Numbers, 3

1. The following were the descendants of Aaron and Moses at the time that the LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.

1. These were the descendants of Aaron and Moses, at the time when Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.

2. The sons of Aaron were Nadab his first-born, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

2. These were the names of Aaron's sons: Nadab the eldest, then Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

3. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests who were ordained to exercise the priesthood.

3. Such were the names of Aaron's sons, priests anointed and invested with the powers of the priesthood.

4. But when Nadab and Abihu offered profane fire before the LORD in the desert of Sinai, they met death in the presence of the LORD, and left no sons. Thereafter only Eleazar and Ithamar performed the priestly functions under the direction of their father Aaron.

4. Nadab and Abihu died in Yahweh's presence, in the desert of Sinai, when they offered unauthorised fire before Yahweh. They left no children and so it fell to Eleazar and Ithamar to exercise the priesthood under their father Aaron.

5. Now the LORD said to Moses:

5. Yahweh spoke to Moses and said:

6. "Summon the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest, as his assistants.

6. 'Muster the tribe of Levi and put it at the disposal of the priest Aaron: they must be at his service.

7. They shall discharge his obligations and those of the whole community before the meeting tent by serving at the Dwelling.

7. They will undertake the duties incumbent on him and the whole community before the Tent of Meeting, in serving the Dwelling,

8. They shall have custody of all the furnishings of the meeting tent and discharge the duties of the Israelites in the service of the Dwelling.

8. and they will be in charge of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and undertake the duties incumbent on the Israelites in serving the Dwelling.

9. You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been set aside from among the Israelites as dedicated to me.

9. You will present the Levites to Aaron and his sons as men dedicated; they will be given to him by the Israelites.

10. But only Aaron and his descendants shall you appoint to have charge of the priestly functions. Any layman who comes near shall be put to death."

10. 'You will register Aaron and his sons, who will carry out their priestly duty. But any unauthorised person who comes near must be put to death.'

11. The LORD said to Moses,

11. Yahweh spoke to Moses and said:

12. "It is I who have chosen the Levites from the Israelites in place of every first-born that opens the womb among the Israelites. The Levites, therefore, are mine,

12. 'Look, I myself have chosen the Levites from the Israelites instead of all the first-born, those who emerge first from the womb in Israel; the Levites therefore belong to me.

13. because every first-born is mine. When I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I made all the first-born in Israel sacred to me, both of man and of beast. They belong to me; I am the LORD."

13. For every first-born belongs to me. On the day when I struck down all the first-born in Egypt, I consecrated all the first-born in Israel, human and animal, to be my own. They are mine, Yahweh's.'

14. The LORD said to Moses in the desert of Sinai,

14. Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai and said:

15. "Take a census of the Levites by ancestral houses and clans, registering every male of a month or more."

15. 'You must take a census of Levi's descendants by families and clans; all the males of the age of one month and over will be counted.'

16. Moses, therefore, took their census in accordance with the command the LORD had given him.

16. At Yahweh's word Moses took a census of them, as Yahweh had ordered.

17. The sons of Levi were named Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

17. These were the names of Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

18. The descendants of Gershon, by clans, were named Libni and Shimei.

18. These were the names of Gershon's sons by their clans: Libni and Shimei;

19. The descendants of Kohath, by clans, were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

19. Kohath's sons by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel;

20. The descendants of Merari, by clans, were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites by ancestral houses.

20. Merari's sons by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi, grouped by families.

21. To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites.

21. From Gershon were descended the Libnite and Shimeite clans; these were the Gershonite clans.

22. When all their males of a month or more were registered, they numbered seven thousand five hundred.

22. Their full number, counting the males of one month and over, came to seven thousand five hundred.

23. The clans of the Gershonites camped behind the Dwelling, to the west.

23. The Gershonite clans pitched their camp behind the Dwelling, on the west side.

24. The prince of their ancestral house was Eliasaph, son of Lael.

24. The leader of the House of Gershon was Eliasaph son of Lael.

25. At the meeting tent they had charge of whatever pertained to the Dwelling, the tent and its covering, the curtain at the entrance of the meeting tent,

25. As regards the Tent of Meeting, the Gershonites had charge of the Dwelling, the Tent and its covering, the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

26. the hangings of the court, the curtain at the entrance of the court enclosing both the Dwelling and the altar, and the ropes.

26. the curtaining of the court, the screen for the entrance to the court surrounding the Dwelling and the altar, and the cords required in dealing with all this.

27. To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites.

27. From Kohath were descended the Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite and Uzzielite clans; these were the Kohathite clans.

28. When all their males of a month or more were registered, they numbered eight thousand three hundred. They had charge of the sanctuary.

28. Their full number, counting the males of one month and over, came to eight thousand three hundred. They were in charge of the sanctuary.

29. The clans of the Kohathites camped at the south side of the Dwelling.

29. The Kohathite clans pitched their camp on the south side of the Dwelling.

30. The prince of their ancestral house was Elizaphan, son of Uzziel.

30. The leader of the house of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

31. They had charge of whatever pertained to the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils with which the ministry of the sanctuary was exercised, and the veil.

31. They were in charge of the ark, the table, the lamp-stand, the altars, the sacred vessels used in the liturgy, and the curtain with all its fittings.

32. The chief prince of the Levites, however, was Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest; he was supervisor over those who had charge of the sanctuary.

32. The chief of the Levite leaders was Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest. He supervised the people responsible for the sanctuary.

33. To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were the clans of Merari.

33. From Merari were descended the Mahlite and Mushite clans; these were the Merarite clans.

34. When all their males of a month or more were registered, they numbered six thousand two hundred.

34. Their full number, counting the males of one month and over, came to six thousand two hundred.

35. The prince of the ancestral house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel, son of Abihail. They camped at the north side of the Dwelling.

35. The leader of the House of the Merarite clans was Zuriel, son of Abihail. They pitched their camp on the north side of the Dwelling.

36. The Merarites were charged with the care of whatever pertained to the boards of the Dwelling, its bars, columns, pedestals, and all its fittings,

36. The Merarites were in charge of the framework of the Dwelling, with its crossbars, poles, sockets and all its accessories and fittings,

37. as well as the columns of the surrounding court with their pedestals, pegs and ropes.

37. and also the poles round the court, with their sockets, pegs and cords.

38. East of the Dwelling, that is, in front of the meeting tent, toward the sunrise, were camped Moses and Aaron and the latter's sons. They discharged the obligations of the sanctuary for the Israelites. Any layman who came near was to be put to death.

38. Finally, on the east side, in front of the Dwelling, in front of the Tent of Meeting, towards the east, was the camp of Moses and Aaron and his sons, who had charge of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Any unauthorised person coming near was to be put to death.

39. The total number of male Levites a month old or more whom Moses had registered by clans in keeping with the LORD'S command, was twenty-two thousand.

39. The total number of male Levites of the age of one month and over, whom Moses counted by clans as Yahweh had ordered, came to twenty-two thousand.

40. The LORD then said to Moses, "Take a census of all the first-born males of the Israelites a month old or more, and compute their total number.

40. Yahweh said to Moses: 'Take a census of all the first-born of the Israelites, all the males from the age of one month and over; take a census of them by name.

41. Then assign the Levites to me, the LORD, in place of all the first-born of the Israelites, as well as their cattle in place of all the first-born among the cattle of the Israelites."

41. You will then present the Levites to me, Yahweh, instead of Israel, and similarly the Levites' cattle instead of the first-born cattle of the Israelites.'

42. So Moses took a census of all the first-born of the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him.

42. As Yahweh ordered, Moses took a census of all the first-born of the Israelites.

43. When all the first-born males of a month or more were registered, they numbered twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

43. The total count, by name, of the first-born from the age of one month and over came to twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

44. The LORD said to Moses:

44. Yahweh then spoke to Moses and said:

45. "Take the Levites in place of all the first-born of the Israelites, and the Levites' cattle in place of their cattle, that the Levites may belong to me. I am the LORD.

45. 'Take the Levites instead of all the first-born of the Israelites, and the Levites' cattle instead of their cattle; the Levites will be mine, Yahweh's.

46. As ransom for the two hundred and seventy-three first-born of the Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

46. For the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three first-born of the Israelites in excess of the number of Levites,

47. you shall take five shekels for each individual, according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel.

47. you will take five shekels for each, by the sanctuary shekel, at twenty gerah to the shekel;

48. Give this silver to Aaron and his sons as ransom for the extra number."

48. you will then give this money to Aaron and his sons as the ransom for the extra number.'

49. So Moses took the silver as ransom from those who were left when the rest had been redeemed by the Levites.

49. Moses took the ransom money for the extra ones unransomed by the Levites;

50. From the first-born of the Israelites he received in silver one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels according to the sanctuary standard.

50. he took the money for the first-born of the Israelites: one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, by the sanctuary shekel;

51. He then gave this ransom silver to Aaron and his sons, as the LORD had commanded him.

51. and Moses then handed over their ransom money to Aaron and his sons, at Yahweh's bidding, as Yahweh had ordered Moses.