NASB — Numbers 3 — KJV

Levites to Be Priesthood

1 aNow these° are [the records of] the generations° of Aaron° and Moses° at the time° when the LORD° spoke° with Moses° on Mount° Sinai°. 2 aThese° then are the names° of the sons° of Aaron°: Nadab° the firstborn°, and Abihu°, Eleazar° and Ithamar°. 3 These° are the names° of the sons° of Aaron°, the aanointed° priests°, whom° he Iordained°° to serve° as priests°. 4 aBut Nadab° and Abihu° died° before° the LORD° when they offered° strange° fire° before° the LORD° in the wilderness° of Sinai°; and they had° no° children°. So Eleazar° and Ithamar° served° as priests° Iin the lifetime° of their father° Aaron°.

[1] aEx 6:20-27
[2] aEx 6:23; Nu 26:60
[3] ILit filled their hand aEx 28:41
[4] ILit before the face aLv 10:1, 2; Nu 26:61

5 ¶ Then the LORD° spoke° to Moses°, saying°, 6aBring° the tribe° of Levi° near° and set° them before° Aaron° the priest°, that they may serve° him. 7 They shall perform° the duties° for Ihim and for the whole° congregation° before° the tent° of meeting°, to do° the aservice° of the tabernacle°. 8 They shall also keep° all° the furnishings° of the tent° of meeting°, along with the duties° of the sons° of Israel°, to do° the service° of the tabernacle°. 9 You shall thus agive° the Levites° to Aaron° and to his sons°; they are wholly° given° to him from among the sons° of Israel°. 10 So you shall appoint° Aaron° and his sons° that athey may keep° their priesthood°, but bthe Ilayman° who comes° near° shall be put° to death°.”

[6] aNu 8:6-22; 18:1-7; Dt 10:8
[7] ILit him and the duties of the whole congregation aNu 1:50
[9] aNu 18:6
[10] ILit stranger aEx 29:9 bNu 1:51

11 ¶ Again the LORD° spoke° to Moses°, saying°, 12 “Now, behold°, I ahave taken° the Levites° from among° the sons° of Israel° instead° of every° bfirstborn°, the first° issue° of the womb° among° the sons° of Israel°. So the Levites° shall be Mine. 13 For aall° the firstborn° are Mine; on the day° that I struck° down° all° the firstborn° in the land° of Egypt°, I sanctified° to Myself all° the firstborn° in Israel°, from man° to beast°. They shall be Mine; I am the LORD°.”

[12] aNu 3:45; 8:14 bEx 13:2
[13] aEx 13:2; Lv 27:26; Ne 10:36

14 ¶ Then the LORD° spoke° to Moses° ain the wilderness° of Sinai°, saying°, 15IaNumber° the sons° of Levi° by their fathers’° households°, by their families°; every° male° from a month° old° and upward° you shall number°.” 16 So Moses° numbered° them according° to the Iword° of the LORD°, just° as he had been commanded°. 17 aThese° then are the sons° of Levi° by their names°: Gershon° and Kohath° and Merari°. 18 These° are the names° of the asons° of Gershon° by their families°: Libni° and Shimei°; 19 and the sons° of Kohath° by their families°: Amram° and Izhar°, Hebron° and Uzziel°; 20 and the sons° of Merari° by their families°: Mahli° and Mushi°. These° are the families° of the Levites° according to their fathers’° households°.

[14] aEx 19:1
[15] ILit muster, and so throughout the ch aNu 1:47
[16] ILit mouth
[17] aEx 6:16-22
[18] aEx 6:17

21 ¶ Of Gershon° [was] the family° of the Libnites° and the family° of the Shimeites°; these° [were] the families° of the Gershonites°. 22 Their numbered° men, in the numbering° of every° male° from a month° old° and upward°, [even] their numbered° men [were] 7,500°°°°. 23 The families° of the Gershonites° were to camp° behind° the Itabernacle° westward°, 24 and the leader° of the fathers’° households° of the Gershonites° [was] Eliasaph° the son° of Lael°.

[23] ILit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch

Duties of the Priests

25 Now athe duties° of the sons° of Gershon° in the tent° of meeting° [involved] the tabernacle° and bthe tent°, its covering°, and cthe screen° for the doorway° of the tent° of meeting°, 26 and athe hangings° of the court°, and bthe screen° for the doorway° of the court° which° is around° the tabernacle° and the altar°, and its cords°, according to all° the service° Iconcerning them.

[25] aNu 4:24-26 bEx 26:1, 7, 14 cEx 26:36
[26] ILit of it aEx 27:9, 12, 14, 15 bEx 27:16

27 ¶ Of Kohath° [was] the family° of the Amramites° and the family° of the Izharites° and the family° of the Hebronites° and the family° of the Uzzielites°; these° were the families° of the Kohathites°. 28 In the numbering° of every° male° from a month° old° and upward°, [there were] 8,600°°°°, performing° the duties° of the sanctuary°. 29 The families° of the sons° of Kohath° were to camp° on the southward° side° of the tabernacle°, 30 and the leader° of the fathers’° households° of the Kohathite° families° was IElizaphan° the son° of Uzziel°. 31 Now atheir duties° [involved] bthe ark°, cthe table°, dthe lampstand°, ethe altars°, and the utensils° of the sanctuary° with which° they minister°, and the screen°, and all° the service° Iconcerning them; 32 and Eleazar° the son° of Aaron° the priest° [was] the chief° of the leaders° of Levi°, [and had] the oversight° of those who perform° the duties° of the sanctuary°.

[30] IIn Ex 6:22, Elzaphan
[31] ILit of it aNu 4:15 bEx 25:10-22 cEx 25:23-28 dEx 25:31-40 eEx 27:1, 2; 30:1-5

33 ¶ Of Merari° [was] the family° of the Mahlites° and the family° of the Mushites°; these° [were] the families° of Merari°. 34 Their numbered° men in the numbering° of every° male° from a month° old° and upward°, [were] 6,200°°°. 35 The leader° of the fathers’° households° of the families° of Merari° [was] Zuriel° the son° of Abihail°. They [were] to acamp° on the northward° side° of the tabernacle°. 36 Now the appointed° duties° of the sons° of Merari° [involved] the frames° of the tabernacle°, its bars°, its pillars°, its sockets°, all° its equipment°, and the service° concerning them, 37 and the pillars° around° the court° with their sockets° and their pegs° and their cords°.

[35] aNu 1:53; 2:25

38 ¶ Now those who were to acamp° before° the tabernacle° eastward°, before° the tent° of meeting° toward the sunrise°, are Moses° and Aaron° and his sons°, performing° the duties° of the sanctuary° for the obligation° of the sons° of Israel°; but bthe Ilayman° coming° near° was to be put° to death°. 39 All° the numbered° men of the Levites°, whom° Moses° and Aaron° numbered° at the Icommand° of the LORD° by their families°, every° male° from a month° old° and upward°, [were] a22,000°°°.

[38] ILit stranger aNu 1:53; 2:3 bNu 1:51
[39] ILit word aNu 3:43; 4:48; 26:62

Firstborn Redeemed

40 ¶ Then the LORD° said° to Moses°, “aNumber° every° firstborn° male° of the sons° of Israel° from a month° old° and upward°, and Imake° a list° of their names°. 41 You ashall take° the Levites° for Me, I am the LORD°, instead° of all° the firstborn° among the sons° of Israel°, and the cattle° of the Levites° instead° of all° the firstborn° among the cattle° of the sons° of Israel°.” 42 So Moses° numbered° all° the firstborn° among the sons° of Israel°, just° as the LORD° had commanded° him; 43 and all° the firstborn° males° by the number° of names° from a month° old° and upward°, for their numbered° men were a22,273°°°°°°.

[40] ILit take the number aNu 3:15
[41] aNu 3:12, 45
[43] aNu 3:39

44 ¶ Then the LORD° spoke° to Moses°, saying°, 45aTake° the Levites° instead° of all° the firstborn° among the sons° of Israel° and the cattle° of the Levites°. And the Levites° shall be Mine; I am the LORD°. 46 aFor the ransom° of the 273°°° of the firstborn° of the sons° of Israel° who are in excess° beyond° the Levites°, 47 you shall take° afive° shekels° apiece°, per head°; you shall take° [them] in bterms of the shekel° of the sanctuary° (cthe shekel° is twenty° Igerahs°), 48 and give° the money°, the ransom° of those who are in excess° among them, to Aaron° and to his sons°.” 49 So Moses° took° the ransom° money° from those who were in excess°, beyond° those ransomed° by the Levites°; 50 from the firstborn° of the sons° of Israel° he took° the money° in terms of the shekel° of the sanctuary°, 1,365°°°°°. 51 Then Moses° gave° the ransom° money° to Aaron° and to his sons°, at the Icommand° of the LORD°, just° as the LORD° had commanded° Moses°.

[45] aNu 3:12
[46] aEx 13:13, 15; Nu 18:15, 16
[47] II.e. A gerah equals approx one-fortieth oz aLv 27:6; Nu 18:16 bEx 30:13 cLv 27:25; Ezk 45:12
[51] ILit mouth


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The sons of Aaron.

1 ¶ These² also [are] the generationsº of Aaronº and Mosesº in the dayº [that] the LORDº spakeºª with² Mosesº in mountº Sinai.º 2 And these² [are] the namesº of the sonsº of Aaron;º Nadabº the firstborn,º and Abihu,º Eleazar,º and Ithamar.º 3 These² [are] the namesº of the sonsº of Aaron,º the priestsº which were anointed,ºª whom² he consecratedººª to minister in the priest's office.ºª 4 And Nadabº and Abihuº diedºª beforeº the LORD,º when they offeredºª strangeºª fireº beforeº the LORD,º in the wildernessº of Sinai,º and they had² no² children:º and Eleazarº and Ithamarº ministered in the priest's officeºª in² the sightº of Aaronº their father.º

[1] Gn 2:4; 5:1; 10:1; Ex 6:16, 20; Lv 25:1; 27:34; Nu 1:1; Mt 1:1.
[2] Ex 6:23; 28:1; Nu 26:60; 1Ch 6:3; 24:1.
[3] Ex 28:41; 29:1; 40:13, 15; Lv 8:1, 2, 12, 30; He 7:28.
[4] Lv 10:1; Nu 26:61.

The Levites are given to the priests for the service of the Tabernacle,

5 ¶ And the LORDº spakeºª unto² Moses,º saying,ºª 6 Bring¹ª the tribe¹ of Levi¹ near,ºª²²² and presentºª them beforeº Aaronº the priest,º that they may ministerºª unto him. 7 And they shall keepºª² his charge,º and the chargeº of the whole² congregationº beforeº the tabernacleº of the congregation,º to doºª² the serviceº of the tabernacle.º 8 And they shall keepºª² all² the instrumentsº of the tabernacleº of the congregation,º and the chargeº of the childrenº of Israel,º to doºª² the serviceº of the tabernacle.º 9 And thou shalt giveºª² the Levitesº unto Aaronº and to his sons:º they² [are] wholly givenºª unto him out of²² the childrenº of Israel.º 10 And thou shalt appointºª Aaronº and his sons,º and they shall wait onºª² their priest's office:º and the strangerºª that cometh nighº shall be put to death.ºª

[6] Ex 32:26; Nu 1:49; 2:17, 33; 8:6, 22; 16:9; 18:2; Dt 33:8; Mal 2:4.
[7] Nu 1:50; 3:32; 8:11, 15, 24, 26; 31:30; 1Ch 23:28; 26:20, 22, 26.
[8] Nu 4:15, 28, 33; 10:17, 21; 1Ch 26:20; Ezr 8:24; Is 52:11.
[9] Nu 8:19; 18:6; Ep 4:8, 11.
[10] Nu 1:51; 3:38; 16:35, 40; 18:3, 7; 1S 6:19; 2S 6:7; 1Ch 6:32; 2Ch 26:16; Ezk 44:8; Ac 6:3; Ro 12:7; Ep 2:19; 1Ti 4:15; He 8:4; 10:19.

instead of the firstborn.

11 And the LORDº spakeºª unto² Moses,º saying,ºª 12 And I,² behold,² I have takenºª² the Levitesº from amongº² the childrenº of Israelº instead of² all² the firstbornº that openethº the matrixº among the childrenº² of Israel:º therefore the Levitesº shall be² mine; 13 Because² all² the firstbornº [are] mine; [for] on the dayº that I smoteºª all² the firstbornº in the landº of Egyptº I hallowedºª unto me all² the firstbornº in Israel,º both manº² and² beast:º mine shall they be:² I² [am] the LORD.º

[12] Ex 12:29; 13:12; Nu 3:41, 45; 8:16, 18; 18:6.
[13] Ex 12:29; 13:2, 12, 15; 22:29; 34:19; Lv 27:26; Nu 8:16; 18:15; Ezk 44:30; Lk 2:23; He 12:23.

The Levites are numbered by their families.

14 ¶ And the LORDº spakeºª unto² Mosesº in the wildernessº of Sinai,º saying,ºª 15 Numberºª² the childrenº of Leviº after the houseº of their fathers,º by their families:º every² maleº from a monthº oldº² and upwardº shalt thou numberºª them. 16 And Mosesº numberedºª them according to² the wordº of the LORD,º as² he was commanded.ºª 17 And these² were² the sonsº of Leviº by their names;º Gershon,º and Kohath,º and Merari.º 18 And these² [are] the namesº of the sonsº of Gershonº by their families;º Libni,º and Shimei.º 19 And the sonsº of Kohathº by their families;º Amram,º and Izehar,º Hebron,º and Uzziel.º 20 And the sonsº of Merariº by their families;º Mahli,º and Mushi.º These² [are]¹ the familiesº of the Levitesº according to the houseº of their fathers.º

[15] Nu 3:22, 28, 34, 39, 43; 18:15; 26:62; Pv 8:17; Jr 2:2; 31:3; Mk 10:14; 2Ti 3:15.
[16] Gn 45:21; Nu 3:39, 51; 4:27, 37, 41, 45, 49; Dt 21:5.
[17] Gn 46:11; Ex 6:16; Nu 15:5; 23:6; 24:1; 26:57; Jsh 21:1; 1Ch 6:1, 16; Ne 11:1.
[18] Ex 6:17; Nu 3:21; 1Ch 6:17, 20; 23:7; 25:4; 26:1; Ne 12:1.
[19] Ex 6:18, 20; Nu 3:27; 1Ch 6:18, 38; 15:5, 8, 17; 23:12, 18; 25:4; 26:1; Ne 12:1.
[20] Ex 6:19; Nu 3:33; 1Ch 6:19, 29, 44; 15:6; 23:21; 24:27; 25:3.

The families, number, and charge of the Gershonites,

21 Of Gershonº [was] the familyº of the Libnites,º and the familyº of the Shimites:º these² [are] the familiesº of the Gershonites.º 22 Those that were numberedºª of them, according to the numberº of all² the males,º from a monthº oldº² and upward,º [even] those that were numberedºª of them [were] sevenº thousandº and fiveº hundred.º 23 The familiesº of the Gershonitesº shall pitchºª behindº the tabernacleº westward.º 24 And the chiefº of the houseº of the fatherº of the Gershonitesº [shall be] Eliasaphº the sonº of Lael.º 25 And the chargeº of the sonsº of Gershon¹² in the tabernacleº of the congregationº [shall be] the tabernacle,º and the tent,º the coveringº thereof, and the hangingº for the doorº of the tabernacleº of the congregation,º 26 And the hangingsº of the court,º and the curtainº for the doorº of the court,º which² [is] by² the tabernacle,º and by² the altarº round about,º and the cordsº of it for all² the serviceº thereof.

[21] Nu 3:18.
[22] Nu 4:38.
[23] Nu 1:53; 2:17.
[24] Nu 3:24.
[25] Ex 25:9; 26:1, 36; 36:8, 37; 38:24; 40:19, 28; Nu 3:7, 25, 26, 31, 36, 37; 4:24; 7:7; 10:17; 1Ch 9:14; 23:32; 26:21; 2Ch 31:2, 11; Ezr 8:28; Mk 13:34; Ro 12:6; Col 4:17; 1Ti 1:18.
[26] Ex 27:9; 35:18; 38:9.

of the Kohathites,

27 ¶ And of Kohathº [was] the familyº of the Amramites,º and the familyº of the Izeharites,º and the familyº of the Hebronites,º and the familyº of the Uzzielites:º these² [are] the familiesº of the Kohathites.º 28 In the numberº of all² the males,º from a monthº oldº² and upward,º [were] eightº thousandº and sixº hundred,º keepingºª the chargeº of the sanctuary.º 29 The familiesº of the sonsº of Kohathº shall pitchºª on² the sideº of the tabernacleº southward.º 30 And the chiefº of the houseº of the fatherº of the familiesº of the Kohathitesº [shall be] Elizaphanº the sonº of Uzziel.º 31 And their chargeº [shall be] the ark,º and the table,º and the candlestick,º and the altars,º and the vesselsº of the sanctuaryº wherewith² they minister,ºª and the hanging,º and all² the serviceº thereof. 32 And Eleazarº the sonº of Aaronº the priestº [shall be] chiefº over the chiefº of the Levites,º [and have] the oversightº of them that keepºª the chargeº of the sanctuary.º

[27] Nu 3:19; 1Ch 23:12; 26:23.
[28] Nu 3:7, 31; 4:35.
[29] Nu 1:53; 2:10; 3:23.
[31] Ex 25:10; 26:31; 27:1; 30:1; 31:1; 36:35; 37:1, 25; 38:1; 39:33; 40:2, 30; Nu 4:4.
[32] Nu 4:16, 27; 20:25; 2K 25:18; 1Ch 9:14; 26:20.

of the Merarites.

33 ¶ Of Merariº [was] the familyº of the Mahlites,º and the familyº of the Mushites:º these² [are] the familiesº of Merari.º 34 And those that were numberedºª of them, according to the numberº of all² the males,º from a monthº oldº² and upward,º [were] sixº thousandº and two hundred.º 35 And the chiefº of the houseº of the fatherº of the familiesº of Merariº [was] Zurielº the sonº of Abihail:º [these] shall pitchºª on² the sideº of the tabernacleº northward.º 36 And [under] the custodyº and chargeº of the sonsº of Merariº [shall be] the boardsº of the tabernacle,º and the barsº thereof, and the pillarsº thereof, and the socketsº thereof, and all² the vesselsº thereof, and all² that servethº thereto, 37 And the pillarsº of the courtº round about,º and their sockets,º and their pins,º and their cords.º

[33] Nu 3:20; 1Ch 6:19; 23:21.
[34] Nu 1:21; 2:9, 11.
[35] Nu 1:53; 2:25; 3:28.
[36] Ex 26:15, 32, 37; 27:9; 35:11, 18; 36:20, 36; 38:17; 39:33; Nu 4:29; 7:8.

The place and charge of Moses and Aaron.

38 ¶ But those that encampºª beforeº the tabernacleº toward the east,º [even] beforeº the tabernacleº of the congregationº eastward,º [shall be] Moses,º and Aaronº and his sons,º keepingºª the chargeº of the sanctuaryº for the chargeº of the childrenº of Israel;º and the strangerºª that cometh nighº shall be put to death.ºª 39 All² that were numberedºª of the Levites,º which² Mosesº and Aaronº numberedºª at² the commandmentº of the LORD,º throughout their families,º all² the malesº from a monthº oldº² and upward,º [were] twentyº and twoº thousand.º

[38] Nu 1:53; 2:3; 3:7, 10, 23, 29, 35; 18:1; 1Ch 6:48.
[39] Nu 3:5, 11, 22, 28, 40, 44, 48, 51; 4:47; 26:62; Mt 7:14.

The firstborn are freed by the Levites.

40 ¶ And the LORDº saidºª unto² Moses,º Numberºª all² the firstbornº of the malesº of the childrenº of Israelº from a monthº oldº² and upward,º and takeºª² the numberº of their names.º 41 And thou shalt takeºª² the Levitesº for me (I² [am] the LORD)º instead of² all² the firstbornº among the childrenº of Israel;º and the cattleº of the Levitesº instead of² all² the firstlingsº among the cattleº of the childrenº of Israel.º 42 And Mosesº numbered,ºª as² the LORDº commandedºª him,² all² the firstbornº among the childrenº of Israel.º 43 And all² the firstbornº malesº by the numberº of names,º from a monthº oldº² and upward,º of those that were numberedºª of them, were² twentyº and twoº thousandº two hundredº and threescore and thirteen.ºº

[40] Ex 32:26; Nu 3:12, 15, 45; Ps 87:6; Is 4:3; Lk 10:20; Php 4:3; 2Ti 2:19; He 12:23; Rv 3:5; 14:4.
[41] Ex 24:5; 32:26; Nu 3:12, 45; 8:16; 18:15; Mt 20:28; 1Ti 2:6.
[43] Nu 3:39.

The overplus are redeemed.

44 ¶ And the LORDº spakeºª unto² Moses,º saying,ºª 45 Takeºª² the Levitesº instead of² all² the firstbornº among the childrenº of Israel,º and the cattleº of the Levitesº instead of² their cattle;º and the Levitesº shall be² mine: I² [am] the LORD.º 46 And for those that are to be redeemed¹² of the two hundredº and threescore and thirteenºº of the firstbornº² of the childrenº of Israel,º which are moreºª thanº the Levites;º 47 Thou shalt even takeºª five¹ shekels¹ apieceº² by the poll,º after the shekelº of the sanctuaryº shalt thou takeºª [them]: (the shekelº [is] twentyº gerahs:)º 48 And thou shalt giveºª the money,º wherewith the odd numberºª of them is to be redeemed,¹² unto Aaronº and to his sons.º 49 And Mosesº tookºª the redemptionº² moneyº of²² them that were overºª and above² them that were redeemed¹² by the Levites:º 50 Of²² the firstbornº of the childrenº of Israelº tookºª he² the money;º a thousandº threeº hundredº and threescoreº and fiveº [shekels], after the shekelº of the sanctuary:º 51 And Mosesº gaveºª² the moneyº of them that were redeemedº¹ª unto Aaronº and to his sons,º according to² the wordº of the LORD,º as² the LORDº commandedºª² Moses.º

[45] Nu 3:12, 40.
[46] Ex 13:13; Nu 3:39, 47; 18:15; 1P 1:18.
[47] Ex 30:13; Lv 27:6, 25; Nu 3:50; 18:16; Ezk 45:12.
[50] Nu 3:46; Mt 20:28; 1Ti 2:5; Tit 2:14; He 9:12; 1P 1:18; 3:18.
[51] Nu 3:48; 16:15; 1S 12:3; Mal 4:4; Ac 20:33; 1Co 9:12; 1P 5:2.


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