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are the family records of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.
2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4 However Nadab and Abihu had died before the Lord when they presented unauthorised fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of Aaron their father.
5 The Lord said to Moses, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. 7 They are to perform duties for him and the whole community at the Tent of Meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. 8 They are to take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, and perform the duties for the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. 9 You are to completely commit the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are to be fully given over to him from among the Israelites. 10 You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to serve in the duties of their priesthood; but any unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”
11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of every firstborn Israelite who opens the womb. The Levites are Mine, 13 because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated every firstborn in Israel to Myself, both man and animal. They are Mine. I am the Lord.”
14 The Lord said to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai: 15 “Register the Levites by their ancestral houses and their clans. You are to register every male a month old or more.” 16 So Moses registered them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.
17 These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 These were the names of the Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 The Kohathite clans: Amran, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans by their ancestral houses.
21 To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the Gershonite clans. 22 Those who were registered, counting all the males a month or more in age, numbered 7,500. 23 The Gershonite clans were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west side. 24 The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son on Lael. 25 The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, and the ropes—all the work relating to these.
27 To Kohath belonged the Amramite clan, the Izharite clan, the Hebronite clan, and the Uzzielite clan; these were the Kohathite clans. 28 The number of all the males a month or more in age numbered 8,600. They were responsible for performing the duties of the sanctuary. 29 The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31 Their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary used in ministering, the screen, and all the work relating to these. 32 The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He supervised those who were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.
33 To Merari belonged the Mahlite clan and the Mushite clan; these were the Merarite clans. 34 Those who were registered, counting all the males a month or more in age, numbered 6,200. 35 The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 The duties appointed to the Merarites involved the frames of the tabernacle, the crossbars, the pillars, the bases, the accessories, and all the work relating to their use, 37 as well as the pillars of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.
38 Moses, Aaron, and his sons were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east side. They performed the duties of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Any unauthorized person who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
39 The total number of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron registered at the Lord’s command, by their clans, all the males a month or more in age, was 22,000.
40 The Lord said to Moses, “Register all the firstborn males of the Israelites who are a month or more in age, and make a list of their names. 41 You are to take the Levites for Me, I, the Lord, in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”
42 So Moses registered all the firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. 43 The total number of firstborn males a month or more in age numbered 22,273.
44 The Lord also said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me. I am the Lord. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, 47 collect five shekels for each person, measured according to the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel. 48 Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites.”
49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected the money, weighing 1,365 shekels, measured according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, in obedience to the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.