38 (A)Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, (B)keeping charge of the sanctuary, (C)to meet the needs of the children of Israel; but (D)the outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 (E)All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, by their families, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand.

Levites Dedicated Instead of the Firstborn

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: (F)“Number[a] all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:40 Take a census of

38 Now those who were to (A)camp in front of the tabernacle eastward, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of Israel; but (B)the [a]layman coming near was to be put to death. 39 All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the [b]command of the Lord by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were (C)twenty-two thousand.

Firstborn Redeemed

40 Then the Lord said to Moses, “(D)Count every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and [c]make a list of their names.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:38 Lit stranger
  2. Numbers 3:39 Lit mouth
  3. Numbers 3:40 Lit take up the number

38 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east(A) of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting.(B) They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary(C) on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.(D)

39 The total number of Levites counted(E) at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.(F)

40 The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more(G) and make a list of their names.(H)

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