1Now these are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that Jehovah spake with Moses in mount Sinai . 2And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests that were anointed , whom he consecrated to minister in the priest ’s office. 4And Nadab and Abihu died before Jehovah , when they offered strange fire before Jehovah , in the wilderness of Sinai , and they had no children ; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest ’s office in the presence of Aaron their father . 5And Jehovah spake unto Moses , saying , 6Bring the tribe of Levi near , and set them before Aaron the priest , that they may minister unto him . 7And they shall keep his charge , and the charge of the whole congregation before the tent of meeting , to do the service of the tabernacle . 8And they shall keep all the furniture of the tent of meeting , and the charge of the children of Israel , to do the service of the tabernacle . 9And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons : they are wholly given unto him on the behalf of the children of Israel . 10And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons , and they shall keep their priesthood : and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death .
The Census of the Levites
11And Jehovah spake unto Moses , saying , 12And I , behold , I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born that openeth the womb among the children of Israel ; and the Levites shall be mine : 13for all the first-born are mine ; on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the first-born in Israel , both man and beast; mine they shall be : I am Jehovah . 14And Jehovah spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai , saying , 15Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses , by their families : every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them . 16And Moses numbered them according to the word of Jehovah , as he was commanded . 17And these were the sons of Levi by their names : Gershon , and Kohath , and Merari . 18And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families : Libni and Shimei . 19And the sons of Kohath by their families : Amram , and Izhar , Hebron , and Uzziel . 20And the sons of Merari by their families : Mahli and Mushi . These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses .
The Redemption of the Firstborn
21Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites , and the family of the Shimeites : these are the families of the Gershonites . 22Those that were numbered of them , according to the number of all the males , from a month old and upward , even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred . 23The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward . 24And the prince of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael . 25And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting shall be the tabernacle , and the Tent, the covering thereof , and the screen for the door of the tent of meeting , 26and the hangings of the court , and the screen for the door of the court , which is by the tabernacle , and by the altar round about , and the cords of it for all the service thereof . 27And of Kohath was 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 . 28According to the number of all the males , from a month old and upward , there were eight thousand and six hundred , keeping the charge of the sanctuary . 29The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle southward . 30And the prince of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel . 31And their charge shall be the ark, and the table , and the candlestick , and the altars , and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister , and the screen , and all the service thereof . 32And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites , and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary . 33Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites , and the family of the Mushites : these are the families of Merari . 34And those that were numbered of them , according to the number of all the males , from a month old and upward , were six thousand and two hundred . 35And the prince of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: they shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle northward . 36And the appointed charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle , and the bars thereof , and the pillars thereof , and the sockets thereof , and all the instruments thereof , and all the service thereof , 37and the pillars of the court round about , and their sockets, and their pins , and their cords . 38And those that encamp before the tabernacle eastward , before the tent of meeting toward the sunrising , shall be Moses , and Aaron and his sons , keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel ; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death . 39All that were numbered of the Levites , whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of Jehovah , by their families , all the males from a month old and upward , were twenty and two thousand.
The Duties of the Levites
40And Jehovah said unto Moses , Number all the first-born males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward , and take the number of their names . 41And thou shalt take the Levites for me ( I am Jehovah ) instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel ; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel . 42And Moses numbered , as Jehovah commanded him , all the first-born among the children of Israel . 43And all the first-born males according to the number of names , from a month old and upward , of those that were numbered of them , were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen . 44And Jehovah spake unto Moses , saying , 45Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel , and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine : I am Jehovah . 46And for the redemption of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the first-born of the children of Israel , that are over and above the number of the Levites , 47thou shalt take five shekels apiece by the poll ; after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them ( the shekel is twenty gerahs ): 48and thou shalt give the money , wherewith the odd number of them is redeemed , unto Aaron and to his sons . 49And Moses took the redemption-money from them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites ; 50from the first-born of the children of Israel took he the money , a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels , after the shekel of the sanctuary : 51and Moses gave the redemption-money unto Aaron and to his sons , according to the word of Jehovah , as Jehovah commanded Moses .