Numbers 3
Common English Bible
Aaron’s sons
3 These are the descendants of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab the oldest, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of Aaron’s sons, who are the anointed priests and ordained to the priesthood. 4 Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they made an unauthorized offering to the Lord in the Sinai desert. They didn’t have any sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
The Levites’ first census
5 The Lord spoke to Moses: 6 Bring near the tribe of Levi and place them before Aaron the priest. They will assist him. 7 They will perform duties for him and for the entire community before the meeting tent, doing the work of the dwelling. 8 They will be responsible for all the equipment of the meeting tent and the duties on behalf of the Israelites when they do the work of the dwelling. 9 You will give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They have been assigned as a gift to him from the Israelites. 10 You will appoint Aaron and his sons to be responsible for the priesthood. Any other person who approaches will be put to death.
11 The Lord spoke to Moses: 12 I claim the Levites from the Israelites in place of all the oldest males who open an Israelite womb. The Levites are mine 13 because all the oldest males are mine. When I killed all the oldest males in the land of Egypt, I reserved for myself all the oldest males in Israel, both humans and animals. They are mine; I am the Lord.
14 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert: 15 Enroll the Levites by their households and their clans. You will enroll all the males over one month old. 16 Moses enrolled them according to the Lord’s word as he was commanded. 17 These were Levi’s sons by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 These were the names of Gershon’s sons by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 Kohath’s sons by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 Merari’s sons by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi by their households.
21 To Gershon belonged the clans of Libni and Shimei. These were the clans of the Gershonites. 22 Their enrollment, according to the number of males over one month old, was 7,500. 23 The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the dwelling on the west side. 24 The chief of the household of the Gershonites was Eliasaph, Lael’s son. 25 In the dwelling, the Gershonites were responsible for the meeting tent, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the meeting tent, 26 the curtains of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance of the courtyard surrounding the meeting tent and the altar, and its cords—all these structures.
27 To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites. These were the clans of the Kohathites. 28 The number of males over one month old, who would perform duties for the sanctuary, was 8,600. 29 The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the dwelling. 30 The chief of the household representing the clans of the Kohathites was Elizaphan, Uzziel’s son. 31 They were responsible for the chest, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the equipment of the sanctuary with which they would minister, and the screen—all these furnishings. 32 The head chief over the chiefs of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest. He was supervisor over those performing the duties of the sanctuary.
33 To Merari belonged the clans of Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Merarites. 34 Their enrollment, according to the number of males over one month old, was 6,200. 35 The chief of the household representing the clans of the Merarites was Zuriel, Abihail’s son. They were to camp on the north side of the dwelling. 36 The Merarites were assigned responsibility for the frames of the dwelling, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its equipment—all these items— 37 and the pillars of the courtyard all around, their bases, pegs, and cords.
38 Those camping in front of the dwelling eastward (that is, before the meeting tent on the east side) were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of the sanctuary as service for the Israelites. Anyone else who approached would be put to death. 39 The total enrollment of the Levites, all the males over one month old whom Moses and Aaron enrolled by orders from the Lord, according to their clans, was 22,000.
Levites rescue the oldest male Israelites
40 The Lord said to Moses: Enroll all the oldest males of the Israelites over one month of age and record their names. 41 Take the Levites for me, in place of all the oldest sons of the Israelites, for I am the Lord, and the cattle of the Levites in place of all the oldest cattle of the Israelites. 42 Moses enrolled all the oldest males of the Israelites as the Lord commanded. 43 All the oldest males over one month old, recorded by name according to their enrollment, were 22,273.
44 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 45 Take the Levites in place of all the oldest Israelites and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle. The Levites are mine; I am the Lord. 46 To rescue the 273 remaining oldest Israelites over and above the number of Levites, 47 you will receive five shekels each. You will receive them according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs to the shekel. 48 You will give the money for their rescue to Aaron and his sons.
49 So Moses took the money from those rescued over and above the ones rescued by the Levites. 50 He took the money from the oldest of the Israelites, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 Moses gave the money for those rescued to Aaron and his sons according to the Lord’s word, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Numbers 3
GOD’S WORD Translation
The Tribe of Levi Is Registered and Assigned Duties
3 This is the list of Aaron and Moses’ descendants at the time when the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.
2 The names of Aaron’s sons are Nadab (the firstborn), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord’s presence because they offered unauthorized fire in his presence in the Desert of Sinai. They had no children. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
5 The Lord said to Moses, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi, and have them stand in front of the priest Aaron to assist him. 7 They will work for him and the whole community in front of the tent of meeting, doing what needs to be done for the inner tent. 8 They will take care of all the furnishings in the tent of meeting and work for the Israelites, doing what needs to be done for the inner tent. 9 Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. The Levites will be the only Israelites given to them. 10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who tries to do the priests’ duties must be put to death.”
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “Out of all the Israelites, I have taken the Levites to be substitutes for every firstborn male offspring among them. The Levites are mine, 13 because every firstborn is mine. The day I killed every firstborn male in Egypt, I set apart as holy every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They will be mine. I am the Lord.”
14 The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, 15 “Count the Levites by households and families. Count every male who is at least one month old.” 16 So Moses did what the Lord said and registered them as he had been commanded.
17 Gershon, Kohath, and Merari were the sons of Levi.
18 Libni and Shimei were the sons of Gershon. Their families were named after them.
19 Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel were the sons of Kohath. Their families were named after them.
20 Mahli and Mushi were the sons of Merari. Their families were named after them.
These were the households of Levite families.
21 To Gershon belonged the families descended from Libni and Shimei. These were the families descended from Gershon. 22 The total number of all the males at least one month old was 7,500. 23 The families descended from Gershon put up their tents on the west side behind the tent of meeting. 24 The leader of the Gershonite households was Eliasaph, son of Lael. 25 At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were in charge of the inner tent, the outer tent and cover, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26 the curtains for the courtyard, the screen for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the inner tent and the altar, and the ropes. They took care of all these things.
27 To Kohath belonged the families descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. These were the families descended from Kohath. 28 The number of all the males at least one month old was 8,600. They were in charge of the holy place. 29 The families descended from Kohath put up their tents on the south side of the tent of meeting. 30 The leader of the Kohathite families and households was Elizaphan, son of Uzziel. 31 They were in charge of the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the utensils used in the holy place, and the screen. They took care of all these things.
32 The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar, son of the priest Aaron. It was Eleazar’s duty to supervise those who were in charge of the holy place.
33 To Merari belonged the families descended from Mahli and Mushi. These were the families descended from Merari. 34 The total number of all the males at least one month old was 6,200. 35 The leader of the Merarite families and households was Zuriel, son of Abihail. They put up their tents on the north side of the tent of meeting. 36 It was the duty of the Merarites to be in charge of the framework of the inner tent, the crossbars, posts, sockets, and all the equipment. They took care of all these things. 37 They also took care of the posts for the surrounding courtyard, the bases, pegs, and ropes.
38 Moses, Aaron, and his sons put up their tents on the east side in front of the tent of meeting. They were in charge of the holy place on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who tried to do the Levites’ duties had to be put to death.
39 The grand total of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted at the Lord’s command, by families, every male who was at least one month old, was 22,000.
40 The Lord said to Moses, “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites who is at least one month old, and make a list of their names. 41 I am the Lord. Take the Levites for me to be substitutes for all firstborn Israelites. Also take the animals of the Levites to be substitutes for all firstborn animals of the Israelites.”
42 So Moses registered all the firstborn Israelites as the Lord commanded him. 43 The total of all the firstborn males at least one month old was 22,273. They were listed by name.
44 The Lord said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites to be substitutes for all the firstborn Israelites and the animals of the Levites to be substitutes for their animals. The Levites will be mine. I am the Lord. 46 There are 273 more firstborn male Israelites than there are Levites. 47 It will cost you two ounces of silver per person (using the standard weight of the holy place) to buy them back. 48 Give the silver to Aaron and his sons. It will buy back those Israelites who outnumber the Levites.”
49 So Moses took this ransom money from the Israelites who outnumbered the Levites. 50 The silver Moses collected for the firstborn Israelites weighed 34 pounds, using the standard weight of the holy place. 51 Then Moses did what the Lord said and gave Aaron and his sons this ransom money as he had been commanded.
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