Numbers 1:47-54

English Standard Version

Levites Exempted

⁴⁷But ^(A)the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe. ⁴⁸For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁹“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel. ⁵⁰^(B)But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it ^(C)and shall camp around the tabernacle. ⁵¹^(D)When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. ^(E)And if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death. ⁵²The people of Israel shall pitch their tents by their companies, each man in his own camp and ^(F)each man by his own standard. ⁵³But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no ^(G)wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. ^(H)And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.” ⁵⁴Thus did the people of Israel; they did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.

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Numbers 1:47-54

New International Version

⁴⁷The ancestral tribe of the Levites,^(A) however, was not counted^(B) along with the others. ⁴⁸The Lord had said to Moses: ⁴⁹“You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. ⁵⁰Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle^(C) of the covenant law^(D)—over all its furnishings^(E) and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. ⁵¹Whenever the tabernacle^(F) is to move,^(G) the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.^(H) Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.^(I) ⁵²The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.^(J) ⁵³The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle^(K) of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall^(L) on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.^(M)”