Census of the Levites Commanded
14And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shall you number them.
16And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.
17And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
18And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.
19And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
21Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
22Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
23The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward. camp
24And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. leader
25And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
26And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
27And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
28In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
29The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
30And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
31And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
32And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
33Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
34And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.
35And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.
36And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serves thereto,
37And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
38But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.
39All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
Levites Dedicated Instead of the Firstborn
40And the Lord said to Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41And you shall take the Levites for Me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
42And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
43And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen. 73
44And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
45Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine: I am the Lord.
46And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;
47You shall even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shall you take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) head
48And you shall give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons. remainder
49And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:
50Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 1,365
51And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
