Numbers 3:40-51

Christian Standard Bible

Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁰ The Lord told Moses, “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites^(A) one month old or more, and list their names. ⁴¹ You are to take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites’ cattle.” ⁴² So Moses registered every firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. ⁴³ The total number of the firstborn males one month old or more listed by name was 22,273.

⁴⁴ The Lord spoke to Moses again: ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of their cattle. The Levites belong to me; I am the Lord.^{(B) 46} As the redemption price for the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, ⁴⁷ collect five shekels for each person, according to the standard sanctuary shekel—twenty gerahs to the shekel.^{[a](C) 48} Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are in excess among the Israelites.”

⁴⁹ So Moses collected the redemption amount from those in excess of the ones redeemed by the Levites. ⁵⁰ He collected the silver from the firstborn Israelites: 1,365 shekels^[b] measured by the standard sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹ He gave the redemption silver to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the Lord, just as the Lord commanded Moses.