Numbers 3
Aaron’s Sons
1These are the genealogies of Aaron and Moses ⌞at the time⌟ ▼▼Literally “on a day”
when Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. 2These are the names of the descendants of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3These are the names of the descendants of Aaron, the priests, the anointed ones whom ⌞he consecrated as priests⌟. ▼▼Literally “he filled their hands to serve as a priest”
4Nadab and Abihu died ⌞before Yahweh⌟ ▼▼Literally “before the face of Yahweh”
when they presented a strange fire ⌞before Yahweh⌟ ▼▼Literally “before the face of Yahweh”
in the desert of Sinai, and ⌞they had no children⌟. ▼▼Literally “sons were not for them”
Eleazar and Ithamar served as priest during the presence of Aaron their father. 5Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6“Bring near the tribe of Levi, and ⌞set the tribe⌟ ▼▼Literally “cause it to stand”
⌞before Aaron⌟ ▼▼Literally “in the presence of Aaron”
the priest, and they will minister to him. 7They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. 8And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the ⌞Israelites⌟, ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
to do the work ▼▼Or “service”
of the tabernacle. 9You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they are surely assigned to him from among the ⌞Israelites⌟. ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
10But you will count Aaron and his descendants; they will keep their priesthood, and the stranger ▼▼Or “outsider”
who approaches will be put to death.” 11Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, 12“I myself receive the Levites from the midst of the ⌞Israelites⌟ ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
in the place of all the firstborn of the offspring of the womb from the ⌞Israelites⌟. ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
The Levites will be mine 13because all the firstborn are mine; on the day of my killing all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all the firstborn in Israel, ⌞both humankind and animal⌟; ▼▼Literally “from humankind to animal”
they will be mine. I am Yahweh.” 14Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying, 15“Muster ▼▼Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll”
the descendants of Levi according to ⌞their families⌟, ▼▼Literally “the house of their fathers”
according to their clans. You will count every male from ⌞one month⌟ ▼▼Literally “the son of a month”
and above.” 16So Moses mustered ▼▼Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”
them according to the ⌞command of Yahweh⌟, ▼▼Literally “mouth of Yahweh”
just as he commanded. 17These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18And these are the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19And the sons of Kohath according to their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to ⌞their families⌟. ▼▼Literally “the house of their fathers”
21⌞To Gershon belonged⌟ ▼▼Literally “To Gershon was”
the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these are the clans of the Gershonites. 22The ⌞ones counted⌟ ▼▼Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them”
according to the number of every male from ⌞one month⌟ ▼▼Literally “the son of a month and above”
and above were seven thousand five hundred. 23The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, 24and the leader of ⌞the family⌟ ▼▼Literally “the house of his father”
of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. 25And the responsibility of the descendants of Gershon in the tent of assembly is the tabernacle, and the tent covering it and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of the assembly, 26and the hangings of the courtyard and the curtain of the doorway of the courtyard that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its ten cords, all of its use. 27⌞To Kohath belonged⌟ ▼▼Literally “For Kohath was”
the clan of Amramites, ▼▼Hebrew “Amramite”
the clan of the Izharites, ▼▼Hebrew “Izharite”
the clan of the Hebronites, ▼▼Hebrew “Hebronite”
and the clan of the Uzzielites; ▼▼Hebrew “Uzzielite”
these were the clans of the Kohathites. ▼▼Hebrew “Kohathite”
28According to the number of every male from ⌞one month⌟ ▼▼Literally “the son of a month”
and above there were eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. 29The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. 30The leader of ⌞his family⌟ ▼▼Literally “the house of his father”
according to the clans of the Kohathites ▼▼Hebrew “Kohathite”
is Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31Their responsibility was the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use. 32The ⌞chief of the leaders⌟ ▼▼Literally “the leader of leaders”
of the Levites ▼▼Hebrew “Levite”
was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest who had oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. 33⌞To Merari belonged⌟ ▼▼Literally “for Merari was”
the clan of Mahlites ▼▼Hebrew “Mahlite”
and the clan of the Mushites: ▼▼Hebrew “Mushite”
these are the clans of Merari. 34The ⌞ones counted⌟ ▼▼Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them”
according to the number of every male from ⌞one month⌟ ▼▼Literally “the son of a month”
and above were six thousand two hundred. 35The leader of ⌞the family⌟ ▼▼Literally “the house of his father”
according to the clans of Merari is Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north. 36The responsibility of the sons of Merari was the supervision of the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its vessels and all its service, 37and the pillars around the courtyard, and their bases, pegs, and cords. 38Those encamped before the tabernacle to the east—before the tent of assembly to the east—were Moses and Aaron and his sons; they will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary ⌞for the Israelites⌟; ▼▼Literally “for the responsibility of the children of Israel”
and the stranger ▼▼Or “outsider”
who approaches will be put to death. 39All those counted from the Levites whom Moses and Aaron mustered ▼▼Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”
according to ⌞the word of Yahweh⌟, ▼▼Literally “the mouth of Yahweh”
according to their clans, every male from ⌞one month⌟ ▼▼Literally “the son of a month”
and above were twenty-two thousand. 40And Yahweh said to Moses, “Muster every firstborn male from the ⌞Israelites⌟ ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
from ⌞one month⌟ ▼▼Literally “the son of a month”
and above and ⌞count⌟ ▼▼Literally “and lift up the number of”
their names. 41And you will receive the Levites for me—I am Yahweh—in the place of all the firstborn among the ⌞Israelites⌟, ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
and the animals ▼▼Hebrew “animal”
of the Levites in the place of all the firstborn among the animals ▼▼Hebrew “animal”
among the ⌞Israelites⌟.” ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
42So Moses mustered ▼▼Or “counted” or “summoned” or “enrolled”
all the firstborn among the ⌞Israelites⌟ ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
just as Yahweh commanded him. 43And all the firstborn males ▼▼Hebrew “male”
among the number of names from ⌞one month⌟ ▼▼Literally “the son of a month”
and above, the ⌞ones counted⌟, ▼▼Literally “the ones counted of them,” or “the ones mustered of them”
were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three. 44Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45“Receive the Levites in the place of all the firstborn among the ⌞Israelites⌟, ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I am Yahweh. 46And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the ⌞Israelites⌟ ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
who are excessive over the Levites, 47you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs ▼▼Hebrew “gerah”
per shekel. 48You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them.” 49And Moses received the money of the redemption from the ones who were excessive from those redeemed of the Levites. 50From the firstborn of the ⌞Israelites⌟ ▼▼Literally “sons/children of Israel”
he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel. 51And Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and to his sons according to the ⌞word⌟ ▼▼Literally “mouth”
of Yahweh just as Yahweh commanded Moses.
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