Numbers 3
Evangelical Heritage Version
Aaron’s Sons and the Duties of the Levites
3 This is the family history 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 firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests.
4 Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.
5 The Lord spoke to Moses: 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near and have them stand before Aaron the priest so that they may assist him. 7 They will perform the duties for him and for the entire congregation in front of the Tent of Meeting by doing the work for the Dwelling. 8 They will take care of all the furnishings for the Tent of Meeting and perform the duties of the Israelites by doing the work for the Dwelling. 9 You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are completely given to him from among the Israelites. 10 But you will appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will serve in the priesthood. Any unauthorized person who goes near must be put to death.”
The Census of the Levites
11 The Lord spoke to Moses, 12 “See, I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead of every firstborn that opens the womb among the Israelites. The Levites are mine, 13 for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, both human and animal. They are mine. I am the Lord.”
14 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, 15 “Register the Levites according to their fathers’ houses, by their clans. You are to register every male a month old and up.”
16 So Moses registered them as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.
17 These were the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18 These were the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei.
19 The sons of Kohath according to their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20 The sons of Merari according to their clans were Mahli and Mushi.
The following were the clans of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses.
21 From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan. These were the Gershonite clans. 22 Those who were registered, counting all the males who were a month old and up, were 7,500. 23 The Gershonite clans camped behind the Dwelling on the west side. 24 The tribal chief of the father’s house for the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25 The duties of the descendants of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting involved the dwelling and the tent,[a] its coverings, and the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 also the hangings of the courtyard, and the screen for the entrance to the courtyard which surrounds the Dwelling and the altar, and its ropes—everything related to this work.
27 From Kohath came the Amramite clan, the Izharite clan, the Hebronite clan, and the Uzzielite clan. These were the Kohathite clans. 28 Counting all the males who were a month old and up, there were 8,600 to perform the duties of the sanctuary. 29 The clans of the descendants of Kohath camped on the south side of the Dwelling. 30 The tribal chief of the father’s house for the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31 Their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sanctuary utensils with which they serve, and the screen—everything related to this work. 32 The tribal chief over the Levite tribal chiefs was Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those performing the duties of the sanctuary.
33 From Merari came the Mahlite clan and the Mushite clan. These were the Merarite clans. 34 Those who were registered, counting all the males who were a month old and up, were 6,200. 35 The tribal chief of the father’s house for the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail. They camped on the north side of the Dwelling. 36 The appointed duties for the sons of Merari involved the Dwelling’s boards, its crossbars, its posts, its bases, all its equipment—everything related to this work, 37 also the posts for the surrounding courtyard, their bases, their tent pegs, and their ropes.
38 Those who camped in front of the Dwelling on the east side, in front of the Tent of Meeting, toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons, who were performing the duties of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Any unauthorized person who goes near shall be put to death. 39 All of the Levities who were registered when the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron to register them according to their clans, every male a month old and up, were 22,000.
Redemption of the Firstborn
40 The Lord said to Moses, “Register all the firstborn males of the Israelites one month old and up, and make a list of their names. 41 You are to take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—instead of every firstborn among the Israelites, and take the livestock of the Levites instead of every firstborn among the livestock of the Israelites.” 42 So Moses registered all the firstborn among the Israelites as the Lord commanded. 43 All the firstborn males listed by name, one month old and up, when registered, totaled 22,273.
44 The Lord spoke to Moses: 45 “Take the Levites instead of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites will be mine. I am the Lord. 46 For the redemption of the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, 47 you are to collect five shekels apiece for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel (this shekel is twenty gerahs[b]). 48 You are to give the money, the redemption price for the additional Israelites, to Aaron and his sons.”
49 Moses collected the redemption money from those who outnumbered the ones redeemed by the Levites who took their place. 50 He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, in obedience to the word of the Lord, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 3:25 The term dwelling here refers to the innermost covering of the Dwelling. The tent is the layer above the dwelling.
- Numbers 3:47 The exact value of most ancient weights and measures is uncertain, and there was no universal standard. The sanctuary had its own set of official weights. A shekel is about 10 to 12 grams or .4 to .5 of an ounce, with the sanctuary shekel being slightly larger than the common shekel. There is no independent evidence for the weight of a gerah.
Numbers 3
English Standard Version
The Sons of Aaron
3 These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 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, (B)the anointed priests, (C)whom he ordained to serve as priests. 4 (D)But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.
Duties of the Levites
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 (E)“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, (F)as they minister at the tabernacle. 8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. 9 And (G)you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are (H)wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and (I)they shall guard their priesthood. But if (J)any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, (K)I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for (L)all the firstborn are mine. (M)On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.”
14 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 “List the sons of Levi, by fathers' houses and by clans; (N)every male from a month old and upward you shall list.” 16 So Moses listed them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. 17 (O)And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: (P)Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their clans: (Q)Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their clans: (R)Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their fathers' houses.
21 To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. 22 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was[a] 7,500. 23 (S)The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, 24 with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as chief of the fathers' house of the Gershonites. 25 And the (T)guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved (U)the tabernacle, (V)the tent with (W)its covering, (X)the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26 (Y)the hangings of the court, (Z)the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and (AA)its cords—all the service connected with these.
27 To Kohath belonged the clan of the (AB)Amramites and the clan of the Izharites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, keeping guard over the sanctuary. 29 The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, 30 with (AC)Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers' house of the clans of the Kohathites. 31 And their guard duty involved (AD)the ark, (AE)the table, (AF)the lampstand, (AG)the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and (AH)the screen; all the service connected with these. 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary.
33 To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. 34 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200. 35 And the chief of the fathers' house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 (AI)And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the (AJ)frames of the tabernacle, (AK)the bars, (AL)the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; 37 also (AM)the pillars around the court, with their bases and (AN)pegs and (AO)cords.
38 Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, (AP)guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect[b] the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 All those listed among the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the Lord, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward, were (AQ)22,000.
Redemption of the Firstborn
40 And the Lord said to Moses, “List all the firstborn males of the people of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking the number of their names. 41 (AR)And you shall take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the people of Israel.” 42 So Moses listed all the firstborn among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded him. 43 And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as listed were 22,273.
44 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 (AS)“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord. 46 And (AT)as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, 47 you shall take (AU)five shekels[c] per head; you shall take them according to (AV)the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs[d]), 48 and give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are over.” 49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the people of Israel he took the money, (AW)1,365 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary. 51 And Moses (AX)gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 3:22 Hebrew their listing was
- Numbers 3:38 Hebrew guard
- Numbers 3:47 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
- Numbers 3:47 A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram
Numbers 3
King James Version
3 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.
4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.
5 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.
7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and 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 sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.
10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord.
14 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
16 And 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; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.
19 And the sons 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 the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
22 Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
24 And the chief of the house of the father 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 tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
27 And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
28 In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
34 And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.
35 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.
36 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,
37 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
38 But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
40 And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
42 And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.
44 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord.
46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;
47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)
48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.
49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:
50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore 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 commanded Moses.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
