Numbers:3

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* Now these are the records of Aaron and Moses when the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai . * And these are the names of the sons of Aaron : Nadab , the firstborn , and Abihu , Eleazar , and Ithamar . * These are the names of the sons of Aaron , the anointed priests , whom he consecrated to minister as priests . * Nadab and Abihu had died before the LORD when they offered profane fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai ; and they had no children . So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father . * And the LORD spoke to Moses , saying : * "Bring the tribe of Levi near , and present them before Aaron the priest , that they may serve him . * And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting , to do the work of the tabernacle . * Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting , and to the needs of the children of Israel , to do the work of the tabernacle . * And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons ; they are given entirely to him from among the children of Israel . * So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons , and they shall attend to their priesthood ; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death ." * Then the LORD spoke to Moses , saying : * "Now behold , I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel . Therefore the Levites shall be Mine , * because all the firstborn are Mine . On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt , I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel , both man and beast . They shall be Mine : I am the LORD ." * Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai , saying : * "Number the children of Levi by their fathers ' houses , by their families ; you shall number every male from a month old and above ." * So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD , as he was commanded . * These were the sons of Levi by their names : Gershon , Kohath , and Merari . * And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families : Libni and Shimei . * And the sons of Kohath by their families : Amram , Izehar , Hebron , and Uzziel . * And the sons of Merari by their families : Mahli and Mushi . These are the families of the Levites by their fathers ' houses . * From Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites ; these were the families of the Gershonites . * Those who were numbered , according to the number of all the males from a month old and above--of those who were numbered there were seven thousand five hundred . * The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle westward . * And the leader of the father 's house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael . * The duties of the children of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting included the tabernacle , the tent with its covering , the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting , * the screen for the door of the court , the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and the altar , and their cords , according to all the work relating to them . * From Kohath came the family of the Amramites , the family of the Izharites , the family of the Hebronites , and the family of the Uzzielites ; these were the families of the Kohathites . * According to the number of all the males , from a month old and above , there were eight thousand six hundred keeping charge of the sanctuary . * The families of the children of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle . * And the leader of the fathers ' house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel . * Their duty included the ark , the table , the lampstand , the altars , the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered , the screen , and all the work relating to them . * And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites , with oversight of those who kept charge of the sanctuary . * From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites ; these were the families of Merari . * And those who were numbered , according to the number of all the males from a month old and above , were six thousand two hundred . * The leader of the fathers ' house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail . These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle . * And the appointed duty of the children of Merari included the boards of the tabernacle , its bars , its pillars , its sockets , its utensils , all the work relating to them , * and the pillars of the court all around , with their sockets , their pegs , and their cords . * Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east , before the tabernacle of meeting , were Moses , Aaron , and his sons , keeping charge of the sanctuary , to meet the needs of the children of Israel ; but the outsider who came near was to be put to death . * All who were numbered of the Levites , whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD , by their families , all the males from a month old and above , were twenty-two thousand . * Then the LORD said to Moses : "Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above , and take the number of their names . * And you shall take the Levites for Me--I am the LORD--instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel , and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel ." * So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel , as the LORD commanded him . * And all the firstborn males , according to the number of names from a month old and above , of those who were numbered of them , were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three . * Then the LORD spoke to Moses , saying : * "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel , and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock . The Levites shall be Mine : I am the LORD . * And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel , who are more than the number of the Levites , * you shall take five shekels for each one individually ; you shall take them in the currency of the shekel of the sanctuary , the shekel of twenty gerahs . * And you shall give the money , with which the excess number of them is redeemed , to Aaron and his sons ." * So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites . * From the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money , one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels , according to the shekel of the sanctuary . * And Moses gave their redemption money to Aaron and his sons , according to the word of the LORD , as the LORD commanded Moses .

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