Numbers 3:1-16 ▼

1 THESE are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke with Moses on mount Sinai.

2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, his first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron the priest, who were anointed and consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

4 But 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 during the lifetime of Aaron their father.

5 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

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

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

8 And 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.

9 And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are wholly given to him as a gift out of the children of Israel.

10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.

11 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

12 Behold I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born that open the womb among the children of Israel; therefore the Levites shall be mine;

13 Because all the first-born are mine; for on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast; they shall be mine; I am the LORD.

14 And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families; every male from a month old and upward, you shall number them.

16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.