1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day thatthe LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

2And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

4And 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: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.

5And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

6Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

7And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

8And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

9And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they arewholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

10And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

11And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

12And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

13Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

14And the LORD spake unto 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 shalt thou 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 arethe 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.

24And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall beEliasaph the son of Lael.

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, wereeight 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 wasZuriel 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 serveth 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, evenbefore 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 cometh nigh 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.

40And the LORD said unto 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 thou shalt 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.

44And the LORD spake unto 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;

47Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)

48And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

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:

51And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses, in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in Mount Sinai.

2And these are the names of the sonnes of Aaron: Nadab the first borne, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

3These are the names of the sonnes of Aaron the Priests, which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the Priests office.

4And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wildernesse of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministred in the Priests office in the sight of Aaron their father.

5 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

6Bring the tribe of Leui neere, and present them before Aaron the Priest, that they may minister vnto him.

7And they shall keepe his charge, and the charge of the whole Congregation before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle.

8And they shall keepe all the instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle.

9And thou shalt giue the Leuites vnto Aaron and to his sonnes: they are wholly giuen vnto him out of the children of Israel.

10And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sonnes, and they shall waite on their priests office: and the stranger that commeth nigh, shall bee put to death.

11And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

12And I, behold, I haue taken the Leuites from among the children of Israel, in stead of all the first borne that openeth the matrice among the children of Israel: therefore the Leuites shall be mine,

13Because all the first borne are mine: for on the day that I smote all the first borne in the land of Egypt, I halowed vnto mee all the first borne in Israel, both man, and beast, mine they shall be: I am the Lord.

14 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, in the wildernesse of Sinai, saying,

15Number the children of Leui, after the house of their fathers, by their families: euery male from a moneth old and vpward shalt thou number them.

16And Moses numbred them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.

17And these were the sonnes of Leui, by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

18And these are the names of the sonnes of Gershon, by their families: Libni, and Shimei.

19And the sonnes of Kohath by their families: Amram, and Izehar, Hebron and Uzziel.

20And the sonnes of Merari by their families: Mahli, and Mushi: these are the families of the Leuites, according to the house of their fathers.

21Of Gershon was the familie of the Libnites, and the familie of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

22Those that were numbred of them, according to the number of all the males, from a moneth old and vpward, euen those that were numbred of them, were seuen thousand and fiue hundred.

23The families of the Gershonites shal pitch behind the Tabernacle Westward.

24And the chiefe of the house of the father of the Gershonites, shall be Eliasaph the sonne of Lael.

25And the charge of the sonnes of Gershon, in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, shall be the Tabernacle, and the tent, the couering thereof, and the hanging for the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation:

26And the hangings of the Court, and the curtaine for the doore of the court, which is by the Tabernacle, and by the Altar round about, and the cords of it, for all the seruice therof.

27 And of Kohath was the familie of the Amramites, and the familie of the Izeharites, and the familie of the Hebronites, and the familie of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

28In the number of all the males, from a moneth olde and vpward, were eight thousand, and sixe hundred, keeping the charge of the Sanctuary.

29The families of the sonnes of Kohath, shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle Southward.

30And the chiefe of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shalbe Elizaphan the sonne of Uzziel.

31And their charge shall be the Arke, and the Table, and the Candlesticke, and the altars, and the vessels of the Sanctuarie, wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the seruice thereof.

32And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest, shall be chiefe ouer the chiefe of the Leuites, and haue the ouersight of them that keepe the charge of the Sanctuary.

33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

34And those that were numbred of them, according to the number of all the males from a moneth old & vpward, were sixe thousand and two hundred.

35And the chiefe of the house of the father of the families of Merari, was Zuriel the sonne of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle Northwards.

36And vnder the custody and charge of the sonnes of Merari, shall bee the boards of the Tabernacle, and the barres thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, & all the vessels thereof, and all that serueth thereto:

37And the pillars of the Court round about, and their sockets, and their pinnes, and their cords.

38 But those that encampe before the Tabernacle toward the East, euen before the Tabernacle of the Congregation Eastward, shall be Moses and Aaron, and his sonnes, keeping the charge of the Sanctuary, for the charge of the children of Israel: and the stranger that commeth nigh, shall be put to death.

39All that were numbred of the Leuites, which Moses and Aaron numbred at the commaundement of the Lord, throughout their families, all the males from a moneth old and vpward, were twenty and two thousand.

40 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Number all the first borne of the males of the children of Israel, from a moneth old and vpward, and take the number of their names.

41And thou shalt take the Leuites for me, (I am the Lord ) in stead of all the first borne among the children of Israel, and the cattell of the Leuites, in stead of all the firstlings among the cattell of the children of Israel.

42And Moses numbred as the Lord commanded him, all the first borne among the children of Israel.

43And all the first borne males, by the number of names, from a moneth old & vpward, of those that were numbred of them, were twenty and two thousand, two hundred, and threescore and thirteene.

44 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

45Take the Leuites in stead of all the first borne among the children of Israel, and the cattell of the Leuites in stead of their cattell, and the Leuites shalbe mine: I am the Lord.

46And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteene, of the first borne of the children of Israel, which are more then the Leuites;

47Thou shalt euen take fiue shekels a piece, by the polle, after the shekel of the Sanctuary shalt thou take them; the shekel is twenty gerahs.

48And thou shalt giue the money, wherewith the odde number of them is to be redeemed, vnto Aaron and to his sonnes.

49And Moses tooke the redemption money, of them that were ouer and aboue them that were redeemed by the Leuites.

50Of the first borne of the children of Israel tooke he the money; a thousand, three hundred, and threescore and fiue shekels, after the shekel of the Sanctuary.

51And Moses gaue the money of them that were redeemed, vnto Aaron and to his sonnes, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

 

 

 

II == Ex 6:23

 

III == Ex 28:41 ; Lev 8

 

 

IV == Lev 10:1 ; Num 26:61 ; 1st Chr 24:2

 

 

 

 

 

VI == Num 8:6 ; 18:2

 

VII == Num 1:50 ; 8:11 , 15 , 24 , 26

 

 

 

 

 

IX == Num 8:19 ; 18:6

 

 

X == Num 1:51 ; 3:38 ; 16:40 ; 18:7

 

 

 

XII == Num 3:41 ; 8:16 ; 18:6

 

 

 

 

XIII == Ex 13:2 , 12 , 15 ; Lev 27:26 ; Num 8:16-17 ; Luke 2:23

 

 

 

XV == Num 3:39 ; 26:62

 

 

 

 

XVII == Gen 46:11 ; Ex 6:16 ; Num 26:57 ; 1st Chr 6:1 , 16 ; 23:6

XVIII == Ex 6:17

XIX == Ex 6:18

 

XX == Ex 6:19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIII == Num 1:53

 

 

 

XXV == Ex 25:9 ; 26:1 , 7 , 14 , 36 ; Num 4:24-26

 

 

 

XXVI == Ex 27:9 , 16 ; 35:18

 

 

 

XXVII == 1st Chr 26:23

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIX == Num 1:53

 

 

 

 

XXXI == Ex 25:10 , 23 , 31 ; 26:22 ; 27:1 ; 30:1 ; Num 4:15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXV == Num 1:53

 

 

XXXVI == Num 4:31-32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXVIII == Num 1:53 ; 3:7-8 , 10 ; 18:5

 

 

 

 

XXXIX == Num 26:62

 

 

 

 

XL == Num 3:15

 

 

 

XLI == Num 3:12 , 45

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XLV == Num 3:12 , 41

 

 

 

XLVI == Ex 13:13 ; Num 3:39 , 43 ; 18:15

 

 

XLVII == Ex 30:13 ; Lev 27:6 , 25 ; Num 18:16 ; Ezek 45:12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L == Num 3:46-47

 

 

LI == Num 3:48

 

 

 

1 The following were the descendants of Aaron and Moses at the time that the LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.

2 The sons of Aaron were Nadab his first-born, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests who were ordained to exercise the priesthood.

4 But when Nadab and Abihu offered profane fire before the LORD in the desert of Sinai, they met death in the presence of the LORD, and left no sons. Thereafter only Eleazar and Ithamar performed the priestly functions under the direction of their father Aaron.

5 Now the LORD said to Moses:

6"Summon the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest, as his assistants.

7 They shall discharge his obligations and those of the whole community before the meeting tent by serving at the Dwelling.

8 They shall have custody of all the furnishings of the meeting tent and discharge the duties of the Israelites in the service of the Dwelling.

9 You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been set aside from among the Israelites as dedicated to me.

10 But only Aaron and his descendants shall you appoint to have charge of the priestly functions. Any layman who comes near shall be put to death."

11 The LORD said to Moses,

12 "It is I who have chosen the Levites from the Israelites in place of every first-born that opens the womb among the Israelites. The Levites, therefore, are mine,

13 because every first-born is mine. When I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I made all the first-born in Israel sacred to me, both of man and of beast. They belong to me; I am the LORD."

14 The LORD said to Moses in the desert of Sinai,

15 "Take a census of the Levites by ancestral houses and clans, registering every male of a month or more."

16 Moses, therefore, took their census in accordance with the command the LORD had given him.

17 The sons of Levi were named Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

18 The descendants of Gershon, by clans, were named Libni and Shimei.

19 The descendants of Kohath, by clans, were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

20 The descendants of Merari, by clans, were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites by ancestral houses.

21 To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites.

22 When all their males of a month or more were registered, they numbered seven thousand five hundred.

23 The clans of the Gershonites camped behind the Dwelling, to the west.

24 The prince of their ancestral house was Eliasaph, son of Lael.

25 At the meeting tent they had charge of whatever pertained to the Dwelling, the tent and its covering, the curtain at the entrance of the meeting tent,

26 the hangings of the court, the curtain at the entrance of the court enclosing both the Dwelling and the altar, and the ropes.

27 To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites.

28 When all their males of a month or more were registered, they numbered eight thousand three hundred. They had charge of the sanctuary.

29 The clans of the Kohathites camped at the south side of the Dwelling.

30 The prince of their ancestral house was Elizaphan, son of Uzziel.

31 They had charge of whatever pertained to the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils with which the ministry of the sanctuary was exercised, and the veil.

32 The chief prince of the Levites, however, was Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest; he was supervisor over those who had charge of the sanctuary.

33 To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were the clans of Merari.

34 When all their males of a month or more were registered, they numbered six thousand two hundred.

35 The prince of the ancestral house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel, son of Abihail. They camped at the north side of the Dwelling.

36 The Merarites were charged with the care of whatever pertained to the boards of the Dwelling, its bars, columns, pedestals, and all its fittings,

37 as well as the columns of the surrounding court with their pedestals, pegs and ropes.

38 East of the Dwelling, that is, in front of the meeting tent, toward the sunrise, were camped Moses and Aaron and the latter's sons. They discharged the obligations of the sanctuary for the Israelites. Any layman who came near was to be put to death.

39 The total number of male Levites a month old or more whom Moses had registered by clans in keeping with the LORD'S command, was twenty-two thousand.

40 The LORD then said to Moses, "Take a census of all the first-born males of the Israelites a month old or more, and compute their total number.

41 Then assign the Levites to me, the LORD, in place of all the first-born of the Israelites, as well as their cattle in place of all the first-born among the cattle of the Israelites."

42 So Moses took a census of all the first-born of the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him.

43 When all the first-born males of a month or more were registered, they numbered twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

44 The LORD said to Moses:

45 "Take the Levites in place of all the first-born of the Israelites, and the Levites' cattle in place of their cattle, that the Levites may belong to me. I am the LORD.

46 As ransom for the two hundred and seventy-three first-born of the Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

47 you shall take five shekels for each individual, according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel.

48 Give this silver to Aaron and his sons as ransom for the extra number."

49 So Moses took the silver as ransom from those who were left when the rest had been redeemed by the Levites.

50 From the first-born of the Israelites he received in silver one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels according to the sanctuary standard.

51 He then gave this ransom silver to Aaron and his sons, as the LORD had commanded him.

THE LEVITES, THEIR NUMBER AND THEIR DUTIES.

A distinction between priests and Levites , with the priests coming from the tribe of Levi, belonged to special families within the tribe and were definitely superior to the other Levites. The other Levites were superior to non-Levites, and were especially assigned to the care of the tabernacle, but were so placed in the encampment and on the march. With them acting as a kind of protective guard of honor for the sacred shrine.

v 1-4. Eleazar and Ithamar take the place Nadab and Abihu could have had.

 

v 5-13. All priests are Levites, but not all Levites are priests. Those not priests are given to Aaron to serve him, the people and duties concerning the tabernacle, but they could not enter the holy tent. Firstborn are set aside for God following the death of Egypt’s firstborn, but the entire tribe of Levi are taken instead of from each family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 14-20. Other men were numbered from 20 years and upward, but Levite males are numbered from a month old and upward. The sons of Levi were divided according to the three sons, Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 21-27. Families of Gershon would camp at the west end of the tabernacle with their head man being Eliasaph. The Gershonites were responsible for the care of all the tent and curtain material and cords involved with them (except the veil v 31).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 27-32. Families of Kohath would camp at the south side of the tabernacle and their head man was Elizaphan. They were in charge of the ark, table, lamp stand, both altars, all the vessels of ministry for the holy things. Gershonites carried all the other curtain material except the veil or screen, and Kohathites carried it , v 31, because it was part of the Holy Place. When they prepared to move, Aaron and his sons took down the veil and covered the ark with it, Num. 4:5. Eleazar the son of Aaron would be the chief leader of the Levites, so he could supervise those in charge of the sanctuary. Some of his specific responsibilities are spelled out in 4:16.

 

 

v 33-37. The family of Merari would camp at the north side of the tabernacle and their head man was Zuriel. The Merarites were in charge of all the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, pins and cords stabilizing the pillars. (Gershon had the curtain cords, v 26.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 38,39. Moses and Aaron and his sons would camp at the east side of the tabernacle, where they could serve there and also complete the guard so that no unauthorized persons could go in. Anyone attempting to do so was to be put to death. Even Christ and his disciples and the apostle Paul never went into the holy part of the temple, only the temple court. The total Levite males a month old and upward was 22,000. Moses and Aaron were descendants of Amram, one of the families of the Kohathites, so all the Kohathites were involved with the holy things. This caused family jealousy and deaths, Num. 16.

 

v 40-43. Since the Lord was substituting Levites for firstborn of Israel, He had all the other Israelite males a month old and upward numbered and there were 22,273. This only applied to those born after the Exodus, not retroactive to others, Ex. 13:11-13 of them, a total of 1,365 shekels. This was given to Aaron and his sons, the first time being collected and given to them by Moses.