numbers 1:50 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
  4. Numbers 1:51 Lit stranger
  5. Numbers 1:52 Or division