The Lord spoke to Moses: “Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. They are to perform duties for[a] him and the entire community before the tent of meeting by attending to the service of the tabernacle. They are to take care of[b] all the furnishings of the tent of meeting(A) and perform duties for[c] the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle. Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been assigned exclusively to him[d] from the Israelites.(B) 10 You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out their priestly responsibilities, but any unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:7 Or to guard
  2. Numbers 3:8 Or to guard
  3. Numbers 3:8 Or and guard
  4. Numbers 3:9 Some Hb mss, LXX, Sam read Me; Nm 8:16

Appointment of the Descendants of Levi as Priests

The Lord told Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them to Aaron the priest so they may serve him. They are to take care of his needs and the needs of the whole congregation at the Tent of Meeting by performing duties[a] at the tent. 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. Assign[b] 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[c] person who approaches it is to be put to death.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:7 Or work
  2. Numbers 3:9 Lit. Give
  3. Numbers 3:10 Or undesignated