The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

(Leviticus 10:1–7)

This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized (a) fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

The Duties of the Levites

Then the LORD said to Moses,

“Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.

They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle.

They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him

(b)

from among the Israelites.

So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,

for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”

The Numbering of the Levites

Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying,

“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”

So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he had been commanded.

These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei.

The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.

The Gershonites

(Numbers 4:21–28; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)

From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans.

The number of all the males a month old or more was 7,500.

The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle,

and the leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.

The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items.

The Kohathites

(Numbers 4:1–20; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)

From Kohath came the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites.

The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600.(c) They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,

and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan (d) son of Uzziel.

Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.

The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

The Merarites

(Numbers 4:29–33; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)

From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans.

The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200.

The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items,

as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.

Moses and Aaron

Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.

The Redemption of the Firstborn

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names.

You are to take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”

So Moses numbered all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him.

The total number of the firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.

To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

you are to collect five shekels

(e)

for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.(f)

Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”

So Moses collected the redemption money from those in excess of the number redeemed by the Levites.

He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites: 1,365 shekels,(g) according to the sanctuary shekel.

And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the word of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Footnotes

(a)3:4 Or strange

(b)3:9 Most MT manuscripts; some MT manuscripts, SP, and LXX (see also Numbers 8:16) to Me

(d)3:30 Elizaphan is a variant of Elzaphan; see Exodus 6:22 and Leviticus 10:4.

(e)3:47 5 shekels is approximately 2 ounces or 57 grams.

(f)3:47 20 gerahs is equivalent to one shekel (approximately 0.4 ounces or 11.4 grams).

(g)3:50 1,365 shekels is approximately 34.3 pounds or 15.6 kilograms.

(Leviticus 10:1–7)

Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.

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. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence of Aaron their father.

The Duties of the Levites

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.

They shall keep his requirements, and the requirements of the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.

They shall keep all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, and the obligations of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are wholly given to him on the behalf of the children of Israel.

You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood, but the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Behold,(a) I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine,

for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be mine. I am the LORD.”

The Numbering of the Levites

The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

“Count the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward.”

Moses counted them according to the LORD’s word, as he was commanded.

These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses.

The Gershonites

(Numbers 4:21–28; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)

Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites. These are the families of the Gershonites.

Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, even those who were counted of them were seven thousand five hundred.

The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.

Eliasaph the son of Lael shall be the prince of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites.

The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service.

The Kohathites

(Numbers 4:1–20; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)

Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites. These are the families of the Kohathites.

According to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred keeping the requirements of the sanctuary.

The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle.

The prince of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, the screen, and all its service.

Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary.

The Merarites

(Numbers 4:29–33; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)

Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari.

Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.(b)

The prince of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle.

The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,

the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.

Moses and Aaron

Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses, with Aaron and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.

All who were counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the commandment of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

The Redemption of the Firstborn

The LORD said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

You shall take the Levites for me—I am the LORD—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”

Moses counted, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

All the firstborn males according to the number of names from a month old and upward, of those who were counted of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD.

For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites,

you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel

(c)

of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs (d));

and you shall give the money, with which their remainder is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons.”

Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites;

from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels,(e) according to the shekel of the sanctuary;

and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to the LORD’s word, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Footnotes

(a)3:12 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(b)3:34 + 22,000 is the sum rounded to 2 significant digits. The sum of the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites given above is 22,300, but the traditional Hebrew text has the number rounded to 2 significant digits, not 3 significant digits.

(d)3:47 A gerah is about 0.5 grams or about 7.7 grains.

(e)3:50 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 1365 shekels is about 13.65 kilograms or about 30 pounds.