Numbers 3:1-41 ▼

1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moyses, in ye day that the Lorde spake with Moyses in mount Sinai.

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

3 These are the names of the sonnes of Aaron whiche were priestes annoynted, and whose hande was consecrated to minister.

4 And Nadab and Abihu dyed before the Lorde, when they offred straunge fire befor the Lorde in the wyldernesse of Sinai, and had no chyldren: And Eleazar and Ithamar ministred in the sight of Aaron their father.

5 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses, saying:

6 Bryng the tribe of Leui, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may serue hym:

7 And take the charge with hym, euen the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the seruice of the tabernacle.

8 They shall kepe all the instrumentes of the tabernacle of the congregation, & haue the charge of the chyldren of Israel, to do the seruice of the tabernacle.

9 And thou shalt geue the Leuites vnto Aaron and to his sonnes: for they are geuen and deliuered vnto hym of the chyldren of Israel.

10 And thou shalt appoynt Aaron and his sonnes to wayte on their priestes office: and the straunger that commeth nye, shalbe slayne.

11 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses, saying:

12 Beholde, I haue taken the Leuites from among the chyldren of Israel for all the first borne that openeth the matrice among the chyldren of Israel, and the Leuites shalbe mine.

13 Because all the first borne are myne: for the same day that I smote all the first borne in the lande of Egypt, I halowed vnto me all the first borne in Israel, both man and beast, and mine they shalbe: I am the Lorde.

14 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses in the wyldernesse of Sinai, saying:

15 Number the chyldren of Leui after the houses of their fathers in their kinredes: All that are males from a moneth old and aboue, shalt thou number.

16 And Moyses numbred them, according to the worde of the Lorde, as he was commaunded.

17 And these were the chyldren of Leui in their names: Gerson, and Caath, and Merari.

18 And these are the names of the chyldren of Gerson in their kinredes: Libni, and Semei.

19 The sonnes of Caath in their kinredes: Amram, Iesar, Hebron, and Oziel.

20 And the sonnes of Merari in their kinredes: Maheli, and Musi. These are the kinredes of the Leuites, accordyng to the houses of their fathers.

21 Of Gerson came the kinred of the Libnites and the kinred of the Semeites. These are the kinredes of the Gersonites,

22 And the summe of them after the number of all the males, from a moneth old and aboue, was counted seuen thousande and fiue hundred.

23 And the kinredes of the Gersonites shall pitch behinde the tabernacle westwarde.

24 The captayne and most auncient of the house of the Gersonites, shalbe Eliasaph the sonne of Lael.

25 And the charge of the chyldren of Gerson in the tabernacle of the congregation, shalbe the tabernacle and the pauilion, the couering thereof, and the vayle of the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation:

26 And the hangynges of the court, and the curtayne of the doore of the court whiche is rounde about the tabernacle, and the aulter, and the cordes of it for all the seruice thereof.

27 And of Caath, came the kinred of the Amramites, and the kinred of the Izecharites, the kinred of the Hebronites, and the kinred of the Ozielites: These are the kinredes of the Caathites.

28 And the number of all the males from a moneth olde and aboue, was eyght thousande and sixe hundred, hauing the charge of the sanctuarie.

29 And the kinred of the chyldren of Caath, shall pitche on the south syde of the tabernacle.

30 The captayne and most auncient of the house of the kinred of the Caathites, shalbe Elisaphan the sonne of Oziel.

31 And their charge shalbe the arke, the table, the candelsticke, and the aulters, & the vessels of the sanctuarie that they minister in, and the vayle, & whatsoeuer belongeth to the ministration therof.

32 And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest, shalbe captayne ouer all the captaines of the Leuites, and hath the ouersight of them that wayte vpon the sanctuarie.

33 And of Merari came the kinred of the Mahelites, and the kinred of the Musites: These are ye kinredes of Merari.

34 And the summe of them accordyng to the number of al the males, from a moneth olde and aboue, was sixe thousand and two hundred.

35 The captayne and the most auncient of their house that were of the kinred of Merari, was Zuriel the sonne of Abihael: and these shall pitche on the north syde of the tabernacle.

36 And vnder the custodie and charge of the sonnes of Merari, shalbe ye boordes of the tabernacle, & the barres pyllers, and sockettes therof, and all the vessels therof, and all that serueth therto:

37 And the pillers of the court rounde about, with their sockets, their pinnes, and their cordes.

38 But on the forefront of the tabernacle towarde the east, before the tabernacle of the congregation eastwarde, shall Moyses & Aaron and his sonnes, pitche and wayte to kepe the sanctuarie, and to kepe the chyldren of Israel: And the strannger that commeth nye, shalbe slayne.

39 And the whole summe of the Leuites whiche Moyses and Aaron numbred at the commaundement of the Lorde throughout their kinredes, euen all the males from a moneth olde and aboue, was twentie and two thousande.

40 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses: Number all ye first borne that are males among the chyldren of Israel, from a moneth olde and aboue, and take the number of their names.

41 And thou shalt appoynt the Leuites to me (for I am the Lorde) for all the first borne of the children of Israel, and the cattell of the Leuites for all the first gendred of the cattell of the chyldren of Israel.