1 In April of the year after the Israeli people escaped from Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim), Yahweh spoke to Mosheh (Moses) in the Sinai wilderness in the sacred tent, saying,[ref] 2 “Count all the men who’re Yisrael’s descendants by their clans and families, being sure to list all their names. 3 Only include those who’re twenty or older and able to be recruited as soldiers. You and Aharon must enrol them into military divisions. 4 The leader of each tribe will accompany you.

5 These are the names of the men who will assist you:

• Elitsur (Shedeyur’s son) from Reuven,
• 6 Shelumiel (Tsuri-Shaddai’s son) from Shim’on (Simeon),
• 7 Nahshon (Amminadav’s son) from Yehudah (Judah),
• 8 Netanel (Tsuar’s son) from Yissashkar (Issachar),
• 9 Eliav (Helon’s son) from Zevulun,
• 10 Elishama (Ammihud’s son) from Yosef’s son Efrayim,
• Gamliel (Pedahtsur’s son) from Yosef’s son Menashsheh (Manasseh),
• 11 Avidan (Gideoni’s son) from Benyamin,
• 12 Ahiezer (Ammishaddai’s son) from Dan,
• 13 Pagiel (Okran’s son) from Asher,
• 14 Elyasaf (Reuel’s son) from Gad,
• 15 Ahira (Enan’s son) from Naftali. 16 They were the leaders of their tribes—chosen out of their communities, and leaders of units of one thousand soldiers.

17 Mosheh and Aharon took those men whose names had been given 18 and they assembled the entire community that April. For each tribe, they recorded their ancestry by clan, counting the names of those men who were twenty or over, 19 just as Yahweh had commanded Mosheh. So he counted them there in the Sinai wilderness,20-21 20-21individually counting those in each tribe below by their clan, and only including males who were twenty or older and able to fight in battle:

• 46,500 men from the tribe of Rueven,
• 22-23 22-2359,300 men from the tribe of Shim’on (Simeon),
• 24-25 24-2545,560 men from the tribe of Gad,
• 26-27 26-2774,600 men from the tribe of Yehudah (Judah),
• 28-29 28-2954,400 men from the tribe of Yissashkar (Issachar),
• 30-31 30-3157,400 men from the tribe of Zevulun,
• 32-33 32-3340,500 men from the tribe of Efrayim,
• 34-35 34-3532,200 men from the tribe of Menashsheh (Manasseh),
• 36-37 36-3735,400 men from the tribe of Benyamin,
• 38-39 38-3962,700 men from the tribe of Dan,
• 40-41 40-4141,500 men from the tribe of Asher,
• 42-43 42-4353,400 men from the tribe of Naftali.

44 Those were the ones that Mosheh and Aharon and the twelve Israeli leaders (one from each tribe) listed. 45 They were all the Israelis who were counted according to their ancestry, being men who were twenty or older, and capable of going off to battle—46 603,550 of them in total. 47 However, the Levites weren’t listed along with the other tribes 48 because Yahweh had told Mosheh, 49 “Don’t list the Levites or count them with the other Israelis. 50 Instead, appoint them to manage the tent where the copy of the agreement is kept, along with all its equipment. They must serve inside it as required, and they should set their tents up around it. 51 When it’s time to leave that place, the Levites must take the tent down and when camp is set up, they must erect it again, but any stranger who approaches it must be executed. 52 When the other Israelis set up camp, each man must set up with his army division by their banner, 53 but the Levites will camp there around the sacred tent and look after it. That way, the Israeli community won’t make Yahweh angry. 54 So the Israelis did everything that Yahweh had instructed Mosheh.

2 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon:

2 “The Israelis must camp with each family joining their tribe, which will be displaying its banner. They must camp around the sacred tent but at a distance.

3 On the eastern side facing the sunrise will be Yehudah’s (Judah’s) banner and their army divisions, led by Amminadav’s son Nahshon 4 with 74,600 in his division. 5 The tribe of Yissashkar (Issachar) will set up next to them, led by Tsuar’s son Netanel, 6 with 54,400 in his division. 7 Then the tribe of Zevulun, led by Helon’s son Eliav, 8 with 57,400 in his division. 9 The total number in the divisions in the Yehudah camp is 186,400, and when travelling, they’ll all go at the front.

10 On the southern side of the sacred tent will be Reuven’s banner, led by Shedeyur’s son Elitsur 11 with 46,500 in his division. 12 The tribe of Shim’on (Simeon) will set up next to them, led by Tsuri-Shaddai’s son Shelumiel 13 with 59,300 in his division. 14 Then the tribe of Gad, led by Reuel’s son Elyasaf. 15 with 45,650 in his division. 16 The total number in the divisions in the Reuven camp is 151,450, and when travelling, they’ll all go second.

17 Then the Levites will go next with their own banners in the order that they were camped, carrying the sacred tent.

18 On the western side of the sacred tent will be Efrayim’s banner, led by Ammihud’s son Elishama 19 with 40,500 in his division. 20 The tribe of Menashsheh (Manasseh) will set up next to them, led by Pedahtsur’s son Gamliel 21 with 32,200 in his division. 22 Then the tribe of Benyamin led by Gideoni’s son Avidan 23 with 35,400 in his division. 24 The total number in the divisions in the Efrayim camp is 108,100, and when travelling, they’ll all go third.

25 On the northen side of the sacred tent will be Dan’s banner, led by Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer 26 with 62,700 in his division. 27 The tribe of Ahser will set up next to them, led by Okran’s son Pagiel 28 with 41,500 in his division. 29 Then the tribe of Naftali led by Enan’s son Ahira 30 with 53,400 in his division. 31 The total number in the divisions in the Dan camp is 157,600, and when travelling, they’ll all go last with their banners.

32 Those are the listed Israelis by their ancestral tribes with a total of 603,500 fighting men. 33 However, following Yahweh’s instructions, the Levites weren’t listed among them.

34 So the Israelis did everything that Yahweh commanded Mosheh. They camped under their banners, and travelled grouped in their tribes and clans.

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.

4 Then Yahweh told Mosheh (Moses) and Aharon (Aaron), 2 “Take a detailed census of Kohat’s male descendants by their clans and families 3 who are from twenty-five up to fifty years old and who goes into the sacred tent to minister.

4 This is what the Kohatites are responsible for concerning the sacred tent including the inner room: 5 When it’s time to break camp, Aharon and his sons must enter and take down the curtain that veils it, and then use that to cover the box containing the agreement. 6 Then they must cover it with fine leather, followed by a blue cloth, and then put its carrying poles through the rings.

7 They must spread a blue cloth over the sacred bread table, then place the dishes, pans, bowls, and jugs for the drink-offerings on top of that, along with the sacred bread. 8 Then they must spread a scarlet cloth over all that, and cover that again with fine leather, and then put its poles through the rings.

9 They must spread a blue cloth over the lampstand with its oil lamps, its tongs and trays, and the oil containers that are used for it. 10 Then they must wrap the lampstand and all its equipment in fine leather, and place it all on its carrying frame.

11 Then the must spread a blue cloth over the gold incense altar, and cover that again with fine leather, and then put its poles through the rings. 12 Then they must get all the other utensils that they use in the sacred tent, and cover that again with fine leather, and place it all on its carrying frame. 13 They need to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it, 14 and put all the utensils they use on top of it: the trays, meat forks, shovel and basins for the altar. Then they must cover it with fine leather, and then put its poles through the rings. 15 Aharon and his sons must finish covering the sacred tent and all its utensils and equipment when they’re about to move camp. Then the Kohatites can come to carry it all without touching the inner room so they won’t die. That’s the responsibility of Kohat’s descendants—carrying the sacred tent.

16 Eleazar (son of Aharon the priest) is in charge of the lamp oil and the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, the anointing oil, and the oversight of the sacred tent and the inner room, including everything that’s used inside them.

17 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon, 18 “Don’t allow the Kohatite Levites to get wiped out by mishandling the most sacred items, 19 but take these precautions on their behalf so they won’t die when they approach the most sacred items: Get Aharon and his sons to go and show each of them personally the correct and proper way to do his duties. 20 However, they must never go early to set their eyes on the sacred objects, even briefly, or they’ll die.”