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Numbers 3:14-39

Listen to Numbers 3:14-39
14 The LORD spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15 "Number the children of Levi by their fathers' houses, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shall you number."
16 Moshe numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.
17 These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kehat, and Merari.
18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Livni and Shim`i.
19 The sons of Kehat by their families: `Amram, and Yitzhar, Hevron, and `Uzzi'el.
20 The sons of Merari by their families: Machli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.
21 Of Gershon was the family of the Livni, and the family of the Shim`i: these are the families of the Gershoni.
22 Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those who were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred.
23 The families of the Gershoni shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.
24 The prince of the fathers' house of the Gershoni shall be Elyasaf the son of La'el.
25 The charge of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,
26 and the hangings of the court, and 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.
27 Of Kehat was the family of the `Amrami, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hevroni, and the family of the `Uzzi'eli: these are the families of the Kehati.
28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
29 The families of the sons of Kehat shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle.
30 The prince of the fathers' house of the families of the Kehati shall be Elitzafan the son of `Uzzi'el.
31 Their charge shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.
32 El`azar the son of Aharon the Kohen shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, with the oversight of those who keep the charge of the sanctuary.
33 Of Merari was the family of the Machli, and the family of the Mushi. These are the families of Merari.
34 Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.
35 The prince of the fathers' house of the families of Merari was Tzuri'el the son of Avichayil. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle.
36 The appointed charge of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,
37 the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.
38 Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moshe, and Aharon and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Yisra'el. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moshe and Aharon numbered at the mitzvah of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

Numbers 3:14-39 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 3

In this chapter an account is given of the genealogy of the priests and Levites, and of the gift of the Levites to the priests, of the numbering of them, and the service they were to perform; and first of the priests, the sons of Aaron, Nu 3:1-4; and then of the Levites, as given unto them, to wait upon them, and assist them, Nu 3:5-10; and these were taken instead of the firstborn, Nu 3:11-13; and ordered to be numbered, which was done accordingly by their families, Nu 3:14-20; and the sum of each is given, and the particular work assigned to them; of the Gershonites, Nu 3:21-26; of the Kohathites, Nu 3:27-32; of the Merarites, Nu 3:33-38; the sum total of them is given, Nu 3:39; then the firstborn of the children of Israel, from a month old are ordered to be numbered, and were, Nu 3:40-43; and these appearing to be more in number than the Levites, by two hundred seventy three a direction is given that the two hundred seventy three should be redeemed at the rate of five, shekels apiece, and the money paid to Aaron and his sons, Nu 3:44-48; which was accordingly done, Nu 3:49-51.

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The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.

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