Open English Translation NUM Chapter 3

3 The following are the descendants of Aharon (Aaron) and Mosheh as on the day when Yahweh spoke with Mosheh on Mt. Sinai: 2 Aharon’s sons were: Nadav (the oldest), Avihu, Eleazar, and Itamar.[ref] 3 They were all anointed as priests and served in that role, 4 except that Nadav and Avihu died in front of Yahweh when they offered unacceptable fire to him in the Sinai wilderness, and so they had no sons. So Eleazar and Itamar served as priests alongside their father Aharon.[ref]

5 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, 6 “Summon the Levites to come and stand in front of Aharon the priest, so they can assist him. 7 They must perform duties for him and for the entire community at and around the sacred tent, 8 including looking after all of its equipment and fulfilling the obligations of the Israelis. 9 You must assign the Levites to Aharon—out of all the Israelis it’s them who are assigned to serve the priests. 10 Appoint Aharon and his sons as priests and to preserve the priesthood. Any other person who tries to act as a priest must be executed.”

11 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, 12 “Out of all the Israelis, I’ve taken the Levites instead of the oldest son from every family. The Levites will be the ransom for those sons, and so they belong to me, 13 because every firstborn male person and animal is set aside as belonging to me ever since I killed those firstborn males in Egypt. I am Yahweh.”

14 Then in the Sinai wilderness, Yahweh told Mosheh, 15 “List all the male Levites that are at least one month old. Count them by their families and clans.” 16 So Mosheh listed them exactly as Yahweh had commanded him to, 17 and these were Levi’s sons: Gershon, Kohat, and Merari. 18 Gershon’s sons were: Livni and Shimei. 19 Kohat’s sons were: Amaran, Yitshar, Hevron, and Uzziyel. 20 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi.

Those were the families of the Levites by their clans.

21 Gershon’s descendants were the Livnites and the Shimites, so they made up the Gershonites. 22 They had 7,500 males that were at least a month old. 23 The Gershonite clans were to camp on the western side of the sacred tent, 24 and their leader was Lael’s son Elyasaf. 25 Gershon’s descendants were responsible for the sacred tent, including its covering and the entrance curtain, 26 the courtyard curtains, and the courtyard entrance curtain, that surrounded it. Also the ropes used to hold them.

27 Kohat’s descendants were the Amramites, the Yitsharites, the Hevronites, and the Uzziyelites, so they made up the Kohatites. 28 They had 8,600 males that were at least a month old. They were in charge of the running of the sacred tent. 29 The Kohatite clans were to camp of the southern side of the sacred tent, 30 and their leader was Uzziyel’s son Elitsafan. 31 They were in charge of the box, the table and the lampstand, the altars and all the utensils used for ministry, the inside curtain and its gear.

32 The man who organised the Levites was Aharon’s son, Eleazar the priest. He had oversight over all those who were responsible for the sacred tent.

33 Merari’s descendants were the Mahlites and the Mushites, so they made up the Merarites. 34 They had 6,200 males that were at least a month old, 35 and their leader was Avihayil’s son Tsuriel. They were to camp on the northern side of the sacred tent. 36 They were in charge of all the frames for the sacred tent, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its containers and equipment, 37 as well as the pillars used to make the courtyard with their bases, pegs, and ropes.

38 Mosheh and Aharon and his sons set up their tents in front of the entrance on the eastern side of the sacred tent. They were in charge of that tent and the needs of the Israelis. Any stranger who approached had to be executed. 39 Mosheh and Aharon listed 22,000 Levite males that were at least a month old, listing them by their clans as per Yahweh’s instructions.

40 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “List all the other male Israeli that are at least one month old and count them. 41 The Levites are for me, Yahweh, in the place of the firstborn males from every Israeli family, and their animals are in place of the Israelis’ firstborn male animals.” 42 So Mosheh listed the firstborn Israelis exactly as Yahweh had commanded him to. 43 and the total number of firstborn males a month old or more whose names were listed came to 22,273.

44 Then Yahweh spoke to Mosheh, 45 “Take the Levites instead of every firstborn male Israeli, and the Levites’ animals instead of their animals, and the Levites will be mine—I am Yahweh. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelis who outnumber the Levites, 47 collect five silver coins for each one of them. (Use the same silver coins weighing eleven grams, that the priests use in the sacred tent.) 48 Give that money to Aharon and his sons as payment of the ransom for those excess 273 males.” 49 So Mosheh collected that ransom money to cover the ransom of the excess not covered by the number of Levites. 50 He collected 1,365 silver coins from the firstborn Israeli males (using the standard weight of silver from the sanctuary) 51 and gave it to Aharon and his sons just as Yahweh had commanded.