Numbers 1:47-54
New American Standard Bible
Levites Exempted
47 (A)The Levites, however, were not counted among them by their fathers’ tribe. 48 For the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi (B)you shall not count, nor shall you take their [a]census among the sons of Israel. 50 And you shall (C)appoint the Levites over the [b]tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over everything that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the [c]tabernacle. 51 (D)So when the tabernacle is to move on, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up. But (E)the [d]layman who comes near it shall be put to death. 52 (F)So the sons of Israel shall camp, each man by his own camp, and each man by his own [e]flag, according to their armies. 53 (G)But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there will be (H)no divine wrath against the congregation of the sons of Israel. (I)So the Levites shall be responsible for service to the tabernacle of the testimony.” 54 And the sons of Israel did so; in accordance with all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so they did.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 1:49 Lit sum
- Numbers 1:50 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
- Numbers 1:50 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
- Numbers 1:51 Lit stranger
- Numbers 1:52 Or division
Numbers 1:47-54
Common English Bible
47 But the Levites, belonging to their own ancestral tribe, weren’t enlisted along with them.
The Levites’ exclusion from the census
48 The Lord spoke to Moses: 49 You must not enlist the tribe of Levi, nor should you take their census along with the Israelites. 50 Rather, assign the Levites to the covenant dwelling, to all its equipment, and to everything that belongs to it. They will carry the dwelling and all its equipment, perform its religious ceremonies, and camp around the dwelling. 51 When it’s time to break camp, the Levites will take down the dwelling; and when it’s time to make camp, the Levites will set up the dwelling. Any other person who approaches will be put to death. 52 The Israelites will camp each in their own place under the banner of their own military unit. 53 But the Levites will camp around the covenant dwelling so that God’s anger will not strike the Israelite community. The Levites will guard the covenant dwelling.
54 The Israelites did everything exactly as the Lord commanded Moses.
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