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
- Numbers 3:1 Lit. generations
- Numbers 3:1 The Heb. lacks current as of
- Numbers 3:2 Lit. These are the names of the
- Numbers 3:3 Lit. These are the names of the sons of Aaron who
- Numbers 3:3 Lit. filled their hands
- Numbers 3:4 Lit. strange
- Numbers 3:4 Lit. the Lord
- Numbers 3:4 Lit. priest before
- Numbers 3:7 Or work
- Numbers 3:9 Lit. Give
- Numbers 3:10 Or undesignated
- Numbers 3:12 Lit. womb from among the Israelis
- Numbers 3:13 Or the day
- Numbers 3:13 The Heb. lacks since
- Numbers 3:16 Lit. mouth
- Numbers 3:23 Lit. sea
- Numbers 3:25 Or screen
- Numbers 3:28 So MT; LXX reads 8,300
- Numbers 3:38 Lit his
- Numbers 3:38 Or undesignated
- Numbers 3:41 Lit. Take
- Numbers 3:41 The Heb. lacks since
- Numbers 3:41 The Heb. lacks separate
- Numbers 3:45 The Heb. lacks since
- Numbers 3:47 Lit. head
- 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
- Numbers 3:49 Lit. the excess
Numbers 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 6 The charge and office of the Levites. 12, 35 Why the Lord separated the Levites for himself. 16 Their number, families, and captains. 40 The firstborn of Israel is redeemed by the Levites. 47 The overplus is redeemed by money.
1 These also were the [a]generations of Aaron and Moses, in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
2 So these are the names of the sons of Aaron, (A)Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron the anointed Priests, whom Moses did (B)consecrate to minister in the Priest’s office.
4 (C)And Nadab and Abihu died [b]before the Lord, when they offered (D)strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and had no children: but Eleazar and Ithamar served in the Priest’s office in the [c]sight of Aaron their father.
5 Then the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
6 Bring the tribe of Levi, and [d]set them before Aaron the Priest that they may serve him,
7 And take the charge with him, even the charge of the whole Congregation, [e]before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to do the service of the Tabernacle.
8 They shall also keep all the instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and have the charge of the children of Israel to do the service of the Tabernacle.
9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his [f]sons: for they are given him freely from among the children of Israel.
10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons to execute their Priest’s office: and the [g]stranger that cometh near, shall be slain.
11 ¶ Also the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
12 Behold, I have even taken the Levites from among the children of Israel: for all the firstborn that openeth the matrice among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine,
13 Because all the firstborn are mine: for the same day, that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, (E)I sanctified unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine they shall be: I am the Lord.
14 ¶ Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15 Number the children of Levi after the houses of their fathers, in their families: every male from a month old and above shalt thou number.
16 Then Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.
17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names, (F)Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
18 Also these were the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.
19 The sons also of Kohath by their families: Amram and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20 And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi, according to the houses of their fathers.
21 Of Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
22 The sum whereof ([h]after the number of all the males from a month old and above) was counted seven thousand and five hundred.
23 ¶ The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the Tabernacle Westward.
24 The captain and [i]ancient of the house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, shall be the [j]Tabernacle, and the pavilion, the covering thereof, and the veil of the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation,
26 And the hanging of the court, and the veil of the door of the court which is near the Tabernacle, and near the Altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
27 And of Kohath came the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
28 The number of all the males from a month old and above, was eight thousand and six hundred, having the [k]charge of the Sanctuary.
29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the South side of the Tabernacle.
30 The captain and ancient of the house and families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel:
31 And their charge shall be the [l]Ark, and the Table, and the Candlestick, and the altars, and the instruments of the Sanctuary that they minister with, and the veil, and all that serveth thereto.
32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the Priest shall be [m]chief captain of the Levites, having the oversight of them that have the charge of the Sanctuary.
33 ¶ Of Merari came the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
34 And the sum of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and above was six thousand and two hundred.
35 The captain and the ancient of the house of the families of Merari shall be Zuriel the son of Abihail: they shall pitch on the Northside of the Tabernacle.
36 And in the charge and custody of the sons of Merari shall be [n]the boards of the Tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and his pillars, and his sockets, and all the instruments thereof, and all that serveth thereto,
37 With the pillars of the court round about, with their sockets, and their pins and their cords.
38 ¶ Also on the forefront of the Tabernacle toward the East, before the Tabernacle I say, of the Congregation Eastward shall Moses and Aaron and his sons pitch, having the charge of the Sanctuary, [o]and the charge of the children of Israel: but the stranger that cometh near shall be slain.
39 The whole sum of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord throughout their families, even all the males from a month old and above, was two and twenty [p]thousand.
40 ¶ And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn that are males among the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names.
41 And thou shalt take the Levites to me [q]for all the firstborn of the children of Israel (I am the Lord) and the cattle of the Levites for all the firstborn of the cattle of the children of Israel.
42 And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
43 And all the firstborn males rehearsed by name (from a month old and above) according to their number were two and twenty thousand, two hundred seventy and three.
44 ¶ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Take the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites for their cattle, and the Levites shall be mine, (I am the Lord.)
46 And for the redeeming of the two hundred seventy and three, (which are more than the Levites) of the firstborn of the children of Israel,
47 Thou shalt also take five shekels for every person: after the weight of the Sanctuary shalt thou take it: (G)the shekel containeth twenty gerahs.
48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.
49 Thus Moses took the redemption of them that were redeemed, being more than the Levites:
50 Of the [r]firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money: even a thousand three hundred three score and five shekels, after the shekel of the Sanctuary.
51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 3:1 Or, families and kindreds.
- Numbers 3:4 Or, before the Altar.
- Numbers 3:4 Whiles their father lived.
- Numbers 3:6 Offer them unto Aaron for the use of the Tabernacle.
- Numbers 3:7 Which appertained to the executing of the high Priest’s commandment, to the oversight of the people, and the service of the Tabernacle.
- Numbers 3:9 Aaron’s sons the Priests served in the Sanctuary in praying for the people and offering sacrifice: the Levites served for the inferior uses of the same.
- Numbers 3:10 Any that would minister not being a Levite.
- Numbers 3:22 Only numbering the male children.
- Numbers 3:24 Or, father.
- Numbers 3:25 Their charge was to carry the covering and hangings of the Tabernacle.
- Numbers 3:28 Doing every one his duty in the Sanctuary.
- Numbers 3:31 The chief things within the Sanctuary were committed to the Kohathites.
- Numbers 3:32 Or, prince of princes.
- Numbers 3:36 The woodwork and the rest of the instruments were committed to their charge.
- Numbers 3:38 That none should enter into the Tabernacle contrary to God’s appointment.
- Numbers 3:39 So that the firstborn of the children of Israel were more by 273, as verse 43.
- Numbers 3:41 So that now the Levites should satisfy unto the Lord for the firstborn of Israel, save for the 273 which were more than the Levites, for whom they paid money.
- Numbers 3:50 Or the two hundred seventy and three, which were more than the Levites.
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