The Census of Israel’s Warriors

Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

just as the Lord had commanded Moses. So he counted them in the wilderness of Sinai.

For the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying,

And the sons of Israel did so; in accordance with all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so they did.

Arrangement of the Camps

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

The Levites, however, were not counted among the sons of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

So the sons of Israel did all this; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they camped by their flags, and so they set out, everyone by his family according to his father’s household.

Levite Priesthood Established

Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the Lord when they offered strange 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 their father Aaron.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I fatally struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from the human firstborn to animals. They shall be Mine; I am the Lord.”

Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

So Moses counted them according to the word of the Lord, just as he had been commanded.

All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the command of the Lord by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

Firstborn Redeemed

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Count every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names.

And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel.”

So Moses counted all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded him;

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle. And the Levites shall be Mine; I am the Lord.

Then Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, at the command of the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Duties of the Kohathites

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Duties of the Gershonites

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

These were the numbered men of the Kohathite families, everyone who was serving in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the Lord through Moses.