Old/New Testament
3 At that time (when the Eternal One spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai), the lineage of Aaron and Moses went like this: 2 Aaron’s sons were Nadab (the eldest), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar— 3 actually, they were his sons who were anointed as priests, who were supposed to work as priests. 4 But Nadab and Abihu perished in the presence of the Eternal when they failed to follow God’s instructions and offered profane fire at Sinai. They didn’t have any children. The other two, Eleazar and Ithamar, carried on as priests for Aaron’s lifetime.
5 Then the Eternal One told Moses,
Eternal One: 6 Summon the Levi tribe, and send them to Aaron, the priest. 7 They are to serve him and all the people in front of the tent of the congregation. They are to do the work for the tent, My sacred dwelling place. 8 They are in charge of the tent’s furnishings. Their work in service to the congregation tent is on behalf of the people of Israel. 9 These Levites are to be given exclusively to Aaron and Aaron’s sons. 10 Aaron and his descendants alone are the priests. If any outsider gets involved, he will be killed.
11 And the Eternal One spoke later to Moses.
Eternal One: 12-13 As you know, all firstborn children of each woman belong to Me. I made that clear when I killed all the Egyptian firstborn but spared Israel and its animals, setting them apart just for Me. But rather than giving all Israel’s firstborn to Me, I accept the Levites as a substitute. They will be Mine. I am the Eternal One.
The Levites as a whole are given into religious service sacrificing the animals and serving in the congregation tent rather than taking all the firstborn males, as was done with the livestock. To have drawn the servants of the Lord from the entire nation would have resulted in great disruption of each of the families and tribes.
14 God formerly gave these instructions to Moses in the wild desert area of Sinai.
Eternal One: 15 Organize the male Levites (including infants, one month old and older) by their clans and extended families.
16 So Moses did just as the Eternal One told him. 17 Levi’s three sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 Gershon’s sons, by their clans, were Libni and Shimei. 19 Kohath’s sons, by their clans, were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 Merari’s sons, by their clans, were Mahli and Mushi. These, remember, are specifically the Levite clans by their extended families.
21 So within Gershon were the Libnite and Shimeite clans. 22 Counting just the males one month old and older, 7,500 were organized. 23 They camped in the area behind the congregation tent on the west. 24 Eliasaph (Lael’s son) served as head of the Gershonite extended family. 25 Their jobs were to take care of everything related to the congregation tent, both the place of revelation and its covering, the screen for the congregation tent’s entrance, 26 the curtains for the court surrounding the place of revelation and the altar, its entrance screen, the ropes, and anything else for the tent.
27 Within Kohath were the Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite, and Uzzielite clans. 28 Counting just the males one month old and older, there were 8,600[a] who worked for the sacred place. 29 They camped on the south side of the congregation tent. 30 Uzziel’s son, Elizaphan, was their head. 31 These Kohathites were to take care of everything associated with the chest, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the furnishings of the sanctuary that the priests use, the screen, and anything else inside the sacred place. 32 Priest Aaron’s son, Eleazar, was head of the Levite leaders. He was in charge of overseeing the people who took care of the sacred place.
33 Within Merari were the Mahlite and Mushite clans, 34 of whom 6,200 males one month or older were organized. 35 Abihail’s son, Zuriel, was their leader. They were instructed to camp on the northern side of the tent area, 36 and their work was to maintain the planks of the tent, its bars, posts, and sockets; plus all the furnishings and any other wood items; 37 as well as the posts surrounding the courtyard together with their sockets, pegs, and ropes.
38 Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons camped in front of the congregation tent, on the east facing sunrise, where they worked according to the needs of the sanctuary and on behalf of the Israelites. If an outsider trespassed in this area, he would be killed. 39-45 The total number of Levites whom Moses and Aaron organized, according to the Eternal’s command, were 22,273. These males, one month or older, Moses listed by name.
The Eternal One told Moses,
Eternal One (to Moses): As a substitute for all the Israelite firstborn children and animals (as all of them are Mine), take all the Levites and all the Levites’ animals, which shall belong to Me.[b] 46 But because there are 273 more Israelite firstborn children than there are Levites, you shall pay a substitute price: 47 five shekels for each (calculated by the sanctuary weight, which is 35 pounds to the shekel), 48 and give that money as a substitute price to Aaron and Aaron’s sons.
49-51 So Moses did all that concerning the substitute price, just as the Eternal commanded, and it amounted to 47,775 pounds of metal.
4 The Eternal One spoke to Moses and Aaron.
A census can be ominous or encouraging. Sometimes everyone on the list has to die before a new generation can take the land (chapter 1), but sometimes, like in this chapter, it is an occasion to highlight God’s people, the Levites.
Eternal One: 2 From among the Levite clans, organize Kohathite men by their extended families 3 between the ages of 30 and 50, who serve in the congregation tent. 4 They are the ones who shall deal with the most sacred objects associated with the congregation tent. 5 When it’s time to break camp, follow these instructions: Aaron and his sons shall take down the screen curtain and cover the covenant chest. 6 Over that, they shall lay a sea-cow skin,[c] and over that, a pure blue cloth. They shall then slide in the chest’s poles. 7 Regarding the table that displays the offerings, they shall spread it with a blue cloth and set the bowls, ladles, cups, pitchers for the drink offering, and regular bread on it. 8 This they shall cover with a crimson cloth, and over that a sea-cow skin. And they shall slide in its poles too. 9 Regarding the seven-branched lampstand, they shall cover it—the lamps, tongs, fire pans, and all the oil receptacles used with it—with a blue cloth. 10 They shall put it and all its furnishings in a sea-cow skin and set that on the frame for carrying. 11 Concerning the golden altar for incense, they shall cover it first with a blue cloth, and over that with a sea-cow skin. They shall insert its poles. 12 Likewise, all of the furnishings used in sanctuary service should go into a blue cloth, be covered with a sea-cow skin, and set on a carrying frame. 13 They will need to empty the fat ashes from the burnt offering altar before spreading a purple cloth over it. 14 Then load all the things used with it—the fire pans, long forks, spatulas, and basins—and cover the whole with a sea-cow skin. Then they shall slide in the poles. 15 When Aaron and his sons are done covering all the holy objects and furnishings, then and only then (so that they don’t touch the sacred things and die), the Kohathites can approach. They are the ones who shall transport these items of the congregation tent. 16 Aaron’s son, Eleazar, shall be responsible for the oil used for light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, the oil used for anointing, the whole congregation tent, and every holy thing within it, including each and every furnishing.
17 (continuing instructions to Moses and Aaron) 18-19 Take special care to pack everything well so that the people of the Kohathite clans are not killed on account of touching the most sacred things when they shouldn’t. Aaron and his sons can direct each person’s role and their transportation of the items. 20 The Kohathites should never look on the sacred things for even a moment, or else they’ll die.
21 (continuing instructions to Moses) 22-24 Add up the Gershonites, ages 30–50, by their extended families and clans. These are the ones who shall perform the following specific tasks required for the congregation tent: 25 They shall be responsible for transporting the tent curtains, the congregation tent with its covering and the sea-cow skin over that (as well as the screen for the tent’s entrance), 26 the hangings for the courtyard area, the screen at the entrance gate of the designated area around the tent and altar, the ropes, and everything they need for service. And they shall do whatever is needed to maintain and care for these things. 27-28 These Gershonites shall answer to Aaron the priest and his sons (particularly Ithamar) with respect to what exactly they should carry and do; and you shall assign into their care what they need to carry. This is what the Gershonite clans are to do concerning the congregation tent.
29-30 Number the Merarites in the same way—those ages 30–50 by extended families and clans, whoever qualifies to work for the good of the congregation tent. 31 They are to carry the following things (and that’s all they need to do for the congregation tent): the tent framework with its bars, pillars, and foundations; 32 the pillars of the courtyard area along with their bases, pegs, ropes, and all their furnishings and related items. Specify each object that each one must carry. 33 That’s all the Merarite clans need to do for the congregation tent. They’ll answer specifically to Ithamar (the son of Aaron the priest).
34-37 So Moses, Aaron, and all the heads of the community did as the Lord had instructed. They organized the Kohathites by the clans and the extended families, ages 30–50, who were eligible to work on behalf of the congregation tent and found that there were 2,750. 38-45 The Gershonites whom Moses and Aaron organized by each clan and extended family numbered 2,630; and the Merarites—3,200. 46 All were listed from the Levites organized by Moses, Aaron, and the heads of the families, 47 who were between the ages of 30 and 50 and capable of performing their designated congregation tent tasks of maintenance and transportation, 48 numbered 8,580. 49 Each one had a job specified by the Eternal One and dictated through Moses. Each one was recorded by his job as the Eternal had commanded Moses to do.
20 Jesus and His disciples went into a house to eat, but so many people pressed in to see Jesus that they could not be served. 21 When Jesus’ family heard about this craziness, they went to drag Him out of that place.
Jesus’ Family (to one another): Jesus has lost His mind.
22 The scribes, for their part, came down from Jerusalem and spread the slander that Jesus was in league with the devil.
Scribes: That’s how He casts out demons. He’s casting them out by the power of Beelzebul—the ancient Philistine god—the prince of demons.
23 When Jesus heard this, He tried to reason with them using parables.
Jesus: Listen. How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 A kingdom that makes war against itself will collapse. 25 A household divided against itself cannot stand. 26 If Satan opposes himself, he cannot stand and is finished.
27 If you want to break into the house of a strong man and plunder it, you have to bind him first. Then you can do whatever you want with his possessions. 28 Listen, the truth is that people can be forgiven of almost anything. God has been known to forgive many things, even blasphemy. 29 But speaking evil of the Spirit of God is an unforgivable sin that will follow you into eternity.
30 He said this because the scribes were telling people that Jesus got His power from dark forces instead of from God.
Popularity is often a dangerous thing, particularly in a land occupied by Roman soldiers. As Jesus’ ministry grows, some of His friends and family start to get nervous: they wonder if He has “lost His mind” entirely. They just can’t understand what is happening and why He is so important. It doesn’t seem right—the boy next door from Nazareth receiving so much attention. In fact, they are so uncomfortable with it that they decide to intervene and take Him home.
But Jesus’ family isn’t the only group concerned about Him. The Pharisees are doing their best to spread doubt about His authority with the worst accusations possible: His power to heal comes from the devil himself. They are attacking Him publicly and questioning His identity as the Anointed One.
31 When Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived, they couldn’t break through the crowd, so they sent word in to Jesus that He should come out to them. 32 The crowd was pressed in tight around Him when He received the message, “Your mother and brothers [and sisters][a] are waiting outside for You.”
33 Jesus looked around.
Jesus (answering them): Who are My mother and brothers?
He called into the silence. No one spoke.
34 At last His gaze swept across those gathered close, and Jesus smiled.
Jesus: You, here, are My mother and My brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is My true family.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.