Sons of Aaron
Numbers 3, verse 1. Now these are the genealogies of Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. Numbers 3, verse 2. These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Numbers 3, verse 3. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he consecrated to minister as priests. Numbers 3, verse 4. Nadab and Abihu had 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 ministered as priests with Aaron their father.
Levites Serve in the Tabernacle
Numbers 3, verse 5. Again, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Numbers 3, verse 6. “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, so they may minister liturgically with him. Numbers 3, verse 7. They shall perform duties for him and for the children of Israel before the tabernacle of testimony, according to all the works of the tabernacle. Numbers 3, verse 8. They shall also perform duties for all the furnishings of the tabernacle of testimony, and for all the children of Israel, according to all the works of the tabernacle. Numbers 3, verse 9. Thus you shall assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons the priests; they are given entirely to Me from the children of Israel. Numbers 3, verse 10. And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons over the tabernacle of testimony, and they shall guard their priesthood and all the things related to the altar and within the veil; but the foreigner who touches these things shall be put to death.” Numbers 3, verse 11. Moreover, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Numbers 3, verse 12. “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. The Levites shall be a ransom from them; therefore, they shall be Mine, Numbers 3, verse 13. because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to cattle. They shall be Mine; I am the Lord.”
Census of the Levites
Numbers 3, verse 14. Furthermore, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying, Numbers 3, verse 15. “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their tribes, and by their families; you shall number every male from a month old and above.” Numbers 3, verse 16. So Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the voice of the Lord, in the manner the Lord commanded them. Numbers 3, verse 17. These are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Numbers 3, verse 18. These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their tribes: Libni and Shimei; Numbers 3, verse 19. and the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel; Numbers 3, verse 20. and the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the tribes of the Levites by their fathers’ houses. Numbers 3, verse 21. From Gershon came the tribe of the Libnites and the Shimites; these are the families of the Gershonites. Numbers 3, verse 22. Their census, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, was seven thousand five hundred. Numbers 3, verse 23. The children of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle along the west side, Numbers 3, verse 24. and the ruler of the father's house of the tribe of Gershon was Eliasaph the son of Lael. Numbers 3, verse 25. The charge of the children of Gershon in the tabernacle of testimony included the overall covering of the tabernacle and the screen for the door of the tabernacle of testimony, Numbers 3, verse 26. and the curtains of the court, and the screen for the gate of the court by the tabernacle, and the rest of all its works. Numbers 3, verse 27. From Kohath came the tribes of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these are the tribes of the Kohathites. Numbers 3, verse 28. Their census, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, was eight thousand six hundred, keeping charge of the holy things. Numbers 3, verse 29. The tribes of the children of Kohath were to camp along the south side of the tabernacle, Numbers 3, verse 30. and the ruler of the house of the families of the Kohathite tribes was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Numbers 3, verse 31. Their charge included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the holy place with which they ministered liturgically, the screen, and all their works. Numbers 3, verse 32. Now the ruler over the rulers of the Levites was Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest. He was appointed to be in charge of those responsible for the holy things. Numbers 3, verse 33. From Merari came the tribe of the Mahlites and the tribe of the Mushites; these were the tribes of Merari. Numbers 3, verse 34. Their census, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, was six thousand five hundred, Numbers 3, verse 35. and the ruler of the house of the families of the Merari tribe was Zuriel the son of Abihail. These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. Numbers 3, verse 36. The appointed duty of the children of Merari included the pillars of the tabernacle, and the bars, the columns, and the bases, and all their furnishings and works, Numbers 3, verse 37. and the pillars of the court all around, with their bases, pegs, and cords. Numbers 3, verse 38. Those camped in front of the tabernacle of testimony on the east were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, performing the guard duties of the holy place on behalf of the children of Israel; but the foreigner who touches these things shall be put to death. Numbers 3, verse 39. The entire census of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the voice of the Lord, by their tribes, all the males from a month old and above, was twenty-two thousand.
Levites Dedicated, Replacing the Firstborn
Numbers 3, verse 40. Again, the Lord said to Moses, “Take a census of all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. Numbers 3, verse 41. 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 firstborn cattle among the children of Israel.” Numbers 3, verse 42. So Moses took a census of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, in the manner the Lord commanded him. Numbers 3, verse 43. Thus all the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and above from the census, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three. Numbers 3, verse 44. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Numbers 3, verse 45. “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the Lord. Numbers 3, verse 46. But for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three firstborn from the children of Israel who are more in number than the Levites, Numbers 3, verse 47. you shall take five shekels for each one individually; you shall take them according to the holy didrachm, the twenty obols of the shekel. Numbers 3, verse 48. Then you shall give the silver with which the excess number of them is redeemed to Aaron and his sons.” Numbers 3, verse 49. So Moses took the silver, the redemption of those who exceeded the number, for the redemption of the Levites. Numbers 3, verse 50. From the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the silver, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the holy shekel. Numbers 3, verse 51. Then Moses gave their redemption money for those in excess to Aaron and his sons, according to the voice of the Lord, in the manner the Lord commanded Moses.