And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. ] Gave up his right in the firstborn, and instead of them took the Levites for his use and service: see ( Numbers 3:12 ) .
16
For they have been exclusively assigned to Me from the Israelites. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, every Israelite firstborn.
17
For every firstborn among the Israelites is Mine, both man and animal. I consecrated them to Myself on the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt.
18
But I have taken the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites.
19
From the Israelites, I have given the Levites exclusively to Aaron and his sons to perform the work for the Israelites at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary."
20
Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community did [this] to the Levites. The Israelites did everything to them the Lord commanded Moses regarding the Levites.