Old/New Testament
3 6 The charge and office of the Levites. 12, 35 Why the Lord separated the Levites for himself. 16 Their number, families, and captains. 40 The firstborn of Israel is redeemed by the Levites. 47 The overplus is redeemed by money.
1 These also were the [a]generations of Aaron and Moses, in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
2 So these are the names of the sons of Aaron, (A)Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron the anointed Priests, whom Moses did (B)consecrate to minister in the Priest’s office.
4 (C)And Nadab and Abihu died [b]before the Lord, when they offered (D)strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and had no children: but Eleazar and Ithamar served in the Priest’s office in the [c]sight of Aaron their father.
5 Then the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
6 Bring the tribe of Levi, and [d]set them before Aaron the Priest that they may serve him,
7 And take the charge with him, even the charge of the whole Congregation, [e]before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to do the service of the Tabernacle.
8 They shall also keep all the instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and have the charge of the children of Israel to do the service of the Tabernacle.
9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his [f]sons: for they are given him freely from among the children of Israel.
10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons to execute their Priest’s office: and the [g]stranger that cometh near, shall be slain.
11 ¶ Also the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
12 Behold, I have even taken the Levites from among the children of Israel: for all the firstborn that openeth the matrice among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine,
13 Because all the firstborn are mine: for the same day, that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, (E)I sanctified unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine they shall be: I am the Lord.
14 ¶ Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15 Number the children of Levi after the houses of their fathers, in their families: every male from a month old and above shalt thou number.
16 Then Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.
17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names, (F)Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
18 Also these were the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.
19 The sons also of Kohath by their families: Amram and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20 And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi, according to the houses of their fathers.
21 Of Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
22 The sum whereof ([h]after the number of all the males from a month old and above) was counted seven thousand and five hundred.
23 ¶ The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the Tabernacle Westward.
24 The captain and [i]ancient of the house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, shall be the [j]Tabernacle, and the pavilion, the covering thereof, and the veil of the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation,
26 And the hanging of the court, and the veil of the door of the court which is near the Tabernacle, and near the Altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
27 And of Kohath came the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
28 The number of all the males from a month old and above, was eight thousand and six hundred, having the [k]charge of the Sanctuary.
29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the South side of the Tabernacle.
30 The captain and ancient of the house and families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel:
31 And their charge shall be the [l]Ark, and the Table, and the Candlestick, and the altars, and the instruments of the Sanctuary that they minister with, and the veil, and all that serveth thereto.
32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the Priest shall be [m]chief captain of the Levites, having the oversight of them that have the charge of the Sanctuary.
33 ¶ Of Merari came the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
34 And the sum of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and above was six thousand and two hundred.
35 The captain and the ancient of the house of the families of Merari shall be Zuriel the son of Abihail: they shall pitch on the Northside of the Tabernacle.
36 And in the charge and custody of the sons of Merari shall be [n]the boards of the Tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and his pillars, and his sockets, and all the instruments thereof, and all that serveth thereto,
37 With the pillars of the court round about, with their sockets, and their pins and their cords.
38 ¶ Also on the forefront of the Tabernacle toward the East, before the Tabernacle I say, of the Congregation Eastward shall Moses and Aaron and his sons pitch, having the charge of the Sanctuary, [o]and the charge of the children of Israel: but the stranger that cometh near shall be slain.
39 The whole sum of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord throughout their families, even all the males from a month old and above, was two and twenty [p]thousand.
40 ¶ And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn that are males among the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names.
41 And thou shalt take the Levites to me [q]for all the firstborn of the children of Israel (I am the Lord) and the cattle of the Levites for all the firstborn of the cattle of the children of Israel.
42 And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
43 And all the firstborn males rehearsed by name (from a month old and above) according to their number were two and twenty thousand, two hundred seventy and three.
44 ¶ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Take the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites for their cattle, and the Levites shall be mine, (I am the Lord.)
46 And for the redeeming of the two hundred seventy and three, (which are more than the Levites) of the firstborn of the children of Israel,
47 Thou shalt also take five shekels for every person: after the weight of the Sanctuary shalt thou take it: (G)the shekel containeth twenty gerahs.
48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.
49 Thus Moses took the redemption of them that were redeemed, being more than the Levites:
50 Of the [r]firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money: even a thousand three hundred three score and five shekels, after the shekel of the Sanctuary.
51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
4 5 The offices of the Levites, when the host removed. 6 The number of the three families of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari.
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, and to Aaron, saying,
2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, and houses of their fathers,
3 From [s]thirty years old and above, even until fifty years old all that enter into the assembly to do the work in the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
4 This shall be the office of the sons of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation about the holiest of all.
5 ¶ When the host removeth, then Aaron and his sons shall come and take down[t] the covering veil, and shall cover the Ark of the Testimony therewith.
6 And they shall put thereon a covering of badger’s skins, and shall spread upon it a cloth altogether of blue silk, and put to [u]the bars thereof:
7 And upon the (H)table of show bread, they shall spread a cloth of blue silk, and put thereon the dishes, and the incense cups and goblets, and coverings to cover it [v]with, and the bread shall be thereon continually.
8 And they shall spread upon them a covering of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badger’s skins, and put to the bars thereof.
9 Then they shall take a cloth of blue silk, and cover the (I)candlestick of light with his lamps, and his snuffers, (J)and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, which they occupy about it.
10 So they shall put it, and all the instruments thereof in a covering of badger’s skins, and put it upon the [w]bars.
11 Also upon the golden [x]altar they shall spread a cloth of blue silk, and cover it with a covering of badger’s skins, and put to the bars thereof.
12 And they shall take all the instruments of the ministry, wherewith they minister in the Sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue silk, and cover them with a covering of badger’s skins, and put them on the bars.
13 Also they shall take away the ashes from the [y]altar, and spread a purple cloth upon it,
14 And shall put upon it all the instruments thereof, which they occupy about it, the censers, the fleshhooks, and the besoms, and the basins, even all the instruments of the altar: and they shall spread upon it a covering of badger’s skins, and put to the bars of it.
15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the [z]Sanctuary, and all the instruments of the Sanctuary, at the removing of the host, afterward the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it, but they shall not [aa]touch any holy thing lest they die. This is the charge of the sons of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
16 ¶ And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the Priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the (K)sweet incense, and the [ab]daily meat offering, and the (L)anointing oil with the oversight of all the Tabernacle, and of all that therein is, both in the Sanctuary, and in all the instruments thereof.
17 ¶ And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,
18 Ye shall not [ac]cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
19 But thus do unto them that they may live and not die, when they come near to the most holy things: let Aaron and his sons come and appoint [ad]them, every one to his office, and to his charge.
20 But let them not go in, to see when the Sanctuary is folden up, lest they die.
21 ¶ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
22 Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, every one by the houses of their fathers, throughout their families:
23 From thirty years old and above until fifty years old shalt thou number them, all that [ae]enter into the assembly for to do service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
24 This shall be the service of the families of the Gershonites to serve and to bear.
25 They shall bear the curtains of the Tabernacle, and the Tabernacle of the Congregation, his covering, and the covering of badger’s skins, that is on high upon it, and the veil of the [af]door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
26 The curtains also of the court, and the veil of the entering in of the gate of the court, [ag]which is near the Tabernacle and near the altar round about, with their cords: and all the instruments for their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
27 At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall all the service of the sons of the Gershonites be done, in all their charges and in all their service, and ye shall appoint them to keep all their charges.
28 This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and their watch shall be under the [ah]hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the Priest.
29 ¶ Thou shalt number the sons of Merari by their families, and by the houses of their fathers.
30 From thirty years old and above, even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, all that enter into the assembly, to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
31 And this is their office and charge according to all their service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation: the (M)boards of the Tabernacle with the bars thereof, and his pillars, and his sockets,
32 And the pillars round about the court, with their sockets and their pins, and their cords with all their instruments, even for all their service: and by [ai]name ye shall reckon the instruments of their office and charge.
33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the Priest.
34 ¶ Then Moses and Aaron and the princes of the Congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites, by their families and by the houses of their fathers,
35 From thirty years old and above, even unto fifty years old, all that enter into the assembly for the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
36 So the [aj]numbers of them throughout their families were two thousand, seven hundred and fifty.
37 These are the numbers of the families of the Kohathites, all that serve in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the Lord by the [ak]hand of Moses.
38 Also the numbers of the sons of Gershon throughout their families and houses of their fathers,
39 From thirty years old and upward, even unto fifty years old: all that enter into the assembly for the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
40 So the numbers of them by their families, and by the houses of their fathers were two thousand six hundred and thirty.
41 These are the numbers of the families of the sons of Gershon: of all that [al]did service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the Lord.
42 ¶ The numbers also of the families of the sons of Merari by their families, and by the houses of their fathers,
43 From thirty years old and upward, even unto fifty years old: all that enter into the assembly for the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
44 So the numbers of them by their families were three thousand, and two hundred.
45 These are the sums of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord, by the hand of Moses.
46 So all the numbers of the Levites, which Moses, and Aaron, and the princes of Israel numbered by their families and by the houses of their fathers,
47 From thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, every one that came to do [am]his duty, office, service and charge in the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
48 So the number of them were eight thousand five hundred and four score.
49 According to the [an]commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses did Aaron number them, every one according to his service, and according to his charge. Thus were they of that tribe numbered, as the Lord commanded [ao]Moses.
20 And the multitude assembled again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
21 [a]And when his [b]kinsfolks heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said that he was beside himself.
22 ¶ (A)And the Scribes which came down from Jerusalem, said, He hath Beelzebub, and through the prince of the devils he casteth out devils.
23 But he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 For if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 Or if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot continue.
26 So if [c]Satan make insurrection against himself, and be divided, he cannot endure, but is at an end.
27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and take away his goods, except he first bind that strong man, and then spoil his house.
28 ¶ (B)[d]Verily I say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the children of men, and blasphemies, wherewith they blaspheme:
29 But he that blasphemeth against the holy Ghost, shall never have forgiveness, but is culpable of eternal damnation.
30 [e]Because they said, He had an unclean spirit.
31 ¶ (C)Then came his [f]brethren and mother and stood without, and sent unto him, and called him.
32 And the people sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother, and thy brethren seek for thee without.
33 But he answered them, saying, Who is my mother and my brethren?
34 [g]And he looked round about on them, which sat in compass about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren.
35 For whosoever doeth the will of God, he is my brother, my sister, and my mother.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.