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          DASV: Numbers 3    

1 Now this is the account 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 first-born, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who
were anointed, whom he ordained to minister as priests.
4 But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered an
unauthorized fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai,
and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests
in the presence of Aaron their father.

5 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
6 "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest,
that they may assist him.
7 They will perform sacred duties for him and the whole congregation
before the Tent of Meeting, by doing service at the tabernacle.
8 They will be responsible for all the furniture of the Tent of
Meeting and fulfilling the responsibilities of Israelites,
by serving at the tabernacle.
9 You are to give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons;
they will be wholly given to him on behalf of the Israelites.
10 You are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be
responsible for their priesthood. The outsider who comes near
must be put to death."

11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
12 "Look, I myself have taken the Levites from among the Israelites
instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the Israelites.
The Levites are mine,
13 because all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated for myself all the
firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They are mine.
I am the LORD."

14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15 "Number the Levites by their clans and their families.
Count every male who is a month old or older."
16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD,
as he was commanded.
17 These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon,
Kohath and Merari.
18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families:
Libni and Shimei.
19 The sons of Kohath by their families were: Amram, Izhar, Hebron
and Uzziel.
20 The sons of Merari by their families were: Mahli and Mushi.
These are the families of the Levites by their clans.

21 To Gershon belonged the family of the Libnites and the family
of the Shimeites. These are the families of the Gershonites.
22 Those who were numbered of them, counting of all the males
from a month old and older were 7,500.
23 The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle
on the west.
24 The leader of the clan of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the
son of Lael.
25 The responsibilities of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting
will be the care of the tabernacle, and the tent and its covering,
and the curtain at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,
26 the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtain at the entrance
of the courtyard, surrounding the tabernacle and the altar
and its ropes and all the equipment connected with their use.

27 To Kohath belonged the family of the Amramites, the family of
the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites and the family of the
Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites.
28 Counting all the males from a month old and older, there were 8,600.
They were responsible for taking care of the sanctuary.
29 The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south
side of the tabernacle.
30 The leader of the clans of the families of the Kohathites was
Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
31 They were responsible for the ark, the table, the lampstand,
the altars and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they served,
and the inner curtain, and everything connected with their use.
32 Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was head of the leaders
of the Levites. He had oversight over those who were responsible
for the sanctuary.

33 To Merari belonged the family of the Mahlites and the family
of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari.
34 Counting all the males from a month old and older there were 6,200.
35 The leader of the clans of the families of Merari was Zuriel
the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the
tabernacle.
36 The sons of Merari were responsible for the framing boards
of the tabernacle, its crossbars, its posts, its sockets,
and all its accessories, and everything connected with their use,
37 and the posts around the courtyard, and their sockets, pegs
and ropes.

38 Those who camp on the east side of the tabernacle, in front of the
Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses, Aaron and his sons,
who were responsible for the sanctuary itself for the Israelites.
Any outsider who comes near must be put to death.

39 All the Levites who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron counted
as directed by the commandment of the LORD, by their families,
all the males from a month old and older, were 22,000.

40 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Number all the firstborn males of
the children of Israel from a month old and older, and count their names.
41 Take the Levites for me, I am the LORD, instead of all the
firstborn among the Israelites; and the livestock of the Levites
instead of all the firstborn from the livestock of the Israelites."
42 So Moses counted all the firstborn among the Israelites just
as the LORD commanded him.
43 All the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month
old and older were 22,273.

44 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
45 "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the
Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their
livestock. The Levites are mine. I am the LORD.
46 For the redemption price of the 273 firstborn of the Israelites
that exceed the number of Levites,
47 collect five shekels apiece; according to the shekel of the
sanctuary which is twenty gerahs.
48 Give the money to Aaron and his sons for the redemption of
those who are over."
49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over
and above those who were redeemed by the Levites.
50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected the money,
1,365 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
51 Then Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons,
according to the word of the LORD, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

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