Numbers 1:47-54
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
47 The Levites, however, were not numbered by their ancestral tribe along with them.(A)
48 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not enroll, and you shall not take a census of them with the other Israelites. 50 Rather, you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the covenant and over all its equipment and over all that belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its equipment, and they shall tend it and shall camp around the tabernacle.(B) 51 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. And any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.(C) 52 The other Israelites shall camp in their respective regimental camps, by companies,(D) 53 but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the covenant, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the Israelites, and the Levites shall perform the duties of the tabernacle of the covenant.”(E) 54 The Israelites did so; they did just as the Lord commanded Moses.
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Numbers 1:47-54
International Standard Version
Exemption of the Tribe of Levi from the Census
47 The descendants of Levi were not counted according to their ancestral houses 48 because the Lord had ordered Moses: 49 “Be sure not to number or count the tribe of Levi with the rest of the Israelis. 50 Instead, appoint the descendants of Levi over the Tent of Meeting, all the vessels, and everything in it. They are to carry the tent and all the vessels in it. They are to attend to it and camp around it. 51 Whenever the tent is ready for travel, the descendants of Levi are to take it down. When it’s time to encamp, the descendants of Levi are to set it up. Any unauthorized person[a] who approaches it is to be executed. 52 Then the Israelis are to encamp around the tent,[b] arranged according to their company and the standard of their army. 53 But the descendants of Levi are to encamp on all sides of the Tent of Meeting so that divine wrath won’t fall on the congregation of Israel.[c] The descendants of Levi are to take care of the Tent of Meeting.”
54 The Israelis observed everything that the Lord had commanded Moses, doing exactly what they were told.
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- Numbers 1:51 Lit. stranger
- Numbers 1:52 The Heb. lacks around the tent
- Numbers 1:53 Lit. sons of Israel
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