Numbers 3:33-51 ▼

33 From Merari is the family of the Mahlite, and the family of the Mushite; these were the clans of Merari.

34 And those numbered by the number of all the males, from a son of a month and above, were six thousand and two hundred.

35 And the leader of the house of the father of the clans of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

36 And the appointed duty of the sons of Merari was the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its bases, and its vessels, and all its service;

37 and the pillars of the court all around, and their bases, and their pegs, and their cords.

38 And those who were to camp before the face of the tabernacle on the east, before the face of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, keeping charge of the sanctuary to meet the needs of the sons of Israel; and the outsider who came near was to be put to death.

39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of YHWH, by their clans, all the males from a son of a month and above, were two and twenty thousand.

40 And YHWH said to Moses, “Number all the firstborn males of the sons of Israel, from a son of a month and above, and lift up the number of their names.

41 And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am YHWH—instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the sons of Israel.”

42 And Moses numbered, as YHWH commanded him, all the firstborn among the sons of Israel.

43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a son of a month and above, of their numbered, were two and twenty thousand three and seventy and two hundred.

44 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,

45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be Mine; I am YHWH.

46 And for the redemption of the three and seventy and two hundred being in excess over the Levites of the firstborn of the sons of Israel,

47 even you shall take five—five shekels per head; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them, the shekel being twenty gerahs.

48 And you shall give the silver to Aaron and his sons, with which is redeemed of them being in excess.”

49 And Moses took the redemption silver from those exceeding over those who were redeemed by the Levites.

50 From the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the silver, five and sixty and three hundred and a thousand shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary,

51 and Moses gave the silver of their redemption to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of YHWH, as YHWH had commanded Moses.