1This is the family history of Aaron and Moses from the time Yahweh spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.
2The sons of Aaron were Nadab (the oldest), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the priests who were anointed and appointed to serve as priests.
4Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of Yahweh when they offered unauthorized fire before Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai. They had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the presence of their father Aaron.
5Yahweh said to Moses,
6“Bring the tribe of Levi forward and present them to Aaron the priest so they can serve him.
7They are to carry out his duties and the duties of the whole community before the Meeting Tent, performing the work of the Tabernacle.
8They are to be responsible for all the furnishings of the Meeting Tent and the duties of the Israelites in the service of the Tabernacle.
9You are to give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are given completely to him from among the Israelites.
10You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Any unauthorized person who approaches the altar must be put to death.”
11Yahweh said to Moses,
12“Look, I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn son, the first offspring of every Israelite mother. The Levites will be mine,
13because every firstborn is mine. When I killed all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, both people and animals. They belong to me. I am Yahweh.”
14Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai and said,
15“Count the Levites by their ancestral houses and families. Count every male from one month old and upward.”
16Moses counted them exactly as Yahweh had commanded him.
17These were the names of Levi’s sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18The sons of Gershon, listed by their families, were Libni and Shimei.
19The sons of Kohath, listed by their families, were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20The sons of Merari, listed by their families, were Mahli and Mushi. These were the family groups of the Levites, organized by their ancestors.
21From Gershon came the families of the Libnites and the Shimeites; these were the families that belonged to Gershon.
22The total count of all males a month old or older was seven thousand five hundred.
23The Gershonite families were to set up their camps behind the Holy Tent, on the west side.
24The leader for the Gershonite families was Eliasaph, son of Lael.
25The responsibilities of Gershon's descendants in the Meeting Tent included the Holy Tent itself, the fabric covering, and the curtain for the entrance of the Meeting Tent.
26They were also responsible for the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the courtyard entrance (which was by the Holy Tent and around the altar), and all the ropes for its service.
27From Kohath came the families of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the families that belonged to Kohath.
28The total count of all males a month old or older was eight thousand six hundred, and they were responsible for the sanctuary's duties.
29The families of Kohath's descendants were to set up their camps on the south side of the Holy Tent.
30The leader for the Kohathite families was Elizaphan, son of Uzziel.
31Their responsibilities included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sacred vessels used in service, the curtain, and all its related duties.
32Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, was to be the head leader of the Levites, overseeing those responsible for the sanctuary's duties.
33From Merari came the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites. These were the family groups that belonged to Merari.
34The total count of all males a month old or older was six thousand two hundred.
35The leader for the Merarite families was Zuriel, son of Abihail. They were to set up their camps on the north side of the Holy Tent.
36The assigned duties of Merari's descendants included the planks of the Holy Tent, its bars, its posts, its bases, all its equipment, and all its related service.
37They were also responsible for the posts of the surrounding courtyard, their bases, their tent pegs, and their ropes.
38Moses, Aaron, and his sons are to camp east of the tabernacle, in front of the Meeting Tent toward the sunrise. They are responsible for the sacred duties of the sanctuary on behalf of the people of Israel. Anyone else who comes near will be put to death.
39All the Levites counted by Moses and Aaron, as Yahweh commanded, according to their families—every male a month old or older—totaled twenty-two thousand.
40Yahweh said to Moses, "Count all the firstborn males of the people of Israel, a month old or older, and list their names.
41You are to take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) in place of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the livestock of the people of Israel."
42Moses counted all the firstborn among the people of Israel, just as Yahweh commanded him.
43The total number of firstborn males counted, a month old and older, was twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.
44Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
45"Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites will belong to me. I am Yahweh.
46To buy back the two hundred seventy-three firstborn of the people of Israel who are more numerous than the Levites,
47you must take five shekels of silver for each one. You should use the official sanctuary shekel for this (a shekel is twenty gerahs).
48You are to give the money used to buy back the remaining people to Aaron and his sons."
49Moses took the redemption money from those who were more numerous than the Levites and needed to be bought back.
50He took one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels of silver from the firstborn of the people of Israel, using the official sanctuary shekel.
51Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, just as Yahweh had commanded him.